

The sustainable success of digital transformation comes from a carefully planned organizational change management process.



The sustainable success of digital transformation comes from a carefully planned organizational change management process.
Inthemodernlandscapeofcloudcomputing,visionary
leadershipisessentialfordrivinginnovation,shaping industrytrends,andnavigatingthecomplexitiesofarapidly evolvingdigitalecosystem.Aswestepahead,itisimperativeto recognizeandcelebratetheindividualswhoarespearheading transformativeinitiativesandpushingtheboundariesofwhatis possibleinthecloudspace.
ThroughthelatesteditionofThe10MostVisionaryLeaders MakingWavesinCloudin2024,Thesetrailblazershailfrom diversebackgrounds,industries,andregions,yettheysharea commoncommitmenttoexcellence,forward-thinkingvision,and relentlesspursuitofinnovation.
FromvisionaryCEOsleadingglobalcloudcomputinggiantsto innovativeentrepreneursdisruptingtraditionalbusinessmodels, eachleaderonthislistembodiesthespiritofinnovationandserves asaninspirationtoothersintheindustry Whetherthrough groundbreakingtechnologicaladvancements,strategic partnerships,orthoughtleadership,theseindividualsareshaping thefutureofcloudcomputinganddrivingpositivechangeona globalscale.
Incompilingthislist,weconsideredamyriadoffactors,including leadershipacumen,industryinfluence,technologicalexpertise,and impactonthebroaderbusinesscommunity Theselectedleaders representadiversearrayofperspectivesandexperiences, reflectingthemultifacetednatureofthecloudcomputing landscape.
AdamFauvre VP
BrianJones VP
ChristopherCarter ChairmanandCEO
DanielKiss CEO
DavidCummings CEO
HalWalsh symmetryrx.com
JohnKoudounis CEO
MarwanMery CEO
ShaneWesthoelter CEO
ToddStewart President
RobertHalf ManagementResources roberthalf.com
TDWealth td.com
Approyo approyo.com
ProtectOneLtd protectone.com
CoolLifeCRM coollifecrm.com
SymmetryRX symmetryrx.com
CalamosInvestments calamos.com
ANDGroup adngroup.com
GatewayFinancialAdvisors gfainvestments.com
SamTheConcreteMan samtheconcreteman.com
Adamisthefirst-choicetrustedadvisorforSiliconValley companiesinAudit,Tax,Consultingandavarietyofbusiness needs.
BrianJonesisaSeniorPortfoliomanager,SeniorInvestment AdvisoratTDWealthinFredericton,NB,Canada.Hehas raisedover2milliondollarsforhislocalcommunity.
Withover25yearsofexperienceintheITindustry, Christopherisavisionary,passionateleaderwhodrives innovationandgrowthforApproyo.
DanielistheCEOofProtecOne,manufacturingandmarketing Europe’snumberonechemical-freeanti-parasiticsolutionand presentinnetworksofrenowneddealersin50+countrieson fivecontinents.
DavidisaseasonedCEOwithover25yearsofexperience leadinggrowthcompaniesthatprovidesubscriptionCRM solutionsinvariousindustries.
Halhas30+yearsofhighimpactexecutiveleadershipinthe healthcaresector.Leadingthecreationofmarketchanging businessesinthepharmaceutical,genomic,in-vitrodiagnostic andmedicaldistributionservicesspace.
JohnisChiefExecutiveOfficerofCalamosInvestments,a diversifiedglobalinvestmentfirmofferinginnovative investmentstrategiesincludingU.S.growthequity,global equity,convertible,multi-assetandalternatives.
MarwanMeryisaprofessionalnegotiator.Onadailybasis,he workswithcompanies,governmentorganizations,andNGOs toresolvecomplexsituationsinvolvingcriticalcases
Servingclientsandadvisorsinthefinancialserviceand insuranceindustrysince1988.FounderofGatewayFinancial Advisors,Inc.GatewayInsuranceGroup,IncandGateway InsuranceSolutions,LLC.Supportingover180associate officesnationallyandgrowing.
ToddtheproudownerofSamtheConcreteMan-thecountry’s onlyresidentialandcommercialconcretecontractingfranchise.
Christopher’s
fascination with enhancing computer performance led him into the intricate ecosystem of SAP where he embraced the advancements of cloud computing and virtualization. Inspired by Innovation: Christopher Carter’s Vision for Tech SuccessChristopherCarterisleadingthebatonof
visionaryleadershipandexpertiseinthefast-paced worldofenterprisetechnology Withover25years ofexperienceintheITindustry,Christopherhascemented hisreputationasaforward-thinkingCEOwhopioneers groundbreakingsolutionsforenterprisesworldwide.
AstheChairmanandCEOofApproyo,Christopheris drivinginnovationinSAP,AI,andcloudsolutions.His relentlesspursuitofexcellencehaspropelledApproyoto becomeagloballeaderinprovidingcutting-edge technologyservicestobusinessesofallsizes.
NumerousmilestonesandaccoladesmarkChristopher’s journeyinthetechnologysector.In2005,hecreatedthe firstSAPcloudusedbyanSAPclient,atestamenttohis trailblazingapproachtocloudcomputing.Additionally,his roleinestablishingthefirstSAPHANAproductioncloud forablue-chipclientfurthersolidifiedhispositionasan industryinnovator
ApartfromhisroleatApproyo,ChristopherisalsoaCofounderofImpalaVentures—aninvestmentfirmdedicated tosupportingstartupsandentrepreneursintheITsector Hiscommitmenttofosteringinnovationextendspasthis owncompany,demonstratinghisdedicationtothegrowth andsuccessoftheindustry
Christopherhasbeenhonoredwithprestigiousawards throughouthiscareer,includingbeingrecognizedasaTop BusinessWinner,anACQawardrecipient,andanInc.500 and5000honoree.HeisalsoamemberoftheForbes CoachesCouncil,furtheremphasizinghisexpertiseand influenceintheITfield.Drivenbyapassionforunlocking thepowerofdatawithAIandchatbots,Christopheris steadfastinhismissiontodeliverunparalleledvalueto Approyo’scustomersandpartners.
Christopher’sjourneyintotheworldoftechnologybegan likemanyothers,withapassionignitedduringhiscollege
daysattheGeorgiaInstituteofTechnology.“I love computers, learning about them, playing with them, taking them apart,”hereminisces.Hisfascinationwithenhancing computerperformanceledhimintotheintricateecosystem ofSAP,whereheembracedcloudcomputingand virtualizationadvancements.
“Over the last 25/30 years of my career, I have taken the mantra of learning more, growing more, and doing more with those I play with artificial intelligence, otherwise known as A.I. Cloud computing and the benefits around it for SAP,” Christopher explains. His journey is a living, walking example of the endless possibilities that technology offers ashecontinuestoadvanceandinnovateinaneverchanginglandscape.
“When SAP started utilizing in-memory database activity and started moving towards HANA, and the future wave was coming, I was inspired to start the company,” Christopherrecalls.Alreadyimmersedincloudtechnology andfascinatedbyArtificialIntelligence,hesawan opportunitytoalignhispassionswiththeadvancing landscapeoftechnology.
Christopherexplains,“What value and the company’s mission and vision under my leadership is an excellent question because I believe in helping others to achieve their goals no matter whether it’s a partner, a client, a staff member, or someone that I’ve just met at a conference.”He adds,“I genuinely am trying to help educate them and build them up in our ecosystem.”Hisdedicationtoempowering othersreflectsthecoreethosofhisleadership,drivingthe companyforwardwithacommitmenttocollaborationand growth.
Christopher’sdedicationtostayingabreastofthelatest technologicaldevelopmentsisuntiring.“I am constantly reading, learning, going to conferences, and meeting with executives of technology teams, whether it’s a larger organization such as SAP or a smaller startup with a new technology that is growing or looking to join our ecosystem,”heaffirms.
Hisproactiveapproachtolearningandnetworkingallows himtoenvisionthefutureandshapethetrendswithinthe ecosystem.Christopherensureshiscompanyremainsatthe
Major tasks need to fall on your shoulders, but you always have to make the decision, and you need to be the one who can solve the problem as the CEO.
forefrontofinnovationbykeepingapulseonemerging technologiesandindustryinsights.
“I am constantly trying to promote excellence within our team members by helping them learn, grow, and move forward with their path,” Christopher emphasizes. “It does not have to be my path or the company’s path, but it needs to be one, and together, it is something that truly benefits them, moves them forward, assists them, and helps them become better at what they do.”
Hiscommitmenttofosteringacultureofgrowthand empowermentunderlinestheimportanceofcollective progresswithintheteam,whereeachindividual’sjourney contributestotheorganization'soverallsuccess.
Christopher’sextensivebackgroundintechnology, particularlyasaleaderinArtificialIntelligenceandERP, infusesauniqueperspectiveintothegroupdynamic.“I bring the knowledge and skill set that I’ve gained over these 30 years to truly help them benefit who they are, what their company could be, or what they can be and to move forward in our ecosystem,”heexplains.
Hiswillingnesstosharehisexpertiseandsupport individualsseekinggrowth,whetherduringtradeshowsor day-to-dayinteractions,underscoreshiscommitmentto advancingindividualsandthebroaderecosystem.
“AI and chatbots are transforming the IT landscape, particularly within cloud computing and SAP solutions,” Christophernotes.“They will take on the role of menial tasks. They will indeed be the ones going in there maintaining and monitoring, providing essential basic support to the entire landscape.”
ChristopherdescribesthefunctionalityofOverwatch,an AI-basedtool,asfollows:“That tool is an AI-based tool that monitors the entire landscape, whether it is SAP, Oracle, or any other tools in the landscape. It continuously monitors 24/7, 365; we do not have to have employees’eyes on every entity, port, database, or table. The application does that for us.”Thisinnovativeapproachstreamlines managementandmonitoringprocesses,markinga significantshiftintheITindustry’slandscape.
“Every day brings its share of challenges, ranging from minor to life-altering,”Christopherreflects.“You must pick the most important ones and move forward on that one first. Minor tasks can be offloaded to other staff members.”
Hesays,“Major tasks need to fall on your shoulders, but you always have to make the decision, and you need to be the one who can solve the problem as the CEO. The more complex the challenge, the more it falls on you and the less complicated you can push off to other staff members to make less critical decisions.”AsaCEO,navigatingthese challengesrequiresstrategicprioritizationanddecisiveness toensureeffectiveproblem-solvingandbusinesscontinuity
“Would it be wrong of me to say world domination in the SAP and artificial intelligence world? That’s a little
arrogant, but I want to continue to have our organization in the leader’s quadrant for SAP,”Christophermuses.
Headds,“Our capabilities, management, and support utilizing our Overwatch tool will make companies save money, learn more, grow more, and become the best-run companies in the world thanks to our toolset and organization.”Withafocusoninnovationandexcellence, Christopheraimstopositionhisorganizationatthe forefrontoftheSAPandArtificialIntelligencelandscapeby deliveringunparalleledvaluetoclientsworldwide.
“Well, I’ll always be known as the guy who launched the first SAP cloud at Sapphire, so that’s fun,”Christopher reflects.“I’m also very fortunate that I have an incredible company, and I think the legacy will move on whether it is a standalone entity or acquired in the years ahead.”Healso notesthatonethingwillalwaysbeknown:Christopher
triedhisbestinthisecosystem.Hetriedtohelpeducate, teach,andmovepeopleforwardtothebestpossible solutionsiftheydidn’twanttotakeontheresponsibilityof learningorweretoostupidtounderstandthebenefits.
Christopherproudlysupportsthisinhisownwords,“I will still sleep well at night knowing that I gave my best and they failed at doing the tasks that they needed to do to make their company successful.”Heobservesinstanceswhere companieslackunderstanding,citingonecurrently strugglingwithcloudtechnology.“They claim leadership without understanding the basics, costing their company millions,”Christopherlaments.
Christopher’scandidassessmentunderscoresthe importanceofunderstandingandembracingtechnologyto drivebusinesssuccess.Italsohighlightsthepotential consequencesofneglectingessentialknowledgeinthe rapidlyadvancingdigitallandscape.
“The first thing is to jump out there, get in place, create your tool, create your company, and go at it. Do it if you have a passion, and if you have a drive, go and do it,” Christopheradvises.“I’ve done it several times and am doing it with multiple companies, but you must have a passion and be willing to sacrifice. I’ve offered for 30 years everything from missing birthdays for my daughters to missing events around my family.”
Heemphasizestheimportanceofdedicationand perseverance,noting, “What will you do when you’re making a ten-day trip to Europe and it gets extended? Will you pout and cry about it, or will you do it and do the hard work needed to succeed? If you can’t put in the hard work without whining and crying about it, then you don’t deserve to be an entrepreneur, and you will never have the passion for succeeding.”Christopher’scandidadviceunderscores therealityofentrepreneurship,highlightingthenecessityof commitmentandresilienceinachievingsuccess.
"The cloud is about how you do computing, not where you do computing."
-PaulMaritz
ntoday'sdigitalage,thecloudisnotmerelyatechnologicaltrendbutatransformativeforce reshapingindustriesacrosstheglobe.Fromsmallstartupstomultinationalcorporations,businesses areleveragingcloud-basedsolutionstodriveinnovation,streamlineoperations,andenhance competitiveness.Thisparadigmshiftmarksadeparturefromtraditionalon-premisesinfrastructureto dynamic,scalable,andcost-effectivecloudservices.Inthisarticle,weexplorehowcloud-based solutionsarerevolutionizingvariousindustriesandfuelingunprecedentedlevelsofinnovation.
Cloudcomputinghasdemocratizedaccesstoadvancedtechnology,enablingorganizationsofallsizes toharnesscomputingpower,storage,andapplicationson-demandviatheInternet.UnliketraditionalIT infrastructure,whichrequiressubstantialupfrontinvestmentsinhardwareandmaintenance,cloudbasedsolutionsofferapay-as-you-gomodel,allowingbusinessestoscaleresourcesasneededwithout significantcapitalexpenditure.
1.InformationTechnology
CloudcomputinghasrevolutionizedtheITlandscape,empoweringbusinessestomigratefromlegacy systemstoagilecloudenvironments.InfrastructureasaService(IaaS),PlatformasaService(PaaS), andSoftwareasaService(SaaS)offeringshavestreamlineddevelopment,deployment,and managementprocesses.Cloud-nativetechnologiessuchascontainersandserverlesscomputingfurther accelerateinnovationbyenhancingscalability,flexibility,andresilience.
2.Healthcare
Inthehealthcaresector,cloud-basedsolutionsaredrivingsignificantadvancementsinpatientcare,data management,andmedicalresearch.ElectronicHealthRecords(EHR)systemshostedonthecloud enablesecureaccesstopatientinformationacrosshealthcareproviders,improvingcollaborationand decision-making.Furthermore,advancedanalyticsandmachinelearningalgorithmsdeployedoncloud platformsfacilitatepredictivediagnostics,personalizedtreatmentplans,anddrugdiscovery.
3.Finance
Cloudcomputingisdisruptingthefinancialservicesindustrybyofferingscalableinfrastructurefordata processing,riskmanagement,andcustomerengagement.Banksandfinancialinstitutionsleverage cloud-basedsolutionstoenhancesecurity,compliance,andoperationalefficiencywhilereducingcosts associatedwithlegacysystems.Moreover,fintechstartupsleveragecloudplatformstodevelop innovativeproductsandservices,suchasmobilepayments,robo-advisors,andblockchain-based solutions.
4.Manufacturing
Inthemanufacturingsector,cloud-basedsolutionsare transformingproductionprocesses,supplychain management,andproductlifecyclemanagement.CloudconnectedsensorsandInternetofThings(IoT)devices collectreal-timedatafrommachinesandequipment, enablingpredictivemaintenanceandoptimizationof manufacturingoperations.Collaborativeplatformshosted onthecloudfacilitateseamlesscommunicationand coordinationamongstakeholders,fromdesignand engineeringtoproductionanddistribution.
5.Retail Retailersareembracingcloudcomputingtodeliver personalizedshoppingexperiences,optimizeinventory management,andexpandomnichannelcapabilities.Cloudbasede-commerceplatformsenableretailerstoscaletheir onlinepresencerapidly,accommodatefluctuatingdemand, anddeliverseamlesscheckoutexperiences.Moreover, advancedanalyticspoweredbycloudinfrastructure empowerretailerstogaininsightsintocustomer preferences,behaviorpatterns,andmarkettrends,driving targetedmarketingcampaignsandproduct recommendations.
1.AgilityandScalability
Cloud-basedsolutionsprovideorganizationswiththe agilitytoinnovaterapidlyandscaleresourcesaccordingto demand.Whetherlaunchingnewproducts,enteringnew markets,oradaptingtochangingcustomerpreferences, businessescanleveragetheelasticityofcloudinfrastructure toexperiment,iterate,anddeploysolutionswithminimal timeandresources.
2.CollaborationandConnectivity
Cloudplatformsfacilitateseamlesscollaborationand connectivityamongdistributedteams,partners,and stakeholders.Bycentralizingdataandapplicationsinthe cloud,organizationscanbreakdownsilos,fostercrossfunctionalcollaboration,andacceleratedecision-making processes.Real-timeaccesstoinformationandresources enhancesproductivity,creativity,andinnovationacrossthe organization.
3.Data-drivenInsights
Cloud-basedanalyticsandmachinelearningtoolsempower businessestoderiveactionableinsightsfromvastamounts ofdata.Byharnessingthescalabilityandprocessingpower ofthecloud,organizationscanuncoverhiddenpatterns, trends,andcorrelationsthatdriveinnovationand competitiveadvantage.Frompredictiveanalyticsto prescriptiverecommendations,data-driveninsightsenable informeddecision-makingandcontinuousimprovement.
4.ExperimentationandIteration
Cloudenvironmentsprovideasandboxforexperimentation anditeration,enablingbusinessestotestideas,prototypes, andhypotheseswithoutdisruptingproductionsystems. Whetherexperimentingwithnewfeatures,optimizing workflows,orconductingA/Btesting,cloud-based solutionsofferaflexibleandlow-riskenvironmentfor innovation.Rapidfeedbackloopsanditerativedevelopment cyclesacceleratelearninganddrivecontinuousinnovation.
5.SecurityandCompliance
Contrarytocommonmisconceptions,cloud-basedsolutions offerrobustsecurityandcompliancecapabilities,often surpassingthoseoftraditionalon-premisessystems.Cloud providersinvestheavilyinsecurityinfrastructure, encryptiontechnologies,andcompliancecertificationsto ensuretheconfidentiality,integrity,andavailabilityofdata. Byleveragingcloud-basedsecurityservices,organizations canmitigaterisks,strengthendefenses,andfocuson innovationwithoutcompromisingsecurityorcompliance.
In conclusion,cloud-basedsolutionsarereshaping industriesanddrivinginnovationatanunprecedentedpace. Byembracingcloudcomputing,businessescanunlock agility,scalability,andcollaborationtofuelgrowthand competitiveness.Frominformationtechnologyand healthcaretofinance,manufacturing,andretail, organizationsacrosssectorsareharnessingthepowerofthe cloudtotransformoperations,deliversuperiorcustomer experiences,andstayaheadofthecurveintoday'sdigital economy Astechnologycontinuestoevolve,thecloudwill remainacatalystforinnovation,enablingorganizationsto thriveinanincreasinglyinterconnectedanddynamic world.
"Cloud computing is a great euphemism for centralization of computer services under one server."
-EvgenyMorozov
Inaneradefinedbyrapidtechnologicaladvancement, cloudcomputingstandsoutasatransformativeforce reshapingthelandscapeofbusinessoperations.From startupstomultinationalcorporations,organizationsare increasinglyturningtocloud-basedsolutionstostreamline processes,enhancecollaboration,anddriveinnovation.The shifttowardscloudcomputingrepresentsmorethanjusta technologicalupgrade—itsignifiesafundamentalchangein howbusinessesoperateandcompeteinthedigitalage.
Theconceptofcloudcomputingtracesitsrootsbacktothe 1960swhenearlyiterationsoftime-sharingsystemsallowed multipleuserstoaccessasinglecomputersimultaneously. However,itwasn'tuntilthe2000sthatcloudcomputing emergedasamainstreamphenomenon,propelledby advancementsinvirtualization,broadbandinternet,and distributedcomputing.
Today,cloudcomputingencompassesabroadrangeof servicesanddeploymentmodels,includingInfrastructureasa Service(IaaS),PlatformasaService(PaaS),andSoftwareas aService(SaaS).Thesemodelsofferbusinessesscalableand flexiblesolutionstomeettheirdiverseneedswithoutthe burdenofmanagingcomplexinfrastructure.
Oneofthekeybenefitsofcloudcomputingisitsabilityto driveefficiencyandagilitywithinorganizations.By leveragingcloudservices,businessescandynamicallyscale theirresourcesupordownbasedondemand,eliminatingthe needforcostlyupfrontinvestmentsinhardwareandsoftware. Thisflexibilityenablescompaniestorespondquicklyto changingmarketconditions,acceleratetime-to-marketfor newproductsandservices,andoptimizeresourceutilization.
Furthermore,cloud-basedcollaborationtoolsempower teamstoworkmoreefficientlyregardlessoftheirphysical location.Withfeaturessuchasreal-timedocumentediting, videoconferencing,andinstantmessaging,employeescan collaborateseamlesslyandstayconnectedregardlessof geographicalbarriers.Thislevelofconnectivityfosters innovationandenablesorganizationstotapintoaglobal talentpool,drivingcreativityandproblem-solving.
Contrarytocommonmisconceptions,cloudcomputing offersrobustsecurityfeaturesthatcanoftensurpassthose oftraditionalon-premisessystems.Leadingcloudproviders investheavilyinsecuritymeasuressuchasdataencryption, threatdetection,andaccesscontrolstoprotectsensitive informationfromunauthorizedaccessandcyberthreats.
Moreover,cloudplatformsadheretostringentcompliance standards,providingbusinesseswithassurancethattheir dataishandledinaccordancewithindustryregulationsand bestpractices.Thisisparticularlycriticalfororganizations operatinginhighlyregulatedsectorssuchashealthcare, finance,andgovernment,wheredataprivacyandsecurity areparamount.
Cloudcomputingservesasacatalystforinnovation, enablingbusinessestoexperimentwithnewideasand technologieswithoutsignificantupfrontinvestment. Throughcloud-baseddevelopmentplatformsandtools, developerscanrapidlybuild,deploy,andscaleapplications, reducingtime-to-marketandacceleratinginnovationcycles.
Additionally,thescalabilityandaccessibilityofcloud resourcesunlocknewpossibilitiesfordataanalytics, artificialintelligence,andmachinelearning.Byharnessing thevastcomputingpowerofthecloud,organizationscan deriveactionableinsightsfromlargedatasets,automate decision-makingprocesses,anddeveloppredictivemodels todrivebusinessgrowthandcompetitiveness.
Intoday'sdigitaleconomy,customerexperienceisakey differentiatorforbusinessesseekingtogainacompetitive edge.Cloudcomputingplaysapivotalroleinredefining customerexperiencesbyenablingpersonalized, omnichannelinteractionsacrossvarioustouchpoints.
Throughcloud-basedCRM(CustomerRelationship Management)systemsandmarketingautomationplatforms, businessescangainacomprehensiveviewoftheir customers'preferences,behaviors,andneeds.Thisinsight allowscompaniestodelivertargetedmarketingcampaigns, tailoredproductrecommendations,andresponsivecustomer support,ultimatelydrivingcustomersatisfactionand loyalty.
Whilethebenefitsofcloudcomputingareundeniable, organizationsmustalsonavigatechallengessuchasdata securityconcerns,integrationcomplexity,andvendorlockin.Tomaximizethevalueofcloudinvestments,businesses mustdevelopacomprehensivecloudstrategythataligns withtheirgoals,addressespotentialrisks,andensures seamlessintegrationwithexistinginfrastructureand applications.
Moreover,asthecloudcomputinglandscapecontinuesto evolve,organizationsmustremainagileandadaptableto capitalizeonemergingtechnologiesandmarkettrends. Whetherit'sleveragingserverlesscomputing,edge computing,orhybridcloudarchitectures,businessesthat embraceinnovationandchangewillbebestpositionedto unlockthefullpotentialofcloudcomputing.
Cloudcomputingrepresentsaparadigmshiftinhow businessesleveragetechnologytodriveefficiency,agility, andinnovation.Byharnessingthepowerofthecloud, organizationscantransformtheiroperations,enhance collaboration,anddeliversuperiorcustomerexperiences. Ascloudadoptioncontinuestoaccelerate,businessesthat embracethistransformationaltechnologywillthriveinthe digitaleconomy,unlockingnewopportunitiesforgrowth andcompetitiveadvantage.
"SAP
is not just a software offering; it's an ecosystem of innovation, driving businesses forward." -BiMcDermo
Cloud is the digital wonderland of Internet of Things, powered by Articial Intelligence and Big Data
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