Making the Business Case for IGA: JPMorgan Just Did It For You

If you’re still wondering how to elevate Identity Governance and Administration (IGA) from “security checkbox” to “board-level priority,” JPMorgan Chase just handed you the perfect argument. In their open letter to third-party suppliers, they laid it out plainly: the future of enterprise security depends on more robust identity and access controls — especially in a SaaS-first world.

At Lumos, we see this every day. Companies are sprinting toward digital transformation, layering on AI and SaaS tools to stay agile and innovative. But in the rush, they’re exposing themselves to a new generation of risks. And manual or legacy tools for Identity Governance are far outpaced by the operational complexity and resource overhead.

Here’s how to build a business case for IGA — the modern way.

1. Access Sprawl Isn’t Just a Productivity Problem. It’s a Security One.
2. Identity is the New Control Plane. 
3. Security Can’t Be an Afterthought. It Needs to Be the Platform.

1. Access Sprawl Isn’t Just a Productivity Problem. It’s a Security One.

JPMorgan’s letter points out the obvious but often ignored: in a SaaS-first world, the security perimeter is long gone. When any team can swipe a credit card and spin up a new app, it’s not just Shadow IT — it’s Shadow Risk.

What to do: Move away from IGA tools that do not give you full visibility or the right controls, and from SaaS management tools that stop at license tracking. You need a platform that can see every identity, every app, and every entitlement with activity- and cost-level details — and take action on it. That’s where Lumos comes in.

2. Identity is the New Control Plane

As JPMorgan rightly points out, third-party dependencies and sprawling app ecosystems have created new single points of failure. When credentials are overprovisioned and never reviewed, you’ve got a ticking time bomb.

What to do: Shift from static RBAC/ABAC policies to AI-powered policy mining and just-in-time /  time-bound access. Lumos enforces dynamic, least-privilege access at scale — from onboarding to offboarding and in-between role transitions.

3. Security Can’t Be an Afterthought. It Needs to Be the Platform.

One of the most powerful lines in JPMorgan’s letter: “Speed must not come at the expense of security.” We couldn’t agree more. You need right integrations deployments, right from the get-go, with the right authorization controls built on least-privilege principles - without wasting months or years.

What to do: Legacy governance platforms take months to implement and require an army of consultants. Lumos flips that model. Our Integration Hub and AI-powered policy engine make it easy to operationalize security without slowing you down. With 300+ integrations out of the box and powerful AI-builder to fast track connector building, deployment happens in days — not quarters. 

Your Executives Want ROI. Your IGA Should Deliver.

Budget conversations are tight. But that’s exactly why now is the time to invest in autonomous IGA. You’re not just reducing risk — you’re improving operational efficiency and cutting SaaS waste. Let’s be honest — the fastest way to lose momentum in any security or IT initiative is to walk into a budget meeting without a clear return on investment.

The good news? Autonomous Identity Governance isn’t just a compliance play — it’s a business driver. In addition to that, it is a cost multiplier. And in today’s market, that’s what executives care about most: impact they can measure.

Here’s how Lumos helps teams prove ROI — fast.

• Automate Access Reviews
• Reclaim Licenses & Reduce SaaS Waste
• Streamline Provisioning with AI-powered Insights
• Build a Unified System of Record for Identity

Automate Access Reviews

Manual access reviews burn time, drain teams, and leave gaps. Lumos automates review cycles for critical apps, highlights only the delta changes and outliers, and enables one-click revocation — with full audit trails.

Result: See how Sun Country Airlines saved more than 50 hours per quarter with audit readiness and reduced risk exposure - extending to their SaaS and on-premise AD.

Reclaim Licenses & Reduce SaaS Waste

Most companies overspend on licenses they don’t use. Lumos discovers shadow IT, tracks usage at the user level, and flags underused tools. Then, it helps you take action — reclaim licenses, consolidate tools, or negotiate smarter renewals.

Result: Customers routinely save 10–20% of their SaaS budget. See how Checkr slashed $230,000 in SaaS costs. 

Streamline Provisioning with AI-powered Insights

With Lumos lifecycle automation, new hires get the right access on Day 1, and leavers are fully deprovisioned — across all apps — within hours. No more open tickets, dangling access, or spreadsheet chaos.

Result: 30–50% reduction in IT workload and faster time-to-productivity for employees. Read how Chegg reduced time-to-resolution (TTR) by 99% for 2500 employees. 

Build a Unified System of Record for Identity

Executives want visibility. Lumos centralizes your app, identity, entitlement, and spend data in one place — creating a single source of truth. That means better reporting, faster decisions, and fewer silos across IT, Security, and Procurement.

Result: See how Code42 reduced privileged access by 67% across our tech stack with superior visibility and drove down security risks. .

Lumos doesn’t just reduce identity risk — it delivers measurable value your CFO will care about. In most cases, we help customers show positive ROI in under 90 days. Deliver what your execs are looking for - security, productivity, cost savings.  

Final Thoughts (+How Lumos Can Help)

JPMorgan said the quiet part out loud: SaaS complexity is here to stay, and the old ways of managing access don’t cut it anymore.

So if you're building a business case for IGA, let Lumos back you up. And if you're ready to leave behind security gaps, static roles, clunky interfaces, and slow time-to-value — we are ready to help. The AI-powered Lumos platform lets you start small with modular use cases — so you can solve critical problems fast, show quick wins, and scale on your terms. 

Because governance shouldn’t be a burden. It should be to your advantage. Want to build a business case? Request a free identity assessment here.