IBM Cloud Innovation Forum 2016: Transforming on the Cloud

Cloud is undoubtedly the biggest technology disruptions that we have ever witnessed. The way cloud technologies are driving new business models, revenue opportunities and innovative mindsets and combining various technology forces like cognition and analytics to revolutionize businesses is truly incredible.

Hence, as organizations across board are turning to Cloud for business transformation, the terms cloud and innovation are becoming pretty much synonymous. On this backdrop, the IBM Cloud Innovation Forum, 2016, held this week in Bangalore revolved around the transformational impact of Cloud computing in the era of ‘new normal’. Addressing senior leaders from enterprises, mid-sized companies as well as new age start ups, the event took a deeper look at how cloud is fostering innovation and driving greater business value for organizations of all sizes, across almost all industries.

Vanitha Narayanan, MD, IBM India, talked about how the ecosystem is incredibly important for Indian businesses, be it government agencies or other sectors, how these organizations need to work with the ecosystem to drive innovation. “Our events in the past talked about enterprises, they are still one of our biggest clients, absolutely, but we are going to talk to today about ecosystems and this audience here today represents an ecosystem,” she said.

It is a time when the combined forces of cloud, cognitive technologies, IoT, analytics etc are all set to transform businesses at break-neck speed. The two biggest enablers are going to be cloud and cognitive solutions. “Cloud and cognition is powering India’s transition- India’s digital transformation,” said Vanitha.

Today customer experience is critical and indeed the biggest competitive differentiator, no matter the industry or size of business. Digital disruption has in fact, changed the whole nature of competition. “Competition is coming from completely different industries – from companies that are one-tenth your age. Start ups are emerging as threats. That’s what digital disruption is.”

Disruption is frankly the technology and all of the capabilities supported, but the real disruption comes from different business models, mind- sets and what we bring to it. That's why, when same set of people with same set of capabilities are exposed to the same set of technologies, bring in different outcomes. So, it's about the business models, customer-centricity and it's about the ecosystems. ----Vanitha Narayanan, MD, IBM India

She pointed out that as we sail through a highly disruptive phase, business models, customer centricity and ecosystems are together going to decide the future for businesses.

Vanitha also emphasized on the advantage that Indian businesses have in adopting cloud and digital. “In countries like India, we have an advantage, we do not have to spend a lot of time transforming legacy. We get to leapfrog and be digital first in many areas.”

The IBM India leader revealed that the company’s focus would be on bringing together the best of global technologies, research and local industry knowledge to drive more and more use cases around cloud and innovation.