Cloud Dialogues

In this lively crossover episode, Mark, Michael, Georgia, and Matt bring their unique podcasting perspectives together for a deep (and occasionally hilarious) dive into the world of cloud, AI, and developer experience. Here's what went down:

👋 Meet the Hosts
The episode kicks off with introductions:
- Georgia & Matt host a show aimed at execs exploring cloud and AI strategy, launched in 2023.
- Mark & Michael bring a laid-back, pub-style tech chat that started back in November.

Think of it as business meets banter.

💥 Breaking Prod: A Dev Confession
Matt shares a "whoops-that-could’ve-been-bad" moment—he accidentally wiped critical files from a pre-prod app server right before a major CRM migration. The silver lining? A stealthy recovery from backups saved the day, and no one was the wiser (until now).

☁️ Cloud & AI News Roundup
The crew unpacks the latest in cloud and AI, including:
- Model Context Protocol (MCP): An open standard for LLMs to interface with APIs—recently adopted by OpenAI.
- Big Money, Big Roles: A jaw-dropping $255–450K job posting at Anthropic focused on MCP.
- AI Art & IP Issues: The debate over AI-generated images and artist rights heats up.
- AI + Security = Headache: From vulnerabilities to weaponization, AI’s security implications are growing.
- Oracle Data Breaches: Recent incidents affecting Oracle Cloud and Oracle Health (formerly Cerner) spark a discussion on health data privacy.

🛠️ Deep Dive: Developer Experience (DevX)
This is where things get real. The team unpacks what’s working—and what’s painfully broken—when it comes to how developers work inside big organizations.

What is DevX, Anyway?
- It’s the day-to-day reality of building software: tools, processes, workflows.
- Google’s monorepo + DevX team gets a gold star, but most companies? Not quite there yet.

Common DevX Pain Points:
- Security rules that block the tools devs actually *want* to use.
- Glacial laptops and outdated hardware.
- Missing, buried, or just plain wrong documentation.
- Slow, bureaucratic approval chains.
- No proper API tooling in place (hello, Postman and Backstage!).

Why It Matters:
- Bad DevX = unhappy developers = high turnover.
- Wasted time for high-salary engineers isn’t just annoying—it’s expensive.
- Cloud migration without DevX in mind? Recipe for inefficiency and surprise costs.

Fixing DevX (Yes, It’s Possible):
- Build "paved paths"—secure, approved, and actually usable.
- Strike a balance between security and speed.
- Track where time is wasted (slow builds, anyone?).
- Treat developers like customers. Ask what they need. Then deliver it.

📚 Recommended Reads
The team wraps with book recs for anyone looking to level up:
- Platform Engineering (Michael)
- Unlearn by Barry O’Reilly (Matt)
- Working Backwards (Georgia)
- Amped Up by Frank Sluman 
- Plus: [DX.com/research/overview](https://DX.com/research/overview) for even more DevX insights

Bottom Line: Whether you’re leading cloud adoption or building internal platforms, don’t overlook DevX. Great tools and experiences aren’t a nice-to-have—they’re your competitive edge.

We’re back with another powerful conversation — this time with the incredible Julia Arnott-Neenee, Cofounder of Fibre Fale, tech leader and advocate for digital equity.

🚀 But first, we break down this week’s biggest Cloud & AI news:

🔹 Google’s eye-watering $32B acquisition of Wiz – what does it mean for cybersecurity?

🔹 Oracle’s $5B investment in UK Cloud – big moves in Europe!

🔹 Tencent’s new AI reasoning model & Apple’s clean energy fund in China (Georgia covers off on 'what are reasoning models?' 🌱

🔹 Microsoft’s Malaysia data center expansion

🔹 The growing data center power consumption problem ⚡

🔹 EU’s push to dominate the AI chip industry

Then, we dive into a must-listen conversation with Julia Arnott-Neenee, tackling:

🌍 The digital & AI divide—who’s being left behind?

💡 Empowering Pacific communities through tech

🔄 Why technology needs to shift power to those most impacted

👀 The big question: Who isn’t in the room when decisions are made?

Julia’s journey is inspiring—leaving a global career to serve her community and co-founding a Pacific social enterprise that’s already making waves (her co-founder just won Young New Zealander of the Year! 🏆). 🚀

Key Takeaways:

✅ AI & tech reflect existing biases—how do we fix this?

✅ Marginalized communities must be seen as creators, not just consumers

✅ Moving from tech for profit → to tech for people

✅ The need for community-led solutions in digital transformation

 

🔊 Listen now for a thought-provoking discussion on why digital inclusion matters more than ever.

👉 And if you want more insights like this straight to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletter for the latest in Cloud, AI & tech leadership! cloud-dialogues.com

Find Julia's Fibre Fale here: https://www.fibrefale.com

#CloudTransformation #DigitalInclusion #AI #TechLeadership #PacificInnovation

In this latest episode of Cloud Dialogues, we dive into the evolving world of AI, data governance, and cloud transformation. Packed with insights for tech leaders, here's what you can expect:

 

AI Industry Insights

- CoreWeave's $12B OpenAI Contract: A reminder that infrastructure shortages could be on the horizon as AI scales.

- China's AI Ambitions: Baidu's Ernie models and Honor's $10B AI investment signal big moves in the East.

- Copyright Controversy: OpenAI wants easier access to copyrighted material—raising big questions for creators.

- Regulation Rundown: The EU’s early AI regulation contrasts with the US's more relaxed approach.

- Data Center Growth: Thailand's $3B investment and AWS’s new region create fresh opportunities for startups.

- Security Spotlight: Apple’s stand against UK encryption laws sparks debate.

- Productivity Buzz: JP Morgan claims AI coding tools improved productivity by 10-20%, and our hosts would lose to analyse this data. AI Innovations and Tools

- OpenAI’s New Agent Tools: Potentially big competition for Anthropic’s MCP.

- Robotics Advances: DeepMind’s Gemini Robotics pushes "embodied reasoning" in AI-driven robots.

- Sustainability Challenges: AI’s energy demands rise, with Amazon and Google pledging nuclear energy support.

 

Cloud Transformation for CIOs — The New Rules of Innovation with Steve Tzortzidis from V2 Digital

Steve brings a wealth of insights on building AI-ready data foundations:

- Data Readiness: To harness AI’s potential, data must be accessible, trusted, and well-governed.

- Federated Data Models: Balancing centralized governance with domain-driven autonomy to improve speed and accountability.

- "Start Small" Approach: Focus on specific use cases rather than boiling the ocean.

- DBT's Role: DBT’s testing, validation, and documentation features simplify data transformation.

- AI’s Future: Expect 2025 to focus heavily on AI agents, multimodal models, and real-world operationalization.

Key Takeaway for Tech Leaders Success with AI isn’t just about the tools—it’s about strong data foundations, smart governance, and embracing iterative change. If you’re steering your organization through data and AI transformation, this episode is packed with actionable insights.

🎯 Stay Ahead of the Curve: For weekly insights on AI, data, and digital transformation, subscribe to Cloud Dialogues weekly executive insights at cloud-dialogues.com

For part 2 of our 2025 IWD series We chatted to Natalie Badawy from Circuit Recruitment about how to attract, retain, and empower more women in tech!

🎯 From Neurophysiology to Tech Recruitment: Natalie shares her inspiring career switch and how her background in human sciences shaped her approach to helping people break into tech. 
🤝 Creating Inclusive Cloud Cultures: We explore practical strategies for supporting women in tech, from running internal bias workshops to ensuring interview panels reflect diverse backgrounds. 
👩‍💻 Her Tech Circle: Learn how this fantastic DE&I organization is empowering women in tech careers. 
🌍 The Business Case for Diversity: We discuss how token efforts can backfire, while meaningful change improves retention, innovation, and business outcomes. 
💬 Male Allies in Tech: How men can better support women in the workplace — even if they don’t always know where to start. 
📈 Flexibility & Return to Office (RTO): The episode dives into how workplace flexibility is vital for creating inclusive environments, particularly for caregivers. We discuss how rigid RTO mandates can disproportionately impact diverse employees and why trust-based flexibility leads to better outcomes for everyone.

It’s an episode full of practical advice, real-world insights, and thought-provoking discussion. Don’t miss it!
📲 Join the conversation about creating meaningful change in tech.

Subscribe to our newsletter for Weekly Cloud Roundup: Top cloud news + exclusive podcast insights!

https://www.cloud-dialogues.com/

To kick off our 2025 International Women’s Day series, Georgia and Matt sat down with Yasmin Benjamin, Head of Cloud and Finance, for an incredible conversation about navigating leadership, staying technical, and thriving as a woman in cloud.

🚀 Cloud & AI News Highlights

We covered some of the week’s biggest cloud and tech stories, including:

🔬 Quantum Race Heats Up – Google, Microsoft & AWS all making quantum moves (but don’t expect breakthroughs just yet).

📞 Skype & Amazon Chime Say Goodbye – Both platforms heading for retirement. Georgia reminisces about Chime.

🚀 Satellite Showdown– China’s “Space Sale” takes on Starlink, while Australia's National Broadband Network picks Amazon over Musk.

📱 iPhone Encryption Shakeup – UK pressures Apple to soften its backup encryption.

💬 Signal Stands Its Ground – May leave Sweden to protect message security.

💡 In the Spotlight: Yasmin Benjamin

Yasmin’s career is a masterclass in blending deep technical expertise with bold leadership.

With a background spanning systems engineering, AI & robotics, and even a current PhD in quantum computing (!), she’s proof you don’t have to choose between tech and leadership — you can own both.

Key Themes We Covered:

👩‍💻 From Engineer to Leader – How Yasmin stayed hands-on even as she moved up the ranks.

👶 Balancing Motherhood & Career – Keeping technical skills sharp during career breaks.

👩‍🚀 The Power of Community – Building networks to avoid feeling isolated as a senior woman in tech.

✨ Authentic Leadership – Why being yourself beats fitting the mould every time.

💰 The Reality of Cloud in Financial Services - If you thought banking was all cutting-edge tech — think again.

Yasmin gave us a behind-the-scenes look at where financial services really are:

🎶 Legacy Lives On – Yep, some banks are still running on systems from the disco era.

☁️ Hybrid Cloud is the Default – Most are juggling on-prem with Azure & AWS.

🤖 AI in Banking – Right now, it’s all about smarter chatbots & faster data processing (with RAG models ensuring accuracy).

📊 Data is (Still) Hard – Especially when compliance, structured & unstructured data all collide.

💬 Yasmin’s Advice for Women in Tech

🔧 Stay Technical – Don’t lose your hands-on skills, even in leadership roles.

🤝 Find Your People – Mentors, sponsors & allies make all the difference.

👨‍💼 Bring the Guys Along – Male allyship is critical to driving real change.

🌱 Pace Yourself – Careers are marathons, not sprints — focus on learning, not rushing to the top.

Bonus gem: Yasmin wrapped up by sharing her creative side — she wrote an e-book called "How The Two Worlds Collide”, blending her love of Star Trek & Star Wars. Tech leaders who write sci-fi? We’re here for it.

You can find it here: https://tayloryasmin.gumroad.com/l/eyqci

In this episode, we go beyond the tech and dive into what really makes cloud transformation work: people, culture, and leadership. It’s not just about moving workloads—it’s about shifting mindsets!

🔥 Here’s what we unpacked:

💧 AI & Industry Trends – From the impact of AI data centers on the UK’s water supply to shifting DEI commitments and ongoing tech layoffs, we break down what’s shaping the industry.

👥 Culture is the Real Challenge – Cloud isn’t just a tech upgrade, it’s a people-first transformation. Upskilling your current teams, fostering innovation, and finding internal champions is the real game-changer.

💰 Cloud Costs & FinOps – Spoiler: Estimating cloud costs upfront is tricky! We talk about bridging the IT-finance gap, avoiding hidden licensing costs, and why FinOps is a team sport.

🔄 Managing Change (Without the Drama!) – Pilot projects, gradual adoption, and bringing people along rather than pushing them away—we cover strategies for making change stick.

🧠 Talent Trends in 2025 – The on-prem vs. cloud skills gap is growing, and companies need flexible work policies and smart upskilling to stay ahead.

🤖 AI in the Cloud – AI is powerful, but do you really need to build your own models? We discuss data management, AI biases, and why human oversight still matters.

🚀 Bottom line: Successful cloud transformation isn’t just about technology—it’s about creating a culture that embraces learning, adaptability, and collaboration.

🎧 Listen now and tell us: What’s been your biggest challenge with cloud culture? Drop it in the comments! 👇

#CloudDialogues #CloudTransformation #CloudCulture #Leadership #CloudStrategy #FinOps #AI #CloudOps

Episode Overview

Kicking off 2025 with a 3 part series focussed on helping the executives and the C suite make impactful business decisions with technology. 

For episode 1, we sit down with Jez Back, Cloud Economist & Finops Professional at Capgemini, to tackle one of the biggest boardroom conversations—cloud economics and strategy.

With cloud costs rising, CFOs stepping into tech decisions, and efficiency becoming a top priority, we break down what really matters in 2025: cutting waste, maximizing value, and making smarter cloud investments.

What’s Inside?

💡 Cloud Headlines You Need to Know

• The Chinese AI model, DeepSeek, that’s making waves with lower training costs
• Oracle’s big multicloud play—what it means for vendor lock-in
• Meta’s renewable energy push for data centers and what it means for sustainability

💰 Cloud Economics & CFOs: What’s Changing?

• Cost vs. Value: Why slashing budgets isn’t always the smartest move
• CapEx vs. OpEx: The accounting shift that’s reshaping IT spending
• SaaS Spend Gone Wild: 49% of licenses go unused, and 70% of contracts are managed outside IT—what’s going wrong?

🌱 Cloud & Sustainability—Are We Actually Going Green?

• GreenOps vs. FinOps: Where efficiency meets ESG goals
• The hidden environmental costs of cloud—water use, energy, and ‘net zero’ debates
• Balancing sustainability with business realities

Key Takeaways

✔️ Tech decisions need transparency and predictability, not just cost-cutting
✔️ The best cloud strategies are measured by business value, not just technical KPIs
✔️ Sustainability matters, but cost efficiency still drives decisions
✔️ Cloud repatriation? Hype vs. reality—here’s what’s really happening

💭 Final Thought:
Cloud economics isn’t just about cutting costs—it’s about making the right investments, proving value, and staying ahead of the curve.

🎧 Tune in to Cloud Dialogues Episode 1 of 2025 and get the insights you need to lead cloud transformation this year! 🚀

In this episode of Cloud Dialogues, Matt & Georgia dive into the big reveals and emerging trends from AWS re:Invent 2024. With over 72,000 attendees and an action-packed week in Las Vegas, this year's conference showcased a mix of cutting-edge announcements, practical innovations, and a few surprises.

If you missed the event—or just want the TL;DR—this episode has you covered! What’s New at re:Invent?

Conference Highlights

- A record-breaking 72,000 registrations, with a strong in-person turnout in Las Vegas.

- Expanded session formats, including breakout sessions, chalk talks, hands-on workshops, and a fresh addition: PeerTalk meetups for networking and knowledge sharing.

Big AWS Announcements

1. Apple + AWS: A Powerful Partnership

- Apple revealed it relies on AWS Compute for machine learning and AI applications (dubbed Apple Intelligence).

- By leveraging AWS Graviton processors, Apple achieved a 40% efficiency boost.

- Apple now operates across 10 AWS regions using Graviton-powered instances.

2. Smarter AI

- Practical AI was the name of the game this year:

- Bedrock Guardrails: Automated reasoning checks to reduce AI hallucinations.

- Intelligent Prompt Routing: Dynamically directs prompts to the best AI model in the same family for the task.

3. Enterprise Enhancements

- Declarative Policies: Simplified policy management across AWS environments.

- Elastic VMware Service: Streamlines migrations from traditional VMware setups.

- Amazon Q Developer: Packed with enterprise-friendly features like:

- Automatic COBOL-to-modern-language code conversion.

- Automated testing for smoother development.

- Tools for investigating operational issues.

4. Data and Database Innovations

- SageMaker Lakehouse: A unified hub for centralizing and managing data.

- Aurora DSQL: A groundbreaking serverless, multi-region, Postgres-compatible database.

Key Observations

The hosts highlighted a noticeable shift from last year’s “AI everything” approach to more practical, value-driven AI solutions. The focus now is on delivering tools that make a tangible difference, and the hosts predict 2025 will bring realistic AI deployments as companies fine-tune their data and AI strategies.

Looking Ahead

The episode wraps with a teaser for the next recording in London, January 2025, and a call for listener input: who should be the next guest on Cloud Dialogues? Tell us in the comments!