Jemena

Driving Business Value Through Jemena’s Digital Operating Model Transformation

Executive Summary

Mulberry led the digital operating model transformation for Jemena, a large Australian energy retailer and distribution company. Working closely with the home team, Mulberry developed a single, unified, and consistent digital operating model that enhanced collaboration, clarified accountabilities, and optimised performance across the organization.

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Client Background

Jemena is a leading Australian energy infrastructure company that owns and operates a portfolio of electricity, gas, and water assets across eastern and northern Australia. Managing over $11 billion worth of major utility assets, Jemena serves more than 1.7 million households and businesses. The company has built its reputation on reliable service delivery and operational excellence in a rapidly evolving energy sector.

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The challenge

While Jemena was performing strongly as an organization, leadership identified several opportunities to enhance performance:

• Roles and responsibilities across the digital function lacked clear definition, creating occasional overlap and gaps in accountability

• Cross-functional collaboration between digital teams and business units was inconsistent

• Digital initiatives were sometimes developed without full alignment to business priorities

• Talent within the digital function was not being fully leveraged due to organisational constraints

• The operating model had evolved organically rather than through strategic design

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The solution

Mulberry was engaged to facilitate a comprehensive transformation of Jemena's digital operating model. The project focused on three key objectives:

1. Define a compelling vision for the digital function that aligned with Jemena's broader business strategy

2. Develop design principles to guide decision-making and prioritization

3. Create an operating model that would improve efficiency, strengthen executive stakeholder engagement, and empower teams to deliver maximum value

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The Approach

1.      Discovery

The transformation began with a thorough discovery phase to understand the current state and identify improvement opportunities:

• Conducted 30+ stakeholder interviews across digital teams, business units, and executive leadership

• Analysed team structures, reporting lines, and decision-making processes

• Documented key accountabilities and assessed team cognitive load to identify bottlenecks and overloaded functions

• Mapped critical handoffs and integration points across the organization

• Benchmarked current practices against industry standards and digital maturity frameworks

• Identified pain points, opportunities, and areas of strength in the existing model

 2.      Planning

Building on discovery insights, Mulberry facilitated a series of collaborative workshops to design the future state:

• Developed multiple operating model scenarios, evaluating each against Jemena's strategic objectives and organizational constraints

• Analysed industry-leading digital operating models to identify relevant best practices

• Created detailed design principles that reflected Jemena's unique culture and priorities

• Prioritized necessary changes based on impact, feasibility, and organizational readiness

• Developed a comprehensive transformation roadmap with clear milestones and success metrics

• Secured executive alignment and commitment to the proposed changes

 3.       Implementation

With the operating model design finalized, Mulberry supported Jemena through the implementation phase:

• Established a "Mission Control" governance structure to coordinate implementation activities

• Developed detailed change management and communications plans to ensure smooth transition

• Created role descriptions and RACI matrices to clarify new accountabilities

• Facilitated regular design review sessions to resolve emerging issues and refine the model

• Implemented performance metrics to track progress and outcomes

• Provided coaching and support for leaders navigating significant changes

• Ensured knowledge transfer to Jemena's internal teams to maintain momentum

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 Results and Impact

The transformation delivered significant benefits for Jemena:

• Improved executive stakeholder satisfaction scores, with business partners reporting more effective collaboration

• Enhanced digital talent retention and recruitment through more transparent career pathways

• More strategic alignment between digital initiatives and business outcomes

• Increased capacity for innovation through better resource allocation and reduced cognitive load

• Improved visibility and governance of digital investments

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 Key Success Factors

Several elements contributed to the successful transformation:

• Executive sponsorship and visible leadership commitment

• Collaborative approach that engaged stakeholders at all levels

• Data-driven decision making based on thorough discovery findings

• Pragmatic implementation that balanced ambitious goals with organizational realities

• Focus on capability building to ensure sustainable change

• Regular communication and transparency throughout the process

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Conclusion

Jemena's digital operating model transformation demonstrates how strategic organizational design can unlock performance even in high-functioning teams. By clarifying roles, enhancing collaboration, and optimizing structures, Jemena has positioned its digital function as a strategic enabler for business growth and innovation in the evolving energy sector.