What is the Microsoft Strategic Architect Forum (SAF)

SAF is Microsoft’s most strategic event for the architect audience and in the architecture space each year. Managed by my team the Architecture Strategy Team, SAF demonstrates to our key customers and partners, as well as the larger architectural community, our thought leadership, our vision for the future, and the reality of our platform today. SAF demonstrates to our customers how valuable they are to Microsoft and how rich the Microsoft technology roadmap is for both the short-term as well as the long-term.

SAF is on track to be one of the most exciting, influential, and valuable events of the year. The response from the customers and partners, the Microsoft field, and the business groups has been extremely positive and very proactive.

I will be presenting and hosting at a number of informationals on Banking Transformation and SaaS in Financial Services.

There are only 250 seats at this invitation-only event, and we have quickly filled them with world-class architects. Here is just a sample of architects that have confirmed their attendance:

• Enterprise Architect, Dell   • Director of Architecture, Wal-Mart• VP of Architecture, Safeway                                                                       • Senior Architect, MySpace• Head Enterprise Architect, Sanofi Aventis                                             • CIO, Moscow Government• Chief Architect, Sandia                                                                                  • VP and CIO, Johnson & Johnson• Chief Architect, Commerzbank AG                                                           • Chief Architect, Environmental Protection Agency• Strategic Architect, Honda Motor                                                             • Chief Architect, Nokia• Chief Architect, Telefonica                                                                           • Enterprise Architect, Coca-Cola• CIO Army Material Command, U.S. Army                                              • Director Strategy & Architecture, BP

The agenda represents a broad array of keynote speakers, informational sessions, and roundtables. SAF is about establishing a strategic-level dialog with these key customers and partners and using that to deepen existing relationships and form new ones. With billions of dollars in revenue represented at the event, SAF plays a key role in helping cement our platform within key global accounts as well as cutting edge emerging businesses.

I look forward to meeting you!