Symposium on the promise and challenge of cloud computing for business and government

• ECIS
• November 17, 2015

Teaching clouds to work and play together

What you and the European Commission need to know and why

When?

3 December 2015, 15 to 18 pm followed by a cocktail reception

Where?

Hotel Sofitel Brussels Europe, Place Jourdan 1, 1040 Brussels

The European Commission has asked for your views on cloud computing and the collaborative economy, as it ponders the direction for its Digital Single Market (DSM) initiative.  Its questionnaire issued in the autumn is due at year’s end and raises thorny questions.

The European Committee for Interoperable Systems (ECIS) will help you focus on issues arising out of cloud computing – and its close cousin the hybrid cloud- at a symposium featuring the Commission official responsible for the cloud and DSM policy, along with experts and business representatives t0 explain the merits and pitfalls of various policies as you contemplate your answers.

The hybrid cloud will be part of our conversation.  As those making DSM policy reflect, they should remember to include the “hybrid cloud”, a mélange of existing IT systems and public, private, on-premises and off-premises clouds.  Its promise of increased agility has led to across-the-board predictions of its increasing importance in the next few years, when most businesses will rely upon it.

Done right, the hybrid cloud wll build on the advantages of of existing clouds to increase efficiency, preserve security and save money.  Done wrong, businesses can find themselves in a blind alley, with their data locked and choices constrained.

We invite you to learn more about the DSM and the cloud at our symposium, and to join in the conversation at our cocktail hour afterwards.

Programme

15.00
Welcome by Thomas Vinje, ECIS Legal Counsel and Spokesman

15.15
Session I: What the Hybrid Cloud is and is not: a detailed description of the hybrid cloud, how it works, and why it will transform cloud computing for business and government

Speakers

Mark Terranova
Director of Competitive Intelligence, Software Group, IBM

Geordie Klueber
Architect, Competitive Intelligence Laboratory, Software Group, IBM

Paul Brownell
EMEA Public Policy Director, Red Hat

Moderated by David Lawsky, Fipra

16.30
Session II: The Hybrid Cloud and the European Commission Digital Single Market (DSM) strategy. What is the role of government? Who should assure inter-operability? Is the market sufficient to protect companies?

A debate on issues raised by the ECIS report

Speakers

Pearse O’ Donohue
Head of Unit, Software and Services, Cloud, European Commission

Professor Ian Walden
Professor of Information and Communications Law, Queen Mary University of London

Simon Hicks
Principal Technologist, Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS), United Kingdom

Andriani Ferti
Senior Associate, Clifford Chance

Moderated by Elizabeth de Bony, Senior Director, Burson Marsteller

18.00
Networking cocktail
Please join us afterwards for a cocktail and canapé networking reception, providing an opportunity to speak with some of our speakers about issues raised during the debate.

Please RSVP to info@ecis.eu, or telephone Désirée van Dyk at +322 533 5930.