The trophies have been given out, toasts have been made and the canapés have been eaten. After four fantastic global events recognizing the work of organizations and individuals across the cloud industry, the Digital Revolution Awards 2023 season has come to a close.
Throughout the Digital Revolution Awards 2023 events, we saw many outstanding winners take the stage, receiving a round of applause for making a positive impact on our world through the use of cloud technology.
Now it’s time to shine a spotlight on some of those worthy victors and showcase the fantastic work that made them winners in the Digital Revolution Awards.
In this Meet the Winners blog, we’re getting to know the winner of our Tech Star of the Year award, Charlie Phipps.
This year’s Tech Star of the Year is a trailblazing technologist who’s achieved some truly impressive feats in a short period of time.
Charlie Phipps has overcome considerable challenges on his road to becoming a cloud hero, and now he’s using his experience to improve the accessibility of the tech he loves and make sure everyone can access the possibilities it offers.
A fantastic role model to others, Charlie truly embodies the transformative power of cloud technology, and the work that he has done speaks for itself.
A certified Power Platform Developer and Architect, Microsoft Business Apps MVP, and Power Apps Super User, Charlie is passionate about infusing accessibility into every aspect of the Power Platform and uses his skills and knowledge to help others achieve this important goal.
Charlie is a software developer at heart with years of experience in low-code and no-code solutions, using his role at Elite Microsoft Partner Akari Solutions to help clients build apps with accessibility in mind.
After winning the Hackathon at Microsoft 365 event Scottish Summit with an accessible solution, Charlie’s work caught the eye of Microsoft’s Director of Tech for Accessibility, Dona Sarkar. Since then, he has continued to work hard on building awareness around accessibility and encouraging the tech community to make sure that the applications they develop are accessible to all.
From accommodating the use of screen readers to considering neurodivergent users in product design, Charlie’s dedication to promoting tech accessibility is boundless. As a professional with ADHD, Charlie appreciates that everyone thinks differently and that the inclusivity of cloud products is vital to ensuring everyone can tap into their power.
Regularly sharing his passion and expertise through talks and community events like South Coast Summit, Charlie is the founder of the Scottish Power Platform User Group (SPPUG) and one half of The Power Platform Duo YouTube channel.
“I’m over the moon just to be invited to this event with this talent,” said Charlie when we spoke to him at the Digital Revolution Awards ceremony. “It’s my first time wearing a tuxedo, my first time at this sort of event, and then to win it…
“I’m trying to be an ambassador to younger people now that you can enter an industry, doesn’t matter what your background is, you can become successful.
“It motivates me more to keep doing what I’m doing because it shows that what I’m doing is being recognized and equally it’s going to benefit everyone else out there. It’s amazing, I’m really happy.”
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