First off, they don’t work for Microsoft. A Microsoft Regional Director (RD) is an unbiased third-party evangelist of Microsoft products and services. Regional Directors are members of an elite, worldwide group of technology thought-leaders known for their national and international speaking tours, their authorship of books, articles and blogs, and their business acumen. Regional Directors are well-versed on the totality of the software industry. They are recognized for their achievements in communicating the benefits of emerging technologies.
They are not similar to Microsoft MVPs. While there are about 4000 MVPs in 75 countries worldwide, covering more than 75 technologies, there are only 50 RDs in the United States, and approximately 140 worldwide. An MVP typically has a strong vertical focus (such as ASP.NET or C#) while an RD is recognized for a broad mastery over many technologies. MVPs are awarded by community contributions regardless of geography, whereas RDs are recognized by technical merit in a respective region. As such, RDs usually have a strong relationship with the local Microsoft offices, particularly the Microsoft DE (Developer Evangelist). Both programs provide strong value to the community. Therefore, it is not uncommon to find that an RD has also been designated as an MVP.
You can not apply to become an RD. Individuals invited to the program are usually identified by the local DE. The candidate is usually well-known in the geography, and has earned the respect of his/her peers. The term of an RD is two years, but there is no limit to the number of terms a particular RD can serve. Microsoft expects RDs to connect with their customers and developers on a regular basis. They provide a vital link between Microsoft and the developer community. Think of them as a “liaison” between the Microsoft Community and Microsoft as a company,
The official website is called The Region where you can see all the names and bios of all the regional directors.
More Info:
Microsoft Regional Directors Don’t Work for Microsoft
Who are the Microsoft Regional Directors?
