My Experience Speaking at Microsoft Ignite: Deploying and Extending Microsoft 365 Copilot with Governance

This year, I had the incredible privilege of speaking at Microsoft Ignite. Walking into the session room and seeing more than 100 people ready to learn about Microsoft 365 Copilot was an unforgettable moment. The energy was electric—everyone wanted to know how to make Copilot work for their organization without compromising security or compliance.

I started by sharing a simple truth: Copilot is powerful, but governance is the foundation. Without it, you risk exposing sensitive data, violating regulations, and slowing adoption. Governance isn’t about creating roadblocks—it’s about building guardrails so innovation can happen safely.

We talked about starting small. You don’t need every policy perfected before you begin. Implement essential safeguards like Data Loss Prevention policies and sensitivity labels. These steps prevent accidental data exposure and build trust in the solution. I shared a real-world example:

If sensitivity labels or DLP rules are missing, Copilot could surface confidential financial data, creating GDPR or HIPAA risks.

From there, we explored how to scale responsibly. Begin with a pilot group, monitor usage, and refine policies as you grow. Engage IT, security, and business stakeholders early. Train your users continuously because adoption drives ROI. Governance accelerates value while managing risk—and that’s how you unlock the full potential of Microsoft 365 Copilot.

The session ended with great questions and conversations. Many attendees shared their challenges, from data readiness to agent governance. It was clear that organizations are eager to innovate but want to do it responsibly.

If you’re planning your Copilot journey, start with governance. It’s not just a technical requirement—it’s your strategy for success.