Google Cloud Next '26 Decoded: The Advanced Computing Perspective

Will Grannis
VP and CTO, Google Cloud

Will Grannis is the chief technology officer at Google Cloud, where he leads a global team of technology executives and senior engineers who work hand-in-hand with Google’s largest customers to enable industry and category-defining transformations while also catalyzing Google's approach to emergent imperatives like GenerativeAI, Web3, Digital Sovereignty and Sustainability. He joined Google in March 2015 as the first product success lead for Google for Work (now Google Cloud).  

In 2022, Will founded a new subsidiary, Google Public Sector, acting as CEO of the new division until the permanent leadership team was in place. Will and the team established a foundational capability that today helps the U.S. government accelerate their cloud initiatives and digital transformations with the differentiated technology and talent of Google.

Before joining Google, Will spent two decades as an entrepreneur, enterprise technology executive, and an investor, building and scaling technical platforms that today power commerce, telecommunications, transportation and the public sector. He’s been a developer, product manager, engineering leader, founder, chief technology officer, CEO and board director. 

Will holds a bachelor’s of science degree in operations research from the United States Military Academy at West Point and a master’s of business administration from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Olivia Bourée
Global Alliances, VAST Data

Olivia Bourée leads Google Cloud partnerships at VAST Data, where she focuses on aligning VAST’s data platform with GCP to drive joint customer success. She works closely with Google teams and enterprise customers to unlock high-performance data strategies across AI, analytics, and hybrid cloud environments.

Stratos Efstathiadis
Senior Director, Research Technology Services, NYU

Dr. Efstratios (Stratos) Efstathiadis serves as the Senior Director of Research Technology Services (RTS) at New York University, where he leads the strategic development of NYU’s research computing infrastructure and services. Overseeing an ecosystem of high-performance computing (HPC) clusters, research clouds, high-speed networks, and secure environments his team ensures NYU scholars have access to sustainable, cutting-edge resources necessary to drive world-class, innovative research. Dr. Efstathiadis advocates for AI adoption and its responsible use to advance the frontiers of academic research.

Duane McKinney
Architect, Charles Schwab

From the barracks of the USAF in 1995 to the mission critical world of Charles Schwab today, Duane’s career has been defined by a relentless curiosity for how things work. With a computer science foundation built over three decades, he is best known for breaking new ground in 2006 by developing the first digital surveillance system to receive Nevada Class A gaming approval.

Currently a key member of the Market Data team at Charles Schwab, Duane remains an avid learner, constantly evolving alongside the tech landscape. When he isn’t diving into new frameworks or architectures, he enjoys life in Austin, TX with his wife, Alese, biking, hiking and all things outdoors.

Megan Gawlik
Outbound Product Manager, Google Cloud