“I basically started over in 2018. New country. New family. No safety net.”
When Jacques Kim Maeda arrived in Australia in 2016, he didn’t land with a suitcase full of options. He had no job, no visa, no local network. What he did have was a newborn, a partner, and a history of success in SAP across Latin America. But in many ways, none of that mattered. Because this wasn’t a career transition. It was a life reset.
How Do You Rebuild When You Don’t Know Where to Begin?
It’s one thing to pivot. It’s another thing entirely to rebuild your identity while raising a child and navigating immigration uncertainty. Most people in Jacques’ shoes would’ve felt frozen. But he did what any architect would do—he laid a new foundation. Slowly. Brick by brick.
He found work in places where innovation mattered. Led architecture and transformation at companies like Australia Post, 7-Eleven, and IDP Education. Re-established himself not just as a SAP expert, but as someone who understood people, systems, and what it means to solve real problems.
Still, he never forgot what it took to get there.
ERP Was Never Just a Career—It Was a Lifeline
“ERP gave me structure when everything else was uncertain. It gave me something solid to work with—something I could trust.”
For Jacques, the world of enterprise systems wasn’t just about technology. It was about rhythm. Order. Clarity. It grounded him while the rest of his life was in flux.
He didn’t just configure SAP systems. He built chatbots to help during COVID. He simplified complexity. And above all, he connected with people. Because he knows firsthand that behind every system problem is a human trying to make sense of change.
The Hidden Chapters
Behind the certifications and enterprise work is someone many wouldn’t expect. Jacques is also a certified sushi chef, barista, bartender, sommelier—and yes, even a DJ. He’s a curious soul with a passion for learning and a soft spot for trying things just because he can.
“I’m not a cook,” he laughs. “I’m an eater.”
He has a YouTube channel filled with adrenaline-fuelled adventures and keeps memories not just in folders, but in the form of stories shared over food, travel, and family time. Because at his core, Jacques is someone who loves to experience life fully—then find meaning in the mess of it all.
A Netflix Series Called Afterlife
When asked what the title of his journey would be if it were a Netflix series, Jacques paused and answered with quiet honesty: Afterlife.
“Not because of the sadness,” he explains, “but because of the meaning. Things happen. You adapt. You keep going. It’s a new life after what was.”
And really—that’s what his story is about. The version of yourself that emerges when the old one no longer fits. The courage to begin again, not because you want to, but because you must.
A Message to Anyone Starting Over
“Do not give up. You might have to let go of who you were to become who you’re meant to be. But there’s something beautiful in that.”
Jacques’ story isn’t about titles or tech. It’s about faith—in your craft, in your people, and in yourself.
He’s not just an SAP Solutions Architect. He’s a father. A migrant. A man who rebuilt his life from the ground up. And today, when he walks through Melbourne parks chasing his kids or sketches ideas over coffee, he knows something most people don’t:
The architecture that matters most? Is the one you build within.
Connect with Jacques on LinkedIn
