Microsoft’s Middle East and Africa(MEA) Multi-Country Cluster(MCC) was declared Top subsidiary Award winner for Small and Multi Countries Subsidiary Category for FY19. Announced at Microsoft Inspire and Microsoft Ready 2019 partner conference in Las Vegas.
Formed a year ago, the MEA MCC includes countries in Africa(minus South Africa and Egypt), Indian Ocean Islands, Levant and Pakistan. I remember when Ibrahim Youssry Microsoft General Manager MEA MCC visited Ghana to talk to Partners. The forum was to introduce the MCC and share Microsoft’s one core vision with partners.
Ibrahim Youssry joined top Microsoft executives including CEO Satya Nadella on stage for the recognition. Watch this in the video below.
I am incredibly honored and proud to announce that Microsoft MEA Multi-Country Cluster (MCC) has been selected as the top Microsoft subsidiary. This is an amazing recognition of our collective collaboration and commitment to serve our customers in the region which spans across Africa, Indian Ocean Islands, as well as Levant and Pakistan. The award comes as we celebrate one year of the MCC subsidiary, and as I take a moment to reflect on this achievement, I feel utmost pride and appreciation. To all our staff located across the 67 markets of our subsidiary, and for our valued partners, thank you all for making it all possible!
We are sharing 2019 Global Azure Bootcamp local meet-ups across the Middle East region.
The developer and IT community run Global Azure Bootcamp is here again. In it’s 7th year the global user group and community meet-up event is set to take place in various locations on the 27th April.
Global Azure bootcamp is a one day free local event organized by local developer community leaders and Microsoft Azure enthusiasts. They teach on essential Microsoft Azure skills and try to build enthusiasm and knowledge about Microsoft’s Azure Platform.
We have tried to put together all of where we know an event will take place in Africa. Help us update this if you see, hear or know of any that isn’t in this list. Thank you in advance.
Global Azure Bootcamp 2019 Middle East event locations.
Microsoft announces 23 young ambassadors of digital civility for Middle East and Africa region.
Microsoft has selected 23 canidiates to represent the African and the Arab Council for Digital Good. These candidates are chosen from a pool of 750 applications recieved to become ambassadors of digital civility for their regions.
Microsoft’s Council for Digital Good is an initiative to involve teens in advancing digital civility and safer online interactions. Microsoft plans to assemble ambassadors from across the globe.
“Today, Microsoft is announcing the launch of its own African Council for Digital Good, as well as an Arab Council for Digital Good. After receiving more than 750 applications from across the Middle East and Africa, 23 candidates chosen to become ambassadors of digital civility for their region. Inaugural meetings will be held later this year.”
The ambasadors will help raise awareness of online digital safety. They will aslo offer their insights from other young people in their regions to industry experts, policymakers and etc..
Microsoft will make these ambassadors know to us later. We will do well to update you with these details.
Microsoft and Etihad Airways have in a partnership announced the first-ever in-house AI Academy in the Middle East. The Etihad AI academy powered by Microsoft will look to revolutionise the way the airline serves its customers. By upskilling its workforce and optimising operations and creating alternative revenue streams.
Ihsan Anabtawi, Microsoft Gulf Chief Operating and Marketing Officer says “We’re proud to be partners with Etihad in readying and upskilling their world-class team and organization. Which is foundational to achieving their transformation vision and digital outcomes.”
The partnership will bring free artificial intelligence training to all Etihad Airways employees with business deep dives and technical labs.
“As part of the AI Academy, all Etihad employees will be given access to an online training programme and instructor-led classes, to drive companywide AI literacy, empowering every employee to deliver more value to the company and its customers. Microsoft specialists will also conduct a series of AI business workshops and hands-on technical lab sessions to help identify business challenges that can be optimised with AI.”
Microsoft is scheduled to make two Microsoft cloud data centres in Abu Dhabi and Dubai available to Middle East customers this year.
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Check out other stories making the news in the technology ecosystem in Africa and the Middle East.
Microsoft last year changed its business approach to dealing with Partners. Introducung a new win win strategy. A startegy where Microsoft see’s its partners as its growth engine. Ibrahim Youssry Microsoft Regional General Manager MEA MCC put’s it this way. “Our success comes with success to our partner ecosystem. To make you successful driving Microsoft business or your business on our technologies“.
“We believe that it takes an ecosystem to build a successful startup”
Muhammad Nabil
An Ecosystem for Startups to Thrive
It’s with this same kind of win win drive that Microsoft wants to engage Startups. Microsoft put’s it this way “you’re here to do great things. we’re here to help“. Microsoft announced Microsoft for Startups a platform for startups to grow, build and connect. The program gives startups access to technology, market and a community. The idea with this offering as shared during the Head Start Program in South Africa is to help startups grow their customer and revenue bases. It is also to ease the pressure and headaches associated with starting up. Director Commercial Partners Ecosystem, Lionel Moyal, explains it this way. “We will support you to find your first customers and get your products to market as quickly as possible“.
At RiseUp Summit in Cairo, Egypt last year Microsoft’s Partner and Startup’s Strategy Lead, Muhammad Nabil shared some more details in relation to the region.
“Microsoft has shaken up how it works with startups! Microsoft aims to help startups at every stage of their journey. Whether it’s taking an idea from inspiration to working code. Gaining access to Microsoft tools, building a business, making connections with customers through Microsoft Accelerators or getting the funds needed to really take off through Microsoft Ventures, Microsoft wants startups to know: it is here to help.”
Muhammad Nabil, Partners and Startup’s Strategy Lead, Microsoft 4Afrika
For Muhammad, Microsoft believes it takes an Ecosystem to build a successful startup. He shares that “the reality is that the contribution to economies by SMEs in Africa and Middle East could be so much more if ecosystems worked together to enable true growth. If the focus is moved from only access to funds to true access to markets. [That’s] Helping the entrepreneurs to grow their businesses by helping them get more business.”
For Muhammad it has to be a delibrate decision and a long term approach of collaboration for mutual benefits. He said Microsoft 4Afrika’s strategy is not only to bring cutting edge technology to startups. But also to unlock markets to both business to business and buisness to consumer startups through Microosft’s scalable go to market programs.
Muhammad says Microsoft is committing $500M over the next two years through the Microsoft for Startups program. To offer joint sales engagements with startups, along with access to technology and new community spaces that promote collaboration across local and global ecosystems.
“We believe that a focus on giving the startups and partners tools to grow their market access will greatly add to the overall growth of economies“.
Muhammad Nabil
This approach has turned trust into cash for Microsoft with its partners. Recording quater on quater sales growth especially in the cloud. Microsoft has been making the right calls lately, Is this the break startups in Africa and the Middle East need or are looking for?
