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- ☁️ AWS tightens cloud discount rules, boosting transparency
☁️ AWS tightens cloud discount rules, boosting transparency
AWS Tightens Cloud Discount Rules, Snowflake Boosts AI Agent Support, New CIOs at Vertiv and Chesapeake Utilities
Zack Tembi
June 09, 2025
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Welcome to this week’s edition of CIOsurge!
This week:
AWS will restrict third-party cloud discount transfers starting June 1, aiming to improve billing transparency and budget control.
Snowflake unveils major upgrades to support generative AI agents, hybrid ingestion, and data compliance, along with a PostgreSQL startup acquisition.
Vertiv and Chesapeake Utilities announce new CIOs to lead AI adoption, digital innovation, and strategic transformation.
Let’s make this week a game-changer.
Stay sharp. Stay ahead.
☁️ AWS tightens cloud discount rules, boosting transparency
AWS has restricted transfers of Reserved Instances and Savings Plans discounts via third-party providers, requiring credits to be tied directly to the end customer’s bill. Effective June 1, the policy aims to increase visibility into cloud spending, clarify billing for enterprises, and eliminate middle-layer obscurities previously affecting transparency and optimization efforts.
This policy shift highlights AWS’s growing push toward clearer financial accountability. If your organization uses third-party cloud optimizers or bundled service providers, now’s the time to reassess these arrangements. Make sure your discounts remain intact, and that you’re not caught off guard by billing surprises when these changes hit your invoices.
Ultimately, this move should help CIOs and FinOps teams better manage and justify their cloud investments. It’s a reminder that visibility isn’t just helpful—it’s essential for proactive IT budget control and optimization.
- Zack Tembi
❄️ Snowflake upgrades data cloud to drive AI agent adoption
Snowflake unveiled significant enhancements to its data cloud, including hybrid multicloud ingestion, AI-powered analytics assistants, and agentic querying capabilities, while acquiring PostgreSQL startup Crunchy Data. These moves expand Snowflake's AI integration and compliance capabilities, enabling enterprises to scale generative AI agents and streamline legacy data migrations.
CIOs are now facing intense pressure to support AI-driven transformation—and Snowflake's latest moves underline exactly why data infrastructure matters. Their enhancements directly target enterprise pain points: managing complex data sources, compliance, and bridging the gap between structured and unstructured data for generative AI applications.
What Snowflake’s announcement really highlights is the need for CIOs to rapidly evolve data strategies. Integrations with key platforms like Salesforce and Workday, combined with robust AI agent tooling, mean organizations can leapfrog incremental change and harness AI to solve previously intractable problems. For CIOs, this is the kind of infrastructure investment that can truly redefine competitive advantage.
- Zack Tembi
💬 Zack's Take
🏃♂️ Speed Wins in Today’s Hiring Market
We’re in an unusual hiring climate right now—there’s abundant talent available, but only companies that move quickly are capturing the very best candidates. Too many organizations drag their feet, taking months instead of weeks, and end up losing their top picks to more agile competitors. This isn’t just inefficient; it actively harms your organization's long-term capabilities.
The most effective CIOs I work with are streamlining their hiring processes aggressively. They're aligning closely with HR and other business stakeholders to condense recruitment cycles and maintain constant communication with candidates, ensuring they feel valued throughout the hiring journey.
My advice: audit your hiring process end-to-end and eliminate unnecessary steps. Speed signals decisiveness and efficiency—qualities top candidates look for in leadership. Quick decision-making isn’t reckless; it’s strategic, ensuring you secure talent that genuinely moves the needle for your organization.
🗞️ At A Glance
💡 CIO Spotlights
Vertiv appoints Mike Giresi as global CIO to lead AI-driven strategy
Mike Giresi will join Vertiv as global CIO, overseeing AI adoption, cybersecurity, and digital customer experience initiatives.
Previously Molex’s chief digital officer, Giresi brings over 30 years of IT leadership experience, including roles at Aramark and Royal Caribbean.
CEO Gio Albertazzi emphasized Giresi’s execution-focused approach to strengthen Vertiv’s competitive advantage through digital innovation.
Chesapeake Utilities names Abhijit Bhatwadekar CIO to drive digital transformation
Chesapeake Utilities appointed Abhijit ("Abhi") Bhatwadekar as VP and CIO, effective June 13, to align tech initiatives with the company’s growth strategy.
Bhatwadekar previously led data analytics and customer experience at PPL Corporation, focusing on data-driven operational improvements.
CEO Jeff Householder praised Bhatwadekar’s strategic leadership and proven track record in technology innovation and operational excellence.