A global financial services organisation with 60,000 employees was going the through a business change to divest and separate one of their business unites into a new standalone entity.  Applicable were engaged to deliver a complex Microsoft 365 tenant separation, splitting a single, centralised environment into three fully independent tenants. Each business division required its own secure, compliant, and scalable Microsoft 365 platform to support regulatory obligations, operational autonomy, and future M&A activity.

The Challenge

The client’s shared Microsoft 365 tenant had become a constraint for business agility. Applicable was tasked with delivering a large‑scale transformation while ensuring:

• Minimal disruption to day‑to‑day operations
• Migration of tens of thousands of users, mailboxes, Teams workspaces, SharePoint sites and OneDrive content
• Full preservation of security, compliance and data integrity
• Clear coordination across multiple internal stakeholder groups

Our Approach

Applicable led an end‑to‑end tenant‑to‑tenant migration programme, including:

• Discovery & Planning
• Deep assessment of the source tenant, data dependencies, user behaviours and compliance requirements to shape the migration blueprint.
• Solution Design
• Development of tailored architectures and security models for each new tenant, ensuring long‑term manageability and regulatory alignment.
• Migration Execution
• A phased move using industry-leading tools and automation, including:
  • Exchange Online
  • Microsoft Teams (channels, chats, meetings)
  • SharePoint Online
  • OneDrive for Business
  • Power Platform assets
  • Cutover & Hypercare
  • Low‑impact cutovers scheduled out of hours, supported by structured hypercare to ensure user readiness and uninterrupted business operations.

Outcomes

The project was delivered on time and within budget, resulting in:

• Three autonomous Microsoft 365 tenants, each aligned to its division’s business and compliance needs
• Improved agility, enabling faster decision‑making and operational independence
• Minimal user disruption throughout the migration
• A scalable model for future divestments and acquisitions
• Enhanced service reliability and cost efficiency across the organisation

If you’re divesting part of your business. or preparing to, Microsoft 365 tenant separation can be an essential part of the process. Whether you need help to plan, execute the separation, or both, contact Applicable and we’ll help you deliver a successful project.