More companies are starting to see the real benefits of cloud, which has been heralded as a catalyst for innovation and digital transformation. Across a range of industries, organizations have successfully implemented cloud to achieve impressive results. This discussion explores best practices these companies follow and recent research that identifies the pools of value for adoption and drivers of that value.

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About the speakers

Aamer Baig, Senior Partner, McKinsey Technology

Aamer Baig leads McKinsey’s work in technology in North America, helping business and technology leaders transform their organizations. By accelerating the adoption of technology and cutting-edge management practices, and by skilling-up the technology talent to adapt and thrive in a rapidly evolving environment, Aamer helps tech-enabled clients for the future. He also leads McKinsey's digital client-service work for advanced industries, which includes aerospace and defense, automotive and assembly, and advanced electronics.

Aamer has more than two decades of experience helping clients use digital technologies to drive innovation, transform customer experience, and improve productivity, while also building the organizational capabilities that create and sustain long-term impact and resilience.

Ghada Ijam, CIO, Federal Reserve System

Ghada Ijam is the Federal Reserve System Chief Information Officer (CIO). In this capacity, she oversees the System IT strategy, IT investment and spending, and enterprise information security. She also directs the management of national IT operations, project services, and enterprise architecture and standards.

Prior to her promotion in January 2020, Ghada served as Chief Operating Officer for National IT and had end-to-end responsibility for the Fed’s centralized IT infrastructure and end user services, driving excellence in project, program, and portfolio practices, and improving the IT partnership with Fed business lines and Reserve Banks.

Before joining National IT in November 2017, Ghada was the Chief Information Officer (CIO) at the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak). As Amtrak's executive IT leader, she drove the company's customer experience, digital and data analytics strategies, and IT centralization efforts.

Ghada has more than 20 years of experience delivering results through leading complex initiatives and running IT like a business. She excels in building strategic alliances with customers, focusing on mission goals, aligning people, and managing technology portfolios. Prior to Amtrak, Ghada worked for 12 years at Intel, managing and directing global teams. She also previously served in a variety of roles with Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and U.S. Bancorp.

Ghada serves on the Board of Directors of Goodwill of Greater Washington, D.C., and is a member of Women in Technology. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Kuwait University and an MBA in Financial Management from Virginia Tech.

Elizabeth Bramson-Boudreau, CEO and Publisher, MIT Technology Review

Elizabeth Bramson-Boudreau is the CEO and publisher of MIT Technology Review, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s independent media company.

Since Elizabeth took the helm of MIT Technology Review in mid-2017, the business has undergone a massive transformation from its previous position as a respected but niche print magazine to a widely read, multi-platform media brand with a global audience and a sustainable business. Under her leadership, MIT Technology Review has been lauded for its editorial authority, its best-in-class events, and its novel use of independent, original research to support both advertisers and readers.

Elizabeth has a 20-year background in building and running teams at world-leading media companies. She maintains a keen focus on new ways to commercialize media content to appeal to discerning, demanding consumers as well as B2B audiences.

Prior to joining MIT Technology Review, Elizabeth held a senior executive role at The Economist Group, where her leadership stretched across business lines and included mergers and acquisitions; editorial and product creation and modernization; sales; marketing; and events. Earlier in her career, she worked as a consultant advising technology firms on market entry and international expansion.

Elizabeth holds an executive MBA from the London Business School, an MSc from the London School of Economics, and a bachelor’s degree from Swarthmore College.