Enterprises in France are cautiously evaluating new public cloud providers as they navigate the impact of recent regulations on data sovereignty and security, according to a new research report published today by Information Services Group (ISG) (Nasdaq: III), a leading global technology research and advisory firm.

The 2022 ISG Provider Lens™ Public Cloud — Solutions and Services report for France finds that, after a rush of cloud adoption in the country in 2020 and 2021, enterprises there are taking more time to assess and engage cloud partners. This cautiousness is due in part to recent government actions to create certifications for data residency in Europe and ensure the effectiveness of data security tools.

“Enterprises in France are increasingly focused on making the best choice for a public cloud partner,” said Lyonel Roüast, partner and president, ISG South Europe, Middle East and Africa. “Companies have begun to realize the importance of the right cloud partner as well as the competitive benefits the cloud brings them.”

Meanwhile, discussions in France about the true meaning of data sovereignty are ongoing, the report says. The definition is evolving, and a comprehensive solution for companies that operate outside the Eurozone isn’t yet available.

Still, enterprises in France are moving forward with their cloud engagements, even as regulators are pointing them toward using a government-certified data center. However, enterprises in the country want to use the advanced data handling services offered by U.S. hyperscalers because of the enormous costs of developing and certifying cloud-native technologies. Many local service providers don’t have the scale to help French companies with these tasks, the report says.

Many market leaders are forming partnerships with European technology companies to deal with data sovereignty regulations in the E.U., the report adds.

In addition to concerns about data sovereignty rules, enterprises in France are looking to public cloud providers to help them adopt cloud-native technologies and offer them several cloud-related services, including infrastructure as code, serverless computing, APIs, microservices, analytics and automation, the report says.

“Companies also want providers that can help them develop the right cloud culture and skills,” said Jan Erik Aase, partner and global leader, ISG Provider Lens Research. “They also want cloud partners that can ensure security and push new governance models to handle their ever-more complex technology environments.”

The 2022 ISG Provider Lens™ Public Cloud — Solutions and Services report for France evaluates the capabilities of 50 providers across six quadrants: Consulting and Transformation Services for Large Accounts, Consulting and Transformation Services for Midmarket, Managed Public Cloud Services for Large Accounts, Managed Public Cloud Services for Midmarket, Hyperscale Infrastructure and Platform Services, and SAP HANA Infrastructure Services.

The report names Orange Business Services and Sopra Steria as Leaders in four quadrants and Accenture, Atos, AWS, Capgemini, Claranet, Devoteam, Microsoft, oXya, ScaleSquad and Wipro as Leaders in two. IBM, Kyndryl and TCS are named Leaders in one quadrant.

In addition, OVHcloud and TCS are named as Rising Stars — companies with a “promising portfolio” and “high future potential” by ISG’s definition — in one quadrant each.

Customized versions of the report are available from IONOS, Orange Business Services, ScaleSquad and Sopra Steria.

The 2022 ISG Provider Lens™ Public Cloud — Solutions and Services report for France is available to subscribers or for one-time purchase on this webpage.

About ISG Provider Lens™ Research

The ISG Provider Lens™ Quadrant research series is the only service provider evaluation of its kind to combine empirical, data-driven research and market analysis with the real-world experience and observations of ISG's global advisory team. Enterprises will find a wealth of detailed data and market analysis to help guide their selection of appropriate sourcing partners, while ISG advisors use the reports to validate their own market knowledge and make recommendations to ISG's enterprise clients. The research currently covers providers offering their services globally, across Europe, as well as in the U.S., Canada, Brazil, the U.K., France, Benelux, Germany, Switzerland, the Nordics, Australia and Singapore/Malaysia, with additional markets to be added in the future. For more information about ISG Provider Lens research, please visit this webpage.

A companion research series, the ISG Provider Lens Archetype reports, offer a first-of-its-kind evaluation of providers from the perspective of specific buyer types.

About ISG

ISG (Information Services Group) (Nasdaq: III) is a leading global technology research and advisory firm. A trusted business partner to more than 800 clients, including more than 75 of the world’s top 100 enterprises, ISG is committed to helping corporations, public sector organizations, and service and technology providers achieve operational excellence and faster growth. The firm specializes in digital transformation services, including automation, cloud and data analytics; sourcing advisory; managed governance and risk services; network carrier services; strategy and operations design; change management; market intelligence and technology research and analysis. Founded in 2006, and based in Stamford, Conn., ISG employs more than 1,300 digital-ready professionals operating in more than 20 countries—a global team known for its innovative thinking, market influence, deep industry and technology expertise, and world-class research and analytical capabilities based on the industry’s most comprehensive marketplace data. For more information, visit www.isg-one.com.