This week I had the pleasure of attending the Datalink Discovery Event in beautiful Palm Springs, California. The event brought together technology leaders, partners, and customers to discuss the latest developments in Microsoft Azure, Modern Workplace, and other key Microsoft technologies.
The agenda featured strong representation from Datalink Networks, TD Synnex, and Microsoft, with excellent presentations and discussions throughout.
A Strong Focus on AI
A major theme across the sessions was Artificial Intelligence. I was delighted to be invited to join the Ask the Expert panel, where we took questions from the audience about how AI is transforming industries such as healthcare and retail.
We also touched on interesting discussions around accuracy, and the differences between deterministic and non-deterministic AI outcomes — conversations that highlight just how fast the field is evolving.
Presenting with Turbo360
I had the opportunity to co-present with Justice Silva, where we showcased the success stories from Datalink Networks’ partnership with Turbo360.
Through this collaboration, Datalink has achieved:
- Significant percentage cost savings on Azure spend
- Improved productivity in managing and governing cloud costs
- It’s great to see how Datalink are using Turbo360 to bring transparency and control to their Azure environments, supporting better business outcomes for their customers.
Networking and Charity Golf
Beyond the sessions, Datalink hosted a charity golf event raising money for Ovarian Cancer awareness. Around 50 attendees took part, making it both a fun and meaningful experience. I played alongside Don Wisdom (CEO) and Amr Salah (Director of Engineering) — it was a pleasure to spend quality time together beyond Teams calls, and we shot a respectable +2 over par!
Don and I had a great discussion about Datalink’s FY2026 growth plans, and it’s clear there’s a lot of exciting momentum ahead for their team.
Weather
Being in the desert, it was really hot but somehow I managed to bring the Newcastle weather with me and we did have some rain. That said the Factor 50 sun tan lotion was needed a lot!
Celebrating Team Success
To wrap up the week, I was invited to Datalink’s internal awards dinner, where the sense of connection and teamwork was inspiring
Congratulations to Justice Silva, who was recognised as Most Versatile Employee — having worked with him closely, I can absolutely say it’s well deserved.
Looking Ahead
The event was a great reminder of the value of community, partnership, and face-to-face connection.
I’m really looking forward to continuing to build on our collaboration between Turbo360 and Datalink Networks as we head into 2026. The foundation we’re building together is strong — and I’m confident it’s only the beginning.
