Irfan Merchant

About Irfan Merchant

A seasoned transformational leader with over 25 years of experience in Information Technology and ERP systems, and over 12 years specializing in Fintech and Payments ecosystems. Proven leader in driving change by managing and delivering high-impact, cross-functional programs and projects with a portfolio exceeding $100 million. Adept at transforming operations, driving cost management, operational efficiencies, and client success through innovative solutions and visionary leadership. Expertise includes leading complex mobile commerce and payment solutions projects, delivering cutting-edge, scalable solutions, implementing risk mitigation strategies, and enhancing customer engagement. Certified PMP, CSM, Six Sigma Green Belt, and ITIL professional with a strong track record in transforming businesses through Agile and Waterfall methodologies to achieve business objectives and drive growth.• Managed a portfolio of over 250+ projects, leading a team of 20+ and business benefits exceeding $100M.• Led organizational innovation efforts by spearheading the delivery of innovative mobile commerce solutions, forging key partnerships with clients such as Amazon, Google, Ford, Exxon, Chick-fil-A, Albertsons, and the Milwaukee Bucks (Levy) across various sectors, including petrochemical, grocery, QSR, and stadium verticals.• As Program Director, oversaw the simultaneous management and commercialization of game-changing initiatives at Fiserv—Chip & Pin Technology and Rapid Connect. Directed cross-functional teams, including Architects, Engineers, Product Managers, Certification, Marketing, Billing, Boarding, Customer Service, Compliance, Legal, Hardware Services, Sales, and Bank Partners/Distribution systems, to successfully deliver transformational solutions and achieve substantial revenue and operational benefits.• Achieved over 90% EMV certification in the first year, surpassing the 75% target and securing 20% more Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) than initially planned.• Managed the Clover One transformation program, unifying products under one brand, driving a 22% increase in software adoption and boosting market share.Certification:* PMP (Project Management Professional)* CSM (Certified Scrum Master)* ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure library)* Six Sigma Green BeltSpecialties:* Project / Program ManagementERP Implementation (HCM, Financials, SCM); Consulting Practice Management; IT Governance; Disaster Recovery; IT Operations; Change Management; Compliance and Audit; Business Intelligence; SDLC (Software Development Lifecycle)

Experience

1. Senior Director, Program Execution

   Warner Bros. Discovery

   Dec 2024 — Present · Atlanta, GA, US

   Leading the Program Execution Office (PEO) within Global Information & Content Security (GICS), responsible for driving operational excellence, execution discipline, and governance across complex, high‑impact cybersecurity and enterprise initiatives.• Established a high‑transparency execution and reporting ecosystem leveraging ServiceNow, Smartsheet, SharePoint, Jira, and Power BI—enabling accurate, timely updates across weekly, monthly, and quarterly executive forums. Led early adoption of ServiceNow project management and dashboards, setting an organizational benchmark for delivery visibility and accountability.• Led the end‑to‑end refresh of GICS cybersecurity policies and successfully launched a new Technology Governance Policy, strengthening enterprise risk management, compliance posture, and audit readiness while aligning governance to evolving business and regulatory requirements.• Oversaw the creation, execution, and ongoing maintenance of cybersecurity policies, standards, baselines, and supporting procedures, ensuring governance frameworks remain current, actionable, and scalable.• Exceeded analytics and reporting goals by maintaining and enhancing multiple executive dashboards while launching a new Content Security Dashboard—delivered end‑to‑end and adopted by stakeholders for data‑driven decision‑making. Improved performance and reliability through infrastructure upgrades and data rationalization.• Built trusted partnerships with senior leadership by establishing structured, recurring executive updates, proactive stakeholder engagement, and decision‑ready communications—strengthening alignment, trust, and execution confidence.• Defined and operationalized clear roles and responsibilities across the program execution organization, improving accountability, scalability, and alignment with senior leadership priorities.

Education

• Wichita State University

  Electrical Engineering

• Georgia Institute of Technology

  BSEE, Electrical Engineering

Skills

• Resource Management
• Quality Assurance
• Sdlc
• Disaster Recovery
• Business Analysis
• Crm
• Itil
• Management
• Consulting
• Change Management
• Project Management
• Strategy
• Erp
• Pre-Sales
• Requirements Analysis
• Pmo
• Pmp
• Six Sigma
• Leadership
• Integration
• Project Portfolio Management
• Strategic Planning
• Program Management
• Business Intelligence
• Vendor Management