As Microsoft’s general manager and regional technology officer for Central and Eastern Europe, the RTO is the lead public advocate within this region on all aspects of MS technology strategy as it relates to the development of Regional technology policy and the implementation and use of technology by government, education and academia.

Wilfried is a key spokesperson for the region on issues of technology policy as they arise in the public debate. Examples would include technology and societal issues related to Security, Privacy, Open Standards, Interoperability, OSS and Innovation.

The RTO is also responsible for advocating the technical needs of local government, education and academic agencies to key internal stakeholders within Microsoft at a regional and corporate level. He is responsible for contributing to the product feedback processes to ensure that Microsoft’s products evolve to meet the needs of these constituencies.

Wilfried joined Microsoft in 2001 as general manager for Microsoft .NET and Developer technologies in the EMEA region. As such he managed overall .NET adoption, particularly among technical decision makers within the developer and architect communities, as well as technology evangelism, early adopter programs and .NET market inroad programs. After that, he served for 3 years as part of the staff of the EMEA president in organizing the citizenship initiatives and cabinets throughout the region. This initiative focused on our long-term sustainable growth model, and how to position Microsoft within the local economic and societal networks. As such he focused and managed also the PR aspects of MS within EMEA.

Previously, Wilfried was a founding partner at Capco, a Belgian financial services software provider. I oversaw alliances, technology thought leadership and delivery; handled trade and risk management; and served as the strategist for the company’s component-based software development laboratory.

Wilfried began his career at Cimad Consultants(later acquired by IBM Professional Services), where he headed the technology competencies. This included applying Internet, middleware, software and systems management technologies in several large projects for the financial sector. His professional experience also includes serving as a regional industry services executive for IBM, strategic marketing and technology director at systems integration firm BIM, and product marketing manager for the information systems group at Motorola Corp. Additionally, he was an external auditor for the European Union RACE and ACTS research programs.

Wilfried holds a masters degree in civil engineering and electro-mechanical engineering with a specialization in microelectronics from the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium. With his wife Hedwig they have 6 children, and reside in Borgloon in Belgium, near Maastricht. Other special interests include choral music, as Wilfried still conducts a local choir.