Swiss Firms Balance Data Laws, Microsoft Cloud Initiatives
Data sovereignty and privacy are major concerns for Swiss enterprises. Microsoft's data centers in Zurich and Geneva allow companies to store data in the country, but maintaining trust also requires tight operational control.
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The 2025 ISG Provider Lens™ Microsoft AI and Cloud Ecosystem report for Switzerland finds that many companies in Switzerland, one of the world's most loyal Microsoft markets, are deeply committed to Azure, Microsoft 365 and other platforms. However, they are also subject to complex data protection regulations, especially in sectors such as finance and healthcare.
'Data sovereignty and privacy are major concerns for Swiss enterprises,' said Uwe Ladwig, managing director, ISG Switzerland. 'Microsoft's data centers in Zurich and Geneva allow companies to store data in the country, but maintaining trust also requires tight operational control. A carefully chosen service provider can help clients develop a comprehensive data protection plan.'
Many Swiss companies see emerging cloud and AI technologies as critical to remaining competitive, but implementing a wide range of Microsoft offerings can overwhelm internal teams, resulting in governance gaps, ISG says. Enterprises are seeking qualified providers to align new technology initiatives with local mandates such as the Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection.
Companies in Switzerland, like those in Germany, are embracing Microsoft's Copilot generative AI chatbot and Azure OpenAI Services, ISG says. They look to GenAI to accelerate automation and innovation and seek immediate productivity gains through improved efficiency, though many have struggled to achieve meaningful results so far. Service providers with extensive experience and use-case libraries are proving essential to success in this area.
Interest in AI agents within Microsoft 365 is also growing, though most companies exploring this area are at an early stage and lack clear use cases, ISG says. Not all providers in Switzerland are yet prepared to support the use of these agents by their clients.
Demand is rising in Switzerland for Microsoft's Fabric, Foundry and Purview platforms, which enterprises are deploying together to create integrated data environments with high security and efficient data utilization, ISG says. The platforms are designed to substantially reduce regulatory risk, a key consideration for many of the country's enterprises.
'Swiss companies face competing pressures to innovate while complying with increasingly complex regulations,' said Jan Erik Aase, partner and global leader, ISG Provider Lens Research. 'They are partnering with leading local and global service providers to develop balanced strategies and execute on them.'
The report also explores other Microsoft ecosystem trends affecting enterprises in Switzerland, including growing enterprise interest in multi-cloud and hybrid cloud environments and Microsoft's increasing investments in data center infrastructure.
For more insights into the Microsoft-related challenges faced by enterprises in Switzerland, plus ISG's advice for addressing them, see the ISG Provider Lens™ Focal Points briefing here.
The 2025 ISG Provider Lens™ Microsoft AI and Cloud Ecosystem report for Switzerland evaluates the capabilities of 42 providers across four quadrants: Managed Services for Azure, Microsoft 365 Services, Power Platform Services and AI Services for the Microsoft Clouds.
The report names Swisscom as a Leader in all four quadrants. It names ELCA/EveryWare and SoftwareOne as Leaders in three quadrants each. Ambit Group, Atos, Aveniq, Bechtle, BitHawk, Data One, isolutions, MDW Group, T-Systems and Wipro are named as Leaders in two quadrants each. Accenture & Avanade, adesso, DIGITALL, Kyndryl, PwC, TCS and UMB are named as Leaders in one quadrant each.
In addition, glueckkanja is named as a Rising Star — a company with a 'promising portfolio' and 'high future potential' by ISG's definition — in two quadrants. BitHawk and Kyndryl are named as Rising Stars in one quadrant each.
In the area of customer experience, HCLTech is named the global ISG CX Star Performer for 2025 among Microsoft ecosystem providers. HCLTech earned the highest customer satisfaction scores in ISG's Voice of the Customer survey, part of the ISG Star of Excellence™ program, the premier quality recognition for the technology and business services industry.
Customized versions of the report are available from BitHawk and glueckkanja.
The 2025 ISG Provider Lens™ Microsoft AI and Cloud Ecosystem report for Switzerland is available to subscribers or for one-time purchase on this webpage.
About ISG Provider Lens™ Research
The ISG Provider Lens™ Quadrant research series is the only service provider evaluation of its kind to combine empirical, data-driven research and market analysis with the real-world experience and observations of ISG's global advisory team. Enterprises will find a wealth of detailed data and market analysis to help guide their selection of appropriate sourcing partners, while ISG advisors use the reports to validate their own market knowledge and make recommendations to ISG's enterprise clients. The research currently covers providers offering their services globally, across Europe, as well as in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, the U.K., France, Benelux, Germany, Switzerland, the Nordics, Australia and Singapore/Malaysia, with additional markets to be added in the future. For more information about ISG Provider Lens research, please visit this webpage.
About ISG
ISG (Nasdaq: III) is a global AI-centered technology research and advisory firm. A trusted partner to more than 900 clients, including 75 of the world's top 100 enterprises, ISG is a long-time leader in technology and business services that is now at the forefront of leveraging AI to help organizations achieve operational excellence and faster growth. The firm, founded in 2006, is known for its proprietary market data, in-depth knowledge of provider ecosystems, and the expertise of its 1,600 professionals worldwide working together to help clients maximize the value of their technology investments.
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