We’ve all been told that cloud and application modernisation are powerful enablers of business innovation—not just because they improve technology, but because they unlock new ways to build, deliver, and evolve products and services. While modernisation can certainly allow organisations to build next-gen experiences faster than ever before, if it’s not underpinned by FinOps, it can just as easily result in uncontrolled cloud spending and financial instability.
This has become obvious in the way cloud costs are skyrocketing. Most companies can’t provide a full explanation of where their cloud spend goes, and some estimates put cloud waste at close to half (48%) of all expenditure in the cloud.
Common challenges
Cloud modernisation enables rapid experimentation and scaling, but that agility comes at a cost. Cloud expenses can quickly become unpredictable and difficult to manage, leading to budget overruns and financial instability, and it can be difficult to monitor and manage cloud resources, leading to misconfigurations, uncontrolled scaling, and orphaned resources. Many organisations over-provision resources without realising the cost implications, leading to wasted spending and reduced efficiency. In addition, limited visibility into cloud spend makes it difficult for the business to identify cost inefficiencies and optimise resource allocation.
Whether an organisation’s ever-growing cloud bills are the result of uncontrolled usage, overprovisioning, wasted spend on things no one is actually using, or “hidden” charges, companies need to gain control over their cloud costs, optimise resource allocation, and ensure that their cloud modernisation initiatives align with their business goals.
However, creating a cloud environment that delivers innovation without unnecessary costs is a complex endeavour which requires an understanding of how the cloud is configured, as well as how it is being used. Most importantly, it requires an understanding of what the company is trying to achieve in its cloud environment.
Why FinOps is crucial for cloud modernisation
FinOps introduces real-time monitoring and governance, enabling teams to understand what’s being spent, where, and why. FinOps isn’t just a finance function—it’s a cultural shift. It aligns finance, for budgeting and forecasting; engineering, for cost-efficient design; and ops/cloud teams, for performance and scaling. This collaboration ensures that cloud decisions are driven by business value, not just technical preference.
When cost control is built directly into every element of the cloud ecosystem, it becomes part of the business culture, not a monthly report nobody reads. FinOps can therefore become the foundation for continuous modernisation by creating feedback loops or real-time insights into how cloud resources are used. This allows teams to continually refine architectures, eliminate waste, and reinforce a culture of ownership and responsibility.
In a world where business success is measured in speed of delivery and agility, companies have to find a balance between modernisation, cost savings, scalability, reliability, and sustainability. FinOps provides that competitive advantage, helping organisations drive smarter cloud decisions, faster innovation, and better team collaboration. Without it, cloud expenses can quickly spiral out of control, ultimately undermining the benefits of modernisation.
Engineer a future of cloud without the financial risk
Join us at Engineering the Future of Cloud to discuss discuss Smart Cloud Modernisation: What to do and why. Modernise your cloud applications to free up time, effort and budget.
Date: Wednesday 21 May 2025
Venue: Civo Tech Junction, London
Time: 5pm - 8pm
Register now for your free entry.
