Top Cloud Executives to Watch in 2025

Kent Cunningham

Chief Technology Officer, Microsoft US Civilian Government

Kent Cunningham’s biggest recent achievement, “outside of my amazing family,” he said, is the opportunity to drive meaningful impact across multiple industries by leveraging the world’s most advanced cloud and AI technologies to solve real-world challenges.

Through persistence, a wealth of good fortune and a drive to solve complex problems, Cunningham has been blessed to work alongside the brightest minds to tackle some of the most critical challenges for global leaders and Fortune 100 companies regarding energy, finance, healthcare and public services. From optimizing energy efficiency and fighting financial crimes to accelerating drug discovery and improving access to public benefits, Cunningham remains passionate about helping to transform mission-critical operations at scale and drive innovation that directly improves lives.

“Kent Cunningham’s dedication to advancing cloud computing and his unwavering commitment to government efficiency have been truly inspiring,” said Candice Ling, senior vice president of US Federal at Microsoft.

“His innovative approach and collaborative spirit have significantly contributed to our mission of modernizing and delivering automation effectively. We are incredibly fortunate to have Kent as a leader of our team, and this recognition is a testament to his unwavering commitment to our customers and market innovation.”

Why Watch 

In 2025, Cunningham and his team are driving AI-powered modernization across the public sector, helping agencies streamline operations, eliminate inefficiencies and fully harness their data to meet today’s evolving challenges. By leveraging agentic AI, cloud scalability and automation, his team is transforming critical sectors like healthcare, finance, research and national security. This work is redefining government operations, enabling smarter, more secure and more resilient public services for the future

“Growth comes from the willingness to learn, the courage to fail, and the wisdom to turn every challenge into an opportunity for impact,” Cunningham said.

Fun fact: Cunningham has a naturally competitive drive that extends beyond work into nearly every aspect of his life. What began as a childhood love for watersports has evolved into a full-fledged passion, pushing him to train with world-class professional waterskiers in Italy to refine his skills. Whether in technology or sports, Cunningham thrives on the relentless pursuit of improvement and knowledge sharing.