Meet the judges— Vladimer Botsvadze

In our Meet the judges series, we’ll be chatting to some of the cloud tech experts on our judging panel to find out more about their experience, their passion for cloud tech, and what they’re making a beeline for at the awards ceremony buffet… 

Vladimer Botsvadze is a globally renowned, multi-award-winning digital marketing and social media consultant with a list of areas of expertise as long as your arm.  

He’s a thought leader, Fortune 500 consultant, keynote speaker, startup advisor, and influencer who’s been described as ‘the world’s best digital marketing consultant and speaker’. 

Ranked as the No. 1 Global Marketing Thought Leader by Thinkers360, Vladimer has won more than 200 global awards for his work, which focuses on the intersection of storytelling, practicality, consumer behavior, and social media marketing that empowers brands to scale, expand, and accelerate their growth. 

An innovator in the marketing tech space, he is also a member of the CMO Council, the IoT Council, and the IoT Premier League, and sits on the boards of multiple companies across Europe, providing his knowledge on marketing, branding, AI, and retail.  

We caught up with Vladimer to find out a little more about our judge. 

Which category are you most looking forward to judging and why?

I’m always driven to recognize and celebrate innovation in cloud technologies. Regarding categories, I’m looking forward to judging Tech Star of the Year, Rapid Business Innovation Champion, Digital Transformation Project of the Year, Excellence in Learning and Development, and Outstanding Contribution to the AWS System.  

"I'd love to recognize those companies and individuals in the cloud that provide offerings which are truly unique in the market.

"Brands that embrace more cloud-based services are doing their best to add value to our daily lives; recognition will be given to a project where cloud solutions are transforming the agility of the business. "
Vladimer Botsvadze
Speaker, influencer, marketing thought leader

How has cloud technology made an impact on your life, or within your business?

Cloud computing is everywhere these days and is becoming increasingly vital to any IT strategy.

As one of the Top 50 Global IoT and Cloud Influencers recognized by Rise.Global, I’ve shaped how the world delivers and consumes technology today by helping executives drive technology innovation and am one of the most influential voices in this space.

There are the benefits of cloud computing: anywhere and anytime access to data, improved reliability and security of data, wider access to software. Plus, cloud storage offers you a pay-as-you-go service and you can decrease your hosting costs significantly.  

The global public cloud infrastructure market will grow 35% to $210 billion in 2021. SaaS and PaaS dominate the budget and SaaS remains the largest market segment. As far as I’ve noticed, enterprises will sharply increase their spending on cloud. AI will be instrumental in cloud computing this year.  

With the help of the cloud, I’ve reduced IT costs, collaborated across different locations, automated updates to my technology, and last but not least, achieved business continuity.  

Are there any events or performances from the cloud tech space that have wowed you in the past year?

Cloud computing has proven to be indispensable during this crisis, which plays a key role in helping businesses apply solutions and maintain continuity. Remote working is now a reality for employees. Our lives are transformed by smart devices and the ability to access information, so the demand for cloud storage has skyrocketed. Each person has around 1,426 daily average data interactions. Digital’s role in helping people cope with the COVID-19 is immense: 80% believe digital helps them cope with the COVID-19 related lockdowns and 67% believe digital tech helps them do their jobs.  

What makes a great nomination?

I aim to recognize excellence and there are organizations that will gain recognition for their cloud-based offerings, responding to changing market conditions, experimenting with new ideas, and setting up new infrastructure and platforms.  

You're at an awards ceremony; what food are you making a beeline to the buffet table for?

"Crispy mushroom and muenster sliders."
Vladimer Botsvadze
Speaker, influencer, marketing thought leader

How important are awards in promoting diversity and inclusion, especially in sectors like tech?

It goes without saying that all individuals and perspectives should always be welcome and valued. The presence of individuals from different cultures and backgrounds is of paramount importance, as it invites all voices to the decision-making table. Great things are attained when everyone increases creativity and solves complex problems together. 
 
I believe everyone can demonstrate excellence in innovation, creativity, and leadership, and exhibit diversity and inclusion promotion as a thought leader. Let’s foster intercultural communication and collaboration, enrich learning and facilitate critical thinking, advance personal and professional growth, promote diverse perspectives, and create a welcoming environment. 

If you were to win an award yourself, perhaps for a secret talent, what would it most likely be?

I’ve won many awards in my career! The first award was in 2015 when Onalytica included me among the Top 100 B2B Marketing Influencers. I’ve been recognized as an influencer by the Awards Magazine, Rise.Global, Kred, GlobalData, Analytics Insight, Thinkers360, and Whizlabs.  

Thinkers360 ranked me the No. 1 Global Marketing, Social Media and Retail Influencer in 2021 because of my strong global performance as a speaker, entrepreneur, advisor, and author; I’ve set my sights on winning Shorty Awards in the future! 

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