Kevin Wooldridge plays a key role at Microsoft, where he helps shape the future of work by focusing on the people behind the technology. As a leader in Microsoft Digital, he is part of the “Customer Zero” team—an internal group that becomes the first and most demanding users of Microsoft’s own innovations. Whether it’s Microsoft 365 Copilot or Microsoft Viva, Kevin and his team don’t just use the products—they live with them, test them under real-world pressure, and work closely with engineering teams to improve them before customers ever see them.
Kevin Wooldridge | Senior Director – Microsoft | Office of the COO
His work involves solving real problems for over 300,000 employees and vendors at Microsoft, using feedback and data to shape the tools that will soon reach millions of users worldwide. At EliteX, we are proud to have Kevin Wooldridge as part of the edition: Tech Visionaries: Shaping the Future, 2025.
For Kevin, the role is rewarding because it’s deeply practical. The work is grounded in daily experience and directly affects how people at Microsoft operate, communicate, and innovate. It’s about transforming internal change into a blueprint for customers around the globe. By making work better for his colleagues, Kevin is also giving customers a tested and trusted path forward. His impact goes beyond the walls of Microsoft—he helps businesses across industries envision how they can transform their own workplaces using the same tools and lessons.
“Don’t wait to be ready—start by being curious.”
Kevin’s journey into technology didn’t start with a single defining moment. Instead, it grew out of a natural curiosity about how systems work and a desire to solve meaningful problems. Early on, he worked in operations and account management, where he quickly realized that technology wasn’t just about support—it was a driver of real change. His passion grew as he saw the potential to lead transformation from the inside out. At Microsoft, the opportunity to help design and improve tools like Copilot and Viva by working closely with employees and engineering has kept him inspired and motivated. For him, it’s all about bridging innovation with impact—making sure technology actually works for the people using it.
One technology Kevin is especially excited about is Microsoft 365 Copilot. Through his role in the C0 program, he has seen how Copilot is changing the way people work—cutting through daily complexity, speeding up decision-making, and creating more time for strategic thinking. It’s not just an AI feature inside productivity tools—it’s a shift in how work gets done. His team tests these tools in real scenarios, identifies what works and what needs to change, and passes that knowledge back to engineering. That feedback loop between users and builders is what Kevin believes sets Microsoft apart—and why he finds his work so meaningful.
One of Kevin’s proudest achievements has been leading the internal adoption of Copilot for Sales at Microsoft. The results were powerful: sellers who used Copilot regularly saw about a 10% increase in revenue per person and 20% higher win rates. Pipeline generation went up by 5–10%. By embedding Copilot into everyday workflows, Kevin’s team helped reduce administrative tasks, improve CRM quality, and let sellers focus on what they do best—building relationships and closing deals. More importantly, their internal feedback shaped the product roadmap, showing how internal innovation can directly benefit external customers.
Another success Kevin celebrates is his team’s use of Microsoft Viva as a change management platform. By combining tools like Viva Amplify, Engage, Pulse, and Learning, they drove adoption of M365 Copilot more effectively than traditional change methods. The results spoke for themselves: nearly a 40% increase in daily Copilot usage and double the number of hours assisted by Copilot. This wasn’t just about pushing a new tool—it was about leading a people-first, data-driven transformation. Viva provided deep insights and stronger engagement, offering a model that others can now follow. Kevin is proud that these insights are helping customers think differently about how to adopt AI and improve employee experiences.
“A tech visionary, to me, is someone who sees beyond the product to the purpose.”
To Kevin, being a tech visionary isn’t about having a crystal ball—it’s about shaping a better future through technology. It means thinking beyond features and looking at how tools can empower people, create more inclusive workplaces, and deliver real human impact. For him, it’s not just about smarter systems—it’s about kinder ones. Whether it’s using AI to free up time for sellers or using employee feedback to improve product design, Kevin sees the true value of technology in how it helps people thrive. This belief also fuels his work beyond Microsoft, where he’s committed to creating spaces where people can grow, succeed, and feel like they belong.
He believes that real innovation doesn’t just happen in engineering labs—it happens when diverse voices are included in the process, when people listen deeply, and when teams work together with a shared goal. A tech visionary, in his eyes, is someone who brings others along on the journey and always asks: “How can we make this better for everyone?”
Kevin also believes that there’s an area in tech that isn’t getting enough attention: the foundation behind AI success. While everyone’s talking about AI copilots and automation, he points out that the groundwork—things like clean, AI-ready data, strong feedback loops, and organizational change infrastructure—is what truly determines whether AI delivers value. Without secure, structured data and a culture of learning and iteration, even the most advanced AI tools will fall short. His team’s C0 work has highlighted how important this hidden layer is, and he hopes more people will focus on building the right foundations to support AI success.
Looking ahead to the year 2030, Kevin hopes to see a tech landscape that is more human-centered. He envisions AI that goes beyond boosting productivity to support well-being, inclusion, accessibility, and equity. He wants to see systems that don’t just move fast but move in the right direction—built with empathy, governed with care, and designed to uplift people from all walks of life. For Kevin, this is not a distant dream but a goal worth working toward every day. He believes that by embedding values like fairness, inclusion, and empowerment into technology development, we can ensure a better future for everyone.
When asked what advice he’d give to young people considering a career in tech, Kevin keeps it simple and honest: “Don’t wait to be ready—start by being curious.” In a fast-moving industry, it’s not about knowing everything—it’s about being open to learning and growth. He encourages young people to take on challenges, seek out projects that stretch them, and surround themselves with people who inspire and challenge them. Most of all, he reminds them that technology is about people—solving real problems, making lives better, and creating new opportunities. Whether you’re coding, managing projects, or leading transformation, the focus should always be on the impact.
Kevin also wants every young person to know that they belong in tech. Diversity of thought, background, and experience is what makes the industry stronger. Fresh perspectives are not just welcome—they’re needed. He believes that inclusive teams create better solutions, and that everyone has something valuable to contribute. If more people feel confident stepping into the world of tech, Kevin believes we’ll all benefit from the ideas and innovations they bring.
Kevin Wooldridge’s story is one of curiosity, compassion, and commitment. From helping shape Microsoft’s internal tools to guiding the future of AI-powered work, his efforts are grounded in purpose and driven by people. He is not just helping Microsoft transform—he’s helping shape a new, better standard for what work can look like in the digital age.
“We’re not just using the technology—we’re shaping its evolution based on our lived experience.”
