Cloud Meets Banking: fusing tradition with innovation

Cloud computing seems to be on everybody’s lips, as was the case at Tuesday’s bustling TechQuartier: The ‘Cloud Meets Banking’ event, in collaboration with Main Incubator, saw over 140 attendees gather together for a day packed full of speeches and panels, featuring the Hessian Minister of Digital Strategy and Development Prof. Dr. Kristina Sinemus as well as experts from Google, IBM, Microsoft, ING, Deutsche Bank, Palo Alto Networks, Commerzbank, SAP, QWICS Enterprise Systems, PwC, ATOS, iNNOVO Cloud, smacc, meshcloud and Myra Security.

Given that the majority of today’s companies are embracing the cloud, the 16 speakers in attendance identified and assessed current trends as well as potential causes for concern, with discussions focusing on cloud security, regulation and implementation.

First up, Rojan Gharadaghy (Google) spoke on ‘Tech Evolution’, followed by a talk on ‘Cross Technology’ by Yasser Eissa (IBM). Amit Thawani (ING), Dr. Shivaji Dasgupta (Deutsche Bank) and Alex Flade (Microsoft) then took the stage for the first panel discussion of the day, providing their expertise on ‘Experience in Implementation’.

After lunch, Supriyo Bhattacharya (iNNOVO), Kerstin Breuer (Commerzbank), Dr. Ulrich Erxleben (smacc) and Christina Kraus (meshcloud) addressed the potential synergies between FinTechs and banks, before Patrick Simon (Myra Security), Prof. Dr. Philipp Brune (QWICS Enterprise Systems), Pinaki Ray (SAP), Sergej Epp (Palo Alto Networks) and Olaf Badstübner (ATOS) discussed ‘Cloud Security’. Finally, Marc Billeb (PwC) presented findings from his study, titled ‘Data Governance Survey Results: A European Comparison of Data Management Capabilities’, raising questions regarding regulation.

To wrap things, Prof. Dr. Kristina Sinemus took the stage, providing us with an inspiring and visionary overview of Hessen’s digital future, and cloud computing’s inevitable position within it. Highlighting Hessen’s role as a centre for innovation, she described the region as the ‘secret Silicon Valley of Europe’ and encouraged startups to realise their power in constructing the future. The fusion of cloud computing and banks was established as an impactful amalgamation of tradition and innovation.

From debates on a ‘European Cloud Solution’, to concerns over IT outsourcing, the event proved to be as informative and as it was engaging, leading to many follow up questions from the crowd.

Thank you to all those who participated, and in particular to the organisers Michael F. Spitz (Main Incubator) and Alina Kilian (TechQuartier). We look forward to collaborating in the future.