When global investment bank Houlihan Lokey set out to modernize its enterprise resource planning system, Chief Information Officer Allen Fazio warned his team that it would be a thankless task.

"There are no statues built for people who put in ERP," Fazio says. And because ERP touches so much of the business, the stakes run high. "It's maybe one of the hardest things you can do as an IT professional."

But the US-based Houlihan Lokey is growing quickly, especially internationally, and needed a new foundation for that growth to increase automation, so accounting staff can spend more time on business issues. The bank also needed to manage business risks more efficiently and enhance capabilities such as multicurrency support.

Fazio understands and respects the human side of technology. "When you do these big projects, it's a lot of late hours and creates stress on relationships," Fazio says. The risk, he says, is that the project suffers as team members lose patience and trust in one another.

"What makes me proudest is the professionalism and resilience of the team," he says. "The relationships are as strong today, after a major system implementation, as they were when we began the journey."