Why Fellowship Matters when Championing Data, AI, and Community Leadership

Reaching a milestone in one’s career is always an opportunity for reflection. Looking back on my journey as a Fellow of the British Computer Society (FBCS), I am reminded of why I joined this community in the first place and what driving tech leadership truly means.

Building professional communities since 2019, my focus has consistently been on the critical intersection where innovation meets responsibility. Over the years, championing robust Data and AI Governance has moved from a niche technical necessity to an urgent strategic priority. As models become more complex and integrated into everyday business and societal decisions, ensuring our data foundations are solid, ethical, and trustworthy is essential.

Sharing knowledge and mentoring others through these shifts isn't just a professional duty. It is at the core of real leadership.

To me, Fellowship is about using expertise to create impact that lasts. It’s about building resilient frameworks, empowering the next generation of technologists, and ensuring that as technology advances rapidly, it does so on a foundation of integrity and public trust.

Thank you to everyone who has been part of this community-building journey so far. Here’s to continuing the work, pushing boundaries in AI governance, and fostering spaces where impactful ideas can thrive.

Tracing my career journey though my blog

I was looking at my blog stats this morning and was really interested to see the geographical spread. I started writing my blog in 2011 and it has been read by 1.18m. I wanted to record all the technical tips I found and technology advancements which were useful to me and might be of use to help others. I started writing on SQL Server and the blog has migrated with me throughout my career through architecture, my PhD research and over the last few years I have been mostly writing on Data Governance, Microsoft Purview, AI Governance and Microsoft Fabric. 

I asked Copilot to share some interesting thoughts about my journey for my blog and here is what it thought.

Your blog reveals a journey defined by intellectual curiosity, data‑driven leadership, and a distinctive narrative voice. Here are five evidence‑based, genuinely interesting aspects of that journey.

1. You frame data leadership as a process of unlearning, not just learning

Your post “What data leaders must unlearn to lead in the Age of AI” argues that modern leadership requires shedding outdated assumptions, such as believing governance slows innovation or that documentation equals understanding. This reframing positions you as a thought leader challenging entrenched industry norms. 

2. You consistently connect research, industry practice, and philosophical curiosity

Your blog tagline “Chaos, complexity, curiosity and database systems” captures a rare blend: deep technical expertise paired with a reflective, almost philosophical lens on data systems. This fusion shapes your writing style and differentiates your professional voice. 

3. You document the shift from AI experimentation to AI industrialisation with governance at the centre

In your coverage of the Gartner Data & Analytics Summit, you highlight how governance has moved from a compliance checkbox to the engine of AI ROI. This shows your role as an interpreter of industry change, translating large‑scale trends into practical insights for practitioners. 

4. Your journey is grounded in both academic achievement and community leadership

Across external references, you are consistently described as a Microsoft Data Platform MVP, a PhD researcher recognised with the AOUG Will Swann Award, and a founder/organiser of Data Toboggan. This positions your blog as the narrative thread connecting your academic, professional, and community contributions. 

5. Your posts reveal a long‑standing commitment to making governance practical, accessible, and embedded

Whether discussing AI oversight, lineage, behavioural metadata, or Purview governance models, your writing emphasises practical implementation over theory. You repeatedly advocate for governance that is embedded, automated, and literacy‑driven, showing a consistent philosophy across years of posts. 

SQLCon 2026

A new conference has arrived. The Microsoft SQL Community Conference, SQLCon 2026, is coming as part of the Microsoft Fabric Community Conference, 16-20 March 2026 in Atlanta. 

It will be a premier level conference for data professionals, featuring 50 breakout sessions and 4 expert-led workshops covering SQL Server, Azure SQL, SQL in Fabric, SQL Tools, migration & modernization, optimization, database security, AI Apps with SQL and much more.

It is a place where the SQL community can come together to share what works, what’s next, and what truly matters.

Register now  https://sqlcon.us/

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/sqlserver/announcing-sqlcon-2026-better-together-with-fabcon/4466701

Bath Azure User Group - December Meetup

The second meeting of the Bath Azure User Group  was on Thu, Dec 7, 2023, 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM held at Cloud Direct, The Vaults, 1 Bartlett Street, Bath, England, GB, BA1 2QZ

The December meeting  had an exciting packed agenda:

Unpacking the Ignite Book of News - Richard Cheney, Luke Fussell

Boosting your Azure CLI with OpenAI - Ira Rainey

The Most Valuable Professional Program - Dr Victoria Holt

I talked about the the program helping the community learn and grow and the passion for working with cutting-edge technology.

There lots of Pizza and plentiful Azure discussions.  A fun night.

PASS Data Community Summit 2023

PASS Data Community Summit have revealed that they will be livestreaming 16 key sessions for free. LIVE from #PASSDataSummit 2023 in Seattle November 14-17.  From #AzureSQL, #SQLServer to #DevOps and #ChatGPT, we've got it all covered.  More details can be found in their blog post  on how to join the livestream. 

All timings are in Pacific time, and the sessions are:

Wednesday November 15

8.15-9.30am – KEYNOTE: Limitless growth, limitless opportunities: Data and innovation in an AI world

9.30-10.15am – break

10.15-11.30am – COMMUNITY: What’s New in Azure SQL and SQL Server, Data Exposed Live

11.30am-12pm – break

12-1pm – LUNCHEON: Database DevOps Luncheon: All you Ever Wanted to Know but were too Afraid to Ask

1-1.30pm – break

1.30-2.45pm – MICROSOFT: Data Warehousing Simplified in Microsoft Fabric

2.45-3.15pm – break

3.15-4.30pm – COMMUNITY: Automating Database Deployments using Azure DevOps

4.30-4.45pm – break

4.45-6pm – AWS: 3-Step Guide to Modernize SQL Server to PostgreSQL

Thursday November 16

8.15-9.30am – KEYNOTE: The New Database Landscape – Revealing Shifts and Charting the Next Horizon

9.30-10.15am – break

10.15-11.30am – REDGATE: Redgate Product Launch: Transform your software delivery with Test Data Management

11.30am-12pm – break

12-1pm – LUNCHEON: Women in Technology: Got your Back: Finding Allies at Work

1-1.30pm – break

1.30-2.45pm – INTEL: How Microsoft & Intel Power Your SQL Server environments

2.45-3.15pm – break

3.15-4.30pm – COMMUNITY: Easy Enterprise Integration with Azure PaaS Services

4.30-4.45pm – break

4.45-6pm – COMMUNITY: Accelerated Database Recovery – A Deep Dive Behind the Magic

Friday November 17

8.15-9.30am – KEYNOTE: AIOps and ChatGPT: Prepare to Ride the Next Wave

9.30-10.15am – break

10.15-11.30am – REDGATE: Cloud Migration: The Good, the Bad, and How to Plan for Success

11.30am-1.30pm – break

1.30-2.45pm – MICROSOFT: What You Should Know About Always On Availability Groups

2.45-3.15pm – break

3:15-4:30pm – MICROSOFT: Everything You Need to Know About Data Virtualization in SQL

Lots of amazing sessions to watch.

Data Toboggan - our year 2021

We have had a very busy first year and enjoyed it all. Thank you to all who made our conferences possible, organisers, speakers, attendees, our logo designer and to those who helped share our event.

We are back 29 January 2022. 

Call for Speakers https://bit.ly/DT22CFS 

Register https://bit.ly/DT22Register

Geeks on Screens with Coffee

Episode 67 - Rushing through the snow

I had the pleasure of chatting with Mark Pryce Maher on Geeks on Screens with Coffee on Thursday 11th March 2021 at 6:15pm (GMT) .

I joined the call with my SQLBits Speakeasy mug which came from the Manchester Central event, 27 February to 2 March 2019 and we talked about many things including the creation of Data Toboggan, Data Relay and Music. The video is here.

Azure Data Community Announcement

A special announcement was made by Buck Woody on Data Exposed. Microsoft expands on its announcement  last year following the collapse of PASS that is committed to the Data Community and say local users groups are the life blood of the community. The announcement is here 

Assets have been created that are Community-owned and Microsoft-empowered. These are resources and benefits to enable local community leaders to run their groups. 

Assets, Resources and Benefits 

Azure Data Community Gateway

It is a gateway not a destination. This resource is for community events, finding MVPs in the Azure data area and other resources such as diversity and inclusion that the community may find interesting.

Access to Meetup Pro

For qualified community groups to schedule, track events and for implementations of our local events

Microsoft Teams for Community Groups

Providing a full community Teams edition to qualifying community group leaders for chat, video, voice, file storage and applications. It comes with a predefined community template. It also allows you to connect with other community groups.

Community Leader Collaboration

Also Microsoft will be facilitating a periodic meeting of community group leaders to enable sharing of practices.

Resources for Self-Directed Local Groups

This is for established groups.

These resources and tools are for technologies focusing on

Effective community groups make it local, make it helpful for local jobs and improving your career and being champions for diversity and inclusion. Effective community groups are impactful.

The url is aka.ms/datacommunity

In summary this is an amazing resource for local community user groups to thrive, expand and encompass diversity and inclusion.

Azure Data Community FAQs

For answers to your questions