AWS Exits CISPE Board Following Statutory Changes

The Amazon subsidiary, Amazon Web Services (AWS), has departed from the board of the Cloud Infrastructure Service Providers in Europe (CISPE), a significant trade association for cloud providers. This decision comes in the wake of a recent amendment to the association's statutes, which now stipulates that only European companies can hold board positions. Consequently, AWS opted not to nominate a representative for election.

CISPE's president, Jacqueline van de Werken, stated that the revised structure is designed to better represent the entire industry while safeguarding European interests.

In addition to the statutory changes, CISPE has established a committee focused on sovereignty and strategic autonomy. This initiative is a direct response to the growing demand among European cloud users, government agencies, and businesses for digital independence in light of geopolitical tensions and economic dependencies. The association aims to champion competitive, homegrown cloud infrastructures and AI applications, positioning itself as the leading trade organization dedicated exclusively to European cloud service providers.

As part of its restructuring, CISPE also filled five board positions for a three-year term. Newly elected members include Alexander Windbichler, CEO of the Austrian cloud service provider Anexia, and Jake Madders, founder and CEO of the UK-based Hyve Managed Hosting. Lorenzo Chirlatti (Register, Italy), David Chassan (Outscale, France), and Jacqueline van de Werken (Leaseweb, Netherlands) were re-elected, with van de Werken retaining her role as board chair.

Despite AWS's departure from the board, the company will continue its membership in CISPE, alongside other cloud service providers like Upcloud from Finland and Gigas from Spain, who also chose not to seek re-election. Stephanie Ducalbe, a former AWS board member for CISPE, expressed pride in the contributions made by AWS to the association's achievements and growth. She affirmed the company's commitment to supporting customer choice and enhancing European competitiveness as a continuing member.

In a related development, Microsoft, a competitor of AWS, recently joined CISPE as a supporting member. Reports suggest that AWS opposed Microsoft's admission, but the decision was ultimately made by the majority of the board members. This came after CISPE withdrew a competition complaint against Microsoft filed with the EU Commission, following adjustments to contractual terms regarding the costs of Microsoft services for non-Azure clouds.

Looking ahead, Amazon has announced plans to invest approximately $100 billion in infrastructure expansion this year, with a significant portion allocated for building AI data centers. In Germany, new facilities are also planned, including the launch of an initial data center for AWS's sovereign Euro-Cloud in Brandenburg by the end of the year.