Directions ASIA 2024

From Chile to Thailand, and now rooted in The Netherlands, my journey has been one of purpose and passion. With six years at Microsoft, I’ve specialized in Advanced Support for Partners. Let me share my story. A Global Journey Born in Chile, I embraced international studies in Thailand. A decade there shaped my love for culture and connections. Destiny led me to The Netherlands—a hub of innovation and collaboration. Resilience and Support Mentors and colleagues fueled my zeal. Family and friends provided unwavering support during challenges. Empowering Partners As a Partner Success Evangelist, I empower our partners. Real-time, informative Microsoft Partner Support is my forte. Beyond Work In my downtime, you’ll find me playing tennis, padel, and exploring the underwater world through diving.

Revolent is a world-leading tech talent creation and reskilling company with operations across Europe, North America, and APAC. Our purpose is to solve the tech skills gaps and change people’s lives. We create, deliver, and enable tech talent, giving businesses and organizations of all sizes access to the skills they need to digitally transform their operations while empowering people from all walks of life to build a rewarding career in tech.

Profile Highlights: Adnan Amin having over 17 years of extensive experience on Microsoft Technologies with major expertise on SharePoint Server, Office 365, .Net Platform and Microsoft BI. He is currently working as Consultant for Olive + Goose. He has implemented SharePoint for different government and private sector in Gulf Region and United States which also include Fortune 500 companies. He is Microsoft MVP for Office Apps & Services since 2015 and Microsoft Certified Trainer for past 13 years. He was also MCT Regional Lead for Five years (2012- 2017). Being a Microsoft Certified Trainer, he is involved in training to corporate sector within Pakistan and Middle East. He is a technology evangelist, blogger, speaker and engaged with community through different tech forums.

Vjekoslav Babić, or just Vjeko, is a Business Central architect, developer, trainer, author and blogger. With more than two decades of experience in the IT, he worked with vast range of technologies, but his passion has always been anything that had to do with the web and mobile worlds. Deep down, Vjeko is a hacker who took a long time to realize that the one thing he loves is writing code. He enjoys breaking things apart to see how they work. As a frequent speaker at conferences, in his demos, and his blog, he is pushes the limits of what's possible, connecting the world of Business Central with anything that can be plugged into it through some loophole or undocumented interface, especially if it's not meant to be used that way. Since spring 2010, Vjeko has been awarded the Most Valuable Professional (MVP) award for Microsoft Dynamics NAV. You can meet him at his blog "Vjeko.com - ideas in the cloud".

My name is Christian and I have been with Microsoft and the various Dynamics SMB products for almost 20 years driving everything from product strategy to new partner programs and pricing models

Jannik Bausager is Principal Group Program Manager for the Dynamics 365 Business Central team which defines the scope and the future for the Business Central application (finance, sales, purchase, inventory, warehouse, manufacturing, and project) and our clients (web client, mobile apps), and also our integrations to the Power Platform and M365 products. Jannik has 29 years of experience within the IT industry. His experience ranges from product development, consultancy, sales, and strategy development. He has been 3 years in Asia as country sales manager.

Scott has been with Solver for over 10 years and is the Channel Manager for the Asia Pacific region. Scott works closely with partners in Australia, New Zealand and across South East Asia to help customers address their budgeting, forecasting and reporting requirements.

Peter has been with Microsoft since the acquisition of Navision in 2002, and has worked as a program manager in a number of areas and product lines throughout this time. He is currently a program manager on the Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central developer tools team, responsible for the AL language, Visual Studio Code tooling, AppSource and extensions.

Aptean

Tharanga Chandrasekara is a Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central lead technical consultant with over a decade of experience. Tharanga is an active member and community moderator of the official Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Community forum. He regularly shares knowledge with others through his blog, user groups, and webinars. Tharanga strongly believes that "one small piece of knowledge someone shares today could be the cornerstone of a huge concept that changes the world tomorrow". For the past eight years, Tharanga has been working for Theta, one of the largest and most competitive IT companies in New Zealand that helps organizations – in New Zealand and around the world transform their businesses with technology. Since 2016, Tharanga has been awarded the prestigious Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) award for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.

Katerina, an MVP, MCT, and renowned public speaker, focuses on Power Platform & AI. With twenty years of experience and key certifications in PROSCI, PMI, Power Platform Solution Architect, she leads in app development, AI, and adaptive work models. Active in the Microsoft community, Katerina mentors new tech talent and supports innovation. Katerina takes part in the #SharingIsCaring initiative, guiding community contributions to the Microsoft Sample Solution Gallery. https://www.linkedin.com/in/katerinachernevskaya/

Yip Yen Choong is currently responsible for business development activities in SignUp Software Singapore. He has over 30+ years experience in the ICT industry where he has helped companies successfully undergo digital transformation.

Since 1998 working with Navision, Dynamics NAV, and now with Business Central and Power Platform. I worked as an end-user, consultant, and developer in different companies and partners. In 2022 I was awarded Microsoft MVP in the Business Applications category. International Speaker at Directions EMEA, Directions ASIA, and Days of Knowledge Odense. Organizing committee member "Business Central Day ES" (www.businescentralday.es) and Global Power Platform Bootcamp Zaragoza (https://www.meetup.com/power-platform-zaragoza/) As an MCT I teach Microsoft courses about Business Central, Power BI, Power Apps, and Power Automate. I have a blog where I write about these Microsoft technologies: https://blog.msdyn365bc.es. Also, you can see me telling things about Business Central and Power Platform at different community events and on my YouTube Channel: Aprende Business Central en Español (https://www.youtube.com/@rcorella) If you want to know more about me, here you have my LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertocorella/

Paula Da Silva, General Manager of Boyum IT Asia Pacific, oversees daily operations and executes go-to-market strategies aligning with global sustainable growth goals. As part of the global executive team, she drives regional direction and cultivates the Boyum partner reseller eco-system with agile methods. With 28 years in IT, including extensive executive management, Paula is renowned for achieving operational excellence and elevating team performance. She holds a Commerce Degree in accounting and law and is passionate about bulldogs, outdoor adventures, travel, and holistic wellness.

Shivani is assigned as a Business Central Technical Consultant, where she takes on the responsibility of designing, building, testing, and maintaining cloud solutions specifically tailored to the needs of clients. She is driven by her passion for innovative problem-solving approaches and providing client-centric solutions. Shivani is dedicated and motivated to excel in the dynamic field of technology, utilizing her multidisciplinary expertise to analyze, design, and implement best practices for business changes in the context of Business Central. She holds certifications such as MB-800, PL-300, PL-100, PL-200, PL-900 and AZ-900 along with Microsoft Certified Trainer.

Microsoft MVP in the category of Business Applications - PowerApps. I am a certified PowerPlatform Architect (MCSE) and have more than 13 Years experience with Microsoft Technologies Stack. I have +18 Microsoft Certifications, and I've been specializing in Microsoft PowerPlatform for the last 5 years. I blog regularly via my personal blog https://www.samtech365.com

Leen has been in the Dynamics community for almost 20 years now. First as a driving force behind the marketing strategy of different Dynamics partners. Now as marketing manager of Directions 4 Partners and board member of Women in Dynamics. A hands-on mentality and no-nonsense approach are defining her personal brand. It’s her strong believe that adding a drop off pink into this giant blue ocean (also known as the Dynamics Community) would make a world of difference.

Renato Fajdiga, a seasoned Microsoft Dynamics NAV/365 Business Central consultant and blogger, currently leads the Business Applications team, overseeing F&O, BC, and other applications. An MVP and MCT since 2018, he specializes in Business Applications, particularly Dynamics 365 Business Central and Power Platform. He thrives on learning new technologies and concepts that enhance customer processes. Occasionally, he delves into coding, but his primary motivation is resolving community-posted issues with Dynamics 365 Business Central.

Working actively with various organizations globally to leverage Dynamics 365 and cloud technologies. IT Operations and Business Management professional with 22 years of vast industry experience. Co-founded Intelegain, an Enterprise Integration & Software Development consulting firm that specializes in designing solutions for various industries including Retail, Financial Services, Travel, Workforce Automation, Pharmaceutical, M-commerce, E-Learning and many more. Currently serving as member at IAMCP International, APAC and India boards. Leading Mumbai chapter as president and managing APAC region as secretary.

Steve Gichure is a Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central developer with 14 years of experience implementing ERP solutions across Africa, Australia, New Zealand and the US. Stephen has been an active member of the Business Central community in New Zealand for the last 7 years, sharing his knowledge in community events across NZ. He now works as a Senior Technical Architect at Olympic 33, focusing on enabling business transformation through software innovations.

Business Central Application Specialist

Started working at Continia Software 10 years ago, together with my team we established a succesfull partner network in the UK, Ireland, Portugal and Eastern Europe.

Richard Hooper is an experienced Country Manager for Continia APAC with over 20 years of experience around ERP solutions. Having worked for two of the four global accounting firms, leading Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Partners and ERP vendor nationally. This has given Richard a wealth of experience in understanding the importance of automation and efficiency in business process which aligns with Continia’s solutions in optimising Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.

George has been an FX professional for 15 years; holding several positions in Account Management, Dealing and New Business acquisition. George's experience ranges from Spot FX contracts through to Structured Options. George now runs the newly created ERP and integrated solutions space in APAC - a key growth vertical for Xe.com

Lotte Cordt Ihlemann is a Partner and Customer Success Manager and has been with Microsoft for more than 20 years. Over the years Lotte has been working in various global roles within marketing, product marketing, and partner enablement for Business Central and earlier Dynamics NAV and Dynamics AX. Currently driving Business Central global partner readiness and communication, Microsoft's community, event and content strategy at key SMB business application conferences, strategic alliance management and projects securing the customer base.

As the Sales & Marketing Team Leader of NETRONIC, I lead a small team based in Aachen, Germany. Our team takes care of the sales, account management and training/onboarding for the NETRONIC Visual Scheduling Products for Business Central for our partners and customers across the globe. I personally handle our parnters in APAC, Africa & some parts of Europe. You might be wondering why my name nor my picture don't sound nor look very German, this is because I was born and raised in the Philippines. This is one of the reasons why I handle the APAC market and why you will find me at Directions Asia.

Tomas has been working with Dynamics NAV & Business Central since his University studies. He started his journey as a NAV developer but quickly moved to a lead role. For the last few years, he has been leading new developers on their way to understanding both C/AL & AL languages and core Business Central processes. He is very passionate about how to work with data using modern D365 products. He is a huge fan of all open-source programs, including the base/system app ones. He's currently living in Brisbane, Qld, Australia and enjoying the neverending summer.

Dmitry is a Business Central specialist with an impressive 20 years of experience. His journey began in 2004, and over the years, he has held various roles, from a developer to the successful owner of his own company. Highly acclaimed in the Business Central community, Dmitry has earned the prestigious MVP title, showcasing his expertise and passion for the platform through insightful blogs and unwavering dedication. Driven by a passion for innovation and cutting-edge technologies, Dmitry created CentralQ.ai in 2023. This revolutionary AI-powered search platform, fueled by the collective knowledge of the Business Central community, has quickly become an invaluable tool for professionals in the field. With a remarkable talent for transforming ideas into reality, Dmitry continuously pushes the boundaries of what's possible in the exciting world of Microsoft Business Central. MVP, owner - Katson.com

Arend-Jan Kauffmann is CTO at Lumos 365 Ltd., a UK-based partner with a Business Central solution for the energy sector. With over 20 years of experience with Microsoft Dynamics NAV / Business Central and 30 years of experience in the IT industry, he has a solid track record in this business. With a strong focus on architecture, design and integration, he worked in different roles and with a broad range of technologies and platforms, including C/SIDE & VS Code development, C/AL and AL, Microsoft .Net, Microsoft Azure and Office 365. He strongly believes that knowledge increases by sharing it, not by saving it. By delivering workshops and being a frequent speaker at conferences, he can put this into practice. Since 2013 Arend-Jan is awarded as Microsoft MVP Business Solutions.

As a seasoned professional with nearly a decade of experience at Aptean, Jacky Kha brings a wealth of expertise to the realm of business development and channel sales within the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. Currently serving as the Director of APAC Channel Sales, Jacky has honed his skills in cultivating strategic alliances and driving revenue growth across diverse markets.

Ugne Kontare is a Chief Business Development Officer representing one of Europe's most successful cloud-ready companies, Softera Baltic, Partner of the Year in Lithuania, 2022. Having developed multiple solutions under the SOFT4 brand, several of which have successfully gained market share and partners' recognition, while several were killed after years of development, Ugne is ready to share the lessons learned. With a background in SMB sales and leadership, Ugne’s career expands over several industries, with most of her time dedicated to Microsoft Dynamics. With over 15 years of experience in various roles, such as Marketing, Sales, CEO, and Business Development, Ugne shares her knowledge and tips on how to: - Build and manage an effective team; - Market and sell Microsoft Dynamics 365 BC/ ISV products in changing environment; - Develop and implement strategies for launching and managing a software product – from analysis to profits.

Helping partners across ASIA to grow their cloud & AI business on Azure, Office 365 & Dynamics 365 and succeed faster with Microsoft Advanced Support for Partners.

Sridhar Lakshmanan: Senior Developer at ArcherPoint Empowering Businesses with 7 Years of Expertise in Business Central Development, spanning 22 successful project implementations

With over 15 years of experience focused in the channel business, Michelle collaborates with business partners and customers to deliver innovative solutions that drive business success. She is a dedicated professional known for her expertise in providing connected solutions for the Office of the CFO.

Specializes in tooling for AL development, extension lifecycle, and Business Central platform operations.

Jens has been with Microsoft for more than 20 years and has worked on the Business Central product (and previously Dynamics NAV) for most of this time. He is currently leading the Server Runtime team, so his everyday responsibility is to ensure that the BC backend is always stable and performant.

Manager at YAVEON GmbH and Board member of Directions EMEA. Former CEO at OctoCon AG/GmbH. Frank started his career as a passionate NAV developer. After that Frank worked as Microsoft certified Trainer, consultant and project manager. NAV and the whole BC stack are not only tools to work with, they are until today passion for Frank. Since the early beginning Frank was one of the persons who formed Directions. Frank lives with his family on the countryside in South Germany. In his free time you can find Frank often cycling, on the golf course, running or skiing.

2020-2024 Microsoft MVP for Business Applications I co-founded own company where I was involved in proposing business improvements and education for various industries. Believing that the development of an internal community is the key to business improvement, I established BizOptimars,Inc. in November 2023, a company that boosts in-house production based on an internal community. I'm currently providing various supports aimed at the development of Japanese companies, mainly in the manufacturing industry in the Kansai region. In external communities, I'm active as “Rinatamu”, and while enlightening the Microsoft Power Platform, I have made many presentations with the main theme of making business improvement fun. As a result, in February 2020, I received the Microsoft MVP in the Business Applications department from Microsoft headquarters in US. I'm still actively presenting and disseminating information, and I'm active in a free style that is not limited to Microsoft products.

Vincent has been working with Business Central for over ten years. He and his team are responsible for the architecture of Business Central and for driving innovation. During the last years, he has been focusing on modernizing the development tools, modernizing the clients and making Business Central a world class cloud service.

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Kennie Nybo Pontoppidan works as program manager in the Dynamics 365 Business Central server backend team. He has been working in the dangerous field between customers, partners, support professionals, developers and dba's for many years and done his part of mistakes as a developer before that in his 18+ years in the it industry. He enjoys working with data and databases and really, really enjoys working using KQL. Kennie has no humor.

Dejan Pajk, CEO of eKnowtion Ltd, is a renowned expert in Business Central data and analytics. With a rich background as a Business Central and Power BI consultant and developer, he also holds a PhD in Information Management from the University of Ljubljana. His research focused on Information System support and its impact on organizational performance. With over 15 years of experience and deep engagement with more than 100 global Business Central clients, he has been a driving force behind the development of specialized Power BI reporting applications tailored for Business Central.

Developer, Implementation Consultant and Product Manager with 20 years NAV/BC experience from multiple industries. Now leading Aptean's next gen Food and Beverage program for Fresh.

Kapil Puvar, with 8.5 years in Dynamics 365 Business Central & Navision and a mechanical engineering background, is a leader in ERP implementations. Starting in the mechanical sector, he spent 5.5 years in production planning and process improvement, gaining invaluable ERP system insights. Transitioning to a functional consultant for Navision at Intech Systems, Kapil's unique skills saw him rise from Senior Functional Consultant to Senior Manager, leading over 35 global ERP projects. He's designed innovative products like Quality Control and Advanced Purchase, now featured on Microsoft AppSource. Kapil's blend of engineering and ERP expertise makes him a key asset in technology implementation and manufacturing process optimization.

Smita Roy is the Sales Director for Digital Startups & Independent Software Vendors ISV Asia, supporting mid-stage startups and ISVs in the Small, Commercial and Corporate SMC segment .The mission of this team is to empower startups by building on Microsoft as well as co-selling with Microsoft. Smita has a wealth of experience in the technology industry, spanning over 20 years, with a strong focus on cloud, AI, and digital transformation. Smita rejoined Microsoft in 2022 as the Director of ISV Breadth, where she orchestrated the strategy and execution of ISV recruitment, enablement, and co-selling across Asia. Before coming back to Microsoft, Smita was the Head of Partners for Public Sector APJ at Amazon Web Services where she led a team and managed a vast portfolio of strategic partners GSI, GISV, Startups and Distributor delivering cloud solutions for government, education, healthcare and non-profit sectors.

Over the last 20 years, Carrie has gained extensive knowledge and experience in the supply chain industry. As the Channel Partner Manager at Netstock, she’s able to combine her passion for inventory with her strategic mindset to help businesses make a positive impact through optimising their supply chain.

Paul holds the prestigious title of being the First Microsoft MVP for Business Applications & Regional Director in the Philippines, a testament to his exceptional knowledge and contributions in the field. Paul's passion lies in bridging the gap between business and technology, and he serves as a trusted consultant for companies across the APAC region. With a keen interest in emerging technologies, Paul is currently dedicated to Web3 and AI projects, leveraging his extensive experience to drive innovation and create transformative solutions. As the Chairman and CEO of Bayanichain, he leads the company in developing cutting-edge blockchain-based solutions that revolutionize various industries. Paul is also a respected figure in the Philippine blockchain community, serving as a Founding Member of the Blockchain Council of the Philippines. He is also the Founder, CEO, and CTO of Hacktiv Colab Inc., an organization that simplifies DeepTech implementation in APAC.

As the Founder and CEO of NaviPartner, Mark has led the continuous development of NaviPartner’s Microsoft Dynamics solutions for over 30 years. Additionally, he is the chief software architect for various solutions. Mark’s unwavering dedication is focused on developing solutions that empower customers to capitalize on the advantages of digital transformation.

Naoki is an expert in CAD, PDM, PLM, and Nesting - ERP integration with over 10 years of sales and consulting experience at QBuild Software. QBuild Software is #1 Engineering - ERP integrator with offices around the world helping manufacturers achieve engineering and manufacturing excellency. Naoki is the APAC regional director based in the QBuild’s APAC headquarters in Japan. He has helped discrete manufacturing companies across the globe bridge the gap between engineering and ERP, saving engineering time and improving manufacturing accuracy in ERP systems including Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. His background is in mechanical engineering from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. His technical background allows him to speak the language of engineers which is essential in understanding challenges engineers face in the modern manufacturing environment.

Aleksandar is Product Manager for Dynamics 365 Business Central, responsible (but not limited) for the delivering of regulatory features and the execution of geo-expansion strategies. His extensive IT background spans over 30 years, with a focus on ERP solutions before his current role at Microsoft. A former Dynamics NAV MVP, Aleksandar is also recognized for his expertise as a lecturer at international conferences.

Alexis is an industrious and technically proficient leader renowned for his exceptional contributions to cutting-edge software product development at Verosoft Design. Spearheading teams dedicated to software innovation, he ensures adherence to industry standards while fostering adaptability to meet evolving market demands.

Eric “waldo” Wauters Eric is one of the founding partners of iFacto Business Solutions and Dynex bv. With his 21 years of technical expertise, he is an everyday inspiration to its development teams.  As development manager he continually acts upon the technical readiness of iFacto and Dynex.     Apart from that, Eric is also very active in BC community, where he tries to solve technical issues and shares his knowledge with other Dynamics enthusiasts. Surely, a lot amongst you will have read some of Eric’s posts, which he invariably signs with “waldo”. Lots of people have been using and even contributing to tools he shares for free on github. His proven track record entitled him to be awarded since 2007 as MVP (Microsoft Most Valuable Professional).

Mark Weimann has over 23 years experience as a full time presales professional including the last 8 years with Microsoft as part of their Dynamics Enterprise Sales team. He is an acknowledged leader in Presales, Storytelling and has regularly conducted training events for Microsoft and Microsoft partners. During his time as a Microsoft Technical Specialist he was part of the teams that won many large deals and awards.

Mohana Yadav has been creating Microsoft Dynamics NAV/D365 Business Central solutions for more than 17 years. At present, he is involved in assisting the partners/customers to upgrade from NAV to Business Central. 12x Microsoft MVP.

Microsoft Regional Director Microsoft MVP for Business Application With experience in Microsoft Dynamics ERP (NAV/AX) & CRM that goes further back than anyone in Japan, Ryo has taken part in international projects in Japan and 31 other countries for nearly 24 years, travelling enough miles to circle the globe some 87 times. He has made appearances at many related events as a speaker in Japan and abroad on the strength of his project experience, expertise in R&D for Dynamics 365, and the global network he maintains with Microsoft and other Dynamics partners. Have done more than 100 Microsoft Dynamics Projects, more than 720 Pre-Sales Activities, and more than 80 Microsoft Global Event Attendees. At KOBE University, Ryo majored in multivariate analysis. Having experienced one of the biggest earthquakes in KOBE, he had participated in volunteer IT event activities in the several disaster areas with other Microsoft MVPs and IT community leaders. Loves Rugby and American football.

Aleš Zajc, PMP, has 20+ years of experience in sustainable business development, project delivery and team management. Being an executive of Microsoft Dynamics partner with 200+ employees, he has a background in various industries and international environments, successfully managing Business Central, Finance & Business Operations and even SAP implementations. Aleš has a strong passion for solving strategic and operational problems, as well as for driving team effort and change management within organizations.