Microsoft Europe, Middle East and Africa Background ...

[Pages:8]Microsoft Europe, Middle East and Africa Background Information

OCTOBER 2006

Microsoft was founded on the idea that if people have the right tools, they will do new and exciting things. Over the past three decades, we have never lost sight of this vision, and our commitment to helping people realise their dreams and achieve their full potential is greater than ever.

Contact Details EMEA Headquarters Microsoft EMEA Coeur D?fense, Tour B, 38e ?tage 100, Esplanade du G?n?ral de Gaulle 92932 Paris La D?fense France Tel: +33 1 70 99 10 00 Website: emea

Microsoft EMEA Press Office Tel: +44 870 2430515 E-mail: emearesponse@ Website: emea/presscentre

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BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Contents

The Company

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Microsoft Products

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Driving Innovation

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Responding to Local Needs

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Building Skills and Knowledge

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Improving Access to Technology

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Strengthening the Local Knowledge Economy

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Contributing to Business and Industry Dialogue

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Milestones

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Facts and Figures

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Microsoft EMEA Leadership Team

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Executive Biographies

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Regional Headquarters and Subsidiary Offices

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Research and Development Offices

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MICROSOFT EMEA ? OCTOBER 2006

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The Company

At Microsoft, we create software that helps people and organisations realise their potential.

A world leader in information technology (IT), Microsoft Corporation develops software that enables people and businesses to do great things. The company's software innovations generate opportunities for the technology sector, businesses and consumers worldwide.

Microsoft is committed to engaging locally with customers, partners and governments. In Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Microsoft has offices in 61 countries, employing over 13,000 people who deliver products and services to customers throughout the region.

Neil Holloway, president of Microsoft EMEA, provides the strategic direction for Microsoft in this vast and varied region. Holloway works closely with regional vice presidents for Middle East and Africa, Central and Eastern Europe and Western Europe, as well as the general managers of local subsidiary offices, to ensure that Microsoft's customers, partners, investors and employees in every country have a consistently positive experience with the company.

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BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Our Mission

Microsoft was founded on the idea that if people have the right tools, they will do new and exciting things. Over the past three decades, we have never lost sight of that vision, and our commitment to helping people realise their dreams and achieve their full potential is greater than ever.

Throughout the period that Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates calls the Digital Decade, computing devices will continue to grow in importance and play an indispensable part in the lives of most people. Technologies will continue to converge, making computing a seamless and pervasive experience. This vision inspires Microsoft's core principles, fuelling the company's ongoing efforts to enhance its products and develop new technologies.

At the heart of our vision of the Digital Decade is Microsoft? .NET, a set of software technologies designed to connect information, people, systems and devices.

Likewise, we are committed to acting responsibly and communicating openly about our business practices and performance. We know that Microsoft's business decisions can have a significant impact on our stakeholders and for the communities in which we conduct business. We take that corporate responsibility very seriously. As Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer says, "It's not enough to just do the right things; we have to do them in the right way."

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Serving Our Customers and Partners

We are inspired by the creative ways Microsoft customers use our software to solve business problems, develop ground-breaking ideas and stay connected to what is most important to them. Our customer segment teams are responsible for ensuring that all of our customers and partners have a seamless experience.

Developer and Partner Group Responsible for communicating Microsoft's vision for .NET to software developers, the Developer and Partner Group also manages Microsoft products that independent software vendors (ISVs), systems integrators and corporate developers use.

Public Sector Group This group helps governments and other publicsector organisations operate more efficiently and enhance their services through information technology -- from e-government solutions connecting governments and citizens, to dynamic e-learning applications that redefine the ways students, teachers and parents interact.

Enterprise and Partner Group This customer segment team oversees Microsoft's relationships with major customers, as well as enterprise partners such as systems integrators, outsourcers, management consultancies and technology vendors.

Small and Midmarket Solutions and Partners Group Responsible for Microsoft's small and mediumsized business solutions, this group also manages the company's channel initiatives, licensing and pricing policies, and licensing compliance campaigns.

EMEA Enterprise Services This organisation is responsible for the field services team, which provides technical consulting and support services to Microsoft customers in the region.

MICROSOFT EMEA ? OCTOBER 2006

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Our Businesses

Microsoft operations are aligned into three principal divisions, encompassing 12 business groups.

Microsoft Platform Products and Services Division This division comprises Windows? client, server and tools products, and the MSN? network of internet services. The division's mission is to enable new user experiences and drive customer value through continued innovation in the software platform and software services delivered over the internet.

= Windows and Windows Live Group This group focuses on delivering softwarebased services via the web for the Windows LiveTM platform, extending the value of Microsoft products.

= Windows Live Platform Group This group encompasses several teams that build platform services and capabilities for Microsoft's online offerings. The group provides back-end infrastructure, platform capabilities and global operational support for services created in Windows Live, Office Live and other applications that use the Live platform.

= Online Business Group The Online Business Group manages advertising sales, business development and marketing for Live platforms, Windows Live and MSN -- including , MSN TV and MSN Internet Access.

= Market Expansion Group Encompassing product marketing, research and development, this group is charged with developing products for new markets, from products such as Windows XP Starter Edition and new types of devices, through to products such as the recently launched Ultra-Mobile PC devices.

= Core Operating System Division This group is focused on building the industry's leading operating system foundation to power Microsoft platform products.

= Windows Client Marketing Group This business unit is responsible for Microsoft's popular desktop operating system, including the most recent versions of the platform -- Windows XP, Windows 2000 and the upcoming Windows VistaTM. The Windows Client group also manages specialised versions of the operating system such as Windows XP Tablet PC Edition and Windows Embedded.

= Developer and Platform Evangelism Group This group oversees developer and platform evangelism efforts for the company as Microsoft further enables developers to build applications combining software and services.

= Server and Tools Business Group This business unit manages Windows Server SystemTM integrated server software. The group creates software for streamlining businesses' IT infrastructure and reducing costs for enterprise administrators. Products include Windows ServerTM 2003, developer tools and the MSDN? developer programme.

Microsoft Business Division This division, which includes the Information Worker and Microsoft Business Solutions (MBS) groups, delivers software and software-based services that enable organisations to succeed in today's constantly evolving workplace by helping to increase the effectiveness of their people. Microsoft is uniquely positioned for this opportunity with the new division's programmes, servers and software-based services addressing the spectrum from structured business processes to personal productivity needs.

= Information Worker Group This business unit includes the Microsoft Office system of products, including Visio? drawing and diagramming software, Microsoft Project, Microsoft Publisher, and new products such as the InfoPathTM information gathering program and the OneNote? note-taking program. This group also oversees Microsoft Windows SharePoint? Services.

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BACKGROUND INFORMATION

= Microsoft Business Solutions Group MBS offers the DynamicsTM suite of products that allow small and midsize organisations to connect employees, customers and suppliers. The financial management, customer relationship management, supply chain management and analytics applications work to streamline processes across an entire organisation, giving businesses insight to respond rapidly, plan strategically and execute quickly. MBS products are customised and delivered through a worldwide network of channel partners that provide specialised services and local support.

Microsoft Entertainment and Devices Division This division focuses on enabling rich experiences and usage scenarios through a wide range of electronic devices -- for people at work, at home and on the move.

= Home and Entertainment Group This business unit encompasses Microsoft's consumer portfolio, comprising PC gaming software and hardware, personal productivity tools, reference products and digital media products such as Windows XP Media Center. It also includes products such as the Xbox 360TM video game and entertainment system, online games and the TV platform.

= Mobile and Embedded Devices (MED) Group MED provides a software platform, enabling device manufacturers to develop smart, connected products that offer a compelling mobile experience. MED products include the Windows CE operating system, eMbedded Visual C++? development system and Windows XP Tablet PC Edition.

Our Culture

Microsoft employees are in the position to make a difference in people's lives around the world, which is why the company's top priority is to recruit, promote and retain the smartest and most motivated people in the IT business. Microsoft provides its employees with state-of-the-art technology to be connected and productive, whether they are in the office, at home or on the move, together, with a comprehensive package of benefits and training opportunities. The company is proud of its culture of collaboration and innovation that ensures that ideas can blossom and enquiring minds grow.

Microsoft EMEA leads the company in its efforts to promote a workforce that mirrors the diverse communities in which Microsoft operates. The Microsoft EMEA leadership team has made a long-term commitment to enhancing workplace diversity in four areas:

= The part-time work and job sharing initiative supports greater workplace flexibility, creating opportunities for more employees to work alternative schedules.

= The work-life balance initiative is helping employees and their managers create a reasonable and sustainable work experience for all Microsoft employees.

The company provides a wide range of opportunities for training and professional development for employees. Microsoft also encourages graduate and postgraduate students to join Microsoft. For example, the Microsoft Academy for University Hires (MACH) programme offers graduates and postgraduates the chance to develop professional skills they need for a successful career at Microsoft in a sales, marketing or technical role.

= The web accessibility effort focuses on auditing and improving all of Microsoft's websites and services to ensure that employees and customers with disabilities can use them.

= The female talent initiative aims to create a more gender-balanced workforce and to help women at Microsoft advance into more senior roles.

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Microsoft Products

Microsoft platforms, products and services empower millions of people and businesses around the world. Some of the company's most recognised brands are shown here:

Microsoft Windows

Over the past two decades, Microsoft Windows products have evolved from a single, one-sizefits-all desktop operating system into a diverse family of operating systems and mobile technologies. Windows software includes the Windows Server System, Windows XP and Windows CE, which powers a wide array of digital devices.

Did you know? In selected emerging markets Microsoft offers a low-cost version of Windows, called Windows XP Starter Edition, in regional languages and compatible with a wide range of applications and devices. In EMEA, it is available in Algeria, Botswana, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Tunisia, Turkey and Yemen.

Microsoft Office

Microsoft Office has evolved from a suite of personal productivity products to a more comprehensive and integrated system. Building on the familiar tools that many people already know, such as Microsoft Word, Outlook?, Excel? and PowerPoint?, Microsoft Office includes programs, servers, services and solutions designed to work together to help address a broad array of business problems.

Did you know? Since Microsoft Word launched in 1989, the number of features in the word processor has expanded from fewer than 100 to over 1,500. To address the plethora of options in the Office suite, Office 2007, scheduled for release towards the end of 2006, will have a new contextual interface enabling users to complete tasks with 60 per cent fewer mouse clicks, on average.

Visual Studio

Visual Studio? is an integrated, easy-to-use development environment for creating software for Windows, the web and consumer devices.

Did you know? Visual Studio 2005 features an expanded set of tools including the Visual Studio Team System, a collaboration platform for software development teams that are building service-oriented applications.

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BACKGROUND INFORMATION

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