29 November 2017

Europe no longer lags behind the US when it comes to cloud computing, according to a new study that claims to be the first of its kind dedicated to the technology’s transformational business impact.

The Top 50 EMEA Cloud Climbers report features companies from a wide range of industries, each assessed for excellence in strategic cohesion, market impact, operationalperformance and overall value. Firms in the retail sector secured the most top 50 slots at 12 per cent, followed by financial services with eight per cent, automotive, sport (each six per cent), and transport/logistics (four per cent).

David Linthincum, SVP of Cloud Technology Partners and a member of the judging panel for the study, says: “The [EMEA] region is no longer trailing the US but is equal to and, in some cases, accelerating the use of cloud computing. It is encouraging that EMEA businesses are now leveraging cloud computing strategically and not just for tactical cost savings.” 

Some of the companies highlighted in the study include Spotify for continually evolving and optimising its music streaming service, Mercedes F1 for its cloud-powered performance analytics, and Airbus which uses cloud and machine learning to store and process several hundred terabytes of satellite imagery annually. 

The report also picks out the Helix Nebula Initiative public-private cloud partnership as another notable example of the technology’s immense reach and influence. Comprised of IT providers and Europe’s top research centres (CERN, EMBL, ESA and PIC), the partnership’s work includes helping the search for the Higgs Boson particle.

The report was compiled by HotTopics.ht and sponsored by application security and cloud specialist F5 Networks.