Michael Richardson

Chief Technology Officer

Helping your Microsoft investments pull their weight, strengthen control, and get more from Azure and M365. 

About the Expert

Most Microsoft environments carry more cost than they should. Licenses go underutilized, support contracts deliver ticket queues instead of senior expertise, and cloud infrastructure built for one initiative rarely gets revisited. Michael has spent his career fixing exactly that. 

As CTO at Dynamic Consultants Group (DCG), Michael leads two practices built around closing those gaps. Advanced Support is a direct alternative to Microsoft Unified Support, built around senior engineers from first contact, transparent pricing, and proactive issue prevention. Today, the practice supports 2 million active users. Modern Cloud delivers M365 and Azure solutions for complex, regulated environments, with a focus on architecture, security, and measurable business outcomes. One recent licensing evaluation surfaced $2.8M in M365 savings for a single client. 

Before DCG, Michael spent years as a solutions architect and consultant inside an MSP and a data center and hosting company, including stints as the de facto CIO for a hospital and a school district. He also serves as DCG’s CIO and CISO, having driven the firm to SOC 2 Type II certification and a zero-trust security framework. He is also a speaker, writer, and technical leader who regularly shares perspectives on where the Microsoft ecosystem is heading and where IT leaders may be leaving value on the table.

Outside of work, Michael teaches in Christian ministry, a commitment that shapes the integrity and straight-talk approach he brings to every engagement. 

Areas of Expertise

Microsoft Cloud & Modernization

  • Microsoft cloud strategy and IT modernization
  • Azure architecture, hybrid cloud, and Azure Stack HCI  

Cost, Licensing & Support 

  • Microsoft 365 optimization and licensing advisory
  • Enterprise support strategy and Microsoft Unified Support alternatives

Security & Governance 

  • Identity and access management, network security, and Zero Trust
  • SOC 2, ISO 27001, compliance, and AI governance

Infrastructure & Modern Work 

  • Infrastructure as Code and Azure Virtual Desktop 
  • Data center modernization and scalable operational architecture 

Where Leaders Need Michael to Step In 

Michael brings an unconflicted view to Microsoft cloud strategy, support, licensing, security, and modernization, paired with the hands-on architecture experience to actually implement what he recommends. 

Microsoft environments quietly costing more than they should across licenses, support, and cloud resources, no one has honestly re-evaluated

Unified Support contracts that are not delivering the senior engineering attention enterprises expect

Azure and M365 environments that need stronger security, governance, and cost control without slowing the business down

Complex or regulated organizations that need cloud architecture built for real operational requirements, not a reference diagram

IT leaders moving faster on AI and cloud without creating new risk, sprawl, or technical debt 

His approach? Do not modernize for the sake of modernizing. Start with what the organization actually uses, where value is leaking, and what the business needs next. 

Hot off Michael’s Desk 

A Licensing Survival Guide for ERP Partner Transitions 

ERP partner transitions are rarely clean. When a project is already under pressure, licensing can look like background noise, until it becomes a budget problem, a provisioning problem, or a compliance problem. 
In this guide, Michael explains why licensing needs to be revisited during ERP partner transitions, especially when organizations inherit legacy agreements, duplicate SKUs, mismatched roles, dormant licenses, or user assignments that no longer align with project reality.

More from him on the 
Richardson Cloud Blog: expert opinions on IT modernization, Azure architecture, security, and the Microsoft cloud. 

What Michael’s Working On 

 A quick look at how Michael helps leaders cut through Microsoft cloud complexity, modernize with control, and make smarter technology decisions before cost, security, or scale become the problem.

Looking for practical guidance from Michael

on cloud architecture, infrastructure modernization, Azure strategy, or Microsoft cloud security? Share some details in the form, and we will follow up.