Organizations worldwide are increasingly adopting Amazon Web Services (AWS) to revolutionize their operations. However, transitioning to the cloud poses challenges and risks that demand a strategic approach encompassing architecture, security, cost management, and talent.
Deloitte and AWS collaboration
Deloitte and AWS have collaborated for nearly a decade to assist enterprises in maximizing their cloud investments. To extend this assistance to growth markets, the two entities have entered into a multi-year Strategic Collaboration Agreement.
This agreement unites the top-ranked global professional services firm with the world’s most comprehensive cloud platform to deliver large-scale transformations while managing risks and driving tangible business change.
The expanded collaboration aims to help companies worldwide migrate their operations to the cloud and prepare for competition in today’s digital economy. Nishita Henry, Deloitte Global Chief Commercial Officer for AWS, “Moving to the cloud can be a daunting task that requires significant expertise and resources. Through our expanded relationship with AWS, we are well-positioned to assist our customers in navigating this transition and maximizing the business benefits of cloud computing in growth markets.”
Expanding Workforce and Location Investments
As part of the initial phase of this strategic collaboration, Deloitte will establish dedicated AWS Centers of Excellence in intentional locations worldwide, commencing across Sub-Saharan Africa, Spain, and Central Europe. This initiative involves a multimillion-dollar investment aimed at hiring over 800 certified specialists and training practitioners on AWS services and capabilities.
Through this extended global network, client organizations will gain access to a comprehensive suite of offerings from over 56 offices in these initial regions. Multi-disciplinary AWS consulting teams, training academies, innovation labs, and managed services will empower local customers in their digital transformations.
Jim Hudson, Managing Director and AWS Global Alliance Leader at Deloitte Consulting, emphasized the collaborative effort’s significance: “Through our global Strategic Collaboration, Deloitte and AWS will provide customers with the end-to-end guidance and services necessary to help overcome adoption barriers and successfully migrate to the cloud at scale.”
To support business leaders in these markets, Deloitte will leverage its global innovation in data and artificial intelligence (AI). The firm’s data and AI practice combines top-tier services, AI talent, and extensive industry experience to assist enterprise leaders in designing generative AI strategies and creating innovative AI applications.
Hundreds of businesses in Sub-Saharan Africa, Spain, and Central Europe are already reaping the benefits of AWS and Deloitte’s combined expertise. Natali Delić, Chief Strategy and Digital Officer of Telekom Srbija, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration: “We are delighted by our dynamic collaboration with AWS and Deloitte, who are market leaders in accelerating cloud innovation. Working with them will ensure that our business transformation strategy includes the right technology to enable us to respond swiftly to our evolving needs, making significant impact and elevating the experiences of our customers and employees in all the markets where we operate.”
Current Need and Growth Opportunity
The rapid pace of business change and the evolution of technologies like generative AI pose challenges such as a lack of digital skills for many companies attempting to plan and execute their business transformations. According to the future of jobs report 2023 by the World Economic Forum, organizations identify skills gaps (60% of respondents) and an inability to attract talent (53%) as key barriers preventing industry transformation.
To assist enterprise customers in overcoming these challenges as they embark on and expand their cloud journey, the Deloitte and AWS collaboration will leverage the capabilities of a global system integrator. This collaboration aims to help companies transform at scale, innovate rapidly, and meet the complex needs of an ever-changing landscape.
Dr. Ruba Borno, Vice President of AWS Worldwide Channels and Alliances, expressed excitement about the collaboration’s potential: “We are very excited about this Strategic Collaboration Agreement to help even more global organizations take advantage of the agility, breadth of services, and pace of innovation that AWS provides. Together with Deloitte, we will realize the promise of cloud computing across every region and industry.”
Enabling Business Transformation
In collaboration with AWS, Deloitte will assist companies in unlocking the potential of cloud and digital transformation through various focus areas:
– Digital transformation: Supporting the transformation of core processes, applications, and skills to achieve outcomes like agility, innovation, and cost optimization in the cloud.
– Cloud strategy and governance: Helping define cloud visions, roadmaps, and governance models tailored to business objectives.
– Cloud architecture: Supporting cloud migrations by leveraging landing zones to establish foundational security, connectivity, and automation capabilities.
– Regulated industries: Providing specialized expertise in regulated domains like energy, ecommerce, insurance, banking, manufacturing, telecommunications, healthcare, and the public sector to ensure compliance in the cloud.
– Global delivery network: Leveraging Deloitte’s ecosystem of 22+ Cloud Centers of Excellence, with 100,000 practitioners across strategy, operations, and technology, in combination with AWS Local Zones, to serve customers anywhere.
For Strini Mudaly, Vice President ICT at Gold Fields, one of the world’s largest gold mining firms, these focus areas were integral in shaping their successful modernization initiative: “As we looked for a strategic partner to work with us in unlocking innovation through the cloud, Deloitte demonstrated both their AWS knowledge and understanding of our highly regulated industry. Through their collaborative approach using the AWS rich portfolio of services, we were able to modernize key systems and data platforms quickly while maintaining the highest security and compliance standards.”
Tanuja Randery, Managing Director for Europe, Middle East & Africa at AWS, highlighted the collaboration’s significance: “Kicking off our strategic collaboration across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa is testimony to the potential we see for cloud technology to transform business and drive economic growth within this region. We know from our own research with Strand Partners that in Europe cloud-enabled tech adoption could add €3.4 trillion to the economy by 2030.
“In Africa, the appetite from businesses of all sizes to adopt cloud and AI is huge. If nurtured, its impact on the African economy will be transformative. We are proud of initiatives like the AWS Skills Center which helps build a cloud-enabled workforce. Our partnership with Deloitte is another way to underscore our long-term commitment and support for businesses in the region,” added Randery.
Take the Next Step
The decision to embark on cloud transformation isn’t the hardest part for many businesses; it’s devising the strategy and implementing solutions that drive impact. Deloitte’s understanding of industry business challenges, nuances, and opportunities, combined with AWS innovation, forms a unique combination of global business transformation experience and market-leading technology.
Together, Deloitte and AWS can help companies drive maximum value and impact with business solutions that build tomorrow’s innovations.The post Collaboration to Boost Cloud Adoption in Emerging Markets first appeared on IT News Africa | Business Technology, Telecoms and Startup News.