Credit: Dreamstime
KPMG has unveiled plans to deliver Alibaba Cloud to businesses across multiple industries globally, expanding the tech giant outside of its China heartland.
Starting with Asia Pacific and Europe, the consultancy firm will focus on digital transformation, new retail, IT strategy consulting and cloud-based digital solutions.
The alliance - unveiled during Computing Conference 2018 - represents a key boost for Alibaba Cloud in its quest to gain customer credibility across the globe, with a joint taskforce deployed to target businesses of all sizes.
Specifically, the combined strategy team will house KPMG and Alibaba Cloud software and systems architects and engineers to develop cloud infrastructure solutions for customers expanding into new markets, with a focus on data security, regulatory compliance and seamless integration.
Furthermore, KPMG specialists will receive training and certification in Alibaba Cloud enterprise internet architecture, cloud computing and security, big data, and robotic process automation (RPA).
“We're very pleased to form an alliance with Alibaba Cloud as this relationship will further our commitment to help clients address key transformation priorities in the areas of growth, innovation and operational efficiency,” said Honson To, chairman of KPMG China and Asia Pacific.
“As businesses continue to embark on their cloud transformation strategies to address these challenges, they can feel confident that KPMG and Alibaba Cloud teams around the world together can address their specific needs for global, scalable, cloud-based digital solutions.”
Alibaba Cloud is the latest global cloud provider to join KPMG's alliance community, allowing the advisory firm to offer businesses with multi-cloud strategies a "single, independent advisor" for cloud- and platform-based digital services and solutions.
“Alibaba Cloud is excited to drive innovations across different industries and businesses together with KPMG and to address the ever-growing needs of high performance and secure cloud infrastructure,” said Simon Hu, president of Alibaba Cloud.
On the flip side, Hu said the alliance will provide an avenue for KPMG clients in APAC and Europe seeking access to the China market to establish local cloud services from Alibaba Cloud.
“Through our alliance, we will help empower KPMG clients with cutting edge cloud technologies and experience to advance digital transformation in various verticals,” Hu added.
According to Hu, the aim is to build a “strong global ecosystem” with cloud services and infrastructure, particularly serving organisations with multi-cloud strategies including small- to medium-sized enterprises.
The alliance comes weeks after Alibaba Cloud launched a dedicated partner program across ASEAN, designed to drive market growth through the channel.
Officially labelled ASEAN Partner Alliance Programme, the initiative aims to develop an ecosystem compromising of service providers, system integrators, independent software vendors (ISVs) and start-ups.
In addition to alliance vendors, the program aims to recruit 150 solution partners during the next 12 months, backed up by the training of 600 sales and technology personnel.
