Jan Van Wassenhove aka mITy.John – #Sofware #development #archeologist
Knowing our past, tells us our future!
Enforce innovation by learning from our history!
Today I serve as the Technical Director @ Sopra Steria company for the Business Line of Digital Solutions (DiSo), deeply involved in software craftsmanship, architectural thinking, and technology leadership.
My journey in tech began when I transitioned from being a naval officer — and quickly realized I wanted to build things, not navigate ships. I dove into software as a Java developer in 2007, and ever since have been swimming in various waters of the digital world: from web systems to AI experiments, agile practices to creative side hustles.
Over time, another passion emerged: history — not just of people, but of technology itself. That curiosity grew into this site, where I share thoughts on software development, the stories behind technology, and the occasionally unexpected side interests that pop up along the way.
As an IT-thinker with a creative streak, you’ll also find the occasional nod to music, design, and home crafting here — think of them as playful Easter eggs that add flavour without derailing the core mission of the blog.
About the Name: mITy John
TThe name is a bit of wordplay.
It’s pronounced exactly like “mighty john.”
Pronunciation: /ˈmaɪti dʒɒn/ — “mighty john”
The capital IT in the middle is intentional — it highlights Information Technology, which sits at the core of what I do.
So yes:
- It sounds like mighty
- It contains IT
- And no, you don’t have to spell it out letter by letter
If you ever hesitate, just say it like a superhero with a laptop.
The “John” part? That’s the English translation of my Dutch name Jan — simple, personal, and a small nod to international audiences.
Conference talks
Roundtable Event – The art of staying ahead (2026 – Leuven Belgium) – the future of DXP
Devoxx 2025 – Conference – (Antwerp – Belgium)
https://m.devoxx.com/events/dvbe25/speaker/12053/jan-van-wassenhove
EU Lisa Roundtable 2025 (Warshaw – Poland)
https://www.eulisa.europa.eu/news-and-events/events/eu-lisa-industry-roundtable-june-2025/speakers
Techorama Be 2025 (Antwerp – Belgium)
https://techorama.be/speakers/speaker/jan-van-wassenhove/
Devoxx FR 2025 (Paris – France)
https://www.devoxx.fr/en/agenda-2025/speaker/jan-van-wassenhove/
Conf42 Python (online)
https://youtu.be/z81O_iZQBQs
Devoxx 2024 – Conference – (Antwerp- Belgium) https://mobile.devoxx.com/events/dvbe24/talks/17654/details
Devoxxx 2024 – Tools In Action – (Antwerp – Belgium) https://mobile.devoxx.com/events/dvbe24/talks/17653/details
Code & Comedy 2024 (Nieuwegein – Netherlands)
https://code-comedy.nl/talks/harmonizing-code-and-melody-making-electronical-music-in-a-matter-of-speaking
Others
Corporate & community talks @ Sopra Steria – Tobania
Seminar speaker @PXL
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