Why Digital Transformations Fail By Tony Saldanha (rare book)

Book Summary:

Why Digital Transformations Fail: The Surprising Disciplines of How to Take Off and Stay Ahead by Tony Saldanha is a pragmatic guide rooted in his 27-year experience leading IT and digital programs at Procter & Gamble. Recognizing that roughly 70% of digital initiatives falter, Saldanha argues the core reason isn’t technology, but a lack of clear objectives and disciplined execution . He presents a detailed five-stage model—Foundation (automation), Siloed, Partially Synchronized, Fully Synchronized, and Living DNA—each supported by two critical disciplines and a checklist of reflexive questions. A central theme is that transformation is “90% organizational change management and 10% technology. Through real-world case studies and engaging frameworks, he emphasizes the importance of committed executive ownership, iterative execution, culture adaptation, and portfolio management to evolve digital experimentation into a perpetual competitive edge . The book equips leaders with actionable roadmaps and discipline-based methods to go beyond isolated digital efforts and truly embed digital into their company’s DNA.

About the Author:

Tony Saldanha is a globally recognized expert in digital transformation and Global Business Services (GBS), with over 30 years of international experience across the US, Europe, and Asia. He spent 27 years at Procter & Gamble, where he rose to become VP of IT and GBS, overseeing multi-billion‑dollar operations and pioneering shared services and IT integration projects. In 2013, he was named one of Computerworld’s Premier 100 IT Professionals . After leaving P&G, Tony founded and currently serves as President of Transformant, a consultancy guiding C‑suite leaders at over 20 Fortune 100 companies through digital transformations . He also co-founded Inixia, a standards body for the GBS industry, and advises startups and venture funds. His 2019 book, Why Digital Transformations Fail, topped Amazon’s New Releases in Organizational Change and earned high praise from business reviewers A frequently sought-after speaker, board advisor, and Forbes contributor, Tony advocates a disciplined, structured roadmap for successful and scalable digital transformation.