Stories
Mariam Thomas about growing together through every mile
Mariam Thomas – Growing together through every milestone
When Mariam Thomas joined IKEA Al-Futtaim in 2008, she began a journey that would span almost two decades. During those years she witnessed many major IT projects, ERP migrations and the evolution of a trusted partnership with K3.
Looking back, Mariam says it is not the technology she remembers first, but the people behind every milestone.
She joined shortly after colleagues Prince and Saju had laid the foundation for the IT organisation. Over the years they became more than colleagues. Together they navigated some of the most challenging moments in IKEA's IT landscape.
One of Mariam's strongest memories came during her very first week. The entire NAV environment suddenly went down. Customer orders could no longer be created and only cash-and-carry transactions were still possible.
Experienced colleagues like Prince and Saju immediately stepped in, together with several K3 consultants. For days and nights they worked side by side to restore the systems.
"I couldn't contribute much because I was still new, but I learned so much just by watching everyone work together. That weekend taught me how important preparation, teamwork and database maintenance really are."
"I felt like a fish taken out of a pond and thrown into the sea."
That experience shaped her entire career. From that moment on, database maintenance became one of the highest priorities within the organisation.
Major milestones together
Over the years Mariam became involved in several large-scale projects, including the migration from NAV 3.7 to NAV 6, one of the biggest ERP transformations IKEA Al-Futtaim completed together with K3.
The migration was intense. Teams worked together for weeks to prepare every detail. Mariam still remembers working alongside Kristina, Arnold, Bjarni, Peter and many other familiar K3 faces who became part of the extended IKEA team during those projects.
"We worked incredibly hard, but we also made time to relax together. I still remember going on a desert safari the day before going live with one of our major upgrades. Clearing our heads was exactly what we needed before such an important milestone."
Those moments perfectly illustrate what the partnership has always been about: delivering together, but also building friendships along the way.
More than a supplier
"Despite many technological changes, one thing remained constant. K3 has always been our strongest ERP partner."
Whether it was supporting store openings, solving critical incidents or delivering major migrations, K3 was there.
Although there were periods in which organisational changes made the collaboration more challenging, the relationship remained strong.
According to Mariam, that is because trust was always the foundation.
"The consultants understood the business, knew the people and were willing to go the extra mile whenever needed."
Looking ahead
Today, the next major milestone is the migration to Business Central. At the same time, artificial intelligence is becoming an increasingly important part of retail operations.
"The database is the foundation for everything. Without good data, you cannot build successful AI solutions."
Mariam already sees AI supporting staff planning, customer interactions and product information. But in her view, every successful innovation starts with reliable data.
As technology becomes more connected, cybersecurity has also become a key priority. Especially in today's geopolitical climate, resilience is more important than ever.
Living and working in the Middle East means organisations have to remain alert to changing circumstances. While the recent political tensions in the region have created uncertainty, Mariam explains that IKEA Al-Futtaim has continued to operate safely, supported by strong security measures and close collaboration with both Inter IKEA and the Group IT security teams.
"Security has become much stronger over the years. We have dedicated security teams supporting both our on-premise and cloud environments. That gives us confidence, even during uncertain times."
The regional situation has also affected retail in other ways. Uncertainty influences consumer behaviour, while disruptions to shipping routes have resulted in longer delivery times and supply chain challenges.
Despite these external pressures, Mariam is proud of how the organisation has responded.
"There are challenges we cannot control, but we continue to adapt. Our focus remains on supporting our customers and keeping the business running safely and reliably."
A new chapter
Looking back, she realises that technology kept changing, but the people remained the real constant throughout her career.
"The projects were important, but the people are what I'll remember most."
For Mariam, the story of Global Accounts is not only about software, upgrades or technology. It is about people who trusted each other, solved problems together, celebrated successes together and built partnerships that lasted for decades.Technology never stands still.
Even in times of uncertainty, strong partnerships, resilience and trust continue to make the difference. And that is perhaps the most valuable lesson Mariam takes with her into her next chapter.
When Mariam Thomas joined IKEA Al-Futtaim in 2008, she began a journey that would span almost two decades. During those years she witnessed many major IT projects, ERP migrations and the evolution of a trusted partnership with K3.
Looking back, Mariam says it is not the technology she remembers first, but the people behind every milestone.
She joined shortly after colleagues Prince and Saju had laid the foundation for the IT organisation. Over the years they became more than colleagues. Together they navigated some of the most challenging moments in IKEA's IT landscape.
One of Mariam's strongest memories came during her very first week. The entire NAV environment suddenly went down. Customer orders could no longer be created and only cash-and-carry transactions were still possible.
Experienced colleagues like Prince and Saju immediately stepped in, together with several K3 consultants. For days and nights they worked side by side to restore the systems.
"I couldn't contribute much because I was still new, but I learned so much just by watching everyone work together. That weekend taught me how important preparation, teamwork and database maintenance really are."
"I felt like a fish taken out of a pond and thrown into the sea."
That experience shaped her entire career. From that moment on, database maintenance became one of the highest priorities within the organisation.
Major milestones together
Over the years Mariam became involved in several large-scale projects, including the migration from NAV 3.7 to NAV 6, one of the biggest ERP transformations IKEA Al-Futtaim completed together with K3.
The migration was intense. Teams worked together for weeks to prepare every detail. Mariam still remembers working alongside Kristina, Arnold, Bjarni, Peter and many other familiar K3 faces who became part of the extended IKEA team during those projects.
"We worked incredibly hard, but we also made time to relax together. I still remember going on a desert safari the day before going live with one of our major upgrades. Clearing our heads was exactly what we needed before such an important milestone."
Those moments perfectly illustrate what the partnership has always been about: delivering together, but also building friendships along the way.
More than a supplier
"Despite many technological changes, one thing remained constant. K3 has always been our strongest ERP partner."
Whether it was supporting store openings, solving critical incidents or delivering major migrations, K3 was there.
Although there were periods in which organisational changes made the collaboration more challenging, the relationship remained strong.
According to Mariam, that is because trust was always the foundation.
"The consultants understood the business, knew the people and were willing to go the extra mile whenever needed."
Looking ahead
Today, the next major milestone is the migration to Business Central. At the same time, artificial intelligence is becoming an increasingly important part of retail operations.
"The database is the foundation for everything. Without good data, you cannot build successful AI solutions."
Mariam already sees AI supporting staff planning, customer interactions and product information. But in her view, every successful innovation starts with reliable data.
As technology becomes more connected, cybersecurity has also become a key priority. Especially in today's geopolitical climate, resilience is more important than ever.
Living and working in the Middle East means organisations have to remain alert to changing circumstances. While the recent political tensions in the region have created uncertainty, Mariam explains that IKEA Al-Futtaim has continued to operate safely, supported by strong security measures and close collaboration with both Inter IKEA and the Group IT security teams.
"Security has become much stronger over the years. We have dedicated security teams supporting both our on-premise and cloud environments. That gives us confidence, even during uncertain times."
The regional situation has also affected retail in other ways. Uncertainty influences consumer behaviour, while disruptions to shipping routes have resulted in longer delivery times and supply chain challenges.
Despite these external pressures, Mariam is proud of how the organisation has responded.
"There are challenges we cannot control, but we continue to adapt. Our focus remains on supporting our customers and keeping the business running safely and reliably."
A new chapter
Looking back, she realises that technology kept changing, but the people remained the real constant throughout her career.
"The projects were important, but the people are what I'll remember most."
For Mariam, the story of Global Accounts is not only about software, upgrades or technology. It is about people who trusted each other, solved problems together, celebrated successes together and built partnerships that lasted for decades.Technology never stands still.
Even in times of uncertainty, strong partnerships, resilience and trust continue to make the difference. And that is perhaps the most valuable lesson Mariam takes with her into her next chapter.