21-Year-Old Ethan Sumner Leads DevEx Connect with Fresh Perspectives and Vigor
DevEx Connect launched as a community-driven independent research, analyst and events organization focusing on everything under the DevEx umbrella, including DevOps, SRE and Platform Engineering. Developer Experience (DevEx) is at the forefront of modern software development, focusing on enhancing the quality of developers’ interactions with tools, processes and organizational culture. DevEx Connect aims to strengthen local communities by providing a global link and providing high-quality research, analysis and events within the space.
Central to DevEx Connect is the ‘hub,’ a centralized platform uniting the community through content, research, analysis and events. It will soon announce its schedule of global conferences in key locations like London, Manchester, Sydney and San Francisco alongside a cloud and industry-focused roadshow to unite the DevEx community and foster collaborative growth and knowledge exchange.
Ethan Sumner, 21, who will serve as CEO of DevEx Connect, began his journey at 16 when he set his sights on becoming a DevOps Engineer, a goal he achieved as the youngest DevOps Engineer at Mastercard at 18. His career continued as he transitioned to the role of Cloud Solutions Architect at Microsoft, supporting the likes of the NHS and Digital Natives before his previous role leading FinOps offerings for Cognizant in the UK. He started his community journey by founding the Young DevOps group to support early career challenges in the DevOps, SRE and Platform space and is active in community groups across the UK with a focus in Yorkshire within DevOps, AWS, Azure, GenAI and FinOps.
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“DevEx encompasses elements of DevOps, Platform Engineering and Site Reliability Engineering to optimize workflows and drive productivity for software developers,” said Sumner. “As DevEx gains prominence in improving operational outcomes and the overall developer experience, DevEx Connect will provide programs to bridge community gaps and empower developers globally.”
As a tech-for-good organization, DevEx Connect will nurture local communities through Operation Uplift, a comprehensive program designed to support and uplift local user groups and communities, with an initial focus on the UK. It will provide specialist assistance, catered support and essential funding to enhance the growth and development of these critical communities. Operation Uplift will provide £100k in funding to revitalize community groups and offer speaker development programs to nurture talent and elevate skill sets within the DevEx space.
Additionally, Operation Uplift features career development opportunities through national speaker training, venue and organizational support databases, and free consultancy services provided by DevEx Connect’s community leaders. By serving as a bridge between organizations and communities, it aims to foster collaboration, knowledge sharing and sustainable growth within the DevEx communities.
Initial board members of DevEx Connect include Paul Stovell and Anna Samios. Stovell, known for founding and scaling Octopus Deploy, will contribute his passion for community building and strategic growth. Samios brings valuable experience scaling organizations to ensure DevEx Connect remains at the forefront of industry advancement and community support. The board members and Sumner will guide DevEx Connect in its mission to reshape the software development landscape and empower technical communities globally.
“With a remarkable developer relations and community background, we’re excited to join Ethan as he leads DevEx Connect to empower technical communities,” said Stovell. “His dedication to supporting early career challenges and advocating for industry advancement makes him a great fit to lead the DevEx community.”
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