Forum
Systems Governance Forum
The primary mechanism for managing priorities and approving material change.
Cadence
Monthly
60 minutes · extra sessions called by the CFO for urgent matters.
Chair
CFO
Singular owner of the Group's systems architecture.
Tier 1 platforms
NetSuite · Phocas · Netstock
ERP · BI/Analytics · Inventory planning, plus CRM bolt-ons.
1The Systems Governance Forum
The forum manages competing priorities, approves material changes, and maintains strategic alignment across the Group's technology platforms.
Forum details
- Cadence
- Monthly (60 minutes). Additional sessions called by the CFO for urgent matters.
- Chair
- CFO
- Members
- CFO, Financial Controller, Division A System Representative, Division B System Representative
- CEO attendance
- Quarterly review session, or when an escalation requires executive arbitration
- Quorum
- CFO + at least one divisional representative
- Minutes
- Circulated within 3 business days. Decisions logged in the change register.
Standard agenda
- Change request review — new requests assessed for impact and prioritisation.
- Active project status — brief update on items in flight.
- Data quality exceptions — any material data issues flagged since last meeting.
- Roadmap check-in — progress against the Group Systems Roadmap.
- Open issues — any cross-divisional conflicts or outstanding decisions.
2Roles & ownership
The CFO holds singular accountability for the integrity, integration and strategic direction of the Group's technology ecosystem — a governance and architecture role, not IT support. Divisions own how capability is deployed in their business, within the CFO's guardrails.
CFO owns (architecture)
- Group system architecture blueprint across NetSuite, Phocas, Netstock and CRM bolt-ons.
- Data standards, master data, chart of accounts and integration logic.
- Approval of any change touching integrations, cross-divisional data flows or consolidated reporting.
- New platforms/vendors and material configuration changes before procurement.
- Group Systems Roadmap, Tier 1 vendor relationships, and user-access governance.
Divisions own fully
- Operational workflows and data-entry standards & quality.
- Local CRM configuration; divisional Phocas dashboards and reporting.
- Staff training and system adoption.
- A nominated System Super User per team — first point of contact, onboards/trains new staff.
- Process improvements that don't require system changes.
Divisions cannot do unilaterally
- Alter chart of accounts, cost centres or item master records in NetSuite.
- Modify Netstock forecasting parameters affecting Group inventory planning.
- Procure/implement new platforms or significant integrations.
- Change user permission structures or create new role types.
- Modify any field or workflow feeding Group consolidated reporting.
CFO decision rule: if a change affects only one division and does not alter integration logic, master data or consolidated reporting, it is a divisional decision. If it touches any shared data structure, integration point or cross-group reporting, it requires CFO sign-off. When in doubt, escalate to the Forum.
3Change-request process
All non-trivial system changes — configuration, integration, new module or new tool — follow a structured intake process. This prevents shadow IT, undocumented changes and integration conflicts.
| Stage | Activity | Responsible |
|---|---|---|
| Intake | Division submits Change Request Form (title, business need, estimated impact, urgency). | Requesting division |
| Triage | CFO classifies as Minor / Major / Strategic and confirms architectural impact. | CFO |
| Assessment | CFO (with Financial Controller if needed) scopes effort, cost and dependencies. | CFO |
| Forum review | Major and Strategic changes tabled at the Forum for discussion and prioritisation. | CFO + Forum |
| Approval | CFO approves Minor · Forum approves Major · CEO approves Strategic. | Per tier |
| Implementation | Change delivered by CFO or nominated resource; division signs off on acceptance. | CFO + division |
| Documentation | Change register updated; SOPs amended if required. | CFO + division |
Change classification
- Minor Single-division, no integration touch, low risk (e.g. new Phocas report, access update, CRM field).
- Major Multi-division OR integration change OR significant configuration (e.g. new Netstock parameter set, NetSuite module).
- Strategic New platform, significant vendor change, AI tool deployment, or Group-level data architecture change.
Escalation & conflict resolution
- Division raises requirement via change request form (Divisional System Rep).
- CFO reviews for architectural impact within 5 business days.
- Cross-divisional items tabled at the next Forum; urgent items → CEO arbitration.
- Competing needs: both divisions submit a one-page business case; CFO assesses feasibility and proposes a path.
- If the Forum can't reach consensus, the CFO makes the final call; CEO is final arbiter only where strategically/financially significant.
4Systems roadmap — three horizons
A structured program to close current gaps, establish a foundation for AI tooling, and build capability progressively without disrupting operations.
H1 · Stabilise
0–3 months
Audit current NetSuite / Phocas / Netstock; stand up the Governance Forum and change process; clean master data; standardise chart of accounts; Group-level Phocas dashboard.
H2 · Optimise
3–9 months
Deepen platform utilisation; build division KPI dashboards; review Netstock forecasting; Phase 1 AI productivity tools (invoice capture, conversational BI, CRM assist) under an AI use policy.
H3 · Advance
9–18 months
AI-driven demand forecasting and anomaly detection; automate high-volume manual workflows; assess data-warehouse need; month-12 strategic platform review.
Reporting cadence
| Report | Audience & cadence |
|---|---|
| Systems Roadmap status | CEO — monthly (one-page H1/H2/H3 update) |
| Governance Forum minutes | CEO, CFO, Financial Controller, Division Reps — within 3 days of each Forum |
| Annual Systems Review | CEO + Board — full review of platform health, roadmap and investment |
| AI Tool performance review | CFO + Division Reps — quarterly once AI tools are live |
5Meetings & decisions log
The running change register — each Forum's discussion, decisions and actions. Minutes are circulated within 3 business days; decisions are logged here. New meetings are added by updating this page and pushing.
| Date | Attendees | Key topics discussed | Decisions | Actions & owners | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DD Mmm YY | Example row — replace with a real entry | e.g. NetSuite Wave 1 priorities; M365 tenant separation; chart-of-accounts standardisation | e.g. Approve CoA standardisation (Major) | e.g. Draft CoA mapping — Financial Controller — next Forum | Example |
Template row shown for format. Send me the details after each Forum and I'll add a row ready for push — or edit this table directly.