Hosted by renowned tech journalist Martin Veitch, alongside Asanti Data Centres' founder and CEO Stewart Laing, and 1-2 industry guests (TBC), this session will challenge conventional thinking about the public cloud and explore key insights from the research.

This interactive session will examine the challenges, cost considerations, and alternative approaches to cloud adoption. The webinar will take place on a Thursday morning/early afternoon in late March, lasting up to one hour, and will include audience polling as well as a live Q&A.

The webinar, hosted by Martin Veitch with insights from Stewart Laing and a panel of industry experts, will provide a platform to discuss public cloud adoption. By sharing Asanti’s exclusive research, the discussion will challenge existing assumptions and offer actionable recommendations for organisations navigating cloud strategies.

Topics for the panel to discuss include

1. The Cost of Public Cloud: Are Businesses Paying More Than Expected?

• 77% of organisations found public cloud operating costs exceeded initial expectations.
• Hidden costs such as data transfer fees and unpredictable subscription expenses.
• The need for long-term financial forecasting before cloud adoption.

2. Cloud Migration Challenges & Lessons Learned

• 98% of organisations faced difficulties migrating their IT infrastructure to the public cloud.
• Security, compliance, and performance were among the biggest hurdles.
• Practical insights on avoiding common migration pitfalls.

3. The Rise of Hybrid Cloud & Cloud Repatriation

• 91% of businesses are moving workloads back from the public cloud.
• Why certain applications work better in on-premise or colocation environments.
• The shift from a cloud-first approach to a business-first approach.

4. AI & The Public Cloud: A Mismatch?

• 52% of IT leaders prefer on-premise solutions due to data sovereignty and performance demands.
• AI applications require massive data storage, real-time processing, and predictable costs.
• Will the rise of AI fundamentally change cloud adoption strategies?

5. Key Takeaways: Planning for the Future of Cloud Adoption

• What should organisations consider before moving to the cloud?
• How to optimise cloud costs and avoid vendor lock-in.
• The importance of flexibility and a hybrid IT strategy.