Monty Widenius is the original creator of MySQL and a pioneer of the open source database movement. After co-founding MySQL AB and helping grow MySQL into the world’s most widely used open source database, he founded MariaDB in 2009 to ensure the continued openness and innovation of the MySQL ecosystem. Monty is also a co-founder of the MariaDB Foundation, which stewards MariaDB Server as an independent open source project. With decades of experience building database systems used by millions of developers worldwide, he remains one of the most influential voices in the open source database community.