Andrew Welch
CTO + Founder @ Cloud Lighthouse | Microsoft MVP
London, United Kingdom
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Cloud technology leader, founder and CTO of Cloud Lighthouse, Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional), speaker, published author, and regular writer of essays and white papers on cloud technology including the multi-edition Crafting your Future-Ready Enterprise AI Strategy, Ecosystem-Oriented Architecture in the Public Sector, Power Platform in a Modern Data Platform Architecture, and many others. Andrew works directly with CXOs, Microsoft partners, Microsoft product engineering groups, technologists, and investors to guide cloud strategy and ecosystem architecture. His previous service includes that as CTO, global Vice President, Practice Director, and VP of Operations, and other tech and business focused roles at various Microsoft partners. He’s led some of the world’s largest Microsoft adoptions on all seven continents (yes, including Antarctica), serving startup to Fortune 100 organizations, public sector agencies, and global NGOs. Based in London and Boston, Andrew makes frequent visits worldwide.
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Is the Microsoft Partner dead?
Join us to hear why so many Microsoft partners are terrible, and decide for yourself if you're with the leaders or the fools.
Microsoft customers are taking charge of their own tech like never before. They're training their teams, hiring their own experts and independent consultants, and building AI, Power Platform, and Fabric workloads independently. Meanwhile, traditional workloads like ERP, CRM, and HRIS - historic rocks in most customers' IT ecosystems - are rapidly becoming less important than they've ever been.
You may have even heard whispers that the Microsoft Partner is DEAD!
They aren't. But where does all of this change leave Microsoft Partners in the years to come?
Well, it's going to be really challenging. Some won't make it, but the smart ones that adapt well will thrive.
Come to learn actionable insights on how successful partners are evolving today, how foolish partners are not, what you and your team can do to stay ahead and thrive as a next generation Microsoft partner in the years ahead, and - if you're a Microsoft customer - what you should be looking for in your next partner.
Five Patterns for Integration Power Platform with your Organization’s Data
The most innovative organizations are increasingly using their own enterprise data with Power Platform, integrating Power Platform solutions to their data estate vs. operating Power Platform in isolation. This session will cover five key patterns for connecting Power Platform to services across the cloud:
* Point-to-Point: Direct connections between services;
* Data Consolidation: Bringing data together in one place;
* Master Data Node: Using a central source for all data;
* Data Landing Zone: A staging area for data before use;
* Data Distribution: Spreading data out to where it’s needed.
We’ll discuss each method’s advantages, disadvantages, and typical technologies used, focusing on Dataverse and Microsoft’s data integration and storage tools.
This session is designed for CIOs and other IT decision makers, enterprise architects, and engineers seeking to (a) understand how to scale Power Platform across their data estate, and (b) choose, combine, and architect with best patterns of integration to meet their needs. It is presented by the authors of the Microsoft white paper, “Power Platform in a Modern Data Platform Architecture”, which covers these patterns in depth.
Join us to learn how to scale Power Platform and leverage its data in AI, analytical, search, and other data distribution or collection scenarios.
This session is based on the Microsoft white paper "Power Platform in a Modern Data Platform Architecture", and will use the latest research and best practices on this topic.
Become an AI hero with the AI Strategy Framework
It's painfully obvious how difficult so many organizations find it to actually build and execute on their AI strategy, in part because of the decades they've spent kicking their proverbial data can down the road, and in part because it turns out most people have zero clue where to start.
This is your golden opportunity to become a true leader in artificial intelligence!
Join us to pick up practical knowledge and tools to help your organization (or your customer) assess its maturity to adopt and scale AI, and identify specific areas to invest time, talent, and treasure across 25 dimensions including your technical ecosystem, data distribution and integration, business applications, AI development tools, extensible AI, Responsible AI (RAI), data governance, and how technical debt can destroy your greatest AI dreams.
Organizations diverse as government, law firms, banking, industrial and manufacturing, utilities, global humanitarian, and Microsoft partners from the United States to France to Thailand are using the AI Strategy Framework to get twelve steps ahead. You should be, too.
What I learned leading one of the biggest Power Platform + Fabric + Azure initiatives on the planet
Imagine that a global humanitarian organization operating on every inhabited continent wants to modernize its most important core system, migrate its ERP and CRM, build an enterprise data platform, and launch multiple new AI and analytical workloads tackling scenarios ranging from medical assistance to climate change all in the span of 18 months. This is a thing.
...but it wasn't all smooth sailing.
This is a session about how to recognize the big problems in a storm, how to avoid crumbling under the day-to-day pressure to fix tactical issues, root out obstacles to success, and stay true to your strategy and vision as you navigate seriously choppy technical waters. If you think this doesn't apply to you because you're working on big, long-term projects and you can't change course now, think again. Join us to learn how even the biggest, most challenging initiatives can adapt and thrive in our new era of technological change.
The "Fallacy of Free" licensing for the Power Platform: Why free is not cheaper
In this eye-opening presentation, we'll delve into the often-misunderstood realm of "free" licensing for the Power Platform, a crucial component of digital transformation in modern enterprises. Despite the allure of cost savings, the reality of free licenses, mainly those "seeded" through M365, E3, and E5 plans, is fraught with limitations and hidden costs that can significantly impact business operations' long-term viability and security.
Understanding the concept of free licensing and its apparent benefits sets the stage for a deeper investigation into the critical aspects often overlooked by organizations. A significant focus will be on the limitations caused by the exclusion of Dataverse, a cornerstone for high security and governance within the Power Platform ecosystem. We will highlight through real-world examples the operational and financial implications of relying on low-security, low-governance solutions like SharePoint, which increase the risk profile and contribute to the accumulation of massive technical debt.
By comparing the total cost of ownership (TCO) for organizations leveraging free versus paid licensing, we will expose the hidden expenses associated with maintenance, security breaches, and system inefficiencies often accompanying solutions built using free licenses. By contrasting these with the long-term benefits and value of investing in Managed Environments and premium connectors through paid licensing, attendees will better understand how to maximize return on their Power Platform investments. This presentation will equip CxO-level managers and decision-makers with the insights and strategic frameworks necessary to reassess their licensing strategies. The session advocates for leaders to take a more informed and strategic approach to leveraging the Power Platform, ensuring organizations can fully capitalize on its capabilities to drive business transformation and growth.
Principles, real-world examples, and what every Ecosystem Architect must know
The grace period for organizations to get their act together and position themselves for the next wave of tech is growing much shorter. The margin for error is much narrower. The churn in cloud technology today will produce big winners and surprise losers. Ecosystem-Oriented Architecture (EOA) is the new path forward, allowing organizations that embrace it to more readily absorb successive waves of technological change in the era of AI, data, and beyond.
So, what must Ecosystem Architects know to thrive professionally and move their organizations and their customers forward?
Well, you'll need to move away from placing big point solutions like ERP and CRM at the center of your architecture, place data at the core, and adopt composable development approaches such that when one workload is added or removed, the rest of the ecosystem continues to function and evolve.
Join us to explore the application and real-world examples of ecosystem-oriented architecture, as well as the principles of platform first, composability, evolution, restraint, artistry, and following the money that will help you be the kind of Ecosystem Architect that leads winning organizations and their projects in the years to come!
ColorCloud Hamburg 2024 Sessionize Event
Nordic Summit 2023 Sessionize Event
Iberian Technology Summit Sessionize Event
South Coast Summit 2022 Sessionize Event
Dynamics 365 & Power Platform User Group - London User group Sessionize Event
Scottish Summit
Presented "An App or an Ecosystem? Scaling Microsoft’s “Cloud Application Platform"
Power Platform User Group - Ireland
Presented "An App or an Ecosystem? How to scale Microsoft's 'Cloud Application Platform'" with Lee Baker.
Power Platform Virtual Happy Hour
Led a "Power Platform Adoption, Enterprise Management, and Governance ROUND TABLE" with Keith Whatling.
Virtual Scottish Summit 2021 Sessionize Event
Microsoft Cloud (South Coast) User Group
Presented "An App or an Ecosystem? How to scale Microsoft's 'Cloud Application Platform'" with Lee Baker.
Microsoft BizApps @ Speed
Presented "An App or an Ecosystem? How to scale Microsoft's 'Cloud Application Platform'" with Lee Baker.
Healthcare 365 Summit 2020
Presented closing session "Pandemic Lessons for Rapid + Scaled App Development on Power Platform" with Keith Whatling and Emily Cartner.
Power Platform User Group London
CDS Saturday
Your Guide to Making the Business Case for Power Platform in your Organisation
Power Platform Summit North America
Power Platform Adoption, Enterprise Management, and Governance
European SharePoint Community
Power Platform as a First Class Citizen in the Cloud Transformation + App Modernization Journey
Power Platform Summit Europe
Power Platform Adoption, Enterprise Management, and Governance
Power Platform Virtual World Tour
Power Platform Adoption, Enterprise Management, and Governance
Ten Best Practices for No-Code / Low-Code Development on Power Apps
Microsoft Business Applications Summit (MBAS)
Power Platform Adoption, Enterprise Management, and Governance (co-presenting with Manuela Pichler)
Power Platform World Tour DC
Power Platform Adoption, Enterprise Management, and Governance
Ten Best Practices for No-Code / Low-Code Development on Power Apps
Scottish Summit Sessionize Event
Scottish Summit 🏴
Ten Best Practices for No-Code / Low-Code Development on Power Apps
United Nations Tech Innovation Day
Power Platform as a First Class Citizen in the Cloud Transformation + App Modernization Journey
Super Power Saturday London
Presented the morning keynote alongside Manuela Pichler, topic was "Power Platform as a First Class Citizen in the Cloud Transformation + App Modernization Journey"
Microsoft Technology Expo Sessionize Event
Power User Days Belgium 🇧🇪
Power Platform Adoption, Enterprise Management, and Governance (co-presenting with Lee Baker)
Microsoft Ignite 🇺🇸
Power Platform Adoption, Enterprise Management, and Governance
Migrating Legacy InfoPath to Power Apps
Power Platform Management and Governance Round Table
Power Platform World Tour Dublin 🇮🇪
Power Platform Adoption, Enterprise Management, and Governance
Ten Best Practices for No-Code / Low-Code Development on Power Apps
Power Platform World Tour Vienna 🇦🇹
Power Platform Adoption, Enterprise Management, and Governance
Ten Best Practices for No-Code / Low-Code Development on Power Apps
Power Platform Summit North America 🇺🇸
Power Platform Adoption, Enterprise Management, and Governance
Design best practices when getting started with a new Power App
PowerPlatform Saturday Sweden 2019 Sessionize Event
Power Platform Saturday Sweden 🇸🇪
Ten Best Practices for No-Code / Low-Code Development on Power Apps
Power Platform User Group London 🇬🇧
Power Platform Adoption, Enterprise Management, and Governance
Dynamics 365 Saturday D.C. 2019 Sessionize Event
Power Platform World Tour Toronto 🇨🇦
Power Platform Adoption, Enterprise Management, and Governance
Ten Best Practices for No-Code / Low-Code Development on Power Apps
365 Saturday Washington DC 🇺🇸
Power Platform Adoption, Enterprise Management, and Governance
Power Platform World Tour - London 🇬🇧
Power Platform Adoption, Enterprise Management, and Governance
Ten Best Practices for No-Code / Low-Code Development on Power Apps
Microsoft Inspire 🇺🇸
Presented the Power Platform Adoption Framework
Microsoft Business Applications Summit 🇺🇸
Hack4Good Charity Hackathon (Team Lead)
Migrating your legacy InfoPath and Access to PowerApps (Co-Presenter)
365 Saturday Kyiv 🇺🇦
Presented "Ten Best Practices for No-Code / Low-Code Development on Power Platform".
D365 Saturday Dubai 🇦🇪
Presented "Ten Best Practices for No-Code / Low-Code Development on Power Platform", and assisted facilitating "App in a Day" (AIAD).
Power Platform World Tour - Chicago 🇺🇸
Presented "Ten Best Practices for No-Code / Low-Code Development on Power Platform" and represented PowerApps as part of the expert panel to close the conference.
Power Platform World Tour - Washington DC 🇺🇸
Presented "Enterprise Management of Power Platform" and "Introducing the Power Platform Adoption Framework".
Microsoft Cloud Symposium 🇺🇸
Presented "Microsoft’s Power Platform and the Future of Business Application Software".
Andrew Welch
CTO + Founder @ Cloud Lighthouse | Microsoft MVP
London, United Kingdom
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