About Cloud Lighthouse

Created by Andrew Welch—Microsoft MVP and experienced cloud technology leader—Cloud Lighthouse guides forward-looking CXOs and their teams, Microsoft partners, investors, and technologists crafting and executing their cloud strategy based on the idea that cloud ecosystems built upon strategic foundations make organizations future-ready to absorb successive waves of change. Cloud Lighthouse helps IT leaders to become strategic leaders for the age of AI, to assemble technologies from across Azure, Fabric, Power Platform, Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, and non-Microsoft services into modern cloud ecosystem that advance the strategic interests of IT and the business or public sector agency.

Thinking back to major technological waves since the advent of the public internet, for years we ran on eight to ten years between wave periods. Let's use the ".Com Era" (that sounds funny now, doesn't it?), followed by "Web 2.0" (remember that?), and then "The Cloud". These wave periods have now shortened to something more like three to five years with Cloud, followed by “platform-first”, followed by the AI wave we currently see breaking ashore. The big takeaway is that the grace period for organizations to get their act together and position themselves for the next wave is growing much shorter, the margin for error much narrower. When I think about the non-technical barriers that so many organizations can't seem to get over when it comes to platform-first, I really wonder how many will miss out on the AI wave because they lack the wisdom or the willpower to make the most of it.

Andrew Welch
Microsoft MVP award logo

Andrew Welch

Founder + CTO | Microsoft MVP | Author

Cloud technology leader, founder and CTO of Cloud Lighthouse, Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional), speaker, published author, and regular writer of essays and white papers on cloud technology including Strategic Thinking for the Microsoft Cloud, Crafting your Future-Ready Enterprise AI Strategy, and the multi-edition Power Platform Adoption Framework. Andrew works directly with CXOs, Microsoft partners, Microsoft product engineering groups, technologists, and investors to guide cloud strategy and ecosystem architecture. His previous service includes that as CTO, global Vice President, Practice Director, and VP of Operations, and other tech and business focused roles at various Microsoft partners. He’s led some of the world’s largest Microsoft adoptions on all seven continents (yes, including Antarctica), serving startup to Fortune 100 organizations, public sector agencies, and global NGOs. Based in London and Boston, Andrew makes frequent visits worldwide.

Highlights

  • Husband to Ana, father to Alexandra

  • Service as CTO, global Vice President, Practice Director, and VP of Operations at various Microsoft partners

  • Former uniformed U.S. Coast Guard, where I drove boats and later led strategic planning

  • Author of Strategic Thinking for the Microsoft Cloud, Enterprise Architecting an Ecosystem, the Power Platform Adoption Framework, and the published novel Field Blends

  • Previous recipient of global and national Microsoft “Partner of the Year” awards

  • Led enterprise Microsoft adoptions on all seven continents, including:

    • Cloud adoptions of Azure, data platform, Power Platform, and M365 technologies

    • App development, migration, and modernization

    • Infrastructure, security, and modern work migrations

    • Microsoft business applications (Dynamics 365) implementations

trans-Atlantic (and beyond)

Based in London and Boston with deep roots in the United States and Europe, engaged across borders, time zones, and cultures.