Alibaba Cloud to spread its wings in APAC with SAP and Accenture

In order to expand its Cloud business, China’s largest computing service provider, Alibaba Cloud or Aliyun, has partnered with business software and technology solutions provider, SAP, and global professional service company, Accenture. The alliance will look at delivering enterprise class cloud computing services to companies in the APAC region. This step is also a part of Alibaba’s aim to accelerate digital transformation across multiple industry verticals.

Initially, the alliance will concentrate on combining the flexible, full-service cloud computing environment enabled by Alibaba Cloud’s infrastructure with SAP’s software-as-a-service (SaaS) offerings and enterprise-class database and business application solutions. By making Ali Cloud available as a Public Cloud, a platform for cooperation, SAP HANA One and SAP SaaS solutions will enable companies to access and use its enterprise solution as well as Ali Cloud platform computing resources.

Mark Gibbs, President, SAP, Greater China, says, “Ali is China’s leading public cloud platform, SAP also strives to promote the deployment of cloud business in China. This time we joined forces to expand the ecosystem, bring innovative cloud products to the Chinese market, help enterprises simplify IT infrastructure, business value, and accelerate the pace of digital transformation.”

Hu Xiaoming, President, Ali Cloud, says, “Cloud computing has become an infrastructure of the new economy, technological innovation is driving the business to create greater value and continues to break the boundaries of the original. Ali cloud and SAP working together will boost China and the world’s digital transition from business to IT, so that more businesses and organizations have the infrastructure of cloud computing, converting computing power into final commercial value.”

The alliance with Accenture is for providing cost-effective, flexible and agile business solutions and technology services to enterprises in China and South East Asian markets. To make digital efforts of enterprise clients easy, Accenture’s industry and technology consulting capabilities will be combined with Alibaba Cloud’s Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) solutions. The joint effort will bring cloud-based third-party solutions onboard the Alibaba Cloud platform. Being a leading vendor in consulting and system integration services, that helps enterprises accelerate their digital transformations, Accenture’s alliance will help spread Alibaba Cloud’s footprint in SEA and China.

Last year, Alibaba announced that it will be pumping in $1 billion in its cloud computing wing Aliyun to catch up with its western competitor Amazon. The investment was planned so that Alibaba could expand its data centers in Japan, Middle East, Europe and Singapore.