Zentiva is a European pharmaceutical company headquartered in Prague that develops and supplies high-quality, affordable medicines to more than 100 million patients across more than 30 countries. The company focuses primarily on generic prescription medicines and over-the-counter products.
With roots dating back to 1488, Zentiva has grown into a modern international pharmaceutical manufacturer. Today, it manages a portfolio of more than 15,000 SKUs and operates across more than 30 countries.
Challenges
Growth brings data complexity
The company is supported by multiple ERP, CRM and specialist applications. Three separate SAP environments coexist alongside approximately 30 enterprise systems, about half of which generate or consume master data. Nearly 300 spreadsheets support day-to-day processes across the organization.
As Zentiva accelerated its acquisition strategy, its fragmented data landscape no longer scaled. Inconsistent data definitions and manual coordination slowed processes and increased complexity.
In fact, the company estimated that manual processing of product data alone accounted for approximately 600 employee days per year. Creating a single customer record required multiple spreadsheets, five employees and up to one week of coordination.
Zentiva recognized centralized master data management (MDM) as a natural next step in managing the data associated with its organizational development. The company sought to establish a scalable data foundation to manage complexity with governance, transparency and control.
Solutions
A multidomain data strategy across four core domains
Zentiva’s operations rely on four closely connected data domains: products, materials, customers and vendors. To ensure consistency and long-term scalability, the company adopted a multidomain MDM approach that establishes one trusted data foundation across all domains.
“To support sustainable growth across more than 30 countries, we needed one trusted data foundation that connects our domains rather than fragmenting them further.” - Jakub Bartak, Head of Data & Analytics, Zentiva
With the implementation of Stibo Systems Platform, Zentiva is establishing a centralized governance layer while keeping ERP and specialist applications as systems of origin where appropriate. The Stibo Systems Platform will orchestrate governance, validation and workflow approvals, while SAP continues to manage transactional execution.
Managing hundreds of attributes, with zero tolerance for error
As a pharmaceutical manufacturer, Zentiva operates in a highly regulated environment. Each product requires between 200 and 300 controlled data attributes, including approximately 30 elements sourced directly from regulatory authorities across different countries.
With development cycles spanning up to five years, GxP compliance governs every stage of the product lifecycle. The required documentation and validation processes are rigorous, leaving no room for error.
“Regulatory compliance depends on consistent, connected and validated data. Governance cannot sit in one corner of the organization. It has to be embedded across domains.” - Jakub Bartak, Head of Data & Analytics, Zentiva
Building governance through ownership and leadership
Historically, data ownership existed informally within separate departments. By moving to a centralized approach, Zentiva will introduce structured governance without imposing unnecessary rigidity. As part of this transformation process, the company identified data owners, clarified responsibilities and designed governance processes that would evolve with organizational maturity.
The team needed to move quickly, but to do so, strong organizational backing was critical. The team secured executive sponsorship from Zentiva’s CEO and board, with a commitment to demonstrate measurable value within a two-year window.
Building the right foundation with the right partners
The company assembled a focused partner ecosystem with clearly defined roles, selecting foryouandyourcustomers and KPMG for their complementary expertise.
Together, the teams developed a structured 24-month transformation program, with the first 16 months dedicated to discovery, process mapping and future-state design. This deliberate approach to preparation strengthens execution discipline and long-term sustainability.
From design to operational reality
From the beginning of the project, multidomain MDM was defined as a strategic priority. Now, midway through the implementation, the new governance model is taking shape across the organization. Zentiva is planning a global, standardized rollout, replacing country-level variations with a scalable governance framework.
The Stibo Systems Platform will provide centralized governance across product, material, customer and vendor data while ERP and specialist systems continue to execute operational processes. Master data will be validated and approved before downstream use, ensuring consistency without disrupting transactional environments.
Several practical shifts are already visible:
- Governance ownership is formally defined across domains
- Approval workflows are standardized and transparent
- Cross-domain relationships are governed consistently
- Systems of origin remain intact while governance is centralized
Built on extensive discovery and continuous stakeholder alignment, the program is establishing multidomain MDM as a long-term organizational capability that strengthens regulatory confidence, operational efficiency and sustainable growth.
“Master data is not a one-time project. It is a strategic capability that will support Zentiva for decades.” - Jakub Bartak, Head of Data & Analytics, Zentiva
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Summary
Operating in more than 30 countries and managing over 15,000 SKUs, Zentiva had reached a natural inflection point in the evolution of its data landscape. With three SAP environments, around 30 enterprise systems and hundreds of spreadsheets, the company was constrained by growing regulatory and operational complexity, stretching existing processes to their limits.
In response, Zentiva is implementing Stibo Systems Platform, which will serve as the foundation of its multidomain MDM strategy. The initiative introduces centralized governance across product, customer, supplier and vendor data, establishing a scalable and trusted foundation that enhances transparency, strengthens regulatory confidence and supports long-term operational resilience across Europe.
