120 visionary speakers, a unique insight into the greatest IT revolution since the birth of the internet, and Matt Holmes – it’s the Cloud Computing World Forum!

And enters the debate about whether Cloud is a ‘rip off’ designed to allow software companies to ‘ratchet up software prices’.

Huddersfield-based, Matt Holmes, MD of UK-based cloud accounting software specialist, Liquid Accounts is to Chair at the 3^rdCloud Computing World Forum at Olympia this week. He will be chairing on Tuesday afternoon in the Cloud Build Theatre where you can learn about the technical side of Cloud: the expanding Cloud market, how budgets are being shifted from traditional IT to Cloud initiatives and how CIOs are evaluating a shift in spending from traditional IT assets, to assets based solely in the Cloud.

Matt said: “I am honoured to have been asked to take part in the Forum alongside some of the biggest names in the technology world such as NASA, Microsoft, IBM, Intel and Fujitsu. In my role as MD of Liquid Accounts, Chair of BASDA’s Cloud Computing Special Interest Group and member of the Governing Body for the Cloud Industry Forum, I’m hearing all the time about companies both big and small moving into the Cloud, and the benefits they’re gaining from it.

“Microsoft has itself recently committed to Cloud as the way forward, and will therefore be a key presence at the Forum, but the message is that Cloud isn’t just for the big boys: I recently spoke to independent accountancy firms about Cloud Accounting at the European Praxity Conference in Lisbon and met one company who were set to save themselves £150,000 by moving key services to the cloud! And this conference and exhibition is designed to give you the information and tools you need to be able to do that for yourselves.“

Matt will be chairing speakers and panellists from BP, Barclays Bank, Lloyds of London, ComputerWorld UK and ZDnet, among others, in the Cloud Build Theatre from 1pm till 5pm on Tuesday 21^stJune. They will be addressing the commonly asked questions about the mechanics of making a switch to the Cloud, and best practice and integration. Delegates can expect to hear the practical and technical realities of developing an evolving IT infrastructure.

Matt commented: “I’m hoping for some good questions and good debate. Cloud is big in the news at the moment and 2011 is being touted as ‘the year of the Cloud’ but there are still those out there who want to stem the tide and pooh-pooh it as ‘a rip off’ and ‘being used to ratchet up software prices.’

“I’ve said all along that Cloud is a disruptive technology and can be compared to when railways came along and made the previous mode of transport, canals, completely redundant. And the arguments used back then by the anti-trains lobby(because they were backed into a corner!) are the same ones being used today by the anti-cloud lobby, as illustrated by much publicised comments above [from Quinten Pain of Accountz]. However, this view misses the point that Cloud, and Cloud Accounting software, like Liquid Accounts, delivers much more than just software: It delivers scalability, security, peace of mind and disaster recovery, support, and a level of IT infrastructure and expertise that small businesses can’t normally afford – that’s why it’s also known as ‘software as a service’.

“In addition, people don’t buy a piece of software and use it for 10 years without changing or upgrading; most software is today obsolete within a couple of years at most, and again the upgrades and updates are generally automatic and included in the subscription. We have clear examples where because of this, and because of the fact that multiple users, multiple sites and software for your accountant, areallincluded in your subscription, companies using Liquid Accounts can save thousands of pounds by switching from a traditional package like Sage.

“Cloud computingisan advantage, particularly in accounting (which has been leading the way in cloud software for a number of years) because it’s about sharing and companies need to share accounting and customer information with their accountant and bookkeeper, their bank, their management or executive team, and between different departments within their organisation. “

The 2-day forum, also includes an exhibition, awards ceremony and 3 other seminar programmes covering topics that are vital to cloud:

1. Cloud Approach – is about strategy and how to migrate your IT services to the cloud
2. Cloud Connect – is about being social and mobile and how businesses interact with their employees and customers
3. Cloud Power – in conjunction with Microsoft giving bite-sized educational on key themes.

These will feature speakers from NASA, Cisco, Marks and Spencer, Royal Mail, Intel, ASOS, Cable & Wireless, Expedia, Mastercard, Fujitsu, BBC, McAfee, Comic Relief, HMRC, IBM, and Salesforce.com.

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