KPMG Announces Initial Focus of New Digital Solution Hub with Microsoft

KPMG's Global Head of Data & Analytics, Christian Rast, joins Microsoft Executive VP and CFO Amy Hood in a fireside chat to discuss modern finance and digital transformation

ORLANDO, FL, Sept. 25, 2017 /CNW/ - KPMG International today announced important new details about its Digital Solution Hub, one of two strategic initiatives KPMG announced in July with Microsoft designed to leverage Microsoft Azure intelligent cloud services and artificial intelligence technology with KPMG business acumen.* Here at Microsoft Envision, KPMG said the Digital Solution Hub's initial portfolio of cloud-based solutions will address top CFO and finance management issues.

"Using artificial intelligence, machine learning and data and analytics (D&A) supported by the intelligent cloud, our CFO solutions from the Digital Solution Hub will help set new standards of performance for profitability and growth, and help drive digital transformation," said Christian Rast, KPMG Global Head of D&A and a board member with KPMG in Germany. Rast will join Microsoft Executive Vice President and CFO Amy Hood on Tuesday, 26 September to discuss "Modern Finance", a fireside chat about the critical transformation issues topping the CFO agenda.

The first solution from the Hub aimed at helping CFOs gain clarity on profitability drivers is the cloud-based Strategic Profitability Insights (SPI). Now available on the Azure cloud, SPI helps clients quickly analyze their data at the transaction level. One area where the solution is well suited is due diligence for mergers and acquisitions where data can be exchanged quickly and rapidly analyzed. The cloud-based SPI solution will be globally scalable and made available through KPMG member firms in Q1 2018.  

The Digital Solution Hub, with locations in Bellevue, Washington, and at the KPMG Lighthouse – Center of Excellence for Data & Analytics in Berlin, Germany, is charged with managing ideation, architecture and development of ready-made, Microsoft cloud-based solutions, empowering the C-suite to drive digital transformation in strategic areas of their business. The Hub, fully operational in Q1 2018, will be staffed with data scientists, developers, analysts, designers and other specialists from both organizations.   

At this year's Envision, 25-27 September at the Hilton Orlando, Orlando, Fla., partners across the KPMG network will take the stage to share insights and experiences helping clients on their digital transformation journey.

* At Microsoft's Inspire partners' conference in July, KPMG and Microsoft announced two strategic initiatives that expanded the scope of their global alliance: providing clients with a portfolio of digital solutions (the Digital Solution Hub) and enabling KPMG's smart audit platform, KPMG Clara, both built on KPMG business expertise and the Microsoft intelligent cloud.

About KPMG International
KPMG is a global network of professional services firms providing Audit, Tax and Advisory services. We operate in 152 countries and have 189,000 people working in member firms around the world. The independent member firms of the KPMG network are affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative ("KPMG International"), a Swiss entity. Each KPMG firm is a legally distinct and separate entity and describes itself as such.

SOURCE KPMG International