‘The key is the cloud’: How to keep up with the speed of innovation

At DISH Network, cloud-adoption strategies vary by when the parts of its business started – from those born in the cloud to legacy sectors deploying cloud on an opportunistic basis. But one thing is clear to Atilla Tinic, the company’s EVP and CIO: “I do think the key is the cloud.” He added: “The strategy around cloud is not ROI on a case-by-case basis. It’s a must if a company wants to stay relevant.”

Tinic is among the speakers at CIO’s Future of Cloud Summit, taking place virtually April 12-13. Focusing on speed, scale and software innovation, the event will gather technology executives to discuss both strategy and concrete implementation tactics.

The program begins April 12 and will cover aspects of cloud innovation and agility, with Jessica Groopman, founding partner at Kaleido Insights, kicking off the day with a look at three macrotrends reshaping cloud and software innovation. She will also field questions in a live discussion.

Throughout the day, CIOs from leading companies will dive into aspects of their strategy. Christopher Marsh-Bourdon, head of hybrid environments at Wells Fargo Bank N.A., will offer insights on designing hybrid cloud environments for security and flexibility. Shamim Mohammad, EVP and chief information and technology officer at CarMax, will present a case study on how the cloud enables the company’s signature “Instant Offer” feature. Addressing how to maximize the value of every dollar spent in cloud will be Jennifer Hays, SVP of engineering efficiency and assurance at Fidelity Investments, along with FinOps Foundation Executive Director J.R. Storment.

Michael Riecica, director of security strategy and risk in Rockwell Automation’s Chief Information Security Office, will drill into the security aspects of cloud strategy. And hear how the U.S. Federal Reserve System leverages cloud smart strategies from System CIO Ghada Ijam.

James Cham, a partner at Bloomberg Beta, will offer a venture fund perspective on changes to watch in software development, deriving value from big data, and a view into where AI fits in. Cham will also lead a live discussion on cloud, and other technology investments, can be used as catalysts for building business value.

Another opportunity for interaction with peers and experts will take place in a workshop on cloud as a business strategy platform led by Kevin L. Jackson, CEO of GlobalNet and the host of Digital Transformers.

Hear from world-class analysts such as Dion Hinchcliffe, vice president and principal analyst at Constellation Research, who will preview what cloud will look like in five years and advise CIOs on how to address the challenges of fast change, while successfully dealing with talent scarcity and technical debt. IDC’s Dave McCarthy, research vice president of cloud infrastructure services, will advise on how to navigate a future of digital infrastructure focused on cloud. He will cover application modernization, the best approach for multi-cloud deployments and where to invest in automation. McCarthy will follow up the presentation with a live discussion Wednesday on cloud trends.

Wednesday will focus on shifting into a cloud native future, starting with a tutorial on how to gain and maintain a competitive advantage from champion racecar driver Julia Landauer. Later, she will answer questions about habits and mindsets that drive success.

Priceline Chief Technology Officer Marty Brodbeck will share how the online travel agency sped up its cloud native software production. Meanwhile, Expedia Vice President of Development and Runtime Platform Robert Duffy will discuss how to become a results-driven cloud native organization with Cloud Native Computing Foundation Chief Technology Officer Chris Aniszczyk.

Looking to integrate cloud native apps into a seamless operational platform? Professional Case Management CIO Charlie Billings will share his organization’s experience. In another session, Joseph Sieczkowski, CIO for architecture and engineering at BNY Mellon, will discuss cultivating an agile and dynamic operating model.

Finally, in a glimpse at what’s to come, learn the hottest cloud-native software development trends from InfoWorld senior writer Serdar Yegulalp and Group Editor for UK B2B Scott Carey. In addition, Yegulalp will present a non-technical introduction to Kubernetes and best practices of managing container-based applications at scale.

Throughout the summit, sponsors including Cloudera, Freshworks and others will share innovative solutions for building your cloud strategy.

Check out the full summit agenda here. The event is free to attend for qualified attendees. Don’t miss out – register today.

Pictured above (left to right): Ghada Ijam, System CIO, Federal Reserve System; Atilla Tinic, EVP, Chief Information Officer, DISH Network; racecar driver Julia Landauer.