Low-code, Copilot and Directions EMEA 2024 with Microsoft's Dona Sarkar

Directions EMEA 2024 is the place to be if you're a Microsoft Partner who works with mid-market companies, says Microsoft Chief Troublemaker Dona Sarkar.

Dona, who both heads Microsoft's AI extensibility program and runs a fashion business , attended the conference for the first time last year.

Starting her career at Microsoft in 2005, Dona worked as a core Windows OS and Office suite developer before working on emergent technologies like HoloLens, Microsoft's AR/MR platform. Her passion for cutting-edge technology and problem-solving led her to the Power Platform, where she focused on low-code solutions. Now, Dona aims to empower non-developers to solve business challenges by reducing reliance on traditional high-code methods.?

“I think AI is magic because it’s going to help normal people solve their own problems in business," Dona says.

Click the image below to watch PartnerTalks' full interview with Microsoft's Dona Sarkar.

Over the past year and a half, Microsoft has significantly expanded its AI offerings, introducing more than 100 Copilot experiences. These AI-driven tools are integrated into many Microsoft products, providing robust, out-of-the-box functionality. However, sometimes businesses need their Copilots to access and leverage external or third-party data sources—such as CRM systems—rather than relying solely on Microsoft’s language models.

Dona develops systems allowing Copilots to fetch relevant data from external sources and use it to generate more accurate and contextually relevant outputs.

At Directions EMEA 2024, Dona will deliver a keynote on what she calls “the AI vision,” focusing on how AI reshapes industries and app development. Her expertise, shaped by her work across various teams and her personal experience running a fashion business, Prima Dona , brings a unique blend of tech innovation and entrepreneurial insight.

For Microsoft Partners, Directions is a prime event to learn how AI is transforming business processes and discover new ways to integrate these technologies into existing workflows.

It's also the best place to make connections, especially if you're a Partner who serves mid-market companies, says Dona.

"The hustle is real (at the conference)," she says. "I didn’t know what I was doing last year, and I still did more business than I had in months at Directions.”

This year, Dona is getting a head start on making connections.

"First, if you're not going to Directions, you should," she says. "If you are going, come find me. I would love to talk and get your stories."

To learn more about Directions EMEA 2024 and to get your tickets, click HERE .

PartnerTalks will be there, and we'd love to see you!