The work behind the stories
Resume
Henk Boelman
Principal Developer Advocate · Microsoft
A career in building things.
And helping people build.
- Community members
- 170,000Across 190 local chapters
- AgentCon events
- 65Independent. Community-driven.
- Sessions delivered
- 200+On stages in 30+ countries
The short story
A builder, helping others build.
Henk Boelman has been building things since before the web was cool. Starting out as a software engineer in the late '90s, he spent two decades writing code, co-founding companies, and working as a Cloud Solution Architect before realising that the most valuable thing he could do was not just build software, but help others build better.
Since 2019 he has been Principal Developer Advocate at Microsoft Global, shaping how developers worldwide adopt and build with AI and driving the technical narrative for Microsoft AI Foundry at flagship events including Ignite, Build, and the AI Tour. In parallel, he founded and leads the Global AI Community, a volunteer-run non-profit he has grown into a self-sustaining global developer movement of 170,000 members and 190 chapters — recruiting, mentoring, and empowering local organisers on every continent. He also launched and runs AgentCon, an independent AI conference series that has scaled to 65 events worldwide, funded entirely through community and partner support.
Code, content & community.
His work spans the full developer relations stack: technical storytelling and content, community and event strategy, partner relationships, and hands-on mentoring of the volunteer leaders who keep a 190-chapter network running worldwide. He is as comfortable writing code and giving a keynote as he is building the operating model that lets a global, open community scale sustainably.
On stage, he has delivered 200+ sessions in 30+ countries since 2017, from intimate developer meetups to main-stage keynotes, always with the same goal: make complex ideas simple, and make the people in the room believe they can build what comes next.
From engineering to advocacy
Experience, built over time.
What I do today
Principal Developer Advocate
2019 – PresentMicrosoft Global
- Work within an international developer advocacy team, shaping how developers worldwide discover, adopt, and build production-grade AI solutions on the Microsoft Azure platform.
- Set the strategic plan for driving developer adoption of Microsoft AI Foundry through community: prioritising which chapters, user groups, and third-party communities to invest in, and aligning global advocacy efforts with product launch timelines.
- Drive the technical narrative for Microsoft AI Foundry at flagship events including Microsoft Ignite, Microsoft Build, and the Microsoft AI Tour, translating complex platform capabilities into compelling, developer-focused stories.
- Partner closely with Product, Engineering, and Marketing teams, feeding community and developer feedback into the roadmap and turning new capabilities into tutorials, sample code, and documentation that reduce friction for self-service adoption.
- Lead the Microsoft MVP Program for AI, identifying and empowering the most impactful community contributors in the AI space, supporting them with early access, technical depth, and a direct channel to product teams.
- Deliver keynotes at developer conferences around the world on the possibilities, challenges, and opportunities of AI for builders, spanning architecture patterns, responsible AI, and the emerging agentic paradigm.
- Lead the content strategy for OpenHack, defining the technical scenarios and challenge design used to give developers hands-on, real-world experience building solutions on Microsoft AI and Azure.
- Design and deliver workshops and presentations that engage developers at all levels, from hands-on labs at major conferences to community-led sessions across global events.
- Lead third-party community initiatives including AgentCon, a global independent conference series now spanning 65 events across six continents.
Founder
2017 – PresentGlobal AI Community (Stichting Global AI Community) · globalai.community
- Founded a Dutch non-profit foundation building a global, volunteer-run community around artificial intelligence, operating entirely free of charge for attendees.
- Grew the community into a global developer movement of 190 chapters and 170,000 members across six continents.
- Built the entire Global AI Community website using AI coding agents.
- Recruit, mentor, and lead a distributed team of 190+ volunteer chapter leads and organisers, providing playbooks, training, and hands-on coaching to maintain quality and consistency worldwide.
- Set strategy for event programming, speaker recruitment, and partner relationships; define and track KPIs for community growth, engagement, and advocacy.
- Secured and maintain partnerships with Microsoft, Indeed, Neo4j, and AvePoint to fund and scale community activities worldwide.
- Launched and operate AgentCon, a global independent AI conference series spanning 65 events across cities including Bangkok, Tokyo, New York, London, Copenhagen, Zurich, Istanbul, and Silicon Valley, championing open, community-driven access to AI knowledge.
The chapters before
Cloud AI Architect
Apr 2018 – Aug 2019Heroes – Think Digital · Eindhoven, Netherlands
- Designed and delivered innovative cloud and AI solutions for clients, helping them transform their business with Azure.
- Worked as a Microsoft AI MVP, combining deep technical expertise with a developer-focused storytelling approach.
- Advised clients on AI strategy, architecture, and adoption across industries.
Cloud Solution Architect & Topic Lead Azure
Dec 2016 – Mar 2018Ordina · Nieuwegein, Netherlands
- Lead architect on Azure-related projects, managing incoming client requests involving Azure.
- Set the strategy for Azure propositions, including Azure Managed Cloud.
- Delivered training and workshops on developing software for Azure; spoke at conferences about Cognitive Services.
- Prototyped and researched new Azure technologies: Cognitive Services, IoT, Machine Learning, and Cortana.
- Organised community events and talks.
Software Architect → Senior Software Engineer → Software Engineer
Feb 2012 – Nov 2016Mirabeau · The Randstad, Netherlands
- Software Architect (Jan – Nov 2016): responsible for development process, quality, and architecture across 10+ clients including KLM, ING, Vodafone, and TakeAway. Designed scalable cloud-based solutions; technical lead in (pre-)sales translating business requirements into architectures.
- Designed zero-downtime deployments for Sitecore on Azure and optimized the Continuous Delivery flow for faster, uninterrupted releases.
- Created the Azure Essentials training at the Mirabeau Academy.
- Senior Software Engineer (2014 – 2015): lead developer / architect in a 10-person DevOps team delivering Sitecore, Umbraco, and custom applications.
- Software Engineer (2012 – 2013): built internet platforms for large companies (ING, Vodafone) in C# and Umbraco; set up CI/CD in TeamCity and Bamboo.
Freelance Web Developer & Consultant
Dec 2004 – Aug 2016HNKY · Amersfoort, Netherlands
- Helped businesses succeed online as a freelance web developer and consultant, focused on Azure, Umbraco, and custom C# applications (previously PHP and Linux).
- Developed 50+ websites across Umbraco, C#, and PHP; migrated multiple sites into cost-efficient Azure solutions.
- Designed, built, and maintained Hupper, one of the fastest growing e-learning platforms in psychology, hosted on Azure.
- Clients included Hupper, Afripads, Keten Duurzaam Varkensvlees, Roadtrip Uganda, and Amnesty International.
Volunteer Work
Apr 2010 – Feb 2012Kampala, Uganda
- Managed the guest-house in Kampala and organised safaris while helping out with several local projects.
Technical Director & Co-Founder
Aug 2008 – Jun 2011Hamba · Amersfoort, Netherlands
- Designed and built an independent travel website and web-log platform for travellers on tour, using PHP, MySQL, HTML, and JavaScript.
- Grew the platform to 5,000 active users at its peak.
Co-owner & Managing Partner
Sep 2007 – Apr 2010Zaphyrion B.V. · Amersfoort, Netherlands
- Co-founded and ran a web development agency: managed client accounts, hosting infrastructure, and the local network.
- Designed and developed websites and advised clients on their online presence.
- Notable projects: Amnesty International, Hamba Travel Community, GoYourOwnWay, Forest Returns, online payment / CRM systems, and a booking engine for the travel industry.
Web Developer
Feb 2005 – Feb 2006Lync (former Media dell’Arte) · Soesterberg, Netherlands
- Web application development on the LAMP stack for medium-sized companies.
Web Developer
2002 – 2004Media dell’Arte · Amersfoort, Netherlands
- Web application development on the LAMP stack for medium-sized companies.
Support Manager
2000 – 2001Stargate IT
- Delivered first-line helpdesk support for clients across the Netherlands.
- Installed and maintained the internal network, built the company website, and created a registration system for incoming support calls.
System Manager & Support
1997 – 2000ITé Groep · The Randstad, Netherlands
- MCSE-certified engineer supporting clients including KPN and NS in Utrecht.
- Maintained infrastructure and delivered second-line support.
Beyond the day job
Community & nonprofit.
Voorzitter (Chairman)
Oct 2015 – PresentStichting Suubi (Suubi Foundation) · Netherlands / Uganda
- Chairman of the foundation, operating in Uganda to support women and children.
Founder
Jun 2022 – Jun 2024Lowlands.Community · Utrecht, Netherlands
- An inclusive and accessible community bringing the latest tech knowledge from around the world through hybrid events.
- Covered both the technical side and everything else needed to be successful in the job.
Bestuurslid (Board Member)
Jul 2018 – Jan 2024Dutch Umbraco User Group (DUUG) · Netherlands
- Co-organised DUUG events throughout the year, bringing Dutch Umbraco developers together to share knowledge and experience.
- Maintained relationships with companies and developers working with Umbraco.
Founder
Jan 2018 – Jun 2022Azure Thursdays Meetup · Netherlands
- Monthly Meetup focused on Microsoft Azure, covering networking, virtual machines, Machine Learning, and Cognitive Services.
- Held on the first Thursday of every month.
Program Manager & Co-Founder
2010 – 2017Travel4Change NL · Netherlands, Uganda, Burkina Faso, Ghana
- Social enterprise delivering sustainable contributions to small, locally established development projects in Africa.
- Placed volunteers on projects across Africa and supported initiatives through the foundation, focused on healthcare and education.
From community rooms to flagship stages
Make complex ideas land.
200+ sessions delivered across 30+ countries since 2017, including keynotes at major developer conferences. Known for making complex AI topics land for technical and non-technical audiences alike. See the full bio and current session catalog on the speaker profile.
The toolkit
Hands-on, across the stack.
Cloud & AI
Engineering
Advocacy
Community
Along the way
Certifications & recognition.
- Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Engineer & Azure Solutions Architect
- Former Microsoft MVP (AI)
- Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE)
In conversation
Languages.
There is more to the story.
The person behind the work, and the places we might cross paths.