Speaker

Chintan Patel

Chintan Patel

Microsoft 365 MVP | Microsoft Certified Trainer Community Lead: South Africa | ICT Trainer & Consultant | Microsoft ISC Instructor | Certiport CATC & Proctor

Benoni, South Africa

Actions

I am a Microsoft 365 MVP, Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT), and MCT Community Lead for South Africa with over a decade of experience bridging technology, education, and community impact. I help trainers, professionals, and organizations unlock the power of Microsoft technologies - while also building strong, sustainable communities outside the classroom.

Trainer & Consultant
For ten years, I’ve delivered technical training across Microsoft 365, Power BI, Azure AI, Copilot for Microsoft 365, and the Microsoft Fundamentals series. I prepare candidates for certification, run a Certiport Authorized Testing Centre, and serve as a Mudita Instructional Skills Instructor, delivering the official instructional skills certification for MCTs.

MCT Program Leadership
Since 2020, I have served as MCT Community Lead for South Africa, collaborating with four Microsoft Program Managers to shape the global MCT Program. I host webinars, moderate the global MCT Network on Facebook and LinkedIn, and champion program standards. In 2024, I was recognized as a Microsoft MVP in Microsoft 365, honoring my contributions to the Microsoft ecosystem.

Corporate & Governance Experience
At the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), School of Law, I managed IT operations, budgets, procurement, and vendor relations. I played a central role in the SharePoint 2013 adoption strategy and Managed Print Solution rollout, guiding institutional strategy. I also reported to senior committees, gaining experience in program operations, governance, and stakeholder engagement.

Community Leadership
Beyond technology, I lead volunteer-driven initiatives:

parkrun Ambassador - I oversee three weekly fitness events, coordinating directors and 20–30 volunteers, supporting hundreds of participants each week.

My journey is built on one principle: empowering people through knowledge, collaboration, and community. Whether teaching, advising, or leading, I connect people with the tools, confidence, and networks they need to succeed.

Badges

Area of Expertise

  • Information & Communications Technology

Topics

  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft Excel VBA
  • Microsoft Teams
  • Microsoft OneDrive
  • Microsoft Forms
  • Microsoft Power BI
  • Microsoft SharePoint
  • Microsoft Office 365
  • Microsoft Copilot
  • Microsoft Copilot Studio
  • Microsoft 365
  • Microsoft 365 Copilot
  • Microsoft 365 Apps
  • Microsoft 365 Adoption
  • Microsoft 365 Copilot Adoption
  • Microsoft MVP
  • Microsoft Power Virtual Agents

Ctrl + Alt + Teach: Rebooting from End User Training to Technical Training

In the dynamic landscape of Microsoft technologies, trainers often need to "reboot" their approach to keep pace with evolving demands. Transitioning from teaching end-user courses like Microsoft Office to delivering technical training on platforms such as Azure or Power BI is a significant shift. This session, "Ctrl + Alt + Teach: Rebooting from End User Training to Technical Training," is designed to help trainers navigate this transformation smoothly and effectively.

By pressing "Ctrl + Alt + Teach," we symbolically initiate a reset—altering our control (Ctrl), changing our approach (Alt), and enhancing our teaching (Teach). This session addresses the complexities of this transition, offering strategies to overcome challenges and excel in delivering technical courses.

Race to Success: Power Up Your Business Insights with Power BI

Ready, Set, BI!

Join us for an electrifying 20-minute session where we’ll sprint through the power of Power BI to track and illustrate performance for a major sports event like Comrades 2024 and fun, community athletic events like parkrun. Discover how you can take the insights from these athletic achievements and apply them to real-life business triumphs.

This demo-driven session is not just about business; it’s about bridging the gap between personal and professional achievements. We’ll have a brief discussion but expect a high-energy, visual showcase of Power BI’s capabilities, complemented by the intelligence of Copilot.

Whether you’re an athlete aiming for a personal best or a business leader striving for company excellence, Power BI and Copilot can be your ultimate performance coaches. Don’t miss this chance to power up your insights and race towards success!

Using Microsoft Teams Live Events and Webinars for all your Event Management Needs

In this session, we will look at how you can jumpstart your own production company on budget using Microsoft Teams Live Events and Webinars.

We'll start off by comparing the two types of events (Live Events and Webinars) and when to use a specific type of event. We'll then explore all the steps involved when planning for both types of events - what needs to happen to set up a webinar and what needs to happen to set up a live event.

We will also see how some of the Microsoft 365 apps can assist, such as Microsoft Forms for registrations, Microsoft Power Automate for adding conditional logic in your registration forms, creating accessible and inclusive presentations using Microsoft PowerPoint, analyze post-event data with Microsoft Power BI and other tools in the Microsoft stack as well as other third-party tools to further enhance the events you hold.

MO-200 - Microsoft Excel Associate Exam Prep

Unlike the Microsoft technical certifications where the exams are presented in multiple choice format, the Microsoft Excel Associate (MO-200) exam tests candidates on performance-based scenarios using various basic to intermediate features of Microsoft Excel. Candidates have a time of 50 minutes to complete various practical tasks and achieve a minimum of 700 points out of a possible 1000 points are required to pass the exam, to earn the Microsoft Excel Associate certification. This session will explore techniques on how to tackle the questions that are presented as well as tips and tricks on how to manage your time in the exam. The exam objectives for the Microsoft Excel Associate exam can be found here:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/certifications/exams/mo-200

The MCT as a Learning Partner

Official courses are delivered by MCTs through Learning Partners. But did you know that MCTs can register to be a learning partner too? Find out how you can become a learning partner and what the partner program changes mean for the you if you already are a learning partner.

We will also look at value add options, such as offering testing, support contracts and self study resources.

Microsoft Office Specialist Certifications Overview

The Microsoft Office Specialist Certifications Overview will discuss the importance of the Microsoft Office Specialist program for all job roles in the world today. Results from recent research explaining its benefits will be discussed. Information about the Microsoft Office Specialist Worldwide Championships will be discussed - Microsoft Office Specialist competition for those individuals between the ages of 13 and 22. An overview of each Microsoft Office 365 / 2019 exam will be provided. Lastly, the importance of digital badging and the next steps in Microsoft 365 certification will be discussed.

Data and AI Community Day August 2024 Sessionize Event

August 2024 Johannesburg, South Africa

Data & AI Community Day Durban: Season of AI Sessionize Event

July 2024 Durban, South Africa

European MCT Summit 2022 Sessionize Event

September 2022 Zürich, Switzerland

M365 Chicago - Virtual Event Sessionize Event

November 2020 Chicago, Illinois, United States

Chintan Patel

Microsoft 365 MVP | Microsoft Certified Trainer Community Lead: South Africa | ICT Trainer & Consultant | Microsoft ISC Instructor | Certiport CATC & Proctor

Benoni, South Africa

Actions

Please note that Sessionize is not responsible for the accuracy or validity of the data provided by speakers. If you suspect this profile to be fake or spam, please let us know.

Jump to top