Alex Grimshaw

Alex Grimshaw is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Microsoft Azure in the United Kingdom, where he supports customers and partners across sectors to drive digital transformation using Microsoft Azure Cloud. Previously, Alex served as Microsoft UK Public Sector CTO, working with the UK’s largest Public Administration organisations, HM Revenue & Customs, and the Department for Work & Pensions. During this time, he focused on tech intensity, human excellence, and industrial empathy as core pillars of cultural change to impact customers, partners, and colleagues.
 

Before joining Microsoft, Alex was the Managing Director and Owner of Pros & Consultancy Ltd, a boutique consultancy focused on transforming business operations and processes through technology and organisational change. He also held multiple executive roles at various organisations, including the Big 4 and directly within industries, spanning from management accountancy and solution architecture to software development, traversing multiple sectors and EMEA geographies.

Alex has studied Computer Science & Graphics Technology at the University of Manchester and Business Studies at the University of Bolton. He is passionate about neurodiversity inclusion and the power of AI in closing the exclusion gap.

Alex Grimshaw is a seasoned technology executive with over 30 years of experience in strategic sales, digital transformation, and cloud-based innovation across both public and private sectors. He currently serves as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for Microsoft Azure in the United Kingdom, where he plays a central role in helping organisations leverage the Microsoft Azure platform and broader Microsoft technology portfolio to enable digital innovation, operational transformation, and long-term technological growth.
 

Alex joined Microsoft in 2010 and has held several leadership positions within the organisation. Since July 2020, he has been serving as the UK CTO for Microsoft Azure, based in Cheshire, England. In this role, he focuses on empowering businesses and public sector institutions in the UK to "invent with purpose," using the Azure cloud infrastructure to drive sustainable innovation and transformation. His work involves close collaboration with customers and partners to unlock the potential of the Microsoft ecosystem in solving complex challenges.
 

Prior to this, from April 2011 to July 2020, Alex served as the Chief Technology Officer for Microsoft’s Central Government division in the UK. During this tenure, he was responsible for the technology strategy, consulting growth, and digital transformation for some of the largest public sector bodies in the country—namely, Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP). His responsibilities included leading the Microsoft UK Public Sector CTO community, overseeing the strategic technology relationship with these departments, and managing multi-horizon account planning. Under his guidance, Microsoft supported HMRC and DWP in becoming two of the most digitally advanced public administration bodies in the world.
 

His achievements at Microsoft earned him a place in the prestigious Platinum Club in 2019, an internal recognition for outstanding performance and contribution.
 

Before joining Microsoft, Alex was the Managing Director and Owner of Pros & Consultancy Ltd, a boutique consulting firm he founded in June 2003. Over the course of nearly eight years, he specialised in transforming front- and back-office business processes through the strategic application of technology and cultural change. His consultancy work provided him with experience across a wide range of private and public sector industries.
 

From 1999 to 2003, Alex worked at Deloitte as a Managing Principal and Head of the CRM & ERP Software Development Unit. He was responsible for leading software development and the implementation of ERP systems such as Microsoft Business Solutions (Great Plains / Dynamics) and CRM platforms like ONYX and Consona. His work included project management, architectural design, and delivery of ERP engagements across multiple European countries, including the UK, Ireland, Germany, and Poland. He also contributed to IT strategy formulation, due diligence, and pre-acquisition assessments for clients.
 

Prior to his tenure at Deloitte, Alex held roles at JM Computing (1997–1999) as Managing Consultant and Enterprise Architect, and at Northern Technology Group (1995–1997) as ERP Architecture Lead. In these roles, he was responsible for the design and implementation of Microsoft Business Solutions ERP systems and server technologies.

Alex began his professional career at Co-operative Wholesale Society (CWS) in the food manufacturing business, where he served as a Management Accountant from 1991 to 1995. In addition to his accounting responsibilities, he led the Work Study Department, focusing on manufacturing process improvement and operational efficiency.

Alex Grimshaw’s professional vision centres on harnessing the transformative power of cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies to help organisations modernise their operations, enhance service delivery, and achieve sustainable digital growth. He is committed to enabling both public and private sector institutions to become more agile, efficient, and future-ready through the strategic application of Microsoft’s technology stack.

As a dedicated advocate for continuous learning and customer-centric innovation, Alex strives to foster trust-led partnerships based on transparency, accountability, and long-term value creation. His approach is rooted in aligning technology strategy with business outcomes, ensuring organisations not only adopt new tools but also achieve measurable improvements in performance, cost-efficiency, and societal impact.

Alex Grimshaw was recognised by Microsoft as part of its internal Platinum Club in 2019. This prestigious award is given to top-performing individuals who demonstrate exceptional leadership, customer impact, and business contribution across the company.

During his tenure as CTO for Microsoft’s Central Government accounts, Alex was entrusted with leading the UK Public Sector CTO community, further acknowledging his leadership and influence within the organisation.