Speakers

Darren Hardman is the Corporate Vice President and CEO of Microsoft UK & Ireland, responsible for all product and service offerings and driving AI leadership for commercial and public sector clients. With over 27 years’ experience, Darren Hardman has led teams in sales, consultancy, and digital transformation, collaborating with major European organisations. Before joining Microsoft in 2023, Darren Hardman was Vice President and General Manager for UK & Ireland at Amazon Web Services (AWS), where he shaped the company’s vision and supported digital cloud adoption. Darren’s career began at Accenture, holding leadership roles such as Global Head of Sales and COO, and leading Avanade’s European operations.

Darren is a member of the Board of Sutton Trust, the UK’s leading social mobility charity, and is the UK Social Mobility Champion for TechFirst, the UK Government’s initiative to help young people from all backgrounds find careers in technology. As well as being an advocate for social mobility, outside of work, Darren has been actively involved in both grassroots and professional football for many years. Darren holds an MBA with Distinction from Imperial College London and a BA in Economics and Econometrics from the University of Nottingham.