Welcome to the Cloud Wars Minute — your daily news and commentary show, hosted by Cloud Wars Founder Bob Evans. Each episode provides insights and perspectives around the “reimagination machine” that is the Cloud.
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In this Cloud Wars Minute, Bob reacts to the comments made by a top Microsoft executive, thrashing customers for onshoring as a way to address the supply chain crisis.
Highlights
00:35 — Microsoft has been one of the biggest drivers of the cloud market for years, so Bob was stunned with comments made by a top executive disparaging customers who have shifted away from the practice of offshoring. This reverse offshoring, or downright onshoring, has been a way to address the supply chain crisis brought on by the pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
01:18 — While speaking at the Goldman Sachs investors conference last month, the inventment bank’s Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Judson Althoff made strong comments on the subject, such as:
- “I don’t personally love reverse globalization.”
- “We’re kind of all citizens of the planet…so I don’t love the trend.”
02:24 — Bob says it’s okay for Althoff to have his own opinions on globalization and onshoring, but determines that making these comments publicly was inappropriate, ill-advised, and potentially harmful to Microsoft’s reputation and particularly to its relationship with its customers.
03:16 — Althoff made another run at this issue, stating that Microsoft is “ready for where the world is headed, whether we like where it’s headed or not.”
03:36 — These comments are especially shocking, as they’re in contrast with comments from CEO Satya Nadella and CFO Amy Hood, who emphasized seeing the world through the eyes of their customers.
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