CIO Influence Interview with Vikas Ganoorkar, Global Cloud Migration Leader for IBM Consulting

Vikas Ganoorkar, Global Cloud Migration Leader for IBM Consulting, elaborates on cloud migration strategies, emerging technologies such as Cloud, Mobile, Agile, and DevOps in this CIO Influence Interview:

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Hello Vikas, welcome to our CIO Influence Interview Series. Can you walk us through your IT and SaaS leadership journey?

I am a Senior Partner and lead the Cloud Migration offering for IBM Consulting. In my role, I work with clients to help them with their cloud migration & containerization journey. My team brings our differentiation & expertise to help clients simplify that journey and do it at speed, with the scale clients need, and at an optimal cost.

I have led and been part of several large & complex IT transformations across several clients – ranging from cloud migrations to ERP transformations & application management engagements.

I have been with IBM in various roles over the last 20 years with a primary focus in the Banking Industry. My background prior to IBM  was in working with Banks in Europe, Asia and Africa. I have had the opportunity to live and work across several countries – India, UK, Africa, Singapore and more recently in the US.

Also Read: The Dynamic Duo: How CMOs and CIOs Are Shaping the Future of Business

What are the key qualities you believe are essential for leading global teams and managing complex programs in today’s dynamic IT environment?

In my view, leading global teams & managing complex programs requires a blend of technical proficiency, strategic vision, and interpersonal skills. I see this come across in a combination of ways:

• Setting the strategic vision for the team
• Having a deep appreciation of the goals/outcomes, both business & Technology
• Bringing the right mix of business & technology expertise
• Having cultural sensitivity, empathy & inclusion
• Investing in leadership skills & ability to make fast decisions in complex situations

How does IBM Consulting stay ahead of the curve with emerging technologies such as Cloud, Mobile, Agile, and DevOps?

 First, I think it’s helpful to share how we approach working with clients and then how we stay ahead of the curve to meet their needs. Our primary focus is on helping clients design and execute a hybrid by design strategy – which we define as a strategic approach to structuring a hybrid, multi-cloud IT estate with intentionality to achieve key business priorities and maximize ROI. We’re finding more and more companies are investing in cloud but not getting the tangible ROI that they’ve been promised. A hybrid by design approach aligns technology with business goals to overcome the ROI roadblock.

Now to help these clients we know how critical it is to stay ahead of the curve with emerging technologies. We like to say that we have a unique advantage in IBM Consulting as we are the only major global consultancy that sits within a technology company. That gives us an opportunity to work side by side with IBM researchers and technologists that are at the forefront of what’s next in technology. It allows us to focus on innovation and experimentation, we get to test and validate new technologies and approaches before they become mainstream.

As generative AI continues to become a focus for our clients we also are finding ways to integrate generative AI into client solutions by developing customized AI models that address specific needs and drive innovation across various domains. We ensure seamless integration with existing systems, enhancing productivity and enabling digital transformation.

We also invest heavily in training and upskilling our consultants on emerging technologies. That’s inclusive of IBM technologies such as IBM Cloud and Red Hat OpenShift and technologies across our growing ecosystem of partner such as AWS, Microsoft, Google Cloud, SAP among others. Lastly, we collaborate closely with our clients to understand their specific needs and challenges, which helps us to identify and develop solutions that address emerging trends and technologies.

What are the common challenges organizations face during cloud migrations, and how does IBM Consulting address these challenges?

I spend my days talking to clients about the roadblocks they face and the outcomes they want to achieve when it comes to cloud migration and overall modernization. While there are a multitude of challenges that can hinder their success one of the most significant hurdles that I come across is around complexity. Specifically, complexity as it relates to integration of cloud-based systems with existing on-premises infrastructure, which can often lead to compatibility issues and data security concerns.

Many companies also struggle with the task of evaluating and selecting the right cloud provider, as each offers a unique set of services and pricing models. Businesses are also challenged in finding the right skills and expertise when it comes to cloud-based tools and processes. Additionally, the lack of visibility and unstructured cost control (Fin/AI Ops) over hybrid cloud can make it difficult for businesses to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and maintain governance over their cloud infrastructure.

So how do we address these challenges? We’re completely changing the cloud migration landscape with our generative AI Consulting as Code strategy. Our strategy is led with generative AI powered assets & assistants to offer a more efficient, automated, and cost-effective way to overcome common migration challenges. We’re infusing our deep expertise in cloud migration practices with our generative AI tools that are designed to automate the cloud migration process.

These tools leverage machine learning and artificial intelligence to automate manual processes, reducing the need for human intervention and minimizing the risk of errors and rework. This also allows organizations to quickly and easily migrate and modernize applications and data to the cloud, in a secure and seamless manner. These tools can also help organizations identify potential issues and create a customized plan to ensure a smooth migration.

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How does IBM tailor cloud migration strategies to meet clients’ specific needs in different industries, particularly in regulated sectors like banking?

 We have industry specific variants of our migration offering that customize cloud migration strategies to address unique regulatory and operational needs, especially in regulated sectors like banking, healthcare etc. These strategies incorporate tailored compliance frameworks, conduct thorough risk assessments, and apply industry best practices to ensure security and adherence to regulations. Our approach includes offering flexible, scalable solutions and working collaboratively with clients to align the migration strategy with their specific business objectives and regulatory requirements.

As we know, industry verticals have different compliance and regulatory issues that must be taken into consideration when doing any type of migration. Take for instance the banking industry. There are regulatory requirements for protecting Personal Identifiable Information to safeguards that meet Payment Card Industry compliance, meant to protect credit card holder’s information. So, any migration strategy should take into consideration these requirements.

Similarly, for healthcare clients, we ensure HIPAA compliance by implementing robust data security measures and offering tailored cloud models like private or hybrid clouds. Our assets & tools are built keeping the compliance needs in mind, which helps healthcare providers manage and secure large volumes of sensitive data. These assets also include end-to-end migration tools and ongoing support to optimize performance and maintain regulatory adherence.

Cloud migration is a particularly hot topic for select VMware clients that are navigating new challenges, what advice would you give to those clients/organizations looking to migrate?

It’s true, we’re seeing VMware clients come to us for strategies and best practices on how to approach changes that have been brought about by the recent Broadcom acquisition.

First, I would advise them to start with a clear understanding of their hybrid cloud goals and objectives – that looks differently for every client. It’s essential for them to assess their current & target state of their IT  infrastructure & application, identify areas for improvement, and develop a comprehensive strategy.

The recent changes in the VMware landscape are driving many clients to reassess their strategy and execution plans as appropriate. There are a few areas where we are seeing opportunities bubble up to the surface for reassessment. For example, many clients are seeing this as an inflection point to further accelerate their cloud adoption plans – this can be done with a container first approach leveraging the attractive incentives that many hyperscalers are providing currently. It’s also serving as a great opportunity to manage costs aggressively by re-assessing your data center estate – this is where  FinOps/AIOps readiness comes into the picture. Clients can get a full view of their strategy through to the product/tool selection with technologies like Apptio and Turbonomics. And some clients will stay on VMware and take advantage of the full stack of VCF (VMWare Cloud Foundation) services that VMware is providing.

This is where IBM Consulting comes in, to help clients choose the right offerings, navigate across the alternatives and, identify the best path forward that is tailored for each customer needs uniquely.

How does IBM Consulting help them choose the right migration strategies for those VMware clients?

We know that change can be difficult, and migration and modernization can be stressful for clients. Our goal is to help alleviate that stress and provide clients with the best strategies and options that align to their business goals.

When it comes to VMware workloads, we can help clients in addressing available options, be it choosing to continue their path with VMware or looking at alternatives. We provide guidance on how to navigate the complex landscape of cloud migration, containerization and virtualization.

What sets IBM Consulting apart here is that we not only bring our own strong technology or product capabilities such as IBM Cloud or Red Hat OpenShift, but we have a deep ecosystem of partners that we work with to help our clients find the right path – like AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure.

What advice would you give to organizations looking to adopt Agile and DevOps practices to enhance their cloud migration initiatives?

 Organizations should prioritize upskilling their teams to effectively leverage Gen AI and new technologies, integrating AI-driven automation and analytics into their Agile and DevOps workflows to enhance decision-making, efficiency, and innovation. They should foster a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement among cross-functional teams, implement automated testing and CI/CD pipelines, and invest in robust monitoring and feedback systems. Additionally, ensuring robust data governance and security practices is crucial for responsibly managing AI and other advanced technologies in their cloud environments.

Also Read: Advanced Threat Detection with Managed Security Service Providers

Embracing an asset/technology arbitrage model will further enhance DevOps by optimizing resource allocation and reducing costs, allowing for greater flexibility and scalability in deploying and managing applications. This shift will enable organizations to dynamically leverage the best available technologies and services, driving continuous improvement and innovation.

How do you foresee the role of cloud migration evolving in the next five years, especially with advancements in AI and machine learning?

What we’re seeing now is that the cloud transformation industry is shifting towards a technology (asset-led) arbitrage. This shift is driven by advancements in AI and automation, enabling more efficient and scalable cloud migration processes. As a result, over the next five years I believe businesses will increasingly depend on sophisticated tools and technologies to optimize and manage their cloud environments.

I anticipate we’ll see some key changes/developments in these key areas:

• Enhanced Security and Compliance that will be driven by sophisticated security measures with AI and improved compliance posture through AI Assets & Assistants.
• Interoperability and Multi-Cloud Strategies with enhancements in AI for seamless interoperability and management for multi and Hybrid Cloud estates.
• Cloud to Cloud Migrations facilitated by AI & automated tools with a stronger FinOps posture on resource optimization and cost-efficiency.

Before we wrap up, which are the top five books from your favorites you would like to recommend for emerging IT leaders?

–  An age old classic: Who says Elephants cant dance by Louis Gerstner

• Biography of Elon Musk
• Lean in by Sheryl Sandberg
• Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works
• Iacocca – An Autobiography

Thank you, Vikas, for sharing your insights with us.

[To share your insights with us as part of editorial or sponsored content, please write to psen@itechseries.com]