I'm Michael Shea. In the summer of 2015, after nearly 30 years of professional experience in the United States, I embarked on a new adventure in Vienna, Austria. While my next career chapter was still taking shape, I knew it needed to encompass three crucial elements: decentralization, privacy/confidentiality, and localized control. The emerging digital identity and digital credential sector captured my attention, and I quickly recognized its transformative potential across all market sectors—not just for personal identity, but for the often-overlooked 80% of the market traditionally excluded from digital identity conversations.

This vision led me to launch the Vienna Digital Identity Event in January 2019, creating a forum where technology experts and business leaders could share their innovative experiments and experiences. Over the next five years, the event earned recognition for its timely topics, market relevance, and exceptional speakers.

What began as an intimate gathering of technologists in Vienna has evolved into a global online event that equips business leaders and policymakers with crucial insights for their decision-making. As we enter 2025, the time is right to reimagine this platform as The Aeolian Discourse.