In this episode of ITQ’s Private Cloud Café, host Johan van Amersfoort sits down with ITQ founder Francisco Perez van Oord to discuss a topic that is becoming increasingly relevant for European organizations: the impact of geopolitics on cloud strategy.Francisco argues that many organizations (especially in Western Europe) continue to underestimate geopolitical risk. According to him, cloud adoption is no longer a purely technical or financial decision, but a strategic and even political choice.In this conversation, they explore: • Why cloud decisions are increasingly about control and dependency • How data residency can shift from a compliance requirement to a competitive advantage • Why protecting data alone is not enough without control over applications • Common misconceptions around private cloud and how convenience and vendor lock-in often go hand in handFrancisco makes the case for re-evaluating private cloud as a strategic foundation, not as a step backward, but as a way to keep options open, increase predictability, and build resilience in an increasingly complex world.

In this edition of ITQ’s Private Cloud Café, Johan van Amersfoort talks with Jeffrey Kusters (CTO at ITQ) about the true meaning of hybrid cloud and why private cloud is regaining importance in Europe. They explore how organizations can balance scalability and stability, design for failure, and move beyond traditional automation to a modern cloud operating model. Jeffrey explains why governance and FinOps are essential for hybrid success, how to avoid the lift-and-shift trap, and why time is the scarcest resource in cloud transformation.

In this second episode of the Private Cloud Café, Johan talks with Thom Vessies, ITQ’s Chief Commercial Officer, about how organizations can leverage private cloud to drive business agility and gain a competitive edge.

From cost predictability to faster innovation cycles and the importance of aligning people, processes, and technology, Tom explains how a smart private cloud strategy enables organizations to adapt, innovate, and thrive in an increasingly dynamic market.

In this first episode of the ITQ Private Cloud Café podcast, Mike Janssen (CIO at ITQ) talks with Johan van Amersfoort and explains why organizations can no longer treat the public cloud as the default choice. From compliance with EU regulations to managing costs and avoiding vendor lock-in, sovereignty is no longer just a matter of legal necessity. It’s a competitive advantage.