Although GDPR is probably the best-known example, a wave of regulation and compliance legislation is being enacted across the world, and particularly in Europe, as regulators get to grips with the modern data economy. This can mean conflicting requirements in some territories, or confusing messages for customers and organisations.
The trend in previous years towards a reduction in regulation seems to have ground to a halt. And while the tone and mood of the new rules such as GDPR is seen to be persuasive and “nudging” by those at the senior levels of policy-making, their actual implementation could well see a “big stick approach” by local and national law-makers. Suppliers of Managed Services will have many new responsibilities and may well find themselves in the firing line as the legal implications take their courses.
This is the main point behind the latest speaker announcement for the European Managed Services & Hosting Summit 2018, to be held in Amsterdam on May 29, 2018. A full session will be devoted to the issue of working across the rising tide of compliance in Europe. With all indications that many MSPs are looking to expand by partnering or acquiring operations in other geographies, this will be an essential item for discussion at senior levels. Any senior figure in a managed services company will need to be familiar with both the processes and implications of the new levels and nature of compliance requirements in any territory they are working in, and beyond.
GDPR is not the only game in town, says Ieva Andersone, a senior associate from Sorainen, a major legal firm in the IT industry, based in the Baltics, a region with a high degree of interest in pan-European business relations and one of the fastest growing regions in IT generally and in managed services adoption. Parts of Europe, even parts of countries, will have their own local rules or GDPR interpretations, she will argue, which managed services companies will need to be aware of, and which may well apply to IT projects with connections outside their core territory. As an experienced, Cambridge-educated lawyer working in multiple cultures and markets in Europe, her presentation discusses the nature of the regulations, their intentions and direction and how they may affect suppliers of services, including managed services, in unexpected ways.
With plenty of discussion points on how to keep the MSP business on the right side of the law, and with guidance as to strategies to adopt, the annual Managed Services and Hosting Summit (MSHS) on May 29 in Amsterdam always aims to use experts to advise European MSPs on these major issues. The first keynote presentation, from Gartner, will address the key issue of how MSPs can differentiate themselves in an increasingly competitive market.
This MSHS event offers multiple ways to get answers: from plenary-style presentations from experts in the field to demonstrations; from more detailed technical pitches to wide-ranging round-table discussions with questions from the floor. There is no excuse not to come away from this key event with ideas for a strategy to keep the business out of trouble.
One of the most valuable parts of the day, previous attendees have said, is the ability to discuss issues with others in similar situations, and attendees are all hoping to learn from direct experience. In summary, this is a management-level event, held in English, designed to help MSP and channel organisations identify opportunities arising from the increasing demand for managed and hosted services and to develop and strengthen partnerships, while keeping up with the latest compliance and legal requirements in multiple markets.
Registration is free-of-charge for qualifying delegates - i.e. director/senior management level representatives of Managed Service Providers, Systems Integrators, Solution VARs and channels. More details: http://www.mshsummit.com/amsterdam/register.php
