Explore the Future of Data Storage
Join us for three days of innovation, networking, and exclusive insights. Discover how cutting-edge storage solutions are shaping the next era of data growth — from advanced platform architectures and edge technologies to AI-powered workloads. Engage in hands-on sessions, get a closer look at our roadmap, and connect directly with the experts driving the storage technologies of tomorrow.
Strategic insights into enterprise storage trends
Product roadmap presentations
Networking with key decision makers
Exclusive partner benefits and programs
Mediterranean hospitality in stunning Spain
Eurostars Hotel in Sitges, Spain
October 27–29, 2025
~70 attendees from UK & Nordics, BENELUX, South, DACH, and BELT regions
Focus: The future of HDD, WD’s roadmap, partner opportunity, and hands-on engagement
Your Journey Through the Event
See what’s coming up across the event and find the sessions that match your interests. From expert talks to interactive demos, there’s something for everyone to explore.
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 14:00–17:00 | Arrival & Hotel Check-In |
| 19:00–21:30 | Welcome Dinner |
| Time | Session | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| 09:00–09:10 | Welcome & Day Preview | Ben Radford (Event Host) |
| 09:10–09:40 | Opening Keynote: The Infrastructure Behind Everything | Nigel Edwards |
| 09:40–10:10 | Analyst Keynote: Why HDDs Still Win in the AI Era | Joseph Turner - Context World |
| 10:10–10:50 | Roadmap Reveal Part 1: Inside WD’s HDD Evolution | Uwe Kemmer |
| 10:50–11:20 | Coffee Break | — |
| 11:20–12:00 | Roadmap Reveal Part 2: Platform Innovation & Architecture | Scott Hamilton |
| 12:00–12:30 | AI at the Edge - Solving the Storage Bottleneck | Scott Hamilton with PeakAIO |
| 12:30–13:00 | WD Labs: The Next Storage Leap | Stefan Hellmold - Cerabyte |
| 13:00–14:00 | Lunch Break | — |
| 14:00–14:30 | Channel Playbook: How Partners Win with WD | Nicolas Frappard |
| 14:30–15:00 | Panel: Voices from the Field | Nicolas Frappard |
| 15:00–15:30 | Built on Trust: A Partner’s Perspective | TBC |
| 15:30–15:45 | Coffee Break | — |
| 15:45–16:15 | Panel: Ask Me Anything | WD Leadership |
| 16:15–16:30 | Closing Statements | Nigel Edwards |
| 16:30–17:00 | Partner Awards Ceremony: Celebrating Excellence 2025 | WD Leadership |
| Time | Session | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| 09:00–10:00 | Winning Together: Enterprise Partner Program Benefits & Feedback | Lukas Paskovsky, Uwe Kemmer |
| 10:00–11:00 | Platforms Innovation Lab: Powering the Next Data Era | Niall Macleoud |
| 11:00–11:15 | Coffee Break | – |
| 11:15–12:00 | Platforms Hands On Demo | Carmelo D'Agostino |
| 12:00–13:00 | Lunch & Departures | Return gifts, transportation to airport/hotel arranged |
Meet the Minds Behind the Event
Uwe Kemmer
Senior Director, EMEAI Field Engineering, Western Digital
Uwe Kemmer leads Western Digital’s EMEAI Field Engineering team, overseeing technical experts across Europe and India who support integrators and OEMs with the full product portfolio. His team provides deep technical expertise on Enterprise HDDs, SSDs, and platform solutions including JBODs and Flash-based storage systems.
With more than 25 years at Western Digital and its predecessor HGST, Uwe has been part of the company’s transformation and growth in enterprise storage. He previously held engineering roles at Hitachi Global Storage Technologies and IBM, building extensive experience in storage innovation and customer support.
Uwe holds a degree in Communications Engineering from the University of Applied Sciences Rüsselsheim, graduating as Diplom-Ingenieur.
Nigel Edwards
VP, WW Channel Sales & Marketing, Western Digital
Nigel Edwards is Vice President of Worldwide Channel Sales & Marketing at Western Digital, leading the company’s global go-to-market strategy across partners and distributors. Based near London, he brings more than 25 years of leadership experience in sales, marketing, and business strategy in the IT industry.
Over his career, Nigel has held multiple senior roles at Western Digital, including Vice President of EMEAI for HDD and Flash, and leadership of the worldwide sales team from the company’s San Jose headquarters. He previously led HGST’s EMEA sales organization and built strong executive relationships across enterprise, consumer, and retail channels.
Earlier in his career, Nigel managed Western Digital’s global relationship with Dell, helping establish the company as Dell’s largest HDD supplier. He began his career at Informix Software and holds a degree in Business & Finance from Plymouth University.
Steffen Hellmold
President of Cerabyte, Inc.
Steffen Hellmold is the President of Cerabyte, Inc. He is responsible for driving business development efforts, scaling up the customer and partner ecosystem, leading industry and marketing engagements, and providing industry thought leadership.
Steffen has more than 25 years of industry experience in product, technology, business & corporate development as well as strategy roles. He served as Senior Vice President, Business Development, Data Storage at Twist Bioscience and held executive management positions at Western Digital, Everspin, SandForce, Seagate Technology, Lexar Media/Micron, Samsung Semiconductor, SMART Modular and Fujitsu.
He has been deeply engaged in various industry trade associations and standards organizations, including co-founding the DNA Data Storage Alliance in 2020 and the USB Flash Drive Alliance, where he served as president from 2003 to 2007.
He holds an Economic Electrical Engineering degree (EEE) from the Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany.
Joe Turner
Global Director of Research and Business Development, CONTEXT
Joe Turner is the Global Director of Research and Business Development at CONTEXT, a leading market research firm tracking technology distribution and sales across the globe. As a recognized voice on the future of the IT Channel, he possesses a deep understanding of the entire technology supply chain, from component sales to enterprise solutions.
Specifically for the storage sector, Joe specializes in analyzing the market forces shaping the data landscape. He translates complex sales data and market trends—from the demand for high-capacity HDDs in data centers to shifting procurement trends in enterprise IT—into a competitive advantage for the industry. This unique perspective empowers vendors and their channel partners to identify new opportunities, navigate inventory challenges, and build effective go-to-market strategies.
Drawing on his deep expertise in the IT Channel and global distribution, Joe provides the critical strategic insights that help Western Digital’s partners across the EMEA region innovate and thrive. He offers a clear, data-driven view of the storage market, ensuring partners are equipped to build resilience and capitalize on what’s next in a rapidly changing market.
Carmelo D’Agostino
Principal Engineer, Field Applications Engineering team, Western Digital
Carmelo D’Agostino is a Principal Engineer in the Field Applications Engineering team at Western Digital, where he supports leading enterprise accounts across Southern Europe in the development and deployment of advanced storage solutions, including HDD, JBOD, and NVMeoF JBOF architectures.
He brings over fifteen years of international experience gained at renowned organizations such as Telit Cinterion, ARM, and STMicroelectronics, with expertise spanning product management, applications engineering, and system-on-chip design.
Holding a Ph.D. from Institut Polytechnique de Grenoble, Dr. D’Agostino combines strong technical knowledge with a customer-oriented approach, effectively leading complex qualification processes and high-impact proof-of-concept initiatives that align cutting-edge technology with enterprise requirements.
Scott Hamilton
Sr. Director, Product Management, Marketing &CX, Western Digital
Scott Hamilton leads the Platforms Product Team at Western Digital, overseeing a broad portfolio of purpose-built data center solutions including external storage systems, specialized storage servers, and disaggregated infrastructure platforms designed for scalable, high-performance workloads.
With over 35 years of experience in storage, IT, and communications technologies, Scott brings deep technical and market expertise to his role. Before joining Western Digital, he served as Vice President of Product Management and Advanced Solutions at Quantum. Throughout his career, he has held leadership positions across product management, business strategy, engineering, technical sales, and marketing at companies including Quantum, Emulex, Raytheon, and General Electric.
Scott holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Texas A&M University and a master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania.
Niall Macleod
Director Applications Engineering, Western Digital
With more than 25 years in enterprise applications and storage, Niall MacLeod has built a career spanning engineering, education, professional services, and technical marketing across both global storage leaders and innovative start-ups. He currently serves within Western Digital’s Platforms business unit, focusing on next-generation data center storage. His expertise centers on disaggregated storage using NVMe over Fabrics (NVMe-oF) architectures, with a strong emphasis on enabling AI and machine learning at scale. Niall also leads initiatives integrating on-premise NVIDIA GPU Direct Storage with NVMe-oF, driving performance gains for modern data-intensive and machine learning workloads.
Lukas Paskovsky
Senior Manager of Global Partner Marketing & Engagement
Lukas Paskovsky is Senior Manager of Global Partner Marketing & Engagement, based in Prague. He leads the Pro Rewards partner program, a central initiative for strengthening partner engagement and loyalty.
His work is distinguished by analytical precision and effective cross-functional collaboration, supporting regional growth through data-driven marketing strategies and operational excellence.
Lukas holds a Master’s degree in Economics and Management from the Czech University of Life Sciences, providing a strong foundation for his expertise in partner program optimization and strategic planning within enterprise channels.
