John Willis

John Willis is a prominent figure in the IT management and DevOps communities, currently serving as the Founder of Botchagalupe Technologies, a role he has held since January 2019. His company focuses on helping large regulated institutions undergo transformative processes. With over 40 years of experience in the industry, Willis has held various significant positions, including Senior Director at Red Hat and Director of Ecosystem Development at Docker, Inc., where he was involved after co-founding SocketPlane, which was later acquired by Docker.123

In addition to his entrepreneurial endeavors, John Willis is an accomplished author. He has written several influential books, including the DevOps Handbook and Deming’s Journey to Profound Knowledge, and has authored multiple IBM Redbooks on enterprise systems management. His research interests encompass DevOps, DevSecOps, IT risk management, modern governance, and audit compliance.234

Willis is also recognized as a pioneer in the DevOps movement, having been one of the earliest cloud evangelists. He played a key role in organizing the first US-based DevOps Days and has contributed significantly to the community through various speaking engagements and collaborations with other thought leaders in the field.35