# #428 - Modernizing IGA with Thomas Zarnhofer

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/identity-at-the-center-344918/428-modernizing-iga-with-thomas-zarnhofer
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/identity-at-the-center-344918/428-modernizing-iga-with-thomas-zarnhofer.md
Podcast: [Identity at the Center](https://stenobird.com/podcast/identity-at-the-center-344918)
Published: 2026-06-15T09:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/identity-at-the-center/episodes/428---Modernizing-IGA-with-Thomas-Zarnhofer-e3jubg9
Audio file: https://anchor.fm/s/c5fefcc/podcast/play/120581065/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-5-16%2Fa91b3b4e-eabf-5455-5a18-234143d64244.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/identity-at-the-center-344918/episodes/428-modernizing-iga-with-thomas-zarnhofer
Duration seconds: 2531

## Resource

Recorded live at EIC 2026 in Berlin, Jeff and Jim sit down with Thomas Zarnhofer, IAM Architect at a major retail company in central Europe. Thomas shares his experience leading a full IGA transformation from a decade-old on-premise system to a modern cloud-based platform. The conversation covers the shift from a contract-based to a person-based identity model, the importance of cleaning data before migration begins, a three-phase framework of Foundation, Migration, and Adoption, lessons learned from running two systems in parallel, and a look at how AI could make IGA predictive. The episode ends with Thomas's tips for visiting Austria. Connect with Thomas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tzarnhofer/ Connect with us on LinkedIn: Jim McDonald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmcdonaldpmp/ Jeff Steadman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffsteadman/ Visit the show on the web at http://idacpodcast.com Timestamps 00:00 Introduction and EIC 2026 Setting 02:00 Thomas's Identity Origin Story 04:21 The Catalyst for IGA Modernization 07:43 Contract-Based vs Person-Based Identity Models 09:22 Consolidating Master Data Sources 11:39 Data Quality and Attribute Ownership 13:34 Partnering with HR for Clean Data 16:43 Data Analysis: Why They Chose Excel Over AI 17:53 Clean Your Data Before You Migrate 18:23 The Three Phases: Foundation, Migration, Adoption 20:12 Driving Adoption Across the Organization 21:10 Running Two Systems in Parallel 22:47 Challenge Everything vs Lift and Shift 27:23 Surprises in the Cloud IGA Journey 29:02 Testing Requirements in the Cloud 29:51 AI and the Future of IGA 32:25 AI Chatbots and Role Discovery 35:30 Scoping Business Role Visibility 36:06 Life Outside IAM: Travel and Austria Tips Keywords: IAM, IGA, Identity Governance, IGA Migration, On-Premises to Cloud, I…

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