Founder of NorthStar Intelligence, Jeff Watkins, is a seasoned CAIO, CTO and CPTO who has spent his career leading technology, product, and AI organisations through rapid growth and reinvention. He’s steered engineering, product, cloud, cybersecurity, and AI strategy teams through major transformations, turning ambitious ideas into secure, human-centred digital experiences for some of the world’s best-known brands.

A lifelong technologist, Jeff brings over 25 years of hands-on experience across financial services, healthcare, the public sector and retail. He’s founded and led multiple cybersecurity teams and is a vocal champion of secure-by-design practices for generative AI. With an MSc in Cybersecurity and a second Master’s in Artificial Intelligence, he’s currently researching and writing a book on the topic of anthropomorphised LLM agents and deception detection.

On the international circuit, Jeff is a sought-after keynote speaker, headlining events such as Webinale (Berlin), AppDevCon (Amsterdam), the International JavaScript Conference (London), and Edinburgh Napier’s PlusEquals5 summit. His candid, story-driven take on the collision of AI, cybersecurity, culture and human behaviour resonates with audiences from engineers to executives.
He also co-hosts the multi-award-winning Compromising Positions podcast, where he interviews psychologists, anthropologists, UX researchers and security leaders to bring fresh, outsider insight to cyber. His thought leadership has been featured in Wired, Forbes, Raconteur, IT Pro, Business Cloud, and Information Age, and he’s a regular commentator for the wider technology and security press.

Whether mentoring emerging leaders, building prototypes, or demystifying AI on stage, Jeff’s mission is simple: build technology that elevates people, never the other way around.

Founder of NorthStar Intelligence, Jeff Watkins, is a seasoned CAIO, CTO and CPTO who has spent his career leading technology, product, and AI organisations through rapid growth and reinvention. He’s steered engineering, product, cloud, cybersecurity... Show more

Norm Young is a Power Platform Solution Architect at AvePoint. He is a 6-time Microsoft MVP with a focus on building collaborative solutions using SharePoint, Microsoft Teams and the Power Platform.

Norm blogs and speaks about Microsoft 365, the Power Platform and how they are better together and with a little bit of help from the community we can all do awesome things with technology.

Norm Young is a Power Platform Solution Architect at AvePoint. He is a 6-time Microsoft MVP with a focus on building collaborative solutions using SharePoint, Microsoft Teams and the Power Platform. Norm blogs and speaks about Microsoft 365, the P... Show more

Alessandro is a software engineer who loves immersing himself in the world of technology. Between coding sessions, he enjoys creating software solutions and discovering how to make projects more efficient, always keeping an eye on the DevOps world. When he's not in front of the computer, you can find him exploring new places and flavors.

Alessandro is a software engineer who loves immersing himself in the world of technology. Between coding sessions, he enjoys creating software solutions and discovering how to make projects more efficient, always keeping an eye on the DevOps world. W... Show more

Aidan Finn (@joe_elway) is a Microsoft Azure MVP and the founder of Cloud Mechanix, where he delivers expert-led Azure training and consulting based on decades of real-world experience. With a career spanning infrastructure, virtualisation, and cloud, Aidan helps organisations design secure, scalable Azure solutions—and empowers teams to master the platform themselves. Learn more at cloudmechanix.com and his blog, aidanfinn.com.

Aidan Finn (@joe_elway) is a Microsoft Azure MVP and the founder of Cloud Mechanix, where he delivers expert-led Azure training and consulting based on decades of real-world experience. With a career spanning infrastructure, virtualisation, and clou... Show more

Chris DeMars is a Senior Developer Advocate with over 20 years of technical experience. He speaks all over the world on web accessibility, feature flags, A/B testing, and CSS. For his community contributions, he holds awards as a Progress Champion and former Microsoft MVP, Google Developer Expert, Cloudinary Media Developer Expert, and Auth0 Ambassador. When he is not working on making the web great and accessible you can find him fishing, on the paintball field, rating Detroit Style pizza, and looking for UFO's.

Chris DeMars is a Senior Developer Advocate with over 20 years of technical experience. He speaks all over the world on web accessibility, feature flags, A/B testing, and CSS. For his community contributions, he holds awards as a Progress Champion an... Show more

Rune have been working with databases for 30+ years, primarily in those years with Microsoft SQL Server. Throughout the years he has had many roles, from Developer, Database Designer, Solution Architect and all the way to Production Dba.
Today Rune works for Vivicta as a Principal Cloud Architect on the different cloud vendor's Data Platform Services.
Rune is very active in the Microsoft Data Platform community and have held a position on the board for the Norwegian user group and for the last 8 years he has been running the largest Microsoft Data Platform conference on Norwegian soil, SQLSaturday Oslo, now re-branded to Data Saturday Oslo.
In his spare time you can find Rune in the woods of his hometown Arendal enjoying his hobby, building tracks and riding singletrack bicycling.

Rune have been working with databases for 30+ years, primarily in those years with Microsoft SQL Server. Throughout the years he has had many roles, from Developer, Database Designer, Solution Architect and all the way to Production Dba. Today Rune ... Show more

Jared Rhodes is a Principal Consultant at EPAM Systems and a Microsoft MVP with more than 15 years of experience in enterprise technology. He has led digital transformation work for Fortune 100 clients across insurance, retail, and life sciences, with a focus on cloud architecture, IoT, AI, and modern application platforms.

His current work spans Azure, AWS, and local private cloud infrastructure, with an emphasis on practical hybrid and edge architectures that connect devices, data, and applications. With a background in physics and a career that has included insurance systems, software engineering, and consulting across mobile, web, services, and cloud, Jared brings both technical depth and cross-domain range to modernization efforts.

His published work reflects a practical approach to architecture, particularly around reusable patterns such as event-driven edge inference and cloud feedback loops.

Jared Rhodes is a Principal Consultant at EPAM Systems and a Microsoft MVP with more than 15 years of experience in enterprise technology. He has led digital transformation work for Fortune 100 clients across insurance, retail, and life sciences, wit... Show more

Senior Developer/Team Leader at JIT Team with over 10 years of commercial experience. A passionate enthusiast for new technologies. Vlogger, blogger, YouTuber, and a person who feels best within the developer community. For more than 3 years, he has been helping people transition into the IT industry.

Senior Developer/Team Leader at JIT Team with over 10 years of commercial experience. A passionate enthusiast for new technologies. Vlogger, blogger, YouTuber, and a person who feels best within the developer community. For more than 3 years, he has ... 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

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

Pragati Jain is the Founder and Principal Consultant at Datavibe Solutions Ltd, where she leads end-to-end Microsoft Fabric implementations for global organizations. As a Microsoft Data Platform MVP and MCT, Pragati specializes in bridging the gap between intricate technical engineering and executive data strategy.

At Datavibe, she architects migrations from legacy Power BI environments to modern Fabric ecosystems, leveraging the full analytics stack- including Lakehouse, Data Engineering, and Real-Time Analytics. Her work is defined by a commitment to high-impact storytelling and technical excellence in PySpark, SQL, and advanced Fabric & Power BI development.

A recognized Superuser in the Microsoft Fabric Community, Pragati has spoken at over 80 global events, including the Microsoft Fabric Community Conference, PASS Data Summit, and SQLBits. Awarded the Sessionize Most Active Speaker badge four years running (2022–2025), she is a dedicated advocate for women in tech and mentors the next generation of data professionals.
Beyond data, Pragati is a trained Indian classical singer, painter, and hiking enthusiast.

📌 MVP Profile: https://mvp.microsoft.com/en-us/PublicProfile/5004163
🌐 Consulting: https://datavibe.co.uk

Pragati Jain is the Founder and Principal Consultant at Datavibe Solutions Ltd, where she leads end-to-end Microsoft Fabric implementations for global organizations. As a Microsoft Data Platform MVP and MCT, Pragati specializes in bridging the gap be... Show more

Working on SharePoint plaform for more than 10 years now (from On-Prem to Online), I enjoy solving challenges about business problems, bringing the latest enhancements and exploring every part of the Microsoft 365 / Azure world! I also take part to the PnP Initiative and love working with the community! I'm also recognized as a Microsoft MVP in the M365 category

Working on SharePoint plaform for more than 10 years now (from On-Prem to Online), I enjoy solving challenges about business problems, bringing the latest enhancements and exploring every part of the Microsoft 365 / Azure world! I also take part to t... Show more

Microsoft MVP since 2007.

Mediocre runner, average coder, good speaker, excellent trainer.

Most importantly, I enable others to build remarkable things on the Power Platform and Azure with code both high and low.

If you cannot find me online committing code to GitHub, tipping on https://crmtipoftheday.com, or talking on https://crm.audio, it must be a rare occasion when I run, spend time with the family, or travel from A to B.

Microsoft MVP since 2007. Mediocre runner, average coder, good speaker, excellent trainer. Most importantly, I enable others to build remarkable things on the Power Platform and Azure with code both high and low. If you cannot find me onlin... Show more

PowerPlatform is my passion, which is why I'm not only working in this field full-time. Also privately an app or a flow is built for everything.

PowerPlatform is my passion, which is why I'm not only working in this field full-time. Also privately an app or a flow is built for everything. Show more

With over 20 years of experience in the IT industry and an Cloud and Datacenter and Azure Hybrid MVP. Jan-Tore joined Spirhed in April 2018 as a Senior Datacenter Consultant focusing on Software-Defined Datacenter, Azure Stack, Azure. Previous worked as a Senior Consultant for the 2017 Partner of the Year, and before that worked as a Senior Engineer at Infront Finance responsible for their entire infrastructure. Jan-Tore has been blogging for 8years and presenting at conferences to share his knowledge of these technologies. Previous Speaker experience includes Nordic Infrastructure Conference in Norway, CDC Germany and Experts Live Netherlands.

With over 20 years of experience in the IT industry and an Cloud and Datacenter and Azure Hybrid MVP. Jan-Tore joined Spirhed in April 2018 as a Senior Datacenter Consultant focusing on Software-Defined Datacenter, Azure Stack, Azure. Previous worked... Show more

Neil McLoughlin is a seasoned IT professional with over 20 years of experience, specializing in cloud-based Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) solutions. As a dedicated Microsoft MVP, Neil focuses primarily on Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365, sharing his expertise through engaging content on YouTube. In addition to his work in the field, he leads the EUC Forum user group in the UK, fostering a community of end-user computing enthusiasts.

Neil McLoughlin is a seasoned IT professional with over 20 years of experience, specializing in cloud-based Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) solutions. As a dedicated Microsoft MVP, Neil focuses primarily on Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365,... Show more

I'm a results-driven data professional with nearly two decades of experience dedicated to transforming data into strategic assets. My journey began in the intricate world of data and systems integration, mastering ETL/ELT processes to build robust foundations. For the past 15 years, my expertise has deepened within the Microsoft data stack, spanning traditional BI tools (SQL, SSIS, SSRS, SSAS), the extensive Azure Data Platform services, and Power BI. Crucially, the last two years have seen me at the forefront of Microsoft Fabric, pioneering its capabilities.

Beyond core data integration, I bring 8 years of hands-on experience in creating and maintaining robust CI/CD pipelines within Azure DevOps, ensuring streamlined, automated, and reliable deployments for a diverse range of data projects. This commitment to operational excellence extends to my 3 years of experience in managing and nurturing a team of Data Engineers, fostering growth and driving collaborative success.

My dedication to the data community is a cornerstone of my professional identity. As a leader with the DFW Power BI User Group, I actively contribute to growing local talent and knowledge sharing. This year, I've had the incredible opportunity to share my deep knowledge of Microsoft Fabric as a speaker at various SQL Saturday events, user groups, and notably, at both the Microsoft Fabric Community Conference in Las Vegas and in Europe.

I'm a results-driven data professional with nearly two decades of experience dedicated to transforming data into strategic assets. My journey began in the intricate world of data and systems integration, mastering ETL/ELT processes to build robust fo... Show more

Brian has worked with data and analytics for more than two decades - varying projects on both size and complexity.

Now, by combining deep experience with a human approach to data and analytics, and a deep understanding of platform implementations, Brian build solutions that deliver actual change for people, for business, for everyone

Brian is a Data Platform MVP and Microsoft Recognized Fasttrack Solution Architect.

Brian loves data and is always trying to glue the business and tech together using his knowledge and experience.
He is always open to meet new people and help them to get better tomorrow.

Brian has worked with data and analytics for more than two decades - varying projects on both size and complexity. Now, by combining deep experience with a human approach to data and analytics, and a deep understanding of platform implementations,... 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

Sviluppatore e appassionato del mondo .NET dal 2015, Microsoft MVP dal 2023, geek da che ne ha memoria. Software Developer in Ellycode, interessato a varie tecnologie Microsoft tra cui Blazor, .NET, C# e servizi Azure. Speaker-wannabe, membro e amante delle community tecniche e non.

Sviluppatore e appassionato del mondo .NET dal 2015, Microsoft MVP dal 2023, geek da che ne ha memoria. Software Developer in Ellycode, interessato a varie tecnologie Microsoft tra cui Blazor, .NET, C# e servizi Azure. Speaker-wannabe, membro e amant... Show more

Damian Synadinos has many labels. He spent 25 years as a software executive across diverse industries, gaining deep experience in technology, quality, and leadership. Along the way, he’s also been a schoolteacher, a children’s book author, a comedic improviser, and a portrait artist - experiences that sharpened his ability to communicate, connect, and think creatively. In 2016, he founded Ineffable Solutions to become a full-time speaker focused on people and fundamental topics such as communication, empathy, risk, identity, and trust – areas that are timeless and universal. His keynotes, talks, and workshops feature original content that blends conceptual depth, practical insight, and interactive humor, engaging the audiences’ hearts, minds, and funny bones. The result is a thought-provoking, relatable message that creates a lasting impact in any context.

Damian Synadinos has many labels. He spent 25 years as a software executive across diverse industries, gaining deep experience in technology, quality, and leadership. Along the way, he’s also been a schoolteacher, a children’s book author, a comedic ... Show more

Thomas holds a degree in Business Economics, but has been a data explorer and a developer at heart ever since the days of dBase and Turbo Pascal. He touched his first SQL Server at V6.5, used covering indexes before they became a feature and joined the PASS community in 2006.

Thomas has been developing in Navision/Dynamics/Business Central systems for quite some time (since 2001, one year before MS acquired Navision), got his hands on R in 2014 (the year before MS bought Revolution Analytics), on the Power Platform from 2020 and the Arduino world from 2024 on. He has worked for ISVs as well as end-user companies, as a developer, consultant, accidental data engineer and he enjoys travelling around Europe speaking at data/dev events.

Thomas holds a degree in Business Economics, but has been a data explorer and a developer at heart ever since the days of dBase and Turbo Pascal. He touched his first SQL Server at V6.5, used covering indexes before they became a feature and joined t... Show more

Dylan Beattie is an independent consultant who has been building data-driven web applications since the 1990s. He’s managed teams, taught workshops, and worked on everything from tiny standalone websites to complex distributed systems. He’s a Microsoft MVP, and he regularly speaks at conferences and user groups all over the world.

Dylan is the creator of the Rockstar programming language, and the founder, vocalist and lead guitarist with The Linebreakers, the world's greatest nerd comedy classic rock disco alt punk covers band.

Dylan Beattie is an independent consultant who has been building data-driven web applications since the 1990s. He’s managed teams, taught workshops, and worked on everything from tiny standalone websites to complex distributed systems. He’s a Microso... Show more

Selena is a full-stack product engineer at Fresho in Melbourne Australia who is particularly passionate about TDD. As a self-taught coder with a background in management, she is well-equipped to mentor others. She is a recently retired champion kickboxer and fills her spare time with international travel, speaking at tech conferences and board appointments.

Selena is a full-stack product engineer at Fresho in Melbourne Australia who is particularly passionate about TDD. As a self-taught coder with a background in management, she is well-equipped to mentor others. She is a recently retired champion kickb... Show more

Eve Pardi is a Microsoft AI MVP and Senior Engineer in GenAI Tech Enablement at The LEGO Group, where she builds and scales AI and agentic systems across the organization. With more than a decade of experience in data science, NLP, and Azure-based AI engineering, she focuses on designing practical, responsible, and production‑ready AI solutions.

As a long‑time community leader and international speaker, Eve shares insights on generative AI, agentic architectures, and applied machine learning at conferences and meetups around the world.

Her mission is to make advanced AI accessible, reliable, and impactful, empowering both organizations and individuals to build the next generation of intelligent systems.

Eve Pardi is a Microsoft AI MVP and Senior Engineer in GenAI Tech Enablement at The LEGO Group, where she builds and scales AI and agentic systems across the organization. With more than a decade of experience in data science, NLP, and Azure-based AI... Show more

Michael Megel is a Microsoft MVP (AI Foundry & Power Apps) and Data Platform Architect specializing in Databricks on AWS and Microsoft Fabric.

With extensive experience across Azure, AWS, Generative AI, Power Platform, and intelligent automation, he connects enterprise data platforms with low-code and AI-driven solutions that deliver measurable business value.

Michael is an active speaker and community contributor who strongly believes in Never Stop Learning.

Michael Megel is a Microsoft MVP (AI Foundry & Power Apps) and Data Platform Architect specializing in Databricks on AWS and Microsoft Fabric. With extensive experience across Azure, AWS, Generative AI, Power Platform, and intelligent automation, ... Show more

Jens is Head of Product, CatMan at Redslim, driving the BI as a Service team as well as custom build & deliver projects.
The tech stack is wide, as Jens has a couple of decades in the industry, focusing on mainly Business Intelligence tools, but is also keen on Powershell, C#, Azure and Microsoft Fabric in general.
Jens is 9 years in a row Microsoft Data Platform MVP and a frequent speaker at both local and international events.

Jens is Head of Product, CatMan at Redslim, driving the BI as a Service team as well as custom build & deliver projects. The tech stack is wide, as Jens has a couple of decades in the industry, focusing on mainly Business Intelligence tools, but is ... Show more

Miguel Llorca is a seasoned technologist and entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience in the IT industry.

Since 2014, he has been honored with the Microsoft MVP award, for his contributions to technical communities. He is also a member of the Microsoft Regional Director program, recognized for his extensive technical and business acumen and leadership within the community.

Additionally, Miguel is a Microsoft Certified Trainer, an instructor and author for LinkedIn Learning, and a regular speaker at industry events and conferences, earning the distinction of LinkedIn Top Voice in 2024 and 2025.

Miguel Llorca is a seasoned technologist and entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience in the IT industry. Since 2014, he has been honored with the Microsoft MVP award, for his contributions to technical communities. He is also a member of th... Show more

Samantha St-Louis is the VP of AI App Innovation at Atmosera, where she leads enterprise-scale AI and agentic system strategy for global organizations. Her work focuses on designing intelligent, scalable AI architectures that move beyond experimentation into real operational and business impact.

With a background spanning cloud architecture, AI engineering, healthcare, and education, Samantha specializes in translating complex AI concepts into clear decision frameworks that executives, architects, and practitioners can actually use. She is known for building systems that connect strategy to execution, whether that means multi-agent orchestration, AI governance, or practical GenAI adoption.

As a Microsoft MVP and Microsoft Certified Trainer, Samantha brings a rare blend of hands-on technical depth and compelling communication. Her talks are pragmatic, honest, and grounded in real projects helping organizations avoid AI sprawl and focus on outcomes.

Beyond technology, Samantha is a strong advocate for women carving unconventional paths into tech leadership. Her own journey informs her work, her teaching style, and her belief that clarity, structure, and courage matter more than traditional credentials.

1. From AI Pilots to Platforms: Designing Enterprise-Grade Agentic AI
2. AI Literacy for Leaders: Making Confident Decisions in an Imperfect World
3. Better Decisions, Not Better Dashboards: How AI Actually Improves Business Outcomes

Samantha St-Louis is the VP of AI App Innovation at Atmosera, where she leads enterprise-scale AI and agentic system strategy for global organizations. Her work focuses on designing intelligent, scalable AI architectures that move beyond experiment... Show more

Godson Njoku is a product development specialist with a background in economics and experience across health tech, fintech, logistics and other digital domains.
He works as a QA Specialist at Komplete Care, combining hands-on testing with automation to deliver reliable software for pharmacies, labs, and hospitals. With a cross-functional background in product management and UX, Godson also mentors upcoming tech talent in the Learnable Program and co-organises the Google Developer Group Enugu.

Godson Njoku is a product development specialist with a background in economics and experience across health tech, fintech, logistics and other digital domains. He works as a QA Specialist at Komplete Care, combining hands-on testing with automatio... Show more