James Whittaker is a technology expert, having worked for some of the world’s biggest technology companies to date. Best known for his former roles as the Distinguished Engineer, Technical Evangelist and Partner Development Manager for Microsoft, James has pioneered speech, knowledge graph and developer platforms. Now the Chief Strategy Officer of DefinedCrowd Corp, James is also sharing his expertise as a keynote speaker for events, sharing anecdotes of experience from the world’s leading technology companies.
James’ first major technology role came in 1987, acting as a Programmer and System Admin for the Federal Bureau of Investigation- the FBI. Working here for just over a year, James then went on to become a Consultant for IBM before returning to university to complete a PhD in Computer Science. After his graduation, James worked as a Software Developer for Software Engineering Technology. Honing his entrepreneurial spirit, James then founded Security Innovation. Diversifying into teaching, James then became a Professor of Computer Science at the Florida Institute of Technology before being appointed as an Architect for Microsoft in 2006.
After three initial years with Microsoft, James moved to become the Engineering Director of Google. For two years, James oversaw the engineering practices at Google, working on Google + APIs and dev tool chain. He then returned to work for Microsoft, this time as the Partner Development Manager and later Distinguished Engineer and Technical Evangelist. Since then, James has also been the Chief Evangelist of Biscuit Labs and Chief Evangelist of DefinedCrowd Corp, before being appointed his current role as Chief Strategy Officer.
With a highly successful technology career to his name, working for the likes of Google and Microsoft, James is now widely regarded as an authority on the technology speaking circuit. Having spoken at events such as the Midwest Digital Marketing Conference, James is a seasoned speaker and commended for being ‘insightful, funny, accessible” and conveying a ‘clear message’. A skilled engineer, visionary leader and storyteller, when looking for a speaker who will bring a broader understanding of technology to events, James Whittaker is a fantastic choice as a keynote speaker.
In October 2023 we sat down virtually with James Whittaker and discussed how emerging technologies will shape our lives. Watch our Exclusive Interview with James Whittaker.
