MVP Insights: André Arnaud de Calavon on Navigating Dynamics 365, MVP Journey, and Global Implementations
Welcome to “MVP Insights,” a podcast that explores the universe, ideas, and opportunities of the brightest stars in the Microsoft business applications ecosystem.
In episode 27, John Siefert is joined by André Arnaud de Calavon, Managing Partner & CTO, Next365, to discuss his journey to becoming an MVP, the Next365 organization, and the three sessions he’ll be leading at Community Summit North America 2024.
This episode is sponsored by Community Summit North America, the largest independent gathering of the Microsoft Business Applications ecosystem, taking place Oct. 13-17, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas. Register today to connect with thousands of users across the Microsoft business applications ecosystem at the for user, by user event.
Key Takeaways
- Company overview: Next365 aims to help clients maximize their Dynamics 365 investments by sitting on the client side, helping them understand Dynamics 365 and their entire landscape, and acting as solution architects to guide both the client and their partners through implementations. Since its inception last December, it has established offices in Norway, Denmark, the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands, Australia, and recently in North America, including Canada and the US. We aim to assist by
- MVP journey: André began his career with a small Navision partner in the Netherlands, exploring both functional and technical aspects. After several years, he transitioned to working with Dynamics AX, where he handled various implementations and troubleshooting tasks. Later in 2008, he moved to a construction company to build a Competence Center and later engaged with the Dynamics community, eventually earning an MVP award in 2013, which he’s maintained for 11 consecutive years.
- Toughest projects: André reflects on implementation for the largest online retailer in the Netherlands, where initial attempts with AX 2009 failed. After switching to AX 2012, the project involved extensive process documentation and coordination among over 125 people, including many external participants. Despite early challenges, the system has been live for about 12 years.
- Summit NA sessions: André will be taking part in three sessions at Community Summit NA. He’ll be on a D365 FO MVP Panel, reviewing new features, tips, and tricks on Monday, October 14. On Wednesday, October 16, he’ll co-present with fellow MVP Alex Meyer on common D365FO security mistakes and how to avoid them. His final session on turning D365FO business data into process mining event logs will focus on connecting financial data with existing systems.
Stream the audio version of this episode here:
