Cloud Industry Forum (CIF) workshop speakers announced for Cloud Expo Europe 2012
– Industry experts to be brought together in the CIF Theatre to offer practical advice, guidance and education for end users looking to migrate to the Cloud –
The Cloud Industry Forum has today announced the line up of expert speakers who will be contributing to the dedicated conference stream at Cloud Expo Europe, designed to educate end users looking to migrate to the Cloud. The speakers will also be offering guidance for Cloud Service Providers wishing to gain Certification to the Cloud Industry Forum’s certification programme.
The CIF theatre at the show has been designed as a comprehensive and independent education programme under the title of “Accessing the Cloud on Your Terms”. It will incorporate real–world case studies and expert opinions from a number of industry spokespeople who will be speaking on behalf of CIF. The list of the topics that will be covered and the names of the speakers delivering each Cloud Industry Forum workshop are as follows:
- Understanding Cloud Terminology and Deployment Models – Gareth Bradbury, Head of Product Management and Services at Unit4
- Assessing Cloud Readiness and Deployment Options – Martin O’Donnell, Hosting and Cloud Director at Phoenix IT
- How to Assess and Select Suitable Cloud Vendors – Andy Burton, Chairman of the Cloud Industry Forum
- Managing a Hybrid IT Environment – Richard Chart, EVP Product Management, Science Logic
- Negotiating Cloud Contracts – Frank Jennings, Partner, DMH Stallard Board and Jim Zeches, CFO, ChannelCloud
- Standards and Cloud Services – Kate Craig Wood, Managing Director at Memset
- Deploying to the cloud on your terms- Alex Hilton, Managing Director, RISE
- Managing Data Protection, Privacy and Sovereignty – Conor Ward, Partner at Hogan Lovells
Andy Burton, Chairman of CIF, and CEO of Fasthosts, commented: “The speakers we have lined up in the CIF Theatre are industry experts who can communicate practical and real-world advice on the Cloud migration process for potential end users. Our seminar programme will also offer attendees a practical approach to Cloud services evaluation, from how to select the most suitable Cloud vendor to managing a hybrid IT environment, to contracting for end-users, ensuring that any queries or concerns over cloud migration are covered in the workshops. We will also formally recognise individuals who attend the seminars and who subsequently take our online examination with the CIF Certificate of Cloud Competency. This Certificate is aimed at ensuring a practical understanding of cloud computing to increase buyer confidence and competence in making selection decisions.”
Maggie Meer, event organiser, Cloud Expo Europe 2012, added: “We are thrilled to have such well-established industry experts on board to deliver practical advice on business models and technology issues as well as guidance for end user organisations looking to migrate to the Cloud. CIF has been integral to the Cloud Expo in organising a concise Cloud seminar programme that will enable attendees to better understand the Cloud and how it can be managed by end users.”
About the Cloud Industry Forum (CIF)
The Cloud Industry Forum (CIF) was established in direct response to the evolving supply models for the delivery of software and IT services that has expanded well beyond the traditional on-premise method to one that now embraces hosted and/or, pay-as-you-use Cloud solutions.
CIF’s purpose is twofold: To drive a common and public level of transparency about the capability, substance and best practices of online Service Providers (SaaS, PaaS, IaaS, Web hosting providers etc) through a process of self-certification to a Code of Practice. Second, this Code of Practice, and the use of the related Certification Mark on participant’s web sites, provides comfort and promotes trust to businesses and individuals wishing to leverage the commercial, financial and agile operations capabilities that the Cloud based and hosted solutions can offer. CIF is ensuring the integrity and governance of the self-certification process through regular random audits as well as investigating complaints from parties that challenge any specific participants self-certification status.
For more information please contact:
Robin Campbell-Burt
Spreckley Partners Ltd.
T: 020 7388 9988
E: cif@spreckley.co.uk
