When Tom Keane recently gave his notice at Microsoft, the question many tech watchers were wondering was, “What exciting thing is he going to do next?”
That’s because, over the past 21 years, he’s been involved in all sorts of exciting projects, including ramping up Microsoft’s efforts to change the cloud computing landscape at a global level.
Certainly, he’ll admit that he did plenty of his own coding, more so in the early days, but he also has been especially proud to manage the teams that have been tasked with pushing the boundaries of connectivity all around the planet.
In fact, under Tom Keane’s leadership, Microsoft’s efforts went beyond the confines of Earth itself: Azure Space laid the groundwork for improving connectivity elsewhere in the universe. Traditionally, to communicate from the earth to satellites, ships, or space stations required a whole lot of heavy hardware on both ends.
The development of the Azure Space initiative allowed much of the data to be shared via the cloud and also provided all sorts of analytics. The effort undertaken by Microsoft and other affiliated tech firms will provide the foundation for publicly and privately funded space exploration efforts.
But back to Tom Keane, who rose through the ranks of the Microsoft hierarchy to his title of Corporate Vice President and Head of Product and Engineering, which he was given in fall 2021.
His role included looking around the world for possible useful applications for Microsoft’s products and services. This includes a demand for more autonomy, more security for data, better access to data, and more attention to shifting away from hardware-heavy solutions.
He calls himself a blend of a technical specialist and a business leader, an approach that allows him to communicate with the technical-focused staff along with all levels of customers, from sales executives to world leaders.
All of these qualities will serve Tom Keane well in his next endeavor:
When he announced his departure from Microsoft, he proudly shared that his journey is going to continue, and he’s now “going to be involved in efforts to build on the world’s computer.”
In his farewell note to colleagues, he didn’t give all that many details about which compute he’s referring to or whether this is a new or ongoing project. But he of all people will know that there’s so much potential for innovation in any of the efforts to design a “better” computer in terms of factors, speed, performance, connectivity, and overall versatility.
His 21-Year Career at Microsoft
His adventure began in Australia, his birthplace. As a youth, he attended Prince Alfred College, a private K-12 boarding school for boys located in Adelaide.
It was here that he said he received quality instruction as well as learned the importance of values such as the importance of hard work, passion, and kindness. The school also emphasized that brave deeds endure.
He credits the school faculty with seeing his potential and encouraging him to follow his dreams. This wasn’t just abstract affirmations either: he said they recognized that had strong technical skills and encouraged him to study computers, which he did at the University of South Australia, where he earned a degree in computer science.
This opened plenty of doors for him, and for several years after graduation, he worked as a software engineer at a variety of technology companies in Australia.
In 2001, he moved to London, where he became part of Microsoft Consulting Services, a service that helped businesses solve problems with the help of Microsoft products and solutions.
In 2003, Tom Keane moved to the Seattle area, where Microsoft’s main campus is located. Here, he began working as a group engineering manager for the unit that created the software that allowed enterprise customers to utilize private cloud infrastructure and private data centers.
Over the years, he worked on a variety of projects for Microsoft and received larger areas of responsibility, including working with one of the Office teams and management of the “Vanguard” cross-company customer. This offered a variety of tools to customers in more than 55 countries.
The company promoted him to Azure Corporate Vice President and General Manager in 2012, which he held for nearly a decade until his final appointment as Head of Product and Engineering.
In this role, he supervised teams of engineers, data scientists, product managers, and others, with a focus on building Azure Global’s infrastructure at a large-scale level. This included helping developed countries upgrade their existing hardware and software to improve efficiency and introduce these products and services to countries that have never seen them before.
These efforts require working with municipal leaders at all levels of government in a variety of countries. Tom Keane and his division were able to help address regulatory issues in every country.
He also worked closely with the U.S. government to improve its cloud access systems at public levels and classified levels. These efforts overall improved efficiency in hardware, software, and cloud computing abilities.
Branches within the U.S. Department of Defense sought help from Tom Keane and his team for a variety of needs, including better security, ease of access, and improved communication with connected devices. These agencies have been working with Microsoft to develop better microelectronics for future computing and equipment needs.
Private customers also now have access to a variety of tools to better solve problems, use resources better, and have more secure transactions and more accurate compliance.
Tom Keane’s Recognition
Over the years, Tom Keane has received a variety of awards for his efforts in pushing technology forward.
One of the more prominent ones was in 2021 when he learned he was a finalist for a Pinnacle award from WashingtonExec for the category “Cloud Industry Executive of the Year.”
But perhaps an award that meant more to him personally was receiving an induction into the Princes’ Men Gallery, a group of distinguished alums of Prince Alfred College.
During a return to the school to accept the honor in April 2022, he shared that he still recalls the values that were taught. They continue to guide him in business decisions and the relationships he creates and maintains. He said the motto, “Fac Fortia Et Petere” (do brave deeds and endure) is still important to him as well at a professional d and personal level.
He said being able to reflect on these values is helpful when he’s been given increasingly larger responsibilities, including projects that seem impossible because they have never been done.