Speaking from the floor of the Cloud Connections 2025 conference, Dino De Palma of True North Advisory emphasized the intersection of culture and innovation in the cloud communications sector during a roundtable he moderated on “Innovating at Scale: Creating Next-Gen Cloud Products.”

De Palma, a longtime industry leader and advisor, said the conversation focused on how companies can maintain culture and alignment while developing new technologies in hybrid or remote work environments.

“The key theme that emerged was balancing remote collaboration tools—like Zoom, Teams, and Webex—with the need for in-person connection,” said De Palma. “That offline conversation still matters. It can spark deeper, longer discussions that you can’t always fit into a back-to-back Teams schedule.”

True North Advisory, a boutique advisory firm, provides strategic consulting for cloud and communications companies, helping clients refine their product positioning, go-to-market strategies, and long-term relationship building. De Palma underscored that the firm emphasizes hands-on engagement and strategic fit between vendor and buyer.

De Palma also highlighted a comment from a participant that resonated with the group: “AI should be viewed as an augmentation of the team—not a replacement.” He noted that embracing AI in a way that enhances productivity, rather than replacing jobs, is essential to building trust and buy-in across teams.

He added that the conversation touched on the challenge of “over-communication,” where workers today juggle multiple channels—email, Teams, WhatsApp, SMS, and more—making alignment on company vision more difficult.

On the topic of emerging technologies and platform evolution, De Palma observed that small businesses now have greater access to tools traditionally reserved for large enterprises.

“We’re seeing companies like Clark Chat, Spanoco, and Kiwi delivering mobile-first, easy-to-use solutions that empower micro and small businesses,” he said. “At the end of the day, ease of use is the differentiator.”

De Palma is also scheduled to moderate a panel on cloud communications mergers, focusing on the Alianza-Metaswitch and XTM-Evolve IP deals. The session will explore cultural integration, operational challenges, and whether these transactions signal a broader shift in the sector.

“There’s a lot of M&A activity in the air,” said De Palma. “The question now is: what’s next?”

For more information on True North Advisory, visit truenorthadvisory.com.