hello world

This website was created as an experiment and a way for me to keep track of the various pieces of content I create or am featured in. Occasionally I am interviewed for a newspaper or podcast, or I sometimes create my own texts and technical documentation. The idea is to share useful content on an irregular basis.
When creating this website, my focus was to use a simple framework that allows me to publish content quickly and easily. Therefore, I use the Hugo framework to generate static web pages and host them on Google Cloud. Google Cloud allows through the services Cloud Build and Cloud Run to create and publish a container very easily, quickly, and cost-efficiently. I outline the exact workflow in my first post: Website setup and workflow .

whoami

My name Stephan Michard, a Solution Architect and technology strategist based near Cologne, Germany.

I work at Red Hat, where I help enterprises and strategic partners across Central Europe design and deliver cloud and AI platforms that translate business strategy into scalable, production-ready systems. My focus is on bridging the gap between vision and execution: aligning stakeholders, shaping solution architectures, and driving measurable outcomes.

Currently, I operate at the intersection of partner ecosystems and enterprise transformation. I lead solution development with global system integrators, co-creating joint offerings and supporting complex, high-impact engagements across EMEA. My work spans hybrid cloud, OpenShift-based platforms, and emerging AI workloads.

My background is in electrical engineering, with a PhD from RWTH Aachen University and research experience in solar energy systems at the Institute for Energy and Climate Research in Jülich. I started my career in science before moving into the IT industry. Prior to Red Hat, I spent eight years at Dell Technologies and EMC, progressing from Systems Engineer to Advisory Solutions Architect and CTO Ambassador, working with customers in automotive, manufacturing, and the public sector on data center modernization and hybrid cloud architecture.

Over time, I’ve developed a strong focus on:

  • Designing cloud-native platforms that scale across organizations
  • Enabling partners and customers to adopt open, composable architectures
  • Turning abstract strategy into concrete, deliverable solutions

I’m particularly interested in how AI is reshaping software platforms and how organizations can adopt it pragmatically without losing architectural integrity.

Outside of work, I train for endurance sports, mainly running and cycling, and enjoy the discipline and long-term thinking they require.

I regularly explore ideas at the intersection of technology, business, and society through podcasts such as:

  • Pivot - link
  • The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway - link
  • Zurück zur Zukunft - link
  • Doppelgänger Tech Talk - link
  • Pushing Limits - link

Certifications

I love to familiarize myself with new technologies, tools, or work methods, so I constantly try to educate myself.
You can track my advancements on Credly .

  • Claude Code, Cowork & API courses — Anthropic Academy
  • Red Hat Certified OpenShift Administrator — Red Hat
  • Red Hat Certified OpenShift Application Developer — Red Hat
  • Red Hat Certified Specialist in OpenShift AI — Red Hat
  • Red Hat Certified Specialist in OpenShift Virtualization — Red Hat
  • Red Hat Certified Specialist in Containers — Red Hat
  • Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD) — Linux Foundation
  • LFC131: Green Software for Practitioners — Linux Foundation
  • Cloud Foundry Certified Developer — Linux Foundation
  • Cloud Digital Leader — Google Cloud
  • Associate Cloud Engineer — Google Cloud
  • Enterprise Design Thinking Practitioner — IBM
  • IBM Garage Essentials — IBM
  • Professional Product Owner I — Scrum.org
  • Professional Scrum Master I — Scrum.org
  • Certified Facilitator of LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Methods and Materials — Hello Agile
  • Various DataCamp courses on data analysis with R — DataCamp
  • Cloud Architect, Cloud Infrastructure Specialist Version 2.0 (EMCCA) — EMC
  • Information Storage Associate Version 2 (EMCISA) — EMC
  • ScaleIO 1.x Server-Based SAN — EMC