Darren Hardman

Darren Hardman is the Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft UK and a Corporate Vice President, a role he has held since November 2024. Before this, he served as President of Enterprise & Industry, Corporate Vice President for EMEA at Microsoft.

Prior to this, he was the CEO of Amazon Web Services (AWS) UK & Ireland. He has also contributed to the UK’s digital skills development through his involvement with the UK Government’s Digital Skills Council. Additionally, he served as a Non-Executive Director at the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA).

Earlier in his career, Darren held multiple leadership roles at Avanade and Accenture. At Avanade, he was President of Europe and General Manager for the UK & Ireland, overseeing strategy and operations across 15 geographies. He was also Chief Operating Officer, managing core operations, sales, and mergers and acquisitions. Before that, he spent over 13 years at Accenture, where he was a Partner leading technology sales across Europe, Africa, and Latin America.

He holds an MBA with Distinction from Imperial College London and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Econometrics and Quantitative Economics from the University of Nottingham. Darren is known for his work in digital transformation, AI, sustainability, and supporting SMEs through technology. He is also an advocate for diversity and inclusion in the technology sector, promoting initiatives to address the digital skills gap.

Darren Hardman is a recognised leader in the UK technology sector, with extensive experience in digital transformation, cloud computing, and enterprise technology. He currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Microsoft UK and Corporate Vice President (CVP), a role he assumed in November 2024. In this position, he is responsible for leading Microsoft’s UK operations, overseeing business strategy, innovation, and customer engagement. 

Under his leadership, Microsoft UK has prioritised digital transformation initiatives, including AI for Good, sustainability, and SME technology support. Before this, he was President of Enterprise & Industry, Corporate Vice President for EMEA (April 2023 – October 2024), where he guided Microsoft’s enterprise strategy across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, focusing on cloud adoption, digital transformation, and AI-driven solutions.

Before joining Microsoft, Darren was the CEO of Amazon Web Services (AWS) UK & Ireland (April 2020 – April 2023). As Vice President & General Manager, he led the second-largest geographic unit within AWS’s global business, shaping the vision for AWS in the region, driving cloud adoption, and supporting organisations transitioning to cloud computing. His tenure at AWS marked significant growth in cloud services adoption across the UK and Ireland.

Between May 2022 and April 2023, Darren served on the UK Government’s Digital Skills Council, which was established to address the digital skills gap in the country. The Council brought together government and industry leaders to develop strategies aimed at enhancing digital literacy and workforce readiness across the UK.

Darren’s career includes over 20 years at Avanade and Accenture, where he held multiple leadership roles. At Avanade (2011 – 2020), he served as President, Europe & General Manager, UK & Ireland (2016 – 2020), directing strategy and operations across 15 geographies, overseeing a $1 billion business with over 9,500 professionals. 

Before that, as Chief Operating Officer (2013 – 2016), he led core operations, sales, execution, and mergers & acquisitions for a $2 billion IT services company. Earlier, as Global Senior Vice President of Sales (2011 – 2013), he managed $2 billion in global sales, strengthening Avanade’s market presence.

Prior to his time at Avanade, Darren spent over 13 years at Accenture (1998 – 2011), where he was a Partner leading technology sales across Europe, Africa, and Latin America. In this role, he was responsible for driving business growth and enterprise technology adoption in various industries. His extensive experience at Accenture and Avanade positioned him as a key leader in enterprise technology solutions.

Apart from his work in the technology sector, Darren also served as a Non-Executive Director at The Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) from December 2021 to November 2022. In this capacity, he provided strategic leadership and governance within the UK’s football industry.

Academically, Darren holds an MBA with Distinction from Imperial College London (2005 – 2006) and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Econometrics and Quantitative Economics from the University of Nottingham (1995 – 1998). His educational background in economics and business has played a crucial role in his leadership approach and strategic decision-making.

Throughout his career, Darren Darren has been a vocal advocate for diversity and inclusion in the technology sector, leading initiatives to bridge the digital skills gap and create more opportunities for underrepresented groups. His work in enterprise technology, cloud adoption, and AI-driven solutions has helped companies across industries accelerate their digital transformation strategies.

Darren Hardman envisions a future where technology empowers businesses, communities, and individuals to drive innovation, sustainability, and inclusive growth. As CEO of Microsoft UK, he is committed to accelerating digital transformation by enabling organisations to adopt AI, cloud computing, and data-driven solutions that enhance productivity and competitiveness.

A key aspect of his vision is bridging the digital skills gap. Through initiatives like Microsoft’s AI for Good and digital skills programmes, he advocates for equipping people with the necessary technical knowledge

Darren Hardman has been recognised for his leadership in cloud computing, AI, and digital transformation across major global technology firms. As CEO of Microsoft UK, he has played a key role in advancing AI adoption, sustainability, and digital skills development. 

His contributions to bridging the UK’s digital skills gap have been acknowledged through his work with the UK Government’s Digital Skills Council. Throughout his career at Microsoft, AWS, Avanade, and Accenture, he has been instrumental in shaping enterprise technology strategy.