Intelligent Access Management places significant demands on IT resources in many organizations—while regulatory requirements, cloud transformations, and cyber risks continue to increase.

KPMG supports organizations with an end‑to‑end Intelligent Access Management approach that combines technology, functional governance, and operational delivery. In contrast to isolated IAM solutions, this approach enables sustainably controllable, auditable, and scalable access processes—even in complex SAP and cloud environments.

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Why modern Intelligent Access Management (IAM) is essential

Overburdened IT and high manual effort

IT operations are reaching their limits: tickets accumulate, and segregation‑of‑duties (SoD) reviews consume a disproportionate amount of time. Bottlenecks in day‑to‑day operations lead to delays in approvals and increase the risk of errors.

Your value with KPMG:

Standardized processes and automation reduce ticket volumes
Clearly defined responsibilities create transparency
Significantly faster and more stable approval processes

Recurring audit findings increase pressure on IAM processes

Regular audits reveal gaps in evidence, recertifications, and segregation‑of‑duties (SoD) controls. Increasing audit pressure leads to higher effort and may elevate reputational risks.

Your value with KPMG:

Auditable recertification and control processes
Consistent and transparent documentation
A structured foundation for the sustainable reduction of findings

Skills shortage among SAP security experts

Expert knowledge is often concentrated with individual individuals, while onboarding new employees requires significant time and effort. Growing dependencies increase risk and jeopardize operational stability as well as change processes.

Your value with KPMG:

A well‑coordinated team of experts ensuring stable operational support
Systematic knowledge transfer and assured backup coverage
Reduction of personnel‑related dependencies

Cloud transformations and SAP S/4HANA migration

New platforms increase complexity, while existing roles and processes often no longer fit. Risks rise, and the time‑to‑value of transformation initiatives is delayed.

Your value with KPMG:

End‑to‑end governance for access and authorizations
Clear role and approval models
Scalable, transformation‑ready process structures

Overburdened IT and high manual effort Recurring audit findings increase pressure on IAM processes Skills shortage among SAP security experts Cloud transformations and SAP S/4HANA migration

Overburdened IT and high manual effort

IT operations are reaching their limits: tickets accumulate, and segregation‑of‑duties (SoD) reviews consume a disproportionate amount of time. Bottlenecks in day‑to‑day operations lead to delays in approvals and increase the risk of errors.

Your value with KPMG:

Standardized processes and automation reduce ticket volumes
Clearly defined responsibilities create transparency
Significantly faster and more stable approval processes

Recurring audit findings increase pressure on IAM processes

Regular audits reveal gaps in evidence, recertifications, and segregation‑of‑duties (SoD) controls. Increasing audit pressure leads to higher effort and may elevate reputational risks.

Your value with KPMG:

Auditable recertification and control processes
Consistent and transparent documentation
A structured foundation for the sustainable reduction of findings

Skills shortage among SAP security experts

Expert knowledge is often concentrated with individual individuals, while onboarding new employees requires significant time and effort. Growing dependencies increase risk and jeopardize operational stability as well as change processes.

Your value with KPMG:

A well‑coordinated team of experts ensuring stable operational support
Systematic knowledge transfer and assured backup coverage
Reduction of personnel‑related dependencies

Cloud transformations and SAP S/4HANA migration

New platforms increase complexity, while existing roles and processes often no longer fit. Risks rise, and the time‑to‑value of transformation initiatives is delayed.

Your value with KPMG:

End‑to‑end governance for access and authorizations
Clear role and approval models
Scalable, transformation‑ready process structures

We support organizations in making identities and access structured and sustainably manageable.

Dmitrij Spolwind

Partner, Consulting, Lighthouse Germany - AI & Data Solutions

KPMG AG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft

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Dr. Florian Kohlar

Partner, Consulting - Cyber Security & Resilience

KPMG AG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft

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Intelligent Access Management:
Security and control for your IT environment

KPMG delivers Intelligent Access Management as an integrated end‑to‑end approach – from strategy and target operating model through implementation to a long‑term managed service.

In doing so, KPMG combines a data‑driven platform (AIM) with an AI‑enabled assistant (AIMi) to automate access processes, increase risk transparency, and significantly reduce operational effort.

In contrast to isolated IAM initiatives, access processes are not only implemented but continuously governed, monitored, and optimized over time – even in complex SAP and cloud environments.

Key focus areas include:

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End‑to‑end approach

Consistent execution from strategy and target operating model through implementation to managed service

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Integrated delivery model

Integration of consulting, technology, and managed services instead of isolated individual projects

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Regulatory and audit expertise

Recertification, segregation‑of‑duties (SoD), and internal control system (ICS) integration auditable during ongoing operations

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Vendor‑independent solutions

Hands‑on experience with SAP, ServiceNow, SailPoint, Saviynt, One Identity, and Entra ID

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Scalable implementation for complex IT and cloud environments

Stable even during growth and transformation

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Optimization of authorizations and license costs

Transparency into usage and reduction of unnecessary license expenses

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KPMG Managed Services Outlook 2026

What priorities companies are setting for managed services in 2026 – from predictability and security to the use of AI

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Establishing IAM as a permanent governance model

Effective Identity & Access Management (IAM) requires clear lines of responsibility, robust decision-making processes and consistent data. In mature IT environments, there are often gaps in data continuity between business units, IT operations, compliance and audit. This results in a lack of transparency and control over existing access rights. At the same time, the workload associated with approvals, verification and recertification is increasing.

Structured access management integrates governance, processes, role models, controls and technical platforms. KPMG supports organisations in embedding access management as an end-to-end operational model. Working alongside the relevant functions, KPMG defines role and authorisation models, as well as control objectives, for the entire lifecycle of identities and authorisations. Factors taken into account include new hires and departures, internal role changes, privileged access, SoD controls and regular recertifications.

Manage access rights transparently and efficiently

Standardised access processes and automation create a uniform foundation for SAP, cloud and other business-critical systems. This enables access rights to be requested, reviewed, approved and revoked in a traceable manner. Management and control functions receive transparent information on pending approvals, critical authorisation combinations, processing times and the status of defined controls.

Depending on the initial situation, KPMG supports the further development of identity and access management, from the analysis of existing authorisation structures through to the implementation of scalable solutions. On request, KPMG can take on defined tasks in day-to-day access management as a managed service. The operating model is integrated with existing organisations and continuously adapted to new systems, regulatory requirements and cloud transformations.

Ready to discuss this further? Please contact us.

FAQ – Frequently asked questions

It is not a tool and not a project, but an operating model: authorizations are not set up once, but are continuously governed, reviewed, and further developed – within clearly defined responsibilities and processes.

The greatest effort rarely lies in the technology itself, but rather in clarifying roles, responsibilities, and existing authorizations. Those who address this thoroughly can significantly reduce complexity at later stages.

Standard systems can usually be integrated quickly. Effort increases with long‑established legacy systems or missing interfaces – where pragmatic interim solutions are often required.

Fewer discussions, stronger evidence: who has access, why they have it, and who approved it is transparent and traceable at all times – rather than relying on ad‑hoc lists and manual follow‑up efforts.

During joiners, leavers, and role changes. Automated joiner–mover–leaver processes replace manual ticket chains and significantly reduce sources of error.

For organizations that realize access management no longer works as a side activity – typically due to an expanding system landscape, increasing regulatory pressure, or limited IT resources.