As the Chief Technology Officer for Microsoft Americas, Lara Rubbelke works with customers to help them with their most strategic technology initiatives that drive their innovation and digital transformation. With a passion for leveraging cutting-edge solutions and solving complex business challenges, Lara is dedicated to fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration across our industries.
For over 25 years Lara has worked with organizations to create business value, optimize operations and achieve sustainable growth by harnessing the power of technologies across Cloud Computing, Artificial Intelligence, Data Analytics and Systems, and Cybersecurity. She is committed to building the next generation of technology leaders and is a prominent voice in the technology community through industry events and forums.
Recently, in an exclusive interview with CIO Magazine, Lara shared insights on the future of cloud-enabled innovation and its implications for business and society, highlighted the key qualities that define a successful CTO, personal hobbies and interests, future plans, words of wisdom, and much more. The following excerpts are taken from the interview.
Hi Lara. What excites you most about the future of cloud computing and its potential impact on businesses and society?
What excites me most is the pace of innovation and the opportunity it creates to reimagine how we work, connect, solve problems and realize new opportunities. Cloud computing, especially when paired with AI, is empowering organizations to enrich the employee experience, reinvent customer engagement, reshape business processes, and bend the curve on innovation. It’s not just about technology for technology’s sake—it’s about enabling people to focus on what really matters: creativity, insight, and impact. We are unlocking potential—both for businesses to grow and for society to benefit in areas like education, sustainability, and healthcare. That kind of transformation is both exciting and deeply meaningful.
What do you love the most about your current role?
I’m lucky that my job is also my hobby—I get to work with incredibly passionate people to build impactful cloud solutions. As CTO for Microsoft Americas, I collaborate directly with people from all types of organizations who are creating new applications and experiences on our platform. I love the hands-on work of co-creating, discovering patterns, and sharing best practices to help our customers innovate.
What do you believe are the most important qualities or characteristics for a CTO to possess, and how do you embody those qualities in your own role?
Curiosity, collaboration, and a growth mindset are essential. The technology landscape changes quickly and staying relevant means continuously learning—I carve out time every week to explore new trends, tools, and ideas. Just as important is the ability to listen. As CTO, I spend a lot of time with customers and teams, and I’ve found that the best solutions often start with bringing people together to understanding someone else’s perspective. Listening fuels innovation, builds trust, and keeps us focused on what truly matters.
What role do you think collaboration and partnerships play in driving technological advancements?
Collaboration is critical. The most meaningful progress happens when different perspectives come together to solve real challenges. In previous roles, I led engineering teams where Microsoft engineers worked side by side with customer engineers, sometimes for six months at a time, to co-innovate. That kind of deep partnership builds trust, accelerates learning, and leads to solutions that are both technically strong and grounded in real-world needs. The best ideas don’t happen in isolation — they’re built together.
Collaboration is more important now than ever before. The rate of change in the models, tools, platforms, and frameworks to build new AI applications is faster than ever. Collaboration enables all of us to learn with and from each other. We capitalize on the collective IQ to move at a rapid pace while learning new ways to engineer in an AI world.
How do you stay current with the latest developments in technology, and what sources do you rely on for information?
For me, it starts with prioritizing learning and making learning a regular habit. Work is infinite, and it is critical that we prioritize time to focus on learning. I block time each week to focus on learning, and find ways to connect with others who are building solutions to understand new approaches. Some of my best insights come from conversations with customers and colleagues who are pushing the boundaries in their own work. I also stay current by listening to books (I am an audio book junkie!), following tech news, listening to podcasts, and staying connected with industry peers. It’s less about one single source and more about staying curious and open to learning from everywhere.
What are some of your passions outside of work? What do you like to do in your time off?
I love to read—I typically read 2-3 books a week. It’s how I unwind and keep learning at the same time. I also really enjoy traveling and discovering new food, architecture, and meeting people all over the world. I travel with my sons when they can fit it around their university classes, they are the best travel buddies. Finally, I try to regularly get out for a run. Those things keep me grounded and energized.
What is your secret to striking a work-life balance?
There is no secret, it is difficult.
I focus on making time for what I love—reading, running, and spending time with family and friends. That mix helps keep everything in perspective.
It is also important to recognize that work-life balance changes over time and I regularly evaluate my personal and professional priorities. When my children were young, my partner and I made career choices that aligned with our family priorities. As our family grew older, I was able to make different career choices that reflected our evolving needs. It isn’t always easy, and in the moment, you can feel unsure about these decisions. However, I never look back and consider any of my choices as “sacrifices”.
Which technology are you investing in now to prepare for the future?
I’m currently focusing on multi-agent development and agentic solutions We are still so early in what we know about AI and AI solution architecture. We are working closely with many customers who are incorporating these innovations to drive new business opportunities.
Longer term, I’m excited about quantum computing. Microsoft’s recent introduction of the Majorana 1 chip, powered by a new topological core architecture, marks a significant step toward scalable and fault-tolerant quantum systems. This innovation brings us closer to practical quantum computing solutions that could transform industries by solving complex problems more efficiently.
What is your biggest goal? Where do you see yourself in 5 years from now?
I’m focused on equipping our industry with the next generation of technical talent. There’s so much change happening in our industry – this current AI wave has introduced the most rapid change to how we build solutions, what solutions we build, the tools needed to support these solutions, and so much more. It’s important to make sure others are ready to lead through it, that we understand the context of our history while focusing on the right changes. When I’m helping people grow, ask the right questions, solve the right problems, and make real impact, then I’m in the right place.
What advice would you give to aspiring technologists looking to grow their careers in the cloud computing space?
My advice is to keep building and updating your skills. Make space in your schedule to learn. Technology moves fast, and having a strong, adaptable skill set gives you the flexibility to take on new challenges and opportunities as they come.