Igniting the African Growth Story: Harnessing Data, AI, and ML to Empower Industries, Markets, and Lives.

As an Intrepreneur/Entrepreneur, I am fuelled by a burning passion for propelling business growth through effective processes and structures. However, my vision extends far beyond that. I firmly believe that the power of Data Insights, Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning will serve as the catalysts propelling Africa into a realm of double-figure growth in sectors such as Agriculture, Financial Inclusion, Insurance Penetration, and more.

Forever a Mentee and student of life, I have amassed 9 years of invaluable experience as a dedicated and detail-oriented Project Lead/Owner. My journey has taken me through diverse environments, honing my skills in monitoring, maintaining, and surpassing client satisfaction goals and growth objectives through data-driven teams.

I hold a special interest in capturing the millennial market and leveraging Modelling Artificial Intelligence systems to unlock exponential growth opportunities in the African Market. To complement my expertise, I am currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Actuarial Science at the esteemed University of Nairobi.

Beyond my educational background and industry experience, I have founded two successful startups that showcase my commitment to driving technological advancements and intrinsic value in the world:

1. BimaSmart: An Insurance Evaluation platform revolutionizing risk assessment and pricing of micro-insurance. I successfully sold the concept to https://jetsure-agritech.com/ in 2016-2017.

2. Tose Technologies LTD: A groundbreaking Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning think tank focused on implementing AI in Agriculture Value Chains to mitigate risk associated with financial instruments. Though currently at the ideation stage, we are poised to embark on a proof of concept journey in October 2022.

Igniting the African Growth Story: Harnessing Data, AI, and ML to Empower Industries, Markets, and Lives. As an Intrepreneur/Entrepreneur, I am fuelled by a burning passion for propelling business growth through effective processes and structures.... Show more

Matthew D. Groves is a guy who loves to code. It doesn't matter if it's C#, jQuery, or PHP: he'll submit pull requests for anything. He has been coding professionally ever since he wrote a QuickBASIC point-of-sale app for his parent's pizza shop back in the 90s. He currently works for Couchbase, helping developers in any way he can. His free time is spent with his family, watching the Reds, and getting involved in the developer community. He is the author of AOP in .NET, Pro Microservices in .NET, a Pluralsight author, and a Microsoft MVP.

Matthew D. Groves is a guy who loves to code. It doesn't matter if it's C#, jQuery, or PHP: he'll submit pull requests for anything. He has been coding professionally ever since he wrote a QuickBASIC point-of-sale app for his parent's pizza shop ba... Show more

My name is Marco and I have an incredible passion for technology which I had the privilege to turn into a job. I’ve been working with .NET since the first beta, focusing on ASP.NET and, more generally, anything that is web related. I’ve been an early adopter of Microsoft Azure – who remembers the portal in Silverlight? :) – and, since its introduction, Cloud technologies have represented the core of my professional interest.

Today I work in the beautiful London, where I’m playing my part in saving the planet being the CTO at Mondra. Getting involved in the .NET and Azure community is also a key aspect of my profession: I’m convinced that knowledge sharing is one of the best ways to improve our professional skills, and therefore I try to dedicate as much time as I can to activities such as writing articles or speaking at conferences and meetups. Thanks to that, I’ve been awarded as a Microsoft MVP for the last 15 years in a row.

My name is Marco and I have an incredible passion for technology which I had the privilege to turn into a job. I’ve been working with .NET since the first beta, focusing on ASP.NET and, more generally, anything that is web related. I’ve been an early... Show more

Grishma Jena is a Data Scientist with the Product Excellence Office at IBM in San Francisco. As the only Data Scientist in the org, she supports 100+ user researchers and designers and uses data to understand user struggles and opportunities to enhance product experiences. She has received the Outstanding Technical Achievement Award (Major), one of the most prestigious company-wide awards, as recognition of her work.

She earned her Masters in Computer Science at University of Pennsylvania. Her research interests are in Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing. She has delivered 50+ talks and workshops across 10 countries including at PyCon US (largest Python conference in the world), QCon and LeadDev. She has also taught Python at the San Francisco Public Library and frequently guides school and university students.

Grishma is extremely passionate about encouraging, mentoring, and empowering people, especially women and students, in the world of technology. She has been recognized by the Python Software Foundation as a Fellow for her extraordinary efforts and impact upon Python, the community, and the broader Python ecosystem. She won the Silver Stevie Award for Changemaker of the Year (Gender) and was selected as one of Women Impact Tech honorees. She serves on the AI/ML Advisory Board for DevNetwork. She is also an ambassador for the Women in Data Science initiative, as well as a part of the leadership team for Society of Women Engineers - Golden Gate Section. In 2023, she was recognized by Women Who Code as one of 100 Technologists To Watch for her excellence, innovation, and leadership, and was also a finalist for Venture Beat's Women in AI mentorship award.

In her free time, she likes to write, cook, and explore new places.

Grishma Jena is a Data Scientist with the Product Excellence Office at IBM in San Francisco. As the only Data Scientist in the org, she supports 100+ user researchers and designers and uses data to understand user struggles and opportunities to enhan... Show more

Sierra is a Software Engineer at Clubhouse, based in Cincinnati, OH, USA, focused primarily on native Android. She loves building beautiful and accessible Android apps, sharing knowledge with the community, and mentoring aspiring mobile developers. She is a Google Developer Expert for Android and serves as a Director of Women Who Code Cincinnati, Director of Technology for getWITit (Women in Tech), Women Techmakers global Ambassador, and former global Leadership Fellow for Women Who Code Mobile.

Sierra is a Software Engineer at Clubhouse, based in Cincinnati, OH, USA, focused primarily on native Android. She loves building beautiful and accessible Android apps, sharing knowledge with the community, and mentoring aspiring mobile developers. S... Show more

Pavlo is a Staff Software Engineer at Meta. He is also a Google Developer Expert for Android and Kotlin. Previously he worked at Lyft, Turo and Grab on mobile infrastructure. He develops Android apps, focusing on mobile performance, developer productivity, and infrastructure.

Pavlo is a Staff Software Engineer at Meta. He is also a Google Developer Expert for Android and Kotlin. Previously he worked at Lyft, Turo and Grab on mobile infrastructure. He develops Android apps, focusing on mobile performance, developer product... Show more

Michael is a developer keen on the people side of things. He loves pairing, and in particular with people new to writing software. He especially likes driving software out with tests and directing the evolution of the design. In his spare time he does a bit of running, camping and watching any one of his 4 kids excel above anything he ever managed to achieve.

Michael is a developer keen on the people side of things. He loves pairing, and in particular with people new to writing software. He especially likes driving software out with tests and directing the evolution of the design. In his spare time he doe... Show more

A Product Manager for Azure SQL at Microsoft, in his previous roles for over 20 years he helped customers successfully build, migrate and optimize Microsoft Data solutions in OLTP & OLAP markets.
A community leader, he is leading Portuguese Data Platform User Group for over 11 years and he organized the first international SQLSaturday (#78 Lisbon).
A regular speaker at major events, such as SQLBits, PASS Summit, etc.

A Product Manager for Azure SQL at Microsoft, in his previous roles for over 20 years he helped customers successfully build, migrate and optimize Microsoft Data solutions in OLTP & OLAP markets. A community leader, he is leading Portuguese Data Pl... Show more

I work with Microsoft Cloud technologies since 2013 as a Consultant and Cloud Solution Architect. In these roles, I've helped many companies to successfully fulfill their cloud journey to Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Azure. Cloud journey and transition also means a high amount of process automation, which I cover with my PowerShell scripting skills. My personal goal is to make cloud technology and hybrid scenarios easily understandable for everyone. With this purpose in mind, I've founded my own company.

I work with Microsoft Cloud technologies since 2013 as a Consultant and Cloud Solution Architect. In these roles, I've helped many companies to successfully fulfill their cloud journey to Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Azure. Cloud journey and transitio... Show more

Angela is a Senior Architect, living in High Point, NC and loves what she does. She's worked with all versions of SQL Server & worn all the hats that come with dealing with SQL Server throughout the years: developer, administrator, data architect and BI developer. She has her MSCE in Data and Analytics (f.k.a., Business Intelligence), is a Data Platform MVP, and a Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT). She is the former chapter leader for the PASS Triad SQL User Group in Greensboro, NC. In her spare time you can probably find her in or at the pool, she's an avid US Masters Swimmer, Coach and Instructor.

Angela is a Senior Architect, living in High Point, NC and loves what she does. She's worked with all versions of SQL Server & worn all the hats that come with dealing with SQL Server throughout the years: developer, administrator, data architect and... Show more

Eliza is a senior Android engineer and a Google developer expert (GDE) for conversational AI. She began her Android journey in 2013 and has been actively involved in the tech communities as a volunteer, organiser, lead, or speaker ever since. In her spare time, she loves travelling, reading, solving puzzles, and taking long walks with her dog.

Eliza is a senior Android engineer and a Google developer expert (GDE) for conversational AI. She began her Android journey in 2013 and has been actively involved in the tech communities as a volunteer, organiser, lead, or speaker ever since. In her ... Show more

Cecelia Martinez is a developer, speaker, writer, and community leader. She is passionate about helping developers improve some of the most frustrating parts of their work – including testing, debugging, mobile app deployments, and fighting with YAML. She is known for her work at companies like Ionic, Replay, and Cypress, as well as her efforts to build inclusive developer communities by volunteering with Atlanta JavaScript, Out in Tech, and Women Who Code Mobile.

Cecelia Martinez is a developer, speaker, writer, and community leader. She is passionate about helping developers improve some of the most frustrating parts of their work – including testing, debugging, mobile app deployments, and fighting with YAML... Show more

Sam Basu is a technologist, author, speaker, Microsoft MVP and Lead Developer Advocate for Uno Platform. With a long developer background, he now spends much of his time advocating modern development platforms & AI tools for cross-platform technology stacks. His spare times call for travel, fast cars, cricket and culinary adventures. You can find him on the internet.

Sam Basu is a technologist, author, speaker, Microsoft MVP and Lead Developer Advocate for Uno Platform. With a long developer background, he now spends much of his time advocating modern development platforms & AI tools for cross-platform technology... Show more

Mackenzie is a developer advocate with a passion for DevOps and code security. As the co-founder and former CTO of a health tech startup, he learnt first-hand how critical it is to build secure applications with robust developer operations.
Today as the Developer Advocate at GitGuardian, Mackenzie is able to share his passion for code security with developers and works closely with research teams to show how malicious actors discover and exploit vulnerabilities in code.

Mackenzie is a developer advocate with a passion for DevOps and code security. As the co-founder and former CTO of a health tech startup, he learnt first-hand how critical it is to build secure applications with robust developer operations. Today a... Show more

By day, Jim Wooley is a Senior Delivery Principal for Slalom Consulting, In his free time, Jim is a frequent speaker, MVP, and author of "LINQ in Action". He is always striving to stay at the forefront of technology and enjoys the thrill of a new challenge. He has been active evangelizing LINQ since its announcement in 2005. In addition, he attempts to pass on the insights he has gained by being active in the community, including organizing and speaking at code camps and regional events, including MIX, VS Live, CodeMash, KCDC, That Conference, DevWeek, and CodeStock.

By day, Jim Wooley is a Senior Delivery Principal for Slalom Consulting, In his free time, Jim is a frequent speaker, MVP, and author of "LINQ in Action". He is always striving to stay at the forefront of technology and enjoys the thrill of a new cha... Show more

Aleksandar Nikolić is a Microsoft Azure MVP and a co-founder of PowerShellMagazine.com, the ultimate online source for PowerShell enthusiasts. As a Microsoft Azure Advisor, he provides valuable feedback and insights to the Azure engineering team. With over 18 years of experience in system administration, he is a trusted trainer and speaker who travels the globe to share his knowledge and skills on Azure and PowerShell. He has spoken at prestigious IT events such as Microsoft Ignite, ESPC, NIC, Techorama, PowerShell Conference Europe, NTK, and various others.
You can find him on Twitter (https://twitter.com/alexandair) and LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandair).

Aleksandar Nikolić is a Microsoft Azure MVP and a co-founder of PowerShellMagazine.com, the ultimate online source for PowerShell enthusiasts. As a Microsoft Azure Advisor, he provides valuable feedback and insights to the Azure engineering team. Wit... Show more

Arend-Jan Kauffmann is CTO at Lumos 365 Ltd., a UK-based partner with a Business Central solution for the energy sector.

With over 20 years of experience with Microsoft Dynamics NAV / Business Central and 30 years of experience in the IT industry, he has a solid track record in this business. With a strong focus on architecture, design and integration, he worked in different roles and with a broad range of technologies and platforms, including C/SIDE & VS Code development, C/AL and AL, Microsoft .Net, Microsoft Azure and Office 365.

He strongly believes that knowledge increases by sharing it, not by saving it. By delivering workshops and being a frequent speaker at conferences, he can put this into practice. Since 2013 Arend-Jan is awarded as Microsoft MVP Business Solutions.

Arend-Jan Kauffmann is CTO at Lumos 365 Ltd., a UK-based partner with a Business Central solution for the energy sector. With over 20 years of experience with Microsoft Dynamics NAV / Business Central and 30 years of experience in the IT industry,... Show more

Eric “waldo” Wauters

Eric is one of the founding partners of iFacto Business Solutions and Dynex bv.

With his 21 years of technical expertise, he is an everyday inspiration to its development teams.  As development manager he continually acts upon the technical readiness of iFacto and Dynex.
   
Apart from that, Eric is also very active in BC community, where he tries to solve technical issues and shares his knowledge with other Dynamics enthusiasts. Surely, a lot amongst you will have read some of Eric’s posts, which he invariably signs with “waldo”.

Lots of people have been using and even contributing to tools he shares for free on github.

His proven track record entitled him to be awarded since 2007 as MVP (Microsoft Most Valuable Professional).

Eric “waldo” Wauters Eric is one of the founding partners of iFacto Business Solutions and Dynex bv. With his 21 years of technical expertise, he is an everyday inspiration to its development teams.  As development manager he continually act... Show more

With a lifelong passion for the weirdness of the internet and a day job as a development lead for whoever hired him, Lemon spends his professional time making websites for money and his free time making websites for no money.

He's created a number of stupid things for the internet, like all the games on kinda.fun, the wikiHow guessing game damn.dog, the Google Autocomplete game idiots.win, and a bunch of other things of questionable use. He also hosts a podcast that looks at some of the internet's weirder subcultures. It is not safe for your work, unless you work somewhere really cool.

With a lifelong passion for the weirdness of the internet and a day job as a development lead for whoever hired him, Lemon spends his professional time making websites for money and his free time making websites for no money. He's created a number... Show more

Frank Geisler is the owner and CEO of GDS Business Intelligence GmbH, a leading Microsoft Solution Provider specializing in Data and AI. He holds numerous prestigious certifications, including Data Platform MVP, MCT, Azure Solutions Architect Expert, Azure Security Engineer Associate, Azure Data Engineer Associate, and DevOps Engineer Expert. In his role, Frank excels in building robust Business Intelligence systems leveraging Microsoft technologies such as SQL Server, Azure Data Platform, Microsoft Fabric, and Power BI. He is also proficient in constructing Azure infrastructures and architectures using PowerShell and Bicep.

Frank is a prolific author, having written several bestselling books including "Power BI für Dummies," "Azure für Dummies," "Docker für Dummies," and "Pro Serverless Data Handling with Microsoft Azure." As a frequent speaker, he has delivered insightful presentations at major national and international conferences like the PASS Community Summit, SQL BITS, and SQL Server Konferenz.

In addition to his professional achievements, Frank co-founded PASS Deutschland e.V. in 2004 and has served on its board of directors for many years. He also leads the Microsoft Data Community Regional Chapter Münsterland, contributing significantly to the community's growth and development.

Frank Geisler is the owner and CEO of GDS Business Intelligence GmbH, a leading Microsoft Solution Provider specializing in Data and AI. He holds numerous prestigious certifications, including Data Platform MVP, MCT, Azure Solutions Architect Expert,... Show more

Sviluppatore backend .net, appassionato di architetture software, attratto da tutte le possibili novità tecnologiche e costantemente alla ricerca di un pretesto per metterle in produzione. Da sempre ho un pensiero fisso: perchè per tutte le ultime novità del mondo informatico c'è sempre una teoria, uno studio o un articolo di Martin Fowler che risale ad almeno 10 anni prima? Oltre agli aspetti tecnici mi interesso di altre tematiche quali product ownership, leadership e metodologie agili.

Sviluppatore backend .net, appassionato di architetture software, attratto da tutte le possibili novità tecnologiche e costantemente alla ricerca di un pretesto per metterle in produzione. Da sempre ho un pensiero fisso: perchè per tutte le ultime no... Show more

Lars is Program Manager on Fabric Customer Advisory Team at Microsoft. His passion is helping organizations getting insights out of data. He joined Microsoft in 2014 and has been working with BI solutions since 1999.

Lars is Program Manager on Fabric Customer Advisory Team at Microsoft. His passion is helping organizations getting insights out of data. He joined Microsoft in 2014 and has been working with BI solutions since 1999. Show more

Marco is a business intelligence consultant and mentor. He wrote several books about Power BI, Analysis Service, and Power Pivot. He also regularly write articles and white papers that are available on sqlbi.com. Marco is a Microsoft MVP and an SSAS Maestro, the highest level of certification on Microsoft Analysis Services.
Today, Marco focuses his time with SQLBI customers, traveling extensively to train and consult on DAX and data modeling for Power BI and Analysis Services. Marco also teaches public classes worldwide.
Marco is a regular speaker at international conferences. He also enjoys delivering evening sessions at local user groups during his trips.

Marco is a business intelligence consultant and mentor. He wrote several books about Power BI, Analysis Service, and Power Pivot. He also regularly write articles and white papers that are available on sqlbi.com. Marco is a Microsoft MVP and an SSAS ... Show more

Bradley Ball is a Sr. Technical Program Manager at Microsoft. He is a Microsoft MVP Reconnect member and former MVP. Bradley spent 8 years working as a Defense contractor for clients such as the U.S. Army and The Executive Office of the President of the United States, was the Data Platform Practice Manager for Pragmatic Works Consulting, and a Sr. Consultant for Microsoft Premier Support for Developers. He has presented at many SQL Saturdays, for PASS SSUG’s across the US from California to Puerto Rico to New Hampshire, SQL Rally, DevConnections, SQLBits 2015, TechReady 24, SQL Live 360 2011-2019, SQL Intersections 2019 - 2021, & the PASS Summit 2011-2015. He wrote Chapter 14 Page & Row Compression for PRO SQL Server 2012 Best Practices, he hosts the Tales from the Field Monthly Microsoft Fabric PG Live Stream and technical videos on https://www.youtube.com/@Tales-from-the-Field.

Bradley Ball is a Sr. Technical Program Manager at Microsoft. He is a Microsoft MVP Reconnect member and former MVP. Bradley spent 8 years working as a Defense contractor for clients such as the U.S. Army and The Executive Office of the President o... Show more

Eric Overfield is a Microsoft Regional Director, a Microsoft MVP, a PnP team member, and a leading expert in Generative AI, Microsoft 365, data insights, and Azure architecture, strategy, and development. Chief Innovation Officer of Creospark, Eric has over 25 years' experience with web design best practices and techniques, and over 19 years' experience in digital workplace architecture and implementation. Besides his in-depth knowledge of SharePoint’s capabilities, his expertise includes AI, data, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, Microsoft 365, and Azure technology, design, and architecture along with custom solutions, TypeScript, JavaScript, and React. He is a co-author of Pro SharePoint 2013 Branding and Responsive Web Development (Apress 2013) and Black Magic Solutions for White Hat SharePoint (EUSP Press 2013). An engaged speaker and organizer of Microsoft 365 events as well as an active member of the PnP team.

Eric Overfield is a Microsoft Regional Director, a Microsoft MVP, a PnP team member, and a leading expert in Generative AI, Microsoft 365, data insights, and Azure architecture, strategy, and development. Chief Innovation Officer of Creospark, Eric h... Show more

Niels is a forward-thinking Software/AI Architect at Derivco, spearheading the development of innovative, AI-driven products that push the boundaries of iGaming technology. A pivotal figure in Derivco's AI initiatives, he played a key role in architecting and designing the company's first AI-driven promotion system, Arena+, setting new standards for performance and user engagement in the industry.

As a Microsoft AI MVP, Niels combines technical expertise with visionary leadership to explore the potential of AI in creating groundbreaking solutions. With a track record of designing and scaling high-performance iGaming systems, Niels is passionate about leveraging technology to redefine the gaming experience.

Niels is a sought-after presenter at technology conferences and has presented at, amongst others: Tech-ED, SQL PASS, DevWeek, SQL Bits, SQL Saturday, etc.

Niels is a forward-thinking Software/AI Architect at Derivco, spearheading the development of innovative, AI-driven products that push the boundaries of iGaming technology. A pivotal figure in Derivco's AI initiatives, he played a key role in archite... Show more

Emilie Rønning, a data girl in an Azure world.

She is a managing data engineer, based in Oslo, Norway. In addition to creating well-functioning insights and analysis data platforms, Emilie loves creating and implementing structure and solutions automating manual processes for her clients.

When not geeking out, she enjoys a long hike and a night or two in her hammock.

Emilie Rønning, a data girl in an Azure world. She is a managing data engineer, based in Oslo, Norway. In addition to creating well-functioning insights and analysis data platforms, Emilie loves creating and implementing structure and solutions a... Show more

Leonard Lobel (Microsoft MVP, Data Platform) is the chief technology officer and co-founder of Sleek Technologies, Inc., a New York-based development shop with an early adopter philosophy toward new technologies. He is also a Microsoft consultant at Ernst & Young.

Programming since 1979, Lenni specializes in Microsoft-based solutions, with experience that spans a variety of business domains, including publishing, financial, wholesale/retail, health care, and e-commerce. Lenni has served as chief architect and lead developer for various organizations, ranging from small shops to high-profile clients. He is also a consultant, trainer, and frequent speaker at local usergroup meetings, VSLive, SQL Bits, and other industry conferences.

Lenni has also authored several MS Press books and Pluralsight courses on SQL Server and Azure Cosmos DB programming.

Leonard Lobel (Microsoft MVP, Data Platform) is the chief technology officer and co-founder of Sleek Technologies, Inc., a New York-based development shop with an early adopter philosophy toward new technologies. He is also a Microsoft consultant at ... Show more

Geetha is a Solutions Architect and Customer Success professional specializing in big data management , storage , Kubernetes and Durable execution, with expertise in cloud-native and on-premises solutions. She ensures customer success and maturity by delivering effective, simplified solutions.

Geetha is a Solutions Architect and Customer Success professional specializing in big data management , storage , Kubernetes and Durable execution, with expertise in cloud-native and on-premises solutions. She ensures customer success and maturity by... Show more

Fabiano Amorim is a Microsoft Data Platform most valuable professional (MVP) since 2011. With over two decades of experience, Fabiano is well known in the database community for his performance tuning abilities and the many conference speaking engagements around the world.
He writes articles for Simple-Talk (https://www.simple-talk.com/author/fabiano-amorim/) and his blog is on http://blogfabiano.com.

Fabiano Amorim is a Microsoft Data Platform most valuable professional (MVP) since 2011. With over two decades of experience, Fabiano is well known in the database community for his performance tuning abilities and the many conference speaking engage... Show more