Robert: Welcome to our next episode of Mobility via Podcast.  In our most recent podcasts, we have covered the topic of “work anywhere.”  Having to respond to what could be the fastest social change in modern times, companies worldwide in 2020 enabled remote working nearly overnight.

Today, we’re switching gears and spending a few minutes in a “Tech Talks” with one our GMS technology directors, Vivek Bhushan. Vivek is going to talk with us about “the cloud”—what it is and how it will transform mobility technology.

Vivek, thank you for being with us today.

Vivek: Thank you for having me.

Robert: So Vivek, lets jump right into it.  Before we talk about what the cloud can do for mobility, I think it’d be good to just give everyone an overview of what the cloud is.

Vivek: Sure Robert. The world we live in is digital and computing has become as essential as food and water. While the internet brought out a way for people in the world to be connected, the use of technology in our daily lives has required that we look for new ways to interact and instantly access data. That’s where the cloud comes into play. It’s a massive infrastructure that can be leveraged by any business that requires hosting and data storage. The cloud allows the delivery of computing, storage and networking services to global businesses through subscription and self-service and for customers and end users, this means that data is available from anywhere at any time via the internet instead of needing to be connected to a specific network or server.

Cloud Infrastructure is hosted by public cloud providers such as Microsoft, Amazon and Google GCP to mention a few.

Robert: Thanks for that Vivek.  So now that we’ve level-set with everyone around what it is, let’s talk a bit about why the cloud is important for global mobility starting with – why do you believe that the cloud is the path forward for mobility technology?

Vivek: I would like to start by saying that our world works best when people are mobile. Global Mobility is a strategic arm for talent management where companies can build a distinct competitive advantage by bringing people within their organization closer to work opportunities anywhere in the world. The cloud first provides operational efficiencies such as decreased hosting costs and increased speed of service but I see the biggest benefit in the new Digital Experience created for mobility. An example of this is how data has been leveraged. Before cloud, Big data and analysis was expensive and Artificial Intelligence was basically a thing mastered and curated only in the labs of Google, Apple, Microsoft and the likes. Cloud helps us provide intelligence and insights in Global Mobility processes using AI and Data Analytics more quickly and efficiently.

It also helps Global Mobility connect with the large ecosystem of vendors and service providers through open integration methods like Application Programming Interfaces, commonly referred to as APIS. It also means employees can enjoy a digital experience through their mobile phones during their business travels, assignments and moves the same as they would check social network updates – freeing them from their computers and creating an experience more in-line with how they consume other services.  

Robert: Great. So how is this technology impacting KPMG’s suite of technology tools now and how will it impact future releases?

Vivek: There are many exciting projects currently underway. Our mobility solutions have been deployed in the cloud and we are in the process of migrating our existing clients and technologies, including KPMG LINK Work Force from our on-prem data centers to the Microsoft Azure cloud. This also coincides with a new digital transformation journey that will change our end-to-end mobility experience—which is made possible by the Cloud.

For future releases, the cloud provides an immense opportunity to better manage system upgrades and down-time during those cycles essentially eliminating their impact on mobility programs and business. It also provides a robust framework on which to build new technologies allowing us to create and deploy items more quickly and at the right time to meet demand.

Robert: Thanks for that Vivek.  It sounds like there are some exciting things coming.  I’d like to end with one last question about the cloud. If you had a crystal ball, what is one of the most exciting future aspects of the cloud that you think will impact mobility?

Vivek: I believe the most exciting aspect of cloud is going to be the way it will change how people work. We’ve talked about how the cloud can more seamlessly and securely store and connect data sources and we’ve also talked about how people can more easily work across devices or on the go.  If I had a crystal ball, I’d say that we’re going to see an uptick in non-traditional mobility types and the freeing of employees from their desks. I believe it will also positively affect work life balance by creating a more integrated work life approach—it will allow individuals to accomplish more tasks on the go and across devices and will allow them to fit work into their day more easily.

Robert: Vivek, thank you for spending a few minutes with me today discussing the cloud.

Vivek: Thanks again for having me Robert. It’s really an exciting time for digital transformation and global mobility.

Robert: I know I speak for the audience in saying this has been immensely helpful in understanding the mechanics behind it and how it’s going to change the future. In future “Tech Talks” we will continue to cover top-of mind technology items that can benefit global mobility. In the meantime, checkout other Mobility Via Podcast episodes and connect directly with us via email at US-taxwatch@kpmg.com.