Google snags ex-Microsoft exec to helm cloud in the UK
(2025/01/08)
- Reference: 1736337608
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2025/01/08/google_cloud_uk_vp/
- Source link:
Google has hired Maureen Costello, a Microsoft and Accenture veteran, to the role of Vice President for UK, Ireland, and Sub-Saharan Africa regions as the UK's Competition Markets Authority (CMA) prepares to publish a provisional decision on its cloud services market investigation.
Costello spent over three years at Microsoft, running the industry solution team (latterly working on "AI transformation," which has become a key focus for Redmond) and previously spent nearly 25 years at services biz Accenture, culminating in the role of Senior Managing Director and Resources Lead for the UK and Ireland.
The timing of the appointment is interesting. The CMA has been [1]investigating the health of the cloud services market, which AWS and Microsoft currently dominate. There has been much finger-pointing during the probe, with Google pitching itself as the underdog, while Microsoft has highlighted that its rival has several distinct competitive advantages, including a huge advertising business.
[2]
Google's AI services also pose competitive challenges to Microsoft and remain an essential buzzword to use when pitching digital transformation to customers.
[3]
[4]
Microsoft recently [5]reshuffled its Europe, Middle East, and Africa unit executives. This moved UK CEO, Clare Barclay, to the role of President for Enterprise and Industry for EMEA, effectively swapping roles with Darren Hardman, who became UK CEO in November 2024.
[6]Euro cloud body heads off to Microsoft's HQ to check it's keeping promises
[7]£1B lawsuit targets Microsoft for allegedly overcharging Windows customers on other clouds
[8]Google offered millions to ally itself with trade body fighting Microsoft
[9]Microsoft informed of yet another antitrust probe by US authorities
Hardman had previously served in the UK Government's Digital Skills Council, as well as being CEO of UK and Ireland at AWS. Barclay was named as chair of the British administration's Industrial Strategy Advisory Council in [10]October , creating a potential conflict of interest.
Costello's exit from Microsoft came shortly after the reshuffle. Professing herself to be delighted to join the Google Cloud team, Costello [11]wrote that she would be "empowering businesses to thrive with AI."
She said: "It's an honor to join Google Cloud at such a pivotal time in its journey. We have a tremendous opportunity to help businesses across the UKI and Sub-Saharan Africa harness the full potential of the cloud, from AI and data analytics to cybersecurity and sustainability. I am eager to build on the strong foundation already in place."
[12]
Google Cloud has recently announced agreements with customers BT, John Lewis & Partners, and Vodafone.
The CMA is expected to make a provisional decision following its cloud services marketplace investigation in January 2025, with a final decision due to be published in July 2025 before the statutory deadline in August. ®
Get our [13]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.theregister.com/2024/09/18/cma_cloud_hearings/
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offprem/paasiaas&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2Z36vNYV9VxBt4bCF0GqEHgAAAI8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offprem/paasiaas&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Z36vNYV9VxBt4bCF0GqEHgAAAI8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offprem/paasiaas&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33Z36vNYV9VxBt4bCF0GqEHgAAAI8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://www.theregister.com/2024/10/28/microsoft_reshuffles_execs_in_emea/
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2024/12/07/cispe_microsoft/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2024/12/04/lawsuit_microsoft_windows/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2024/11/28/google_offered_millions_to_cispe/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2024/11/28/microsoft_us_antitrust_probe_reports/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2024/10/15/uk_prime_minister_regulators/
[11] https://www.linkedin.com/posts/maureen-costello_googlecloud-googleai-newbeginnings-activity-7282697826755604480-MulE
[12] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offprem/paasiaas&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Z36vNYV9VxBt4bCF0GqEHgAAAI8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[13] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Costello spent over three years at Microsoft, running the industry solution team (latterly working on "AI transformation," which has become a key focus for Redmond) and previously spent nearly 25 years at services biz Accenture, culminating in the role of Senior Managing Director and Resources Lead for the UK and Ireland.
The timing of the appointment is interesting. The CMA has been [1]investigating the health of the cloud services market, which AWS and Microsoft currently dominate. There has been much finger-pointing during the probe, with Google pitching itself as the underdog, while Microsoft has highlighted that its rival has several distinct competitive advantages, including a huge advertising business.
[2]
Google's AI services also pose competitive challenges to Microsoft and remain an essential buzzword to use when pitching digital transformation to customers.
[3]
[4]
Microsoft recently [5]reshuffled its Europe, Middle East, and Africa unit executives. This moved UK CEO, Clare Barclay, to the role of President for Enterprise and Industry for EMEA, effectively swapping roles with Darren Hardman, who became UK CEO in November 2024.
[6]Euro cloud body heads off to Microsoft's HQ to check it's keeping promises
[7]£1B lawsuit targets Microsoft for allegedly overcharging Windows customers on other clouds
[8]Google offered millions to ally itself with trade body fighting Microsoft
[9]Microsoft informed of yet another antitrust probe by US authorities
Hardman had previously served in the UK Government's Digital Skills Council, as well as being CEO of UK and Ireland at AWS. Barclay was named as chair of the British administration's Industrial Strategy Advisory Council in [10]October , creating a potential conflict of interest.
Costello's exit from Microsoft came shortly after the reshuffle. Professing herself to be delighted to join the Google Cloud team, Costello [11]wrote that she would be "empowering businesses to thrive with AI."
She said: "It's an honor to join Google Cloud at such a pivotal time in its journey. We have a tremendous opportunity to help businesses across the UKI and Sub-Saharan Africa harness the full potential of the cloud, from AI and data analytics to cybersecurity and sustainability. I am eager to build on the strong foundation already in place."
[12]
Google Cloud has recently announced agreements with customers BT, John Lewis & Partners, and Vodafone.
The CMA is expected to make a provisional decision following its cloud services marketplace investigation in January 2025, with a final decision due to be published in July 2025 before the statutory deadline in August. ®
Get our [13]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.theregister.com/2024/09/18/cma_cloud_hearings/
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offprem/paasiaas&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2Z36vNYV9VxBt4bCF0GqEHgAAAI8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offprem/paasiaas&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Z36vNYV9VxBt4bCF0GqEHgAAAI8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offprem/paasiaas&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33Z36vNYV9VxBt4bCF0GqEHgAAAI8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://www.theregister.com/2024/10/28/microsoft_reshuffles_execs_in_emea/
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2024/12/07/cispe_microsoft/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2024/12/04/lawsuit_microsoft_windows/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2024/11/28/google_offered_millions_to_cispe/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2024/11/28/microsoft_us_antitrust_probe_reports/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2024/10/15/uk_prime_minister_regulators/
[11] https://www.linkedin.com/posts/maureen-costello_googlecloud-googleai-newbeginnings-activity-7282697826755604480-MulE
[12] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offprem/paasiaas&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Z36vNYV9VxBt4bCF0GqEHgAAAI8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[13] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Guy de Loimbard
I would venture, probably less than the AI executives would like.
Most of us have yet to find a really useful use of AI, I certainly have struggled for the last few years to see where it brings significant benefit that makes it anything other than yet another IT cost centre in my business!
Basic and somewhat nugatory Business Impact Assessments and Cost Benefit Analysis are not showing a clear path to financial gain, growth or any improvements of significance being leveraged by AI.
Anonymous Coward
Sadly, one of our directors who's already know for plagiarising others reports yet getting away with it, uses CoPilot to write his reports for him, yet still gets paid the high wage. So he essentially does fuck all but the CEO is just as incompetent so he gets away with it.
neilg
Are you sure ?
The Coloured pencils department would probably disagree with your analysis.
Unfortunately we know who/what execs like the above will believe/follow..
you will be empowered
Sammy Smalls
whether you like it or not.
"Maureen Costello hopes to 'empower' businesses with AI"
But (apart from those who always folow the latest hype) how many bsuinesses actually want to be 'empowered' in this way?