Keynote Speakers

General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.)

For over fifty years, General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.) has devoted his life to public service. Having held senior military and diplomatic positions across four presidential administrations, Powell’s deep commitment to democratic values and freedom has been felt throughout the world.

The son of Jamaican immigrants, Powell was born in Harlem in April 1937 and was raised in the South Bronx. He was educated in the New York City public schools and after graduating from Morris High School attended the City College of New York where he earned a B.S. in Geology. It was not until he joined the Army ROTC program at CCNY that he discovered his calling and launched his military career. He received a commission as an Army second lieutenant upon graduation in 1958 and went on to serve in the United States Army for 35 years, rising to the rank of Four-Star General.

From 1987 – 1989 Powell served as President Ronald Reagan’s National Security Advisor. He served from 1989 – 1993 as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for both President George H.W. Bush and for President Bill Clinton, and was not only the youngest officer and first ROTC graduate to ever serve in the position but also was the first African American to do so. During his time as Chairman, he oversaw 28 crises to include the Panama intervention of 1989 and Operation Desert Storm in the victorious 1991 Persian Gulf War.

Under President George W. Bush, Powell was appointed the 65th Secretary of State and was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate. As Secretary of State, he led the State Department in major efforts to address and solve regional and civil conflicts—in the Middle East, Sudan, Congo and Liberia, in the Balkans, Cyprus, Haiti, Northern Ireland, Afghanistan and Iraq, and elsewhere. In all areas, he used the power of diplomacy to build trust, forge alliances and then help transform these unstable regions into areas where societies and cultures have the potential to prosper. He also worked at the forefront of American efforts to advance economic and social development worldwide.

His autobiography, My American Journey, was a best seller and has been published in more than a dozen different languages. His second book, It Worked For Me, reveals the lessons that shaped his life and career and will be published in May 2012.

Kevin Turner

Chief Operating Officer

As Microsoft's chief operating officer, Kevin Turner is responsible for the strategic and operational leadership of Microsoft's worldwide sales, marketing, and services organization. Turner leads a global organization of over 45,000 employees, including field sales and marketing professionals who delivered over US$69 billion in revenue during fiscal 2011. In addition to driving sales and marketing programs, Turner manages the online advertising sales organization and corporate support organizations, including product and customer support services, branding, advertising, public relations, marketing research and relationship marketing. Turner also oversees corporate operations and internal Information Technology that support the work of Microsoft's over 90,000 plus employees around the world.

In 2009, Turner also led and spearheaded Microsoft's entry into the Retail Stores business and he has global accountability for this newly created business division.

Along with Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer and other senior executives, Turner serves on the Senior Leadership Team that sets the overall strategy and direction for Microsoft.

Prior to Microsoft, Turner worked nearly 20 years at Wal-Mart Stores Inc., where he started as a cashier while going to college. Upon graduating from college he held various leadership positions within Wal-Mart including most recently as president and chief executive officer of SAM'S CLUB, with over 46 million members and over $37.1 billion USD in annual sales. Before this role, Turner worked for 13 years in Wal-Mart's IT department, where he reached the level of executive vice president and chief information officer, overseeing all information systems and IT operations for the company worldwide.

Kirill Tatarinov

President, Microsoft Business Solutions Division

Kirill Tatarinov is president of the Microsoft Business Solutions Division (MBS) with responsibility for MBS research, development, sales, marketing, and operations. MBS develops and markets a portfolio of Microsoft Dynamics products and services covering a broad range of functions including financial, customer relationship and supply chain management (ERP and CRM) that bring simplicity, value and agility to organizations of all sizes. MBS also includes Microsoft's Health Solutions Group, which develops, sells and supports software solutions for improving the quality and efficiency of healthcare delivery and empowering individuals to become more engaged in their own health and wellness.

Prior to joining MBS in 2007, Tatarinov led the Management and Solutions Division at Microsoft, where he was in charge of the Microsoft Windows management technologies and products, including Microsoft System Center, Systems Management Server, Microsoft Operations Manager and Microsoft Application Center, as well as Windows Server solutions, including Microsoft Small Business Server.

Tatarinov joined Microsoft in 2002 with 15 years of experience in the software industry. Before joining Microsoft, Tatarinov was senior vice president and chief technology officer for BMC Software Inc. While at BMC he also had responsibility for corporate development and for Patrol Software business. Before that, Tatarinov was co-founder, chief architect, and head of R&D for Patrol Software, the developer of innovative software solutions for systems and network management acquired by BMC in 1994. Before co-founding Patrol Software, Tatarinov worked in several systems, networking and consulting companies in Russia, Israel and Australia.