The strength of GB.Consult lies in shifting how leadership teams see, decide, and act. We don't rely on pre-set solutions, but on a structured expert inquiry that challenges assumptions, uncovers the real issues and produces solutions that fit the situation.
As a thought partner and systems builder, our expertise lies in translating complex, often sensitive business situations into clear, actionable roadmaps. Our approach is analytical and data-driven, yet always attuned to the interplay between the solution and people and business dynamics that determine whether a solution will succeed. Our ability to navigate the full arc of transformation, from diagnosis through to execution, is what consistently drives lasting results in complex environments, and transformations that are not just pretty on paper, but also successful in practice.
OUR APPROACH
Case studies
A leading European heating and cooling manufacturer with €5-6 billion in revenue was acquired by a US multinational for €12 billion. The family-owned business needed to transition from German statutory accounting (HGB) to full US GAAP compliance to meet the acquiring company's reporting standards.
GB.Consult led the complete financial transformation across 60 legal entities, implementing native US GAAP reporting in S/4HANA to deliver faster, cleaner closes with fewer manual postings and stronger auditability. The solution established a single source of truth with US GAAP postings across the entire value chain, reducing reconciliations and error risk while creating scalability through standardized HFM integration that simplifies onboarding of additional entities and future M&A activity.
60 Legal Entities, 8 Months, Zero Disruption: Full US GAAP Conversion
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GB.Consult coordinated overall project execution and co-developed the underlying concepts together with the customer’s IT, Accounting, Controlling, and external consulting experts (incl. Big Four).
Implementation of a dedicated US GAAP leading ledger in SAP S/4HANA and automated interfaces to the customer’s HFMbased corporate reporting — under ambitious timelines and strict compliance requirements.
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Policy & design: Co-develop alignment to the customer’s US GAAP policies; define procedures and postings based on a US GAAP chart of accounts; design a parallel US GAAP leading ledger (posting logic, document splitting, FX, revenue recognition, provisions) in S/4HANA.
Value chain enablement: Configure FI/CO integration with MM, SD, PP so order-to-cash, procure-to-pay, and manufacturing flows post natively to the US GAAP ledger (minimising topside adjustments).
Data & mappings: Build account/cost-object mappings, conversion rules, and automated adjustments (e.g., leases under ASC 842, revenue deferrals) with clear ownership between Finance and IT.
Interfaces to HFM: Implement controlled extraction from S/4HANA to the customer’s HFM (entity/CO/PC/product mapping, validations, submission controls, error handling) for all legal entities.
Controls & cutover: Execute close simulations and reconciliations to legacy books; harden audit trails; run a structured cutover with hyper-care across Accounting, Controlling, IT, and advisors.
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Full policy alignment embedded in S/4HANA (not just topside entries).
Seamless legalentity consolidation via automated HFM interfaces without manual rework.
Ontime, compliant golive with a smooth transition across functions.
Post-Merger Legal Entity Restructuring: €2 Billion Hive-Down in 4 Months
Following a major acquisition, the worldwide legal entity structure of the acquired group needed to align with the business, management, and operational requirements while optimising for regulatory compliance. GB.Consult guided the complete Legal and Tax Optimised Structure (LTOS) transformation, including the technical hive-down of a €2 billion manufacturing entity through two organisational levels in S/4HANA.
The restructuring delivered tax efficiency and risk reduction through alignment of legal form and systems with stronger documentation and traceability. The solution created operational efficiency through clean entity and plant setup that simplified inter company flows, standard costs, and management reporting, while establishing a future-ready structure designed for expansions, acquisitions, and operating model changes.
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GB.Consult coordinated the financial work stream and co-developed the S/4HANA target Post-M&A legal structure with the customer’s stakeholders and external experts; execution spanned multiple countries and a time critical carveout.
A legally and tax-aligned post-deal entity model reflected end-to-end in S/4HANA, including a technical hive-down of the major manufacturing unit, improving clarity and efficiency within the customer’s corporate legal entity framework. -
Target legal design: Cocreate the new holding/OpCo/manufacturing landscape, intercompany flows, and substance requirements across jurisdictions.
S/4HANA blueprint: Translate the model into system constructs — company codes, plants, profit centers, segments, valuation areas, — with joint IT/Finance ownership.
Hivedown execution: Carve out the manufacturing unit by creating/realigning plants and company codes; migrate fixed assets and inventories; reassign BOMs/routings; repoint open POs/SD orders and integrations — delivered in a timeboxed cutover window.
Controls & compliance: Align IC agreements, transferpricing conditions, VAT/GST registrations; update authorizations/workflows to mirror the new structure within the customer’s tax framework.
Stabilization: Perform parallel runs and reconciliations (financials, stock, WIP) and provide structured hypercare to protect operations.
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Legally and fiscally compliant structure fully realized in S/4HANA, consistent with the customer’s tax framework.
Operational continuity: Successful, timecritical hivedown of the major manufacturing unit without disrupting supply, production, or periodend close.
Transparency: Clear P&L/BS segregation by the new entities/plants enabling precise profitability and tax reporting.