Co-Founder

Martin
Sherwood

A Cloud Solutions Architect with twenty-three years of experience, specialising in the design, development, and delivery of Data Analytics and AI Platform Solutions on Microsoft Azure.

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Expert + AI Eng

Azure AI Engineer Associate

Build Phase

Azure Solutions
Architect Expert

As Co-Founder of Orion, Martin holds Microsoft's highest-level architecture certification, backed by experience as a Principal Consultant at Microsoft designing enterprise solutions for global organisations.

Enterprise-scale Azure architecture

Microsoft Fabric & data platforms

AI Engineer & GenAI solutions

DevOps, DataOps & MLOps

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The Orion Difference

Technical excellence meets strategic vision

With 25+ years architecting data solutions for enterprises like Microsoft, Shell, Tesco, and UK Government departments, Martin brings unmatched technical depth to every engagement.

True innovation in data is not just about adopting the newest technology. It's about architecting intelligent, resilient systems that empower people and drive measurable outcomes.

Martin Sherwood Co-Founder

Ex-Microsoft Principal Consultant Enterprise solutions architect

25+ Years Data Experience Fortune 500 & Government

29+ Industry Certifications Microsoft, Azure, Fabric validated

Trusted by teams at

From Microsoft to Co-Founder

25+ years of enterprise data leadership, culminating in his role leading technical strategy at Orion Data Analytics.

Microsoft

Principal Consultant & Cloud Architect

Leading enterprise data initiatives and architecting cloud solutions for Fortune 500 clients across multiple industries.

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Enterprise

Data & Analytics Lead

Transforming data capabilities for major enterprises including Tesco, Shell, and government departments.

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Government

Public Sector Transformation

Delivering critical data infrastructure for HMRC, Cabinet Office, Home Office and Royal Navy.

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Now

Co-Founder at Orion Data Analytics

Leading technical strategy and delivery, combining 25+ years of enterprise experience to architect intelligent data platforms for commercial leaders.

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Technical Expertise

What Martin brings to your Data & AI Transformation

Data & Solution Architecture

Designing enterprise-grade data platforms from the ground up. Creating North Star architectures that align with business goals using CAF and WAF frameworks.

25+ enterprise solutions delivered

Microsoft Fabric & Azure

Deep certified expertise across the Microsoft data stack. Unifying data estates with Fabric to create a single source of truth for analytics and AI workloads.

29 certifications earned

AI & Machine Learning

Deploying intelligent solutions that deliver tangible business value. From GenAI and predictive analytics to custom Copilots and AI Agents.

100% project success rate

Technical Leadership

Guiding teams through the full project lifecycle using Agile and DevOps. Managing stakeholders and delivering complex data projects on time and budget.

25+ years experience

Service Capabilities

How Martin delivers technical value

North Star Architecture

Creating long-term technical blueprints that align with and drive business strategy.

Primary Focus

Cloud Architecture

Designing robust, scalable, and secure cloud solutions on the Azure platform.

Data Lake & Lakehouse

Architecting modern storage combining data lake flexibility with warehouse features.

AI & Copilot Solutions

Building custom copilots and AI agents tailored to specific business needs.

DevOps & DataOps

Implementing CI/CD and automation to accelerate delivery and improve quality.

Governance & Security

Establishing policies to ensure data quality, security, and compliance.

Career long endorsements

What leaders say about Martin

Martin had an immediate impact when joining. His knowledge of the Microsoft Data Stack rapidly enhanced our data platform operational quality. He brought a wealth of knowledge in improving performance, security, and operations.

Shalutha Herath Technology Leader

Martin has an unwavering and enthusiastic approach, always striving to transition systems to optimal levels. He champions best practice and promotes how best to utilise and build data related technology.

Andrew Dobson Chief Technology Officer at Octopus

He is enormously knowledgeable across the MS SQL Server stack. I was hugely impressed by his tuning skills which resolved many performance issues and ultimately allowed the project to succeed.

Mark Matten Data and Information Architect

Thought Leadership

Insights from Martin

Technical perspectives on data architecture, AI, and cloud transformation

The Hidden Architecture Debt Killing Your AI Initiatives

Technology

The Hidden Architecture Debt Killing Your AI Initiatives

Architecture decisions made years ago are silently undermining your AI projects. Here's how to identify the technical debt compounding beneath your data platform.

Data Architecture Technical Debt Microsoft Fabric

24 February 2026 •

10 min read

The Agentic AI Framework: Mastering Autonomy for Enterprise Operations

Technology

The Agentic AI Framework: Mastering Autonomy for Enterprise Operations

When planning agentic Artificial Intelligence initiatives, it is wise to establish a framework. This structure is essential for assessing where AI agents are most likely to bring improvements, how to evaluate AI readiness across the organisation, how to manage and orchestrate the actions of AI agents, and, crucially, how to implement governance for responsible oversight.

AI Strategy Best Practices AI

28 October 2025 •

3 min read

The End of the Billable Hour: Embracing Outcome-Based Contracts

Insights

The End of the Billable Hour: Embracing Outcome-Based Contracts

For decades, the technology sector has operated on a simple premise: time equals money. Clients paid for the hours consultants worked, accepting a degree of uncertainty in project timelines and final costs. However, a significant shift is underway. Across the industry, a more powerful and demanding model is replacing the billable hour: the outcome-based contract. This is not a minor adjustment in pricing, but rather a fundamental evolution in how value is defined and delivered. As reported in The Financial Express, clients are increasingly pushing for fixed-price engagements, a trend validated by leading industry analysts.

Enterprise Digital Transform ROI

29 August 2025 •

4 min read

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Validated expertise