Blue-sky thinking: The present and future of cloud computing

Join us for Blue-Sky Thinking, a new virtual discussion hosted by The Economist Events. Tech leaders will outline lessons learned from the covid 19 pandemic, including best practices and how to redesign businesses around cloud-based strategies. Covid-19 has highlighted the need for corporations to be agile and quick to adapt to unexpected shocks. Although digitisation was well underway before the outbreak, covid-19 changed how companies use cloud-based platforms and services. Digital technologies played a crucial role in keeping the lights on, enabling remote working, and ensuring companies met the needs of their communities. As uncertainty continues about how long covid-19 will linger, organisations must continue to pursue resilience and agility. Decision-makers will have tough choices to make about resources, budgets and suitable governance frameworks. A close eye must be kept on business needs, costs and performance so technology investments deliver clear value. Cyber-security must stay high on the agenda, especially as hackers and savvy criminals get better at breaching firewalls and safeguards. The to-do list is long and daunting: where to start? Our virtual event will ask: What lessons have been learned from covid-19? How do approaches differ based on company size, industry, and geography? How do benefits compare to the costs across a business? What are the organisational structures and talent needed to deliver value? What are the key metrics for evaluating success? Hear from our speakers: Kenneth Cukier, Senior Editor and host of Babbage podcast, The Economist. Chris Barker, Cloud and Platform Technology, Deutsche Bank. Joe Kinsella, Vice-President, and Chief Technology Officer, CloudHealth by VMware. Gleb Shaviner, Vice-president, Digital Product—Predix cloud and enterprise platform, GE Digital. Johan Krebbers, Vice-President, IT innovation; General Manager, emerging digital technologies, Shell