Transforming Master Data
Governance at Hikal with 
Executive Summary
Hikal, a global leader in pharmaceuticals and crop protection, embarked on a mission to modernize its master data governance framework to meet growing regulatory, operational, and scalability demands. Operating in a highly regulated environment, the organization faced mounting challenges with manual item master processes, limited governance controls, and audit vulnerabilities.
By partnering with Path and implementing DataProEW, Hikal successfully transformed its master data management (MDM) landscape. The solution delivered a centralized, automated, and fully governed item master lifecycle-enhancing data quality, compliance readiness, and operational efficiency while laying a strong foundation for future digital transformation.
Customer Overview
Hikal is a trusted global manufacturer of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), intermediates, and crop protection products. With multiple manufacturing facilities and strict regulatory obligations, the organization depends heavily on accurate, consistent, and traceable master data to ensure compliance and operational continuity.
Prior to this initiative, Hikal relied on Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS) for managing item master data. As the business expanded, manual processes and fragmented governance began to create inefficiencies and compliance risks, prompting the need for a modern, structured MDM solution.
The Challenge: Manual Processes and Governance Gaps
Hikal’s item master management was largely manual and decentralized, leading to several critical challenges:
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No standardized or automated approval workflow
High risk of duplicate item creation and inconsistent data
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Limited ability to capture extended regulatory and compliance attributes
Inadequate audit trails for regulatory inspections
Time-consuming maintenance and manual validation efforts
In a regulated industry where data accuracy and traceability are non-negotiable, these limitations posed operational inefficiencies and heightened compliance risk.
The Solution: for Centralized & Governed MDM
Path implemented DataProEW, a purpose-built master data governance solution designed to bring structure, automation, and transparency to item master management.
Key Capabilities Delivered
Automated, end-to-end item master lifecycle management
Configurable, multi-level approval workflows aligned to business roles
Built-in validation rules to prevent duplicates and ensure data accuracy
Support for extended regulatory, technical, and business attributes
Comprehensive audit trails to meet compliance and regulatory standards
enabled Hikal to move from manual,
reactive processes to a proactive, governed, and scalable
MDM framework.
The Results
The transformation was immediate and measurable:
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1,000 items now processed in just 4 hours
(vs. 100+ hours before). -
45% cost reduction per onboarding cycle.
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Data accuracy improved with pre-upload validation checks.
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A projected 100% ROI with a payback period of just 3 months for each acquisition.
MMO’s onboarding team went from taking 5–10 minutes per item to onboarding over 1,000 items in the same time frame-a leap in productivity that redefined operational capacity.
Implementation Journey
The DataProEW implementation was completed in 4 months, with close collaboration between Path and Hikal’s business and IT teams. The deployment focused on rapid adoption, minimal disruption, and alignment with existing operational processes.
Outcomes & Benefits
Stronger Data Governance & Compliance
- Structured approval workflows
- Reliable, standardized item master data
- Enterprise-grade auditability
- Improved regulatory alignment
Improved Operational Efficiency
- Reduced manual effort and rework
- Faster item creation and approvals
- Lower risk of errors and inconsistencies
Better Visibility
& Control
- Centralized view of item master data
- Clear ownership and accountability
- Enhanced transparency across teams
Business Impact
With DataProEW, Hikal established a robust master data governance backbone that directly supports regulatory compliance, operational efficiency, and scalability. The solution reduced dependency on manual controls while strengthening data integrity across the organization.
Long-Term Value
Hikal is now positioned to:
- Maintain high data quality throughout the item lifecycle
- Introduce new item-related processes with ease
- Support future system modernization initiatives
- Scale governance without increasing complexity
