Bernd Verst is a highly experienced Software Engineer, Developer Advocate, and Product Manager with a decade of experience in cloud computing. Having worked in several positions with top technology companies, including Microsoft, Google, and Twitter, Bernd's expertise lies in cloud-native development and modern cloud computing infrastructure. As a founding member of the Microsoft Cloud (Developer) Advocacy team, he delivered talks and presentations globally, gaining proficiency in cross-cultural communication.

Bernd's career began as a Computer Systems Analyst & Support Specialist at Mandli Communications before moving on to work as a Technical Specialist at Google Apps, where he contributed to the Google Cloud Platform team. He then worked as a Partner Engineer at Twitter, following which he joined the U.S. Federal Government's innovation team, 18F, where he worked as an Innovation Specialist.

Currently, Bernd serves as a Senior Software Engineer at Microsoft, where he works on Dapr, the Distributed Application Runtime team, focusing on optimizing the CNCF Open Source distribution and Microsoft internal optimizations. Bernd is a dual citizen of the US and Germany and has had experiences abroad in several countries, including several months in China. Bernd is also skilled in jazz piano and distance running, and he shows a keen interest in career mentorship, Chinese culture, and language.