Cloud promises speed and flexibility. Partners see it every day. Customers want to move fast, test new ideas, and scale when opportunity strikes. But somewhere between spinning up resources and reviewing the monthly invoice, the conversation often changes.
That topic surfaced in a recent episode of The High-Growth Equation, where host Lawrence Roberts sat down with Jan Michael De Kok, Vice President of Amazon Web Services Global Partnership and Financial Operations (FinOps) Go-to-Market at TD SYNNEX, and David Jordan, Chief Financial Officer at TD SYNNEX, to discuss why FinOps has become a central part of modern cloud conversations.
Using cloud services can feel a lot like ordering at a restaurant. The menu is full of appealing options. And without keeping track, it is easy to order more than planned. FinOps is the moment you pause and ask whether what is on the table truly matches what you need.
From Jan’s perspective, that pause is becoming increasingly important as cloud usage expands alongside AI, analytics, and always-on workloads. Many organizations already have cloud tools in place. What they often lack is clear visibility into how usage connects back to business outcomes. FinOps brings finance, information technology, and business teams into the same conversation, so spending decisions are intentional and aligned rather than reactive.
David shared how this plays out from a financial leadership viewpoint. Cloud spend now represents a meaningful portion of overall budgets, yet it is often one of the hardest areas to forecast. Without clear insight, leaders may worry about runaway costs or, just as often, pull back too aggressively and limit progress. FinOps helps replace assumptions with data, making it easier to forecast, adjust, and invest with confidence. In most cases, it even shows that cloud workloads cost less than expected when used strategically.
For partners, this is where FinOps truly earns its place. It is not a standalone offering or a one-time exercise. It fits naturally into migrations, optimization efforts, managed services, and AI initiatives. When partners help customers understand not just what they are spending, but why, the conversation shifts. It becomes less about price and more about value, trust, and long-term planning.
The takeaway from the episode is refreshingly practical. Cloud success is not about slowing down or saying no. It is about making informed choices as usage scales. And FinOps gives partners a clear, credible way to lead that discussion at a time when customers are navigating both opportunity and pressure.
TD SYNNEX supports these discussions through its Global FinOps Practice, which helps partners connect cloud usage and spend to business outcomes. Watch the full episode of The High-Growth Equation to hear the complete conversation and learn how TD SYNNEX is helping partners navigate cloud growth with clarity and confidence.
