About Mike

tl;dr: I've spent the past 10 years at VMware, doing all kinds of techy-producty things. I ran a small data center in Toronto before that. Before that I ran my own small web development shop and worked for a local startup that you've never heard of. I am also a pirate.

Currently, I run product management and marketing for VMware Fusion and Workstation, and have been doing so since 2015.

Work stuff

My time at VMware started in 2009 in Support, where I launched the team responsible for helping our customers with Fusion and Workstation.

I later moved in to Enterprise Cloud app support, which meant learning how VMware's entire stack worked inside and out in order to help our biggest customers.

From there I made the jump into Product Marketing for Cloud Services, responsible for our first 'Hybrid Cloud' messaging, thanks to some folks who took a chance on an inexperienced but eager Canadian.

I was given the opportunity to write a bit about my career experience at VMware: https://blogs.vmware.com/careers/2013/11/success-is-a-journey-not-a-destination-a-look-at-how-embracing-change-leads-to-a-dynamic-and-thriving-ride-at-vmware.html

From Product Marketing I moved into Technical Marketing for Cloud Services, with responsibilities around supporting 'Dev and Test' workflows, as well as Security and Compliance. I was humbled to have the chance to craft the narrative and demos for the VMworld Keynote stage. https://youtu.be/P5bWlvSr7-A?t=4504

Around here I wrote a little book on how to get the most from VMware Fusion:

https://www.amazon.com/Getting-Started-VMware-Fusion-Michael/dp/1782177884

In 2015 I took an opportunity within the company to go back to my roots and lead it into the future, so that meant a return to Product Marketing for VMware Fusion and Workstation.

In the years since I've moved into a dual-role and drive Product Management as well as Marketing for VMware Desktop Hypevisors with a responsibility to drive the business group as a whole.

Outside of work

I enjoy making music, and sometimes post stuff over here: https://soundcloud.com/michael-helix

I enjoy solving problems with software, and contributing to open source is fun: https://github.com/mikeroySoft

Oh, and I'm also a professional Pirate! https://mermaidandmom.com/

Ooh, treasure

I mean, you're really hiring the mermaids, but they need help getting around, you see!

The tail is the heavy part

Photos taken by the amazing Stephen Johnson at the Northern California Pirate Festival, 2019