I’m very happy to announce that I’ve been awarded for the 8th year in a row as Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) in the ‘Office Apps & Services’ category.

After being named as Regional Director in June, the now renewed award as Most Valuable Professional is the second honor I have received this year from Microsoft. The two awards recognize the ambivalence of the professional transformation from a Microsoft 365 Senior Architect to a Division Manager at the ‹Microsoft Partner of the Year› in Switzerland.

I am truly grateful for that kind of appreciation as a result of what I have been doing with great enthusiasm for years!

The MVP award is given to «exceptional community leaders who actively share their high-quality, real-world deep technical expertise with the community and with Microsoft. They are committed to helping others get the most out of their experience with Microsoft products and technologies.» (Source: mvp.microsoft.com).

Who are MVPs?
Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals, or MVPs, are technology experts who passionately share their knowledge with the community. They are always on the «bleeding edge» and have an unstoppable urge to get their hands on new, exciting technologies. They have very deep knowledge of Microsoft products and services, while also being able to bring together diverse platforms, products and solutions, to solve real world problems. MVPs make up a global community of over 4,000 technical experts and community leaders across 90 countries and are driven by their passion, community spirit, and quest for knowledge. Above all and in addition to their amazing technical abilities, MVPs are always willing to help others – that’s what sets them apart. Please refer to the MVP Award overview for more information.

What is the difference between the Regional Director and Most Valuable Professional program?
The Microsoft Most Valuable Professional award is given in conjunction with a technical discipline, i.e. in a specific area of expertise that you have a proven track record of implementing in a community-based manner. In my case, I have been recognized in the Office Apps and Services category for the past seven years for writing a significant number of solution-oriented articles about SharePoint and Microsoft 365, as well as running a number of community formats. However, the Regional Director program is more strategic in nature, focusing more on a broader view of the industry and less on a technical stack. RDs have demonstrated business and thought leadership experience through strategic customer engagements and often hold CxO, senior, and/or board positions with technology-focused companies.

Thank you Microsoft and isolutions for supporting me in all of my activities! I’m looking forward to another year as Microsoft MVP and my first year as Microsoft Regional Director to support the community and Microsoft!

Perhaps you’ve already noticed that my name has changed. A few days ago, I married my longtime girlfriend, Livia, and took her name. For this reason future contributions to Microsoft topics will be published under the name ‹Roger Pollini›. A special thanks therefore goes to my wife Livia for her unwavering support and her patience for all my extra-professional activities.