Dries Buytaert

Founder and Project Lead of Drupal. Co-founder, Chief Technology Officer, Chief Strategy Officer and Board Member at Acquia.

Dries Buytaert is a Belgian open-source software programmer and entrepreneur.1 He is the original creator and project lead of Drupal, a powerful open-source platform for building websites and digital experiences.2 In 2007, Buytaert co-founded Acquia, where he currently serves as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Chief Strategy Officer (CSO), and Board Member.2 4

Buytaert holds a PhD in computer science and engineering from Ghent University and a Licentiate Computer Science (MSc) from the University of Antwerp.2 He has been recognized as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and has received several awards, including CTO of the Year by the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council and New England Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young.2

Under Buytaert's leadership, Acquia has grown to around 1,400 employees with over $350 million in annual revenue.4 The company provides solutions for creating, managing, and optimizing digital customer experiences, and has been recognized as a leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Digital Experience Platforms (DXP) for three consecutive years.3

Buytaert is also an active blogger, writing about Drupal, open source, business, and the future of the web at dri.es.2 He moved from Antwerp, Belgium to Boston, United States in 2010, where he currently resides.1 4