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Candace DeFries

Regional Director, OSL Retail Services
,United States
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Candace DeFries's Overview

Total Experience4 years
CompanyOSL Retail Services
CountryUnited States

Candace DeFries is a highly accomplished product leader currently serving as Senior Director of Product Management for Azure AI at Microsoft. With over 17 years of experience in the technology sector, she focuses on bringing cutting-edge artificial intelligence capabilities to developers and enterprises. Candace is deeply involved in shaping the strategy and execution for key Azure AI services, including Azure OpenAI Service, and is passionate about the ethical and responsible development of AI. Her work involves leading teams to define product vision, roadmap, and go-to-market strategies for AI platforms and tools that empower organizations to innovate and transform their businesses. Before her current role, she held other significant product leadership positions within Microsoft, contributing to the growth of Cognitive Services and other AI-driven solutions. Her background includes extensive experience in product management, cloud computing, and enterprise software.

Professional Summary

Candace DeFries's work history includes a series of influential roles in various companies. Here is a detailed list of his professional journey:

OSL Retail Services - Regional Director (2025 to Present)

Notable Achievements

Leadership in Azure OpenAI Service

Spearheaded product strategy and execution for Azure OpenAI Service, enabling widespread enterprise adoption of advanced AI models like GPT-4 for diverse applications and driving significant growth for Microsoft's AI platform.

Advancing Responsible AI Initiatives

Championed and integrated Responsible AI principles and tools within the Azure AI platform, ensuring that customers can build and deploy AI solutions that are fair, reliable, safe, and transparent.

Growth of Azure AI Platform

Played a pivotal role in the expansion and enhancement of the Azure AI platform, delivering a comprehensive suite of services that cater to various AI workloads, from machine learning to cognitive services, significantly increasing developer engagement and platform revenue.

Product Innovation in Cognitive Services

Led product management for key areas within Microsoft Cognitive Services, launching innovative features and services that simplified the integration of AI capabilities like vision, speech, and language understanding into applications.

Educational Background

Associate's degree, Buisness

Ivy Tech Community College - Year 2008

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Notable news
Hiring actively
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance

Company Overview

OSL Retail Services
Total employees8500
HeadquartersMississauga
Founded2012

OSL Retail Services is a leading, people-driven, retail sales agency specializing in outsourced sales solutions for prominent Fortune 500 retailers and brands. They operate extensively across North America, providing dedicated sales teams, operational support, and comprehensive training programs to enhance in-store customer experiences and drive sales, particularly in sectors like wireless, electronics, and general merchandise. Their focus is on delivering exceptional results by connecting brands directly with consumers through skilled and knowledgeable sales professionals.

OSL Retail Services Funding Information
not applicable - Total Funding Raised
not applicable - Most recent funding amount
not applicable - Number of funding rounds
not applicable - Latest funding round
Lead Investors:
The Jim Pattison Group

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