With over 20 years of experience developing software on the Microsoft stack, Roelant Dieben has a lot to share about stuff that has been obsolete for years. At Sopra Steria he is helping companies with their Azure cloud and AI challenges, he is a Microsoft Azure & AI MVP, and has a passion for machine learning & AI and application lifecycle management.

With over 20 years of experience developing software on the Microsoft stack, Roelant Dieben has a lot to share about stuff that has been obsolete for years. At Sopra Steria he is helping companies with their Azure cloud and AI challenges, he is a Mic... Show more

Your friendly neighbourhood Data Engineer. My background is in Finance, but I have had the pleasure to be working in IT for the past 8 or so years. In my daily life, I design and build scalable data solutions in the Azure cloud.

Your friendly neighbourhood Data Engineer. My background is in Finance, but I have had the pleasure to be working in IT for the past 8 or so years. In my daily life, I design and build scalable data solutions in the Azure cloud. Show more

Passionate about Power BI in general and DAX in particular.
Based in Barcelona, I speak Catalan, Spanish, English, Japanese and some German.

Passionate about Power BI in general and DAX in particular. Based in Barcelona, I speak Catalan, Spanish, English, Japanese and some German. Show more

Lakshmi is a Microsoft MVP (Data Platform) and a Certified Power BI Data Analyst, currently working in the Institutional Effectiveness department at Missouri University of Science and Technology. She is passionate about creating creative and innovative Power BI reports that not only make data pop but also provide actionable insights. She was a Finalist in the Microsoft Power BI DataViz World Championships 2025 and 2026, showcasing her ability to combine technical expertise with storytelling. An engaging speaker, she frequently speaks about all things Power BI at user groups and conferences, and also shares tips and best practices on her Medium blog.

Lakshmi is a Microsoft MVP (Data Platform) and a Certified Power BI Data Analyst, currently working in the Institutional Effectiveness department at Missouri University of Science and Technology. She is passionate about creating creative and innovati... Show more

Manpreet leads the Modern Workplace AI Solutions Team at Cognizant, where he designs and scales transformative Microsoft-based solutions for global enterprises. Partnering with leadership across diverse verticals—from Media and Entertainment to Financial Services and Healthcare—Manpreet orchestrates Agentic AI strategies that move beyond simple automation to create truly autonomous, intelligent ecosystems. His mission is to redefine the "Agentic Experience," ensuring that AI doesn't just respond to prompts but proactively solves business friction for global customers. As a Microsoft MVP in M365 and AI, he bridges the gap between complex architectural innovation and real-world business impact.

Beyond his leadership at Cognizant, Manpreet is a titan in the technical community. A revered MVP, his insights have reached a staggering 10 million+ readers through his extensive library of articles and blogs. He is the driving force behind numerous annual boot camps, hackathons, and fundraisers, all aimed at nurturing the next generation of tech talent. Whether he is architecting a unified AI Command Center for a Fortune 500 firm or mentoring the next generation of developers, Manpreet is driven by a relentless "human-first" philosophy. Amidst the rapid evolution of the AI landscape, he remains easily recognizable by his warm smile—a reflection of his genuine passion for empowering organizations to achieve more through the power of Agentic AI.

Manpreet leads the Modern Workplace AI Solutions Team at Cognizant, where he designs and scales transformative Microsoft-based solutions for global enterprises. Partnering with leadership across diverse verticals—from Media and Entertainment to Finan... Show more

AJ is a business leader and a decorated veteran of the Microsoft community, bringing nearly two decades of experience as a trusted advisor to businesses seeking to maximize their AI and ERP investments. He is an 8-time Microsoft MVP, awarded for his technical leadership, advocacy and engagement in the Dynamics 365 Business Central and Copilot Studio space. AJ is passionate about sharing his knowledge with the community and has spoken at over 50 global technology conferences and industry events. Through his talks, masterclasses, workshops, bootcamps and online contributions, AJ has built a reputation for translating complex technical concepts into practical solutions.

A mentor and an advocate for continuous learning, AJ is also an active community organizer, serving on the boards, planning committees and content committees of various Microsoft partner associations and user groups.

By day, AJ is the Chief Operating Officer at DSWi, an award-winning Microsoft Business Applications Partner since 2018. He is also the creator of the "AI Clarity Method" decision framework, the Editor of the AI-focused "OnlyCopilotFans.com" tech-news site, and the host of The OnlyBCFans Show, a podcast for the Business Central community.

AJ is a business leader and a decorated veteran of the Microsoft community, bringing nearly two decades of experience as a trusted advisor to businesses seeking to maximize their AI and ERP investments. He is an 8-time Microsoft MVP, awarded for his ... Show more

Anna is a veteran software and data engineer as well as a Microsoft Data Platform and AI MVP, boasting over 18 years of experience. She has undertaken various projects, including real-time analytics with Scala and Kafka, constructing Data Lakes with Spark, and applying engineering to Data Science. Anna currently serves as a RSA (Resident Solution Architect) and consultant, contributing to the development of Databricks and Transatlantix's data engineering and AI practice. With a genuine passion for data, she endeavors to bridge the gap between Software Development and Data Science. Anna's other areas of interest include DevOps (DataOps, MLOps, LLMOps), Agile methodologies, and organizing or participating in local Code Clubs.

Anna is a veteran software and data engineer as well as a Microsoft Data Platform and AI MVP, boasting over 18 years of experience. She has undertaken various projects, including real-time analytics with Scala and Kafka, constructing Data Lakes with ... Show more

Microsoft MVP -Azure AI Foundry || I'm working as a Developer. National Award Winner || Data Science ||AI&ML Enthusiast || Innovator || change the world || 10X Microsoft Certified|| New Technologies Enthusiastic|| Global Speaker || Azure Expert

Microsoft MVP -Azure AI Foundry || I'm working as a Developer. National Award Winner || Data Science ||AI&ML Enthusiast || Innovator || change the world || 10X Microsoft Certified|| New Technologies Enthusiastic|| Global Speaker || Azure Expert Show more

Michael is a Microsoft Azure MVP with over 20 years experience in both On-premises , Hybrid and Cloud environments with a particular focus on giving customers trusted advice in their Cloud Migration strategy.

Michael has spoken at both user groups and in-person conferences covering topics across the entire Azure platform from Azure Core Compute to Azure PaaS services. He has published LinkedIn Learning courses on the AZ-801 exam objectives, and regularly blogs at michaeldurkan.com. He contributes regularly to the Microsoft Q&A platform as an Azure Community Champion.

He works for Accenture as their Lead Azure Architect, where he designs and leads the delivery of complex Azure solutions for enterprise customers in Ireland and the UK .

Michael is a Microsoft Azure MVP with over 20 years experience in both On-premises , Hybrid and Cloud environments with a particular focus on giving customers trusted advice in their Cloud Migration strategy. Michael has spoken at both user grou... Show more

I’m a Chief Developer Advisor at Microsoft, working with CxOs and engineering leaders in EMEA to shape strategy, modernize developer experience, and navigate the shift toward human–agent collaboration. My work sits at the intersection of engineering depth and executive clarity — helping organizations make confident decisions about platforms, AI adoption, and the future of how software gets built.

I’m an engineer first and always. Thirty years in the craft means I still think in systems, constraints, and trade‑offs, and that technical grounding is what makes me effective in the rooms I’m invited into. Whether I’m advising on architecture, developer experience, or organizational design, I bridge hands‑on engineering reality with strategic direction so teams can deliver better, faster, and with more joy.

I’m a Chief Developer Advisor at Microsoft, working with CxOs and engineering leaders in EMEA to shape strategy, modernize developer experience, and navigate the shift toward human–agent collaboration. My work sits at the intersection of engineering ... Show more

Josh has been interested in computers since he was five years old. He has worked professionally as a developer, engineer, director, and architect for over 20 years. He considers himself a lifelong learner. He ​loves mentoring and working with others. His passion is seeing others progress through their careers.

Josh has led large product development initiatives for multiple financial services organizations. This has included migrating from desktop applications to the web and from on-premise to the cloud.

Josh has been interested in computers since he was five years old. He has worked professionally as a developer, engineer, director, and architect for over 20 years. He considers himself a lifelong learner. He ​loves mentoring and working with othe... Show more

Freelance Microsoft Fabric and Power BI consultant with 12+ years of experience, Microsoft MVP alumni, trainer and speaker. I help organizations deliver data projects by combining technical expertise, agile methods and AI. Convinced that AI is transforming our profession, I integrate Claude Code into my daily Fabric workflows — what I call AI-Augmented Delivery. Delivering fast, well… and with a smile.

Freelance Microsoft Fabric and Power BI consultant with 12+ years of experience, Microsoft MVP alumni, trainer and speaker. I help organizations deliver data projects by combining technical expertise, agile methods and AI. Convinced that AI is transf... Show more

Back in 2010 I began my career in IT.
After a brief stint as ERP Consultant, I transitioned into Data Realm.

Over the years, I explored the world of data from various perspectives, working both as a DBA and a BI Architect.

I'm a Microsoft Certified Professional at different levels in databases, BI and Azure areas.

Microsoft MVP for Data Platform category x4 and Microsoft Fabric Super User x2.

I'm one of the leaders of Power BI User Group in Italy and I'd been speaker during the Power Platform World Tour and Global Power Platform Bootcamp stops in Italy.

You can find me speaking at Azure Saturday, SQL Saturday, Data Saturday, and other community events across Europe.

I served as a technical reviewer for the books “Extending Power BI with Python and R”, "Microsoft Power BI Quick Start Guide" and “Power BI Cookbook, 3rd Edition”.

Last but not least, Hard Rock and Heavy Metal addicted!

Back in 2010 I began my career in IT. After a brief stint as ERP Consultant, I transitioned into Data Realm. Over the years, I explored the world of data from various perspectives, working both as a DBA and a BI Architect. I'm a Microsoft Cert... Show more

Bob Ward is a Principal Architect for the Microsoft Azure Data team, which owns the development for Microsoft SQL ground to cloud to fabric. Bob has worked for Microsoft for 32+ years on every version of SQL Server shipped from OS/2 1.1 to SQL Server 2025 including Azure SQL and SQL database in Fabric. Bob is a well-known speaker on SQL Server, Azure SQL, AI, and Microsoft Fabric often presenting talks on new releases, internals, and specialized topics at events such as SQLBits, Microsoft Build, Microsoft Ignite, PASS Summit, FabCon, SQLCon, and VS Live. You can also learn Azure SQL from him on the popular series https://aka.ms/azuresql4beginners. You can follow him at @bobwardms or linkedin.com/in/bobwardms. Bob is the author of the books Pro SQL Server on Linux, SQL Server 2019 Revealed, Azure SQL Revealed, SQL Server 2022 Revealed, Azure SQL Revealed 2nd Edition, and SQL Server 2025 Unveiled available from Apress Media.

Bob Ward is a Principal Architect for the Microsoft Azure Data team, which owns the development for Microsoft SQL ground to cloud to fabric. Bob has worked for Microsoft for 32+ years on every version of SQL Server shipped from OS/2 1.1 to SQL Server... Show more

💫🙆🏻‍♀️ Founder @ Stratadom
🎨📊 Data visualization and AI training
🧑‍🏫🤖 IA/ML Instructor @ LinkedIn Learning
🏅💻 Microsoft MVP Data Platform & AI Platform

I trust the power of data and persuasive communication.

Data visualization services: www.uxforpowerbi.com
More info: www.stratadom.com

💫🙆🏻‍♀️ Founder @ Stratadom 🎨📊 Data visualization and AI training 🧑‍🏫🤖 IA/ML Instructor @ LinkedIn Learning 🏅💻 Microsoft MVP Data Platform & AI Platform I trust the power of data and persuasive communication. Data visualization ser... Show more

When I was young I wanted to be an architect. As it turns out, I'm a different type of architect. I am a Microsoft 365 Solutions Architect.

When I was young I wanted to be an architect. As it turns out, I'm a different type of architect. I am a Microsoft 365 Solutions Architect. Show more

Jan Ketil is an Microsoft MVP since 2016 and are working as a COO and Principal Cloud Architect at CloudWay in Norway. He has been working in the industry for Microsoft Partners and Microsoft for more than 25 years. He loves to speak about anything around Endpoint Management, Identity, Security and Automation. He is also the lead for both community conferences Workplace Ninjas Norway and Nordic Virtual Summit. Jan Ketil has presented at large industry conferences like Microsoft Ignite, Microsoft Inspire, MMS, TechMentor HQ, Experts Live Europe, WPNinja and NIC Conference in Oslo. He is also a regular speaker at various User Group events across Europe.

Jan Ketil is an Microsoft MVP since 2016 and are working as a COO and Principal Cloud Architect at CloudWay in Norway. He has been working in the industry for Microsoft Partners and Microsoft for more than 25 years. He loves to speak about anything a... Show more

Budha is the Director of Product Ecosystem at Tyk, where he leads product education, ecosystem expansion, and adoption of open standards. He is the co-creator of the API platform maturity model, course instructor, conference speaker, and host of Tyk's annual LEAP conferences.

As the elected board chair of the OpenAPI Initiative, he is responsible for increasing membership, defining the value proposition, and driving the adoption of OAS, Arazzo, and Overlays.

Part product strategist, part developer advocate, and part storyteller, he’s on a mission to remove friction from API ecosystems by breaking down tech complexities preferably with a great metaphor and a well-placed pun.

Budha is the Director of Product Ecosystem at Tyk, where he leads product education, ecosystem expansion, and adoption of open standards. He is the co-creator of the API platform maturity model, course instructor, conference speaker, and host of Tyk'... Show more

Thomas "Tom" Martens is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP and Solution Architect at Munich Re. With over 25 years of experience delivering Business Intelligence, Data Warehousing, and Analytics solutions, Tom specializes in helping organizations tackle analytical challenges using Microsoft Fabric and Power BI. Alongside his full-time role, he offers freelance consulting for data platform and analytics projects. Tom is a regular speaker at international conferences and user group meetings, and co-author of the book Pro DAX with Power BI.

Thomas "Tom" Martens is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP and Solution Architect at Munich Re. With over 25 years of experience delivering Business Intelligence, Data Warehousing, and Analytics solutions, Tom specializes in helping organizations tackle a... Show more

Aicha Laafia, a Java software engineer with a love for coding, an interest in sustainability, and a commitment to empowering women in tech.

I am a Women Techmakers and Girls Code ambassador, an IAmRemarkable facilitator, a member of the Moroccan Association of Computing Science and part of Jetbrains Community Contributor program.

I focus on creating software with minimal environmental impact while mentoring and supporting women in technology.

When I’m not coding, I enjoy exploring delicious food, phone photography, and watching Formula 1.

Aicha Laafia, a Java software engineer with a love for coding, an interest in sustainability, and a commitment to empowering women in tech. I am a Women Techmakers and Girls Code ambassador, an IAmRemarkable facilitator, a member of the Moroccan A... Show more

Currently a Microsoft Data Platform MVP, Jared has been a data engineering consultant for over a decade, implementing Microsoft products. For more than three decades, he has been honing his skills in theater and other performing arts. As a speaker, Jared marries these two disciplines together, creating dynamic presentations that add entertainment to education. This symbiotic relationship can improve presentation engagement, support attendees in knowledge retention, and foster a culture of passion for the data industry.

As a speaker, Jared has spoken at events such as:
-FabCon Vegas and Atlanta
-DataCon Seattle (Microsoft Data Conference)
-PASS Summit
-SQL Saturdays, Multiple
-Microsoft Fabric Global Online Conference
-Future Data Driven Summit
-GroupBy Conference
-and more!

He also runs the YouTube channel DataBard, focused on making Data fun and teaching techniques along the way.

Technically-speaking, Jared has multiple Microsoft certifications in both on-prem and cloud technologies. He has extensive knowledge in:
-Microsoft Fabric
-SQL Query Development and Performance tuning
-Kimball Data Modeling
-ETL design patterns
-Azure SQL DB and Azure SQL MI

In his spare time, he continues to perform in community theater productions, as well as musically for his church. Upon request, he would be happy to assist with more theatrical portions of events, such as performing musical numbers.

Currently a Microsoft Data Platform MVP, Jared has been a data engineering consultant for over a decade, implementing Microsoft products. For more than three decades, he has been honing his skills in theater and other performing arts. As a speaker, J... Show more

Laila Bougria is a Solutions Architect and Engineer with over 15 years of experience in the Microsoft .NET space. She's a keynote speaker, a Microsoft MVP in Azure and Developer Technologies, and frequently shares her knowledge and insights at conferences worldwide. Currently, Laila is busy building NServiceBus at Particular Software and solving distributed riddles. When she's not immersed in complex problems or code, Laila enjoys indulging in her favorite pastime - knitting! She finds that tangling the yarn into beautiful patterns helps untangle her thoughts.

Laila Bougria is a Solutions Architect and Engineer with over 15 years of experience in the Microsoft .NET space. She's a keynote speaker, a Microsoft MVP in Azure and Developer Technologies, and frequently shares her knowledge and insights at confer... Show more

Hannes is a developer, a coach and a father of 3.

In software development, he has always had a passion for performance, databases, distributed systems and large scale applications. He's always weighing every solution's benefits against its drawbacks, reducing friction where possible.

As a coach, he is enthusiastic about knowledge sharing, personal growth and building careers. Building a company culture around learning is what gets him out of bed.

In his free time, when he’s not building LEGO® castles with his kids, he likes to spend time building guitars, playing chess, mountain biking and doing all round geeky stuff.

You can often find him on stage at the conference afterparty, especially as the guitarist of Dylan Beattie & the Linebreakers.

Hannes is a developer, a coach and a father of 3. In software development, he has always had a passion for performance, databases, distributed systems and large scale applications. He's always weighing every solution's benefits against its drawbac... Show more

I'm a Microsoft MVP in Business Applications who thinks the Power Platform community spent a decade treating "code" like a swear word. Now AI is generating JavaScript, React, and Python faster than most can review it. The real skill isn't generating code - it's deciding what NOT to build.

My journey in IT started in high school with ASP.NET and Android apps. I got serious about Microsoft technologies through the Student Partners program and joined the Czech Microsoft team in 2016, supporting startups through BizSpark. That's where I discovered Dynamics XRM and got hooked on the platform's potential - and its pain points.

Fellow MVP Jan Hajek and I started NETWORG to build Microsoft business applications the way professional developers expect: Dataverse plugins in C#, PCF components, custom connectors, automated testing with Playwright, and Azure DevOps pipelines that deploy code, infrastructure, and configuration as one unit. We adopted CI/CD and DevOps practices early because we kept hitting the ceiling of what point-and-click tooling could deliver.

I'm skeptical about AI hype. LLMs are excellent tools for working with unstructured information - but treating them like magic hurts adoption more than it helps. I focus on what actually works in production: architecture patterns documentation doesn't cover, real failures and workarounds, and why your AI-generated code still needs someone who understands what it's doing.

My sessions cover pro-developer experiences: Git monorepos, CI/CD pipelines, security internals, governance at scale, and AI-assisted full-stack development. If you've built a Power Platform app that grew beyond Excel automation into something mission-critical - and realized the tooling doesn't match the complexity anymore - these sessions are for you.

I organize the CZ/SK Power Platform User Group meetup at the Czech Microsoft office. Join us at https://ppug.community.

I'm a Microsoft MVP in Business Applications who thinks the Power Platform community spent a decade treating "code" like a swear word. Now AI is generating JavaScript, React, and Python faster than most can review it. The real skill isn't generating ... Show more

I am a software engineer who loves turning creative ideas into apps people actually enjoy using. Over the past ten years, I’ve worked across startups, service companies and product-based teams, and even had a go at entrepreneurship, picking up plenty of lessons along the way about building scalable and maintainable mobile solutions with modern tech.

I’m always curious and learning something new to keep up with the latest trends in mobile development.

I love connecting with other tech enthusiasts and entrepreneurs to share ideas or build something awesome together.

I am a software engineer who loves turning creative ideas into apps people actually enjoy using. Over the past ten years, I’ve worked across startups, service companies and product-based teams, and even had a go at entrepreneurship, picking up plenty... Show more

Nicola Paro is a Solution Architect with over 10 years of experience in the industry, with a special focus on the Industrial IoT environment. He is passionate about software development, primarily using .NET, Blazor, and AI technologies.

Nicola Paro is a Solution Architect with over 10 years of experience in the industry, with a special focus on the Industrial IoT environment. He is passionate about software development, primarily using .NET, Blazor, and AI technologies. Show more

I've been working as a .NET developer for over 16 years now in a variety of industries including government, retail and manufacturing. But I've been hacking around with computer code since I was old enough to read my Dad's copy of the ZX Spectrum BASIC coders manual.

I've been speaking about Functional C# at various user groups and conferences around the UK, USA, Europe and Australia and am particularly interested in seeing just how far we can push C# without breaking it.

In 2023 I released my first technical book: "Functional Programming with C#", published by O'Reilly Media.

When I'm not coding, or running after my two small children, I have been known to enjoy the classic series of Doctor Who, Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks, Cryptic Crosswords, and rather more coffee than is probably good for me.

I've been working as a .NET developer for over 16 years now in a variety of industries including government, retail and manufacturing. But I've been hacking around with computer code since I was old enough to read my Dad's copy of the ZX Spectrum BAS... Show more

Data Scientist, Microsoft MVP, Microsoft Certified *6, Microsoft Certified Trainer, Blogger, Author, Global Speaker

Data Scientist, Microsoft MVP, Microsoft Certified *6, Microsoft Certified Trainer, Blogger, Author, Global Speaker Show more

Empowering Organizations through Data, Analytics & AI

Tech Leader | Entrepreneur | Public Speaker | Technical Trainer | Consultant | Founder of Magna Data inc,
Microsoft Certified Professional in SQL Server, Azure, Fabric, Power BI & Excel. MCSA BI Reporting. MCP Data Scientist & Data Analyst, MCP Fabric. Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT). AWS Cloud, Snowflake DW, Databricks Fundamentals Certs.

Empowering Organizations through Data, Analytics & AI Tech Leader | Entrepreneur | Public Speaker | Technical Trainer | Consultant | Founder of Magna Data inc, Microsoft Certified Professional in SQL Server, Azure, Fabric, Power BI & Excel. MCSA ... Show more

I'm a dual Microsoft MVP in the categories: Azure and Security. With more than eighteen years of experience in large-scale global IT environments, I specialize in Modern Endpoint Management, Enterprise Mobility and Security, and Microsoft Azure. I currently manage an endpoint engineering team in a Healthcare organization in the U.S.
I’m a global speaker, I hold 20+ technical certifications. Beyond engineering leadership, I’m a mentor and advocate for diversity and inclusion in technology; I won a Global Award for Leadership in 2025 from the WomenTech Network. I thrive by empowering fellow professionals through community-driven learning, purposeful guidance, and accessible technical education.

I'm a dual Microsoft MVP in the categories: Azure and Security. With more than eighteen years of experience in large-scale global IT environments, I specialize in Modern Endpoint Management, Enterprise Mobility and Security, and Microsoft Azure. I cu... Show more