Is cloud strategy entering a new phase? This question is gaining traction across our network. In a two-part blog series, we share key takeaways from a recent roundtable with senior change leaders, exploring the future of cloud strategy.

As public cloud adoption matures, businesses are stepping back to reassess their priorities. This reassessment has sparked renewed interest in private cloud solutions, which offer a compelling balance of public cloud agility with the enhanced control, security, certainty for data sovereignty and performance demanded by certain industries.

But what’s driving this shift? What challenges does it address, and why is it resonating so strongly in sectors like Financial Services and Real Money Gaming? Recent discussions with cloud providers, financial leaders, and gaming operators have shed light on these questions, offering first-hand insights into the return of private cloud as a core enterprise strategy. 

The Evolving Cloud Landscape

At its core, the resurgence of private cloud reflects a maturing understanding of the cloud spectrum and its diverse applications. 

Public Cloud 

Public cloud platforms such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud have redefined scalability and innovation. They enable rapid deployment, access to broad array of services, including cutting-edge AI services, and a global infrastructure that businesses can leverage on demand. However, this model’s strengths – multi-tenancy, dynamic scaling, and pay-as-you-go pricing – can present challenges: 

• Compliance: Certain industries face stringent regulatory requirements that public cloud will struggle to address. 
• Cost Management: Unexpected or unpredictable costs can accumulate as workloads grow. 
• Data Sovereignty: Sensitive data often cannot leave national borders because cloud providers may not be able to guarantee its sovereignty.

Private Cloud 

Private cloud solutions provide dedicated environments for businesses requiring enhanced data and workloads control. Key benefits include: 

• Compliance Assurance: Private cloud is ideal for meeting regulatory demands such as GDPR or PCI DSS. 
• Predictable Costs: Fixed-resource environments can offer cost efficiencies for steady workloads. 
• Performance Optimisation: Private cloud enables organisations to fine-tune performance for mission-critical applications. 

Hybridity 

A concept that has been gaining momentum for a number of years, hybridity reflects the growing demand for flexibility across environments. It enables businesses to seamlessly integrate public, private, and edge solutions, allowing workloads to shift dynamically based on needs. For industries navigating legacy systems and regulatory pressures, hybridity is a natural evolution.  In addition, cloud concentration risk is emerging, specifically across financial services –  further driving a need for multiple clouds. 

Why Certain Sectors Are Returning to Private Cloud 

Financial Services 

Regulatory compliance is a defining characteristic of the financial sector. From GDPR and DORA, to operational resilience frameworks, financial institutions are under constant scrutiny. Private cloud provides the control and transparency necessary to navigate this landscape effectively. 

Recently, Perform Partners collaborated with a major financial services organisation to facilitate the seamless migration of 3,500 workloads to Azure VMware Solutions with zero downtime. This approach ensured strict adherence to compliance requirements while modernising their infrastructure to deliver enhanced performance and reliability.

Read the full case study here.

Real Money Gaming 

In the gaming sector, latency and regulatory demands often dictate infrastructure decisions. Players expect seamless experiences, while regulators demand airtight compliance with data sovereignty rules. Private cloud has emerged as a solution that meets both needs. 

Perform Partners partnered with a leading real money gaming operator to develop scalable cloud adoption strategies aligned with operational and regulatory requirements. The project empowered the organisation to transition workloads to a hybrid environment, enhancing flexibility while maintaining compliance in a high-pressure, performance-driven sector. 

Read the full case study here.

No One-Size-Fits-All Solution 

The increased adoption of (or return to) private cloud reflects a growing understanding that cloud strategies must be tailored, not templated. For some industries, private cloud offers the control, compliance, and performance they need to thrive. The rise of hybridity isn’t about choosing between public or private cloud—it’s about fully understanding business requirements and building integrated environments that deliver measurable value.

At Perform Partners, we’re tech-agnostic and partner with leading providers to offer solutions tailored to your business. Whether you’re still defining your cloud strategy or already have a plan in place, we can help guide you on your journey. From choosing the right approach to fine-tuning an existing strategy, we’re here to ensure your cloud environment is adaptable, secure, and aligned with your long-term objectives.

Next, read our second blog in the two-part series – Event Insights: Hybrid Cloud & Social Engineering.