“I used to think the destination mattered most. Now, I know it’s the journey that shapes you.”
For most of his life, Vijay Sachan was the one building structures—Information Architecture, data strategy and data models, frameworks, systems that hold global companies together. But it took him nearly 25 years to realise he was also building something else: himself.
Today, Vijay is the Vice President of Data Governance & Architecture at Customer360. He’s a strategist, a thought leader, a technologist. But if you ask him what he’s most proud of, he won’t point you to a successful SAP implementation or a well-architected S/4HANA migration.
Here’s his story about doubt. About silence. About change.
The Early Days: From Consulting Firms to End-User Business Roles
Vijay’s journey began in the world of consulting, where he first encountered the power of structured thinking—the ability to bring order to complexity. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) wasn’t just a technical field to him; it resonated on a deeper level. It offered something more profound: alignment, clarity, and control.
His real immersion began at Cargill, where he didn’t just work with SAP—he embraced it with purpose and passion. Over the years, he evolved into the architect behind data strategies that reached across continents. But behind the achievements were the lesser-known moments—the ones that truly tested his resolve and shaped his growth.
The Moment He Questioned Everything
Leading his first global Master Data Governance (MDG) deployment wasn’t just a professional milestone—it was a defining moment. It didn’t shake his confidence, because confidence was never in short supply. What it stirred was something deeper: the question of whether he could rise to the scale of the challenge.
“It wasn’t doubt,” he reflects. “It was the weight of responsibility—and the unknown. Could I really pull this off?”
But he showed up. He led. And what he gained wasn’t just a successful deployment—it was a deeper sense of self-trust.
That theme echoes throughout his journey. Late-night crisis that couldn’t be resolved by code alone. Teams in conflict that needed more than solutions—they needed a shift in tone. Challenges that weren’t technical, but profoundly human.
A Netflix Series Few Would Watch—But Everyone Would Feel
If his ERP journey were a Netflix series? “It would be very philosophical,” he laughs. “One of those slow, art-house films people don’t get until they’re older. Deep. Quiet. But real.”
He’s not chasing viral moments. He’s chasing meaning. And with each decade, his lens keeps shifting. From structure to soul. From strategy to story. From answers to better questions.
Leaving Structure Behind—to Build Something of His Own
After 25 years in companies like Deloitte, EY, Cargill, Essential Energy and Syniti, Vijay did something bold: he stepped into the unknown. He left the safety of big systems and titles behind and started his own consulting practice—focused entirely on data transformation consulting.
“It’s exciting, but also unfamiliar. I’m used to leading within structured ecosystems. Now I’m building one from scratch.”
He’s honest about the discomfort. And that honesty? It’s rare—and refreshing.
Advice for the Ones Still Figuring It Out
For those starting out, Vijay advises: If you’re feeling lost in ERP, zoom out. Stop thinking in transactions and start thinking in transformation. Learn how business feels, not just how it functions—talk to people, understand where value truly lives, and let that be your edge. He also added, “Most of all, don’t rush.”
“Growth takes time, and the quiet moments will teach you more than any certification ever could.”
The Architecture of Becoming
When asked what fuels him today, Vijay doesn’t say data or strategy. He says reflection. Deep conversations. Books that shift his thinking. Moments of stillness where the next version of himself begins to emerge.
“ERP gave me language, but it also gave me questions I’m still answering.”
And maybe that’s the real architecture he’s been building all along—not just for businesses, but for himself.
Connect with Vijay on LinkedIn
