Enterprise Architect and Microsoft MVP specialising in Azure and Infrastructure as Code for regulated industries.
With deep expertise in Azure architecture, platform engineering and cloud-native technologies, I deliver solutions that strengthen compliance, unlock efficiency, and empower transformation.
I’m passionate about sharing knowledge, writing technical blogs, presenting at conferences, and mentoring the next generation of cloud professionals. I help teams and individuals build secure, auditable systems that drive real business outcomes in the UK and beyond.

Enterprise Architect and Microsoft MVP specialising in Azure and Infrastructure as Code for regulated industries. With deep expertise in Azure architecture, platform engineering and cloud-native technologies, I deliver solutions that strengthen com... Show more

Rie Merritt has been working with SQL Server since 1999, when she started as a data analyst for a non-profit. She has worked in many industries over the years including pharmaceutical, e-commerce, legal, financial, education and both federal & state government. She is currently Principal PM Manager with Microsoft Azure Data, serving as the Influencers, Community & Events lead. She is liaison between the product group and Influencers, User Groups, MVPs & Super Users, and her team owns the FabCon workstream for Engineering. She is based out of Redmond, but works remotely from her home near Atlanta.

Since 2010, Rie has done extensive work with the SQL Community. She was an MVP in the Data Platform for three years, speaking frequently at conferences across the US and moderating webinars, WIT panels and career panels. She has also served co-leader of the Women in Technology Virtual Group and Executive Director of SQL Saturday Atlanta. Currently, Rie helps run the Atlanta Azure Data User Group heading up Microsoft’s efforts for the Azure Data Community.

Rie Merritt has been working with SQL Server since 1999, when she started as a data analyst for a non-profit. She has worked in many industries over the years including pharmaceutical, e-commerce, legal, financial, education and both federal & state ... Show more

Joanne Klein is an independent Microsoft 365 consultant, a 9-time Microsoft MVP in Microsoft Purview and SharePoint, and an Advanced Compliance specialist in the Microsoft suite of tools. Joanne works with her customers on planning and implementing information protection and data governance controls across their Microsoft 365 environment to address the unique challenges of today's modern workplace. She’s a firm believer that it’s not all about technology.

Joanne blogs about these areas with a focus on how to secure, protect, and govern information assets while minimizing end-user impact.

Joanne Klein is an independent Microsoft 365 consultant, a 9-time Microsoft MVP in Microsoft Purview and SharePoint, and an Advanced Compliance specialist in the Microsoft suite of tools. Joanne works with her customers on planning and implementing i... Show more

Marcus is a platform engineer at Monzo, a UK based bank committed to making money work for everyone, helping build their infrastructure platform. His main area of focus in recent years has been around Go, Kubernetes, containers and DevOps but originally started out as a web developer and JavaScript enthusiast. A self-described “tinkerer”, when not building Kubernetes solutions, Marcus likes to dabble with 3D printing and experimenting with smart home tech.

Marcus is a platform engineer at Monzo, a UK based bank committed to making money work for everyone, helping build their infrastructure platform. His main area of focus in recent years has been around Go, Kubernetes, containers and DevOps but origina... Show more

Hanno Embregts is a Java Developer with a passion for learning, teaching and making music.

In his day-to-day job as a Teacher / Technology Advocate at Info Support, Hanno prefers work that is fast-paced and versatile. This is why he juggles Java development, software architecture, public speaking, leading Info Support’s Speaker Community and teaching courses at Info Support’s Knowledge Centre.

Hanno is a Java Champion, an Oracle ACE Pro and one of the leaders of the NLJUG (the Dutch Java User Group). Outside of work Hanno likes making music with his friends. He plays the flute, the guitar and he likes to sing.

Software conferences are Hanno’s favourite thing in the world, because they allow him to do the three things he loves most at the same time: learning new things, teaching others about stuff he discovered and yes: even making music from time to time!

Hanno Embregts is a Java Developer with a passion for learning, teaching and making music. In his day-to-day job as a Teacher / Technology Advocate at Info Support, Hanno prefers work that is fast-paced and versatile. This is why he juggles Java d... Show more

With a strong background in Power Platform adoption, governance, and enablement, I help organizations bridge the gap between technology and business needs. As a Power Platform advisor and team lead, I mentor software developers, drive best practices, and ensure scalable, well-architected solutions. My expertise covers automation, low-code development, and AI integration, always with a focus on user-centric design and business value. I have a hands-on approach, supporting teams through training, and strategic consulting to encourage a healthy working culture and internal capability building. At conferences and community events, I share insights through talks, panels, and workshops, always aiming to inspire, connect and enable. I thrive in fast-paced, complex projects, balancing pragmatism with a strong drive for quality and innovation. Ultimately, my goal is to make technology accessible, impactful, and future-proof for customers and their people.

I've been in the Microsoft ecosystem since 2017, starting as a Dynamics 365 CE developer before evolving into a Power Platform Advisor. Today, I lead a team of Power Platform experts, driving adoption, governance, and innovation.

Academical Background:
• M.Sc. in Computer Science | Saarland University
• M.Sc. in Computer Engineering | Polytechnic University of Tirana

With a strong background in Power Platform adoption, governance, and enablement, I help organizations bridge the gap between technology and business needs. As a Power Platform advisor and team lead, I mentor software developers, drive best practices,... Show more

Kevin Griffin has been running production .NET applications and teaching developers for over two decades. A Microsoft MVP specializing in .NET and Microsoft Azure, Kevin brings real-world experience from consulting and his own SaaS products. He's hosted the Hampton Roads .NET User Group since 2009 and founded RevolutionVA, a nonprofit supporting software development education in southeast Virginia. Kevin's talks blend hard-won lessons from production systems with practical advice you can use Monday morning.

Kevin Griffin has been running production .NET applications and teaching developers for over two decades. A Microsoft MVP specializing in .NET and Microsoft Azure, Kevin brings real-world experience from consulting and his own SaaS products. He's hos... Show more

Sami Laiho is one of the world's leading professionals in the Windows OS and Security. Sami has been working with and teaching OS troubleshooting, management, and security since 1995. Sami's session was evaluated as the best session in TechEd North America, Europe and Australia in 2014, and Nordic Infrastructure Conference in 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 (Keynote for NIC).

At Ignite 2018 Sami's sessions were ranked as #1 and #2 out of 1708 sessions!! This was the first time in the history of the conference that anyone has been able to do this!

Sami is also an author at PluralSight and the conference chair for the TechMentor and "Cyber Security and Ransomware Live!" conferences.

More info at: https://samilaiho.com/

Sami Laiho is one of the world's leading professionals in the Windows OS and Security. Sami has been working with and teaching OS troubleshooting, management, and security since 1995. Sami's session was evaluated as the best session in TechEd North A... Show more

With more than 23 years of professional experience in software development and over a decade specializing in training developers, Tore is a seasoned expert in the industry.

He currently operates as an independent consultant, delivering high-quality training, coaching, and consulting services. His areas of focus include .NET, ASP.NET Core, Software Architecture, Web Security, and Identity Management.

In 1996, Tore launched his first website, which evolved into Programmers Heaven—a web community that attracted a peak audience of over 750,000 visitors per month.

With more than 23 years of professional experience in software development and over a decade specializing in training developers, Tore is a seasoned expert in the industry. He currently operates as an independent consultant, delivering high-quali... Show more

📘 https://amzn.to/3ummI9B
🌐 https://blog.azinsider.net
💻 https://github.azinsider.net

▬▬▬▬▬▬ Hello There! 👋 ▬▬▬▬▬▬
Let's connect - https://www.linkedin.com/in/daverndn/

I'm David Rendon (Dave Rendon), a Microsoft Azure and AI MVP for 13 consecutive years and a Microsoft Certified Trainer. As an IT professional with more than 15 years of experience, I have focused strongly on Microsoft technologies and Azure since 2010.

📘 https://amzn.to/3ummI9B 🌐 https://blog.azinsider.net 💻 https://github.azinsider.net ▬▬▬▬▬▬ Hello There! 👋 ▬▬▬▬▬▬ Let's connect - https://www.linkedin.com/in/daverndn/ I'm David Rendon (Dave Rendon), a Microsoft Azure and AI MVP for... Show more

Scott Bell is a hands on AI & data strategy consultant and Principal Consultant at RapidData, helping organisations turn modern data platforms into measurable outcomes through strong architecture, practical engineering, and delivery discipline.

With 10+ years across data engineering, data science, and cloud solution architecture, he’s worked in sectors including public sector/health regulation, energy, retail, trading, and hospitality. Building data products, Agentic AI, real-time insights, and end-to-end intelligent platforms from requirements to production.

Previously, Scott was the UK&I Databricks SME at Avanade, supporting teams and clients with reference architectures and platform best practices.
He holds a Master’s in Computer Science with a focus on secure machine learning in the cloud, and maintains 30+ certifications across Microsoft Azure, Databricks, Security, DevOps, and Terraform.

Scott loves experimenting with new AI capabilities especially where “agentic” systems meet real operational constraints. A current focus is agentic governance & security: how to threat model AI agents, reduce blast radius, and make “helpful” automation safe, observable, and accountable in production.

Outside work, he’s usually found talking Rugby League, tinkering with R and Azure, or making overly serious notes about beer.

Scott Bell is a hands on AI & data strategy consultant and Principal Consultant at RapidData, helping organisations turn modern data platforms into measurable outcomes through strong architecture, practical engineering, and delivery discipline. W... Show more

Tim Spann is the Senior Solution Engineer - Financial Services working with Snowflake, Cortex AI, Apache NiFi, Apache Iceberg, Python, Apache Polaris, Streamlit, Cloud Data, Vectors, Data, Generative AI, ML, Hugging Face, Apache Kafka, Apache Flink, Pytorch, big data, the IoT, machine learning, and deep learning. Tim has over a decade of experience with the IoT, big data, distributed computing, streaming technologies, and Java programming. Previously, he was a Principal Developer Advocate at Zilliz/Milvus, Principal Developer Advocate at Cloudera, Developer Advocate at StreamNative, Principal Field Engineer at Cloudera, a Senior Solutions Architect at AirisData and a senior field engineer at Pivotal. He holds a BS and MS in computer science.

https://medium.com/@tspann
https://www.youtube.com/@FLaNK-Stack

Tim Spann is the Senior Solution Engineer - Financial Services working with Snowflake, Cortex AI, Apache NiFi, Apache Iceberg, Python, Apache Polaris, Streamlit, Cloud Data, Vectors, Data, Generative AI, ML, Hugging Face, Apache Kafka, Apache Flink, ... Show more

Lian always wanted to save the world. After leaving law school, she decided to work with computers instead.
While in Web Dev, she started attending tech events, and soon fell in love with the community. In her roles as Consultant and DevRel, Lian combined technical knowledge with a focus on the human side.
Currently, Lian works as freelance Platform Engineer in Amsterdam and is the Chief Karaoke Officer for Kuberoke, the first and only Kubernetes Karaoke Community. She also enjoys performing in musical improvisation theatre and standup comedy shows.

Lian always wanted to save the world. After leaving law school, she decided to work with computers instead. While in Web Dev, she started attending tech events, and soon fell in love with the community. In her roles as Consultant and DevRel, Lian c... Show more

Eberhard Wolff has 20+ years of experience as an architect and consultant - often on the intersection of business and technology. He is Head of Architecture at SWAGLab. As a speaker, he has given talks at international conferences and as an author, he has written more than 100 articles and books e.g. about Microservices and Continuous Delivery. His technological focus is on modern architectures – often involving Cloud, Domain-driven Design, and Microservices.

Eberhard Wolff has 20+ years of experience as an architect and consultant - often on the intersection of business and technology. He is Head of Architecture at SWAGLab. As a speaker, he has given talks at international conferences and as an author, h... Show more

Rendle is the CTO of XRAI, on a mission to subtitle and translate real life using AI and mixed reality. When it comes to programming they are obsessed with maximizing performance and minimizing complexity. When it comes to speaking, they combine 40 years experience in tech with skills acquired as a professional stand-up comic in the 90s to deliver entertaining and informative talks at conferences around the world. They recently learned to play bass so they could join tech parody band The LineBreakers and promptly became obsessed with that, too.

Rendle is the CTO of XRAI, on a mission to subtitle and translate real life using AI and mixed reality. When it comes to programming they are obsessed with maximizing performance and minimizing complexity. When it comes to speaking, they combine 40 y... Show more

Andrea Dottor, I am a consultant, developer, and trainer in the .NET field (primarily ASP.NET and Blazor), author of the podcast 📢 '.NET in Pillole,' and a 🏆 Microsoft MVP since 2008.

I am one of the founding members of XE - Development User Group (XeDotNet).

I began my journey in software development in 2002 using the .NET Framework in the industrial automation sector, later transitioning to the web world in 2005, a field that has fascinated me and continues to provide new challenges and opportunities for growth.

Andrea Dottor, I am a consultant, developer, and trainer in the .NET field (primarily ASP.NET and Blazor), author of the podcast 📢 '.NET in Pillole,' and a 🏆 Microsoft MVP since 2008. I am one of the founding members of XE - Development User Gro... Show more

Pieter Nijs is .NET Consultant at Xebia Microsoft Services where he helps customers with 'everything mobile and cloud'.

He has a keen interest in mobile and cloud development and has played a key role in numerous projects, ranging from expansive customer facing healthcare, telecom and media applications to smaller LOB applications.

Currently, Pieter is diving into the fascinating realms of artificial intelligence, exploring how these cutting-edge technologies can bring added value to customer projects and solve complex problems in innovative ways.

Pieter is passionate about constantly exploring and experimenting with new and innovative technologies both at work and in his spare time, which he eagerly shares with others. He is a seasoned speaker at conferences, trainer, and blogger at blog.pieeatingninjas.be. He has been awarded the Microsoft MVP Award since 2017, reflecting his unwavering passion and expertise in serving the community. His first book, 'The MVVM Pattern in .NET MAUI' (published by Packt Publishing), was recently released and has been very well received.

Pieter Nijs is .NET Consultant at Xebia Microsoft Services where he helps customers with 'everything mobile and cloud'. He has a keen interest in mobile and cloud development and has played a key role in numerous projects, ranging from expansive ... Show more

Tanya is an Author, LinkedIn Top Voice, and AVP at Barclays. A renowned Agile project management expert, cybersecurity specialist, and technology leader, Tanya has inspired thousands with her insights on STEM education, leadership, and innovation. As a Certified Scrum Master and Business Analyst, she has helped businesses optimize project delivery and foster collaboration.

Her book, Discovering The Silver Bullet, offers valuable lessons on Agile transformation and project management. Tanya is also a mentor at AnitaB.org and a WIFM Wolfpack Facilitator, empowering professionals worldwide.

Tanya is an Author, LinkedIn Top Voice, and AVP at Barclays. A renowned Agile project management expert, cybersecurity specialist, and technology leader, Tanya has inspired thousands with her insights on STEM education, leadership, and innovation. As... Show more

Pamela Paterson, MS, CBAP, PMP, is a speaker, best-selling author of 12 books, and senior tech consultant specializing in business systems analysis and project management. With a strong background in systems engineering and experience working with over 100 organizations, Pamela has delivered workshops, webinars, and presentations worldwide and authored 10 books, including two international best-sellers. Pamela has also taught project management for over ten years in Toronto, Canada. In 2023, 2024, and 2025 she stands out as one of the most active speakers on Sessionize. For more details, visit her LinkedIn profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamelapaterson/, or contact her at pamelatheba@gmail.com.

Pamela Paterson, MS, CBAP, PMP, is a speaker, best-selling author of 12 books, and senior tech consultant specializing in business systems analysis and project management. With a strong background in systems engineering and experience working with ov... Show more

Ines Akrap is a Frontend Engineer, Google Developer Expert, and co-author of Building the Sustainable Web. She is a Solutions Engineer at Storyblok and co-chairs the W3C Sustainable Web Interest Group, where she helps shape global guidelines for a more resilient internet.

She focuses on helping developers build systems that work in the real world, balancing performance, accessibility, and long-term impact. Her work explores the decisions behind the code. What we choose to build, what we choose to leave out, and how those choices shape the web we leave behind.

When not at her laptop, she is practicing real-world constraints with two small humans.

Ines Akrap is a Frontend Engineer, Google Developer Expert, and co-author of Building the Sustainable Web. She is a Solutions Engineer at Storyblok and co-chairs the W3C Sustainable Web Interest Group, where she helps shape global guidelines for a mo... Show more

Daniel Laskewitz is a Principal Cloud Advocate at Microsoft, specializing in the Power Platform. He helps (advanced) makers, IT professionals, developers, and architects accelerate solution delivery through both low-code and pro-code tools.

▶️ Career progression: Former Microsoft MVP (6 years) and Fast-Track Recognized Solution Architect before joining Microsoft.
▶️ Community voice: Regular speaker at leading tech conferences and co-author of Power Platform Weekly.
▶️ Platform breadth: Deep knowledge across Copilot Studio, Power Apps, Power Automate, ALM, and governance.
▶️ Content creator: Publishes practical guidance on Copilot Studio, solution design, and ALM.

Daniel combines platform expertise with real-world application to support scalable, secure, and maintainable solutions.

Daniel Laskewitz is a Principal Cloud Advocate at Microsoft, specializing in the Power Platform. He helps (advanced) makers, IT professionals, developers, and architects accelerate solution delivery through both low-code and pro-code tools. ▶️ Ca... Show more

Hrittik is a Platform Advocate at Loft Labs and a CNCF Ambassador, with expertise in cloud native technologies and open source communities. He has contributed extensively to developer advocacy, technical writing, and community engagement. Hrittik has been a featured speaker at events such as Kubernetes Community Days, Open Source Summits, and more, and has served as a Program Committee member for several KubeCons and CloudNativeCons.

Hrittik is a Platform Advocate at Loft Labs and a CNCF Ambassador, with expertise in cloud native technologies and open source communities. He has contributed extensively to developer advocacy, technical writing, and community engagement. Hrittik has... Show more

Shivay Lamba is a software developer specializing in DevOps, Machine Learning and Full Stack Development.

He is an Open Source Enthusiast and has been part of various programs like Google Code In and Google Summer of Code as a Mentor and is currently a MLH Fellow. He has also worked at organizations like Amazon, EY, Genpact. He is a Tensorflow.JS SIG member and community lead from India.

Shivay Lamba is a software developer specializing in DevOps, Machine Learning and Full Stack Development. He is an Open Source Enthusiast and has been part of various programs like Google Code In and Google Summer of Code as a Mentor and is curre... Show more

Meet Dan from Denmark 🇩🇰 - A Microsoft 365 developer and consultant 🧑‍💻 - with a huge passion for community 🙌

Dan has “only” been working with Microsoft technologies since 2018 📅 - making him a “cloud native” developer ☁️

When he started working with Microsoft 365, he instantly fell in love with the platform 🎉 - and especially how fast and easy it is to create real world value for end users 🚀 - and that is what he is passionate about sharing with others 🙌

When he’s not working the next community sample 🎉, blog post ✍️ or at work 🥱 - he loves to throw plastic in nature 🌳 - quite literally, Dan loves to play Disc golf 🥏

#SharingIsCaring 🙌

Meet Dan from Denmark 🇩🇰 - A Microsoft 365 developer and consultant 🧑‍💻 - with a huge passion for community 🙌 Dan has “only” been working with Microsoft technologies since 2018 📅 - making him a “cloud native” developer ☁️ When he started ... Show more

Daniel is a serial conference and meetup organiser. He's a Cloud Native Consultant at Splitbrain, a Hybrid and Cloud Native-focused consultancy, and a Microsoft Azure MVP. He helps companies succeed with Cloud Native technologies and DevOps practices. When not working with tech, you can find him out in the woods or fishing at a lake.

Daniel is a serial conference and meetup organiser. He's a Cloud Native Consultant at Splitbrain, a Hybrid and Cloud Native-focused consultancy, and a Microsoft Azure MVP. He helps companies succeed with Cloud Native technologies and DevOps practices... Show more

As a Principal Engineer on the Delivery Engineering mission at The New York Times, I specialize in Cloud Infrastructure technologies, focusing on developing robust and scalable Kubernetes-based solutions. My primary focus is crafting a secure and flexible runtime environment that empowers service teams to swiftly and efficiently deploy their applications. This platform stands as a testament to rapid application development, underpinned by a commitment to security and adherence to industry best practices.

Before my tenure at The Times, I played a significant role at Hello Fresh as a Senior Backend Engineer, where I honed my skills in backend systems and application optimization. Additionally, my experience as an Application Development Lead at Wireless Network Group enriched my perspective on software development, especially in telecommunications.

As a Principal Engineer on the Delivery Engineering mission at The New York Times, I specialize in Cloud Infrastructure technologies, focusing on developing robust and scalable Kubernetes-based solutions. My primary focus is crafting a secure and fle... Show more

Henry Been is an independent architect and developer from The Netherlands. He enjoys working with software development teams to create and deliver software for the Azure cloud. His interests include Azure, Agile, DevOps, software architecture and the design and implementation of testable and maintainable software. Besides his work he is a speaker at international conferences, is the author of two books, and creates online training courses for Pluralsight and A Cloud Guru. For his work in the community, he has been awarded the Microsoft MVP Award since 2019. To follow Henry, you can go to his blog henrybeen.nl or look him up on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/henrybeen

Henry Been is an independent architect and developer from The Netherlands. He enjoys working with software development teams to create and deliver software for the Azure cloud. His interests include Azure, Agile, DevOps, software architecture and the... Show more

Heidi Jordan is a Modern Workplace consultant who partners with customer to navigate the intricate landscape of SharePoint, forms, and workflow solutions. Her proficiency lies in meticulously crafting custom solutions that align with business imperatives, while simultaneously addressing the nuanced requirements of end-users. Heidi actively participates in industry conferences, Community Days, and User Group speaking events, sharing her insights and connecting with fellow enthusiasts.

Heidi Jordan is a Modern Workplace consultant who partners with customer to navigate the intricate landscape of SharePoint, forms, and workflow solutions. Her proficiency lies in meticulously crafting custom solutions that align with business imperat... Show more

Tomas Piaggio is a software engineer and community leader, currently CTO at Centinel, a Google Developer Expert for Firebase, and a Google for Startups Accelerator Mentor. He leads the Google Developer Groups (aka GDG) in Montevideo and is a Software Architecture Professor at ORT University Uruguay.

Tomas Piaggio is a software engineer and community leader, currently CTO at Centinel, a Google Developer Expert for Firebase, and a Google for Startups Accelerator Mentor. He leads the Google Developer Groups (aka GDG) in Montevideo and is a Software... Show more

Andres is a Java/Groovy developer and a Java Champion, with more than 2 decades of experience in software design and development. He has been involved in web and desktop application development since the early days of Java. Andres is a true believer in open source and has participated on popular projects like Groovy, Griffon, and DbUnit, as well as starting his own projects. Founding member of the Griffon framework and Hackergarten community event. Author of JReleaser.

Andres is a Java/Groovy developer and a Java Champion, with more than 2 decades of experience in software design and development. He has been involved in web and desktop application development since the early days of Java. Andres is a true believer ... Show more