Background

Jack Blair

Enterprise Transformation Advisor

Most senior leaders navigating enterprise transformation have no shortage of advisors. They have consultants who have studied the problem, vendors who have sold the solution, and internal teams who have inherited the mess.

What they rarely have is someone who has owned the outcome — and knows what that actually requires.

Career Arc

I founded JB Advisory after more than 25 years owning high-stakes transformation programs across AI implementation, platform modernization, ERP consolidation, and M&A integration.

At Amazon, I led the AI transformation of the Accounts Payable platform — deploying LLM-driven automation across $219B in annual payments and 52M invoices. The result was 84% automated processing and a 34% productivity improvement. Not a proof-of-concept. The platform running Amazon’s retail AP operations today.

Before that, twenty years at NTT DATA leading large-scale transformations — including a workforce systems integration for 45,000 employees across 26 countries, delivered on time and 15% under budget. ERP modernizations across manufacturing, healthcare, and distribution. M&A integrations under tight timelines with no room for failure.

I developed my leadership foundation as a Captain in the United States Army, where accountability, operational discipline, and performance under pressure aren’t negotiable. They’re the baseline.

Leadership Philosophy

Effective transformation starts with honest problem framing, not the politics around it, not the tool someone’s already decided on. I figure out what’s actually broken, what success looks like in operational terms, and whether we have the organizational capacity to fix it. If we don’t, I say so.

I build governance structures that force decisions and keep programs moving. When something is stuck, I unstick it through clarity, not force.

My approach is calm and direct under pressure. I don’t manufacture urgency or drama. When things go sideways — and they always do — I focus on what we control, make the next right decision, and keep moving.

I care about long-term operating health. The systems and models I help build need to hold after the engagement ends. That’s what durability means.

How I Work

Clarity Before Complexity

I start by framing the real business problem — not the tool someone wants to use or the organizational politics around it. Clear problem definition and explicit success criteria prevent wasted investment in solutions that don’t matter.

Execution Over Theater

I prioritize delivery of working systems and measurable improvements over decks, slogans, and ceremonial milestones. Transformation only matters if it shows up in how the business actually operates.

Sustained Results, Not One-Time Wins

I design operating models, governance structures, and ownership patterns that hold after the engagement ends. The goal is durable improvement, not a temporary spike in metrics that fades when attention moves elsewhere.

Credentials

Education

MBA, University of St. Thomas
BA in Economics, Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa — Marquette University

Professional Credentials

Six Sigma Green Belt – GE Capital

Military Service

United States Army, Captain — Logistics and Maintenance