Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who are you and what do you do?

Q: Who is Ralf Thomas – IT Management Advisor and what services do you provide?
A: I’m a retired senior IT manager (formerly with Atos / Eviden) with over 30 years of global leadership experience in IT operations, cloud services, infrastructure, and strategic technology transformation. (home)
As an independent advisor, I now focus on:

  • IT Management, Strategy & Innovation

  • Cloud Transformation (including sovereign / regulated environments)

  • Data & Generative AI

  • Quality, Security & Compliance (ISO 27001, NIS2, etc.) (home)
    You can book a free appointment to explore how we can work together. (home)

2. Which types of organisations do you work with?

Q: What kinds of companies or industries are your advisory services suited for?
A: My services are particularly well-suited for mid-sized enterprises in Germany and Europe that:

  • Require strategic guidance to shift from operational “run” to innovation “change”

  • Are undergoing cloud migrations, data/AI initiatives or need to adapt to regulatory frameworks (e.g., NIS2, EU data sovereignty)

  • Lack a full-time CIO but need seasoned advisory / “CIO as a Service” support. (home)

3. What is your approach to cloud transformation?

Q: How do you guide organisations through a “Journey to (Sovereign) Cloud”?
A: My approach emphasises:

  • A readiness assessment and blueprint for cloud adoption (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and EU-sovereign alternatives) (home)

  • Moving beyond “lift & shift” to focus on platform services (PaaS/SaaS) rather than just infrastructure (IaaS) for value delivery. (home)

  • Addressing the human organisation side (team structure, culture, operating models) because technology alone isn’t sufficient. (home)

  • Ensuring regulatory-ready designs (data residency, compliance) and measurable business outcomes (time-to-market, cost, agility)

4. How do you handle data & generative AI?

Q: What’s your offering around data, knowledge management and Gen AI?
A: My data & AI services include:

  • Frameworks for transforming raw data into governed, actionable information

  • Building knowledge bases and minimum-viable-product Gen AI assistants/coplots for business use cases (home)

  • Emphasising governance, data quality and strategic alignment — because without these the “AI hype” won’t deliver. (home)

5. What about compliance, quality and cybersecurity?

Q: How do you support organisations in the realms of ISO, NIS2, security and compliance?
A: My services in this area cover:

  • Aligning quality and IT-service management systems (ISO 20000 / 27001), cyber-security architectures, and continuous-improvement coaching (home)

  • Helping organisations build “compliant-by-design” processes, reduce risk exposure, prepare for audits and governance requirements.

  • Imparting a holistic view that people + process + technology must operate together (especially for cybersecurity). (home)

6. What is your engagement model and how do you deliver value?

Q: How do you work with clients, and what outcomes can they expect?
A: My engagement model is flexible and tailored:

  • Free initial appointment to align on needs, goals and context. (home)

  • Advisory engagements may include defined assessments (cloud, data, compliance), roadmap development, governance setup, and hands-on coaching.

  • Focus on outcomes: measurable business value (cost reduction, faster innovation, risk mitigation). (home)

  • Transparent collaboration: embedding strategy, aligning with business goals, and enabling the organisation to self-sustain the change.

7. Why choose you versus “internal IT staff” or competing consultants?

Q: What sets you apart, and why not just hire more internal staff or another consulting firm?
A: Several differentiators:

  • 30+ years of senior, global leadership experience (including multi-region, large scale programmes) at major service providers. (home)

  • A broad spectrum of expertise: from cloud and data to compliance and AI — enabling integrated advice rather than siloed consulting.

  • Mid-sized companies often don’t need (or can’t afford) a full-time CIO, yet still need strategic IT leadership. I fill that gap (CIO-as-Service) without the full-time burden. (home)

  • A strong focus on European/ German regulatory, sovereign-cloud and data-sovereignty issues — which many global consultants overlook.

8. What are your fees and how is the project priced?

Q: How much does it cost, and is pricing transparent?
A: As every engagement is tailored, I prefer to discuss your specific situation first (free initial call) and then propose a scoped engagement with clear deliverables and pricing. Key points:

  • You only pay for what you need: assessment, roadmap, coaching, or full implementation advisory.

  • I aim for predictable cost models (fixed-fee for scope where possible) rather than open-ended consulting hours.

  • After the initial discussion, you receive a proposal outlining scope, outcomes, timeline and cost.

9. Where are you based and what is your geographic coverage?

Q: Are you located in Germany and do you work internationally?
A: Yes — I’m based in Fürth, Bavaria (Germany). (home)
I serve clients across Germany and Europe. Given my global experience, I’m comfortable working in international, multilingual and multi-cultural settings.

10. How do I get started?

Q: What is the first step if I want to engage your services?
A: Simple:

  1. Use the “Book an Appointment” link on the homepage to schedule a free discussion. (home)

  2. Prepare a short outline of your current situation (cloud/IT/data/compliance challenge), goals, budget and timeline.

  3. We’ll discuss and identify the fit, scope and next steps.

  4. Upon agreement, we move into a project kickoff with clear roadmap, milestones and outcomes.

11. Do you publish resources and share knowledge?

Q: Do you provide any free resources or insights?
A: Yes — I maintain a “Resources” section with curated content:

  • Articles and thoughts on digital sovereignty, data-driven decision making, Gen AI tools. (home)

  • Downloads, links and commentary to keep you informed of current technology and regulatory trends.
    Feel free to browse and subscribe where indicated.