Driving Post-Acquisition Transformation: Acciona–Lendlease Migration & Transition

Led $100M digital migration post-acquisition, transitioning 8,000+ staff and 14 entities into new HR, Payroll, and Ops systems (SAP B1, Kronos, Workday, iChris) within 12 months. Delivered strategic planning, remote team leadership, and full system integration across ANZ.

Client: Acciona
Engagement: 2020–2022 (COVID period)
Role: Transition & Transformation Lead (Contract)

Following Acciona’s acquisition of Lendlease Engineering, Digital Rehab was engaged to lead the migration and transition of systems, people, and processes into Acciona’s operational ecosystem. This two-year engagement, delivered during the height of COVID, focused on strategic planning, systems integration, and capability uplift across HR, Payroll, Finance, and Operations.

Operating under a $100M digital transformation mandate, Alisdair Blackman managed the delivery of critical transition outcomes ahead of the Transition Services Agreement (TSA) deadline – ensuring business continuity and readiness across Australia and New Zealand.

Core Activities & Focus Areas

  • Executive strategic planning and workforce data modelling
  • Integration design and build across SAP B1, Kronos Dimensions, Workday HCM, iChris, SEO, and CHEOPS
  • Knowledge transfer and capability development across business units
  • Remote leadership of geographically dispersed teams during COVID
  • Budget, stakeholder, and delivery management across multiple workstreams

Key Achievements

  • Seamless migration of 14 legal entities and over 8,000 employees into a new system ecosystem
  • Implementation of complex EBA pay rules and logic into Kronos Dimensions (now UKG Pro)
  • Full deployment of Workday HCM and iChris with integrated workflows across ANZ
  • Decommissioning of legacy systems and successful cutover to new platforms within 12 months

This engagement marked a major milestone in Acciona’s post-acquisition transformation—\ – delivering operational readiness, digital capability, and strategic alignment under extraordinary conditions.