Quorum Attend SQLBits 2025

Some of our lovely Quorum data experts recently attended SQLBits 2025, Europe’s largest data platform conference, held this year at the ExCeL in London on 18–21 June.

Since kicking off in 2007, SQLBits has become a key event in the data calendar and our attendees always come back from it absolutely buzzing with inspiration!

It’s a community-driven event that’s packed with genuinely useful content. It’s huge though, with over 300 hours of sessions and 200+ speakers, it covers everything from transactional systems to big data, AI, and machine learning. So there’s a lot to take in!!

What sets SQLBits apart is its focus on substance over sales. More than 95% of the sessions are non-commercial, which is brilliant as it means you’re listening to real-world valuable stuff rather than boring sales pitches.

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This year, Thomas Sykes, Liam Borthwick, Iain Dobson, Mark Adamson, and Sharon Cameron attended on behalf of Quorum. From hands-on labs and in-depth sessions to impromptu conversations in the hallway, the team made the most of every opportunity to learn, share, and bring back inspiration.

We’re especially proud of Data Engineer, Sharon Cameron, who spent part of her time at SQLBits volunteering. It was a brilliant way to give back, meet new people, and help make the event a great experience for everyone:

“The SQL community has given me so much over the years. This year, I volunteered to give back and support the next generation. Wearing the infamous orange shirt at SQLBits made me feel more confident speaking to others and made some amazing connections – one big happy SQL family”

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Key Takeaways from the Team

Each team member took away something different from this year’s conference, and we asked them to share the insights and experiences that stood out most.

I attended an excellent presentation from Andrew Edge and Barney Lawrence on Fabric, SKU consumption, and payback, followed by a final session from Brent Ozar, a fun, light-hearted end to the conference that focused on Ascending Keys.

It was also brilliant to catch up with friends, both old and new.

Tom Sykes

Senior Data Consultant

I attended a variety of sessions covering everything from:
‘Data Literacy: Navigating Your Way to Data-Driven Success’ by Reitse Eskens and Valerie Junk
‘The Fundamentals of Dax Contexts’ by James McGillivray

I also attended sessions on softer topics, including:
‘Diversity at Work – More Than Just a Buzzword’ by Gabi Münster
‘Talking About Mental Health for You and for Them’ by Traci Sewell.

But the sessions were only half the story, connecting with people who share the same passion for our profession was truly incredible.

It was tiring, but in the best possible way.

Mark Adamson

Data and AI Practice Lead

Attending SQLBits, especially as a volunteer, was a genuinely transformative experience. Beyond the wealth of knowledge shared and brilliant minds I got to connect with, the biggest takeaway for me was the incredible boost of confidence I gained. Actively contributing to such a well-organised and impactful event was profoundly rewarding. SQLBits isn’t just a conference for me; it’s a community where passion for data thrives, and I left feeling both inspired and more capable.

The sessions I enjoyed the most were ‘From Fabric to Fantastic: How dbt Makes Your Lakehouses and Warehouses Shine’ by Sam Debruyn and ‘Fabric Monitoring Made Simple: Built-In Tools and Custom Solutions’ by Ásgeir Gunnarsson and Just Blindbæk. I look forward to implementing what I’ve learned for our clients!

It was also great to talk to Mark P – Microsoft CAT team developer who took the time to talk me through a specific issue.

Sharon Cameron

Data Engineer

The incredible thing about SQL Bits is the variety of topics. I attended the enlightening presentation ‘Window to Success: Mastering SQL Server Window Functions’ by Daniel Hutmacher. An insightful talk by Jerry Nixon about ‘Workflows of Highly Functional App & Data Engineering Teams’ based in part on his work with Microsoft’s 15 largest customers.

My final highlight was the massively relevant vision of the not-so-distant future by Simon Whitley in ‘Automating Engineering with AI’ which I wholeheartedly agree with and look forward to exploring further.

Iain Dobson

Data Engineer

Having never attended a data conference before I was unsure what to expect. Leaving Glasgow at 3:30am was a shock but after copious amounts of coffee I was ready for the day ahead. I’ve recently started using Fabric and Power BI, so I made it a mission to attend as many of these talks as possible.

Some detail went completely over my head, but I also found exactly the level I was looking for – breaking down concepts and approaches to data modelling and report creation in a way that confirmed this is exactly the type of work I want to do.

My highlight was a presentation by Valerie Junk titled ‘Storytelling & Power BI – Creating Power BI reports that connect with different audiences’. It opened my eyes to the value in capturing and understanding the requirements of key users.

I had a fantastic time speaking to so many passionate attendees, vendors and presenters. It’s an event that must be experienced to truly appreciate why it means so much to so many in the data community.

Laim Borthwick

Data Support Engineer