Microsoft Partner Conference and Award Ceremony: Honoring excellence in Microsoft partner community

Microsoft Sri Lanka recently hosted its annual Partner Conference with the participation of a broad gathering of partners from both Sri Lanka & the Maldives.

The conference focused on enlightening partner communities on new products and strategies of Microsoft and also highlighted the importance of their continued commitment to the enhancements of local IT infrastructure. The hallmark feature of this event has always been the celebration of Microsoft Sri Lanka’s relationships with its Partner Network and at the same time, strengthening of these partnerships to meet the growing IT needs in the market. The conference was followed by the Partner Awards Ceremony which is also held annually to honour outstanding performances by partners.

The glamorous evening saw Microsoft’s extensive partner network being recognized for their performance during the year in the following manner; Best Managed Partner won by DMS Electronics Limited, while the runner up was Millennium Information Technologies Limited, Best ‘Attach at Source’ COEM Partner won by Softlogic Trading (Pvt) Ltd, Best ‘Attach at Source’ COEM Distributor presented to Trident Corporation (Pvt) Ltd, Best Partner - Maldives awarded to Focus Computer (Pvt) Ltd, Best  Distributor won by Tech One Global (Pvt) Ltd, Best Partner Microsoft Dynamics, awarded to H-ONE Private Ltd, Best Competitive Win Back, awarded to Zillione Technologies and ‘Best Certified Partner in Learning’ presented to NetAssist International (Pvt) Ltd.

One of the key features of the conference was the presentation made by Mr. Gary Sweeting, Enterprise Technology Strategist, Customer Advocacy and Technology Management, Microsoft Corporation.

During his presentation Mr. Sweeting stressed on the need for continued unity among the IT community of Sri Lanka in order to maximize the impact technology could have on organizational efficiency. “We’re in the early days of an industry-wide transformation as we reorient towards the cloud. It’s a natural evolution in computing – from mainframe, mid-range, client-server, internet to more advanced forms of communication and technology and it presents a great opportunity for Microsoft with our partners to expand into new markets and grow revenue together. If we look at some common themes across this evolution I think two are worth noting in the context of this session. One is that each stage reduced the barriers to accessing/leveraging the technology (researchers, analysts, information workers to every worker) and the second is that it led to a growth in IT industry due to the growth in value IT brings to the business. We are looking to try and share with you why we’re super excited about the opportunity this presents – and why we believe that we’re ideally placed to capitalize on this opportunity - with you”.

Mr. Sweeting went on to explain how Cloud Computing benefits partners through expanding reach, growing revenue and increasing velocity throughout the organizations processes.

In a special video dedicated to this years partners, Mr. Emilio Umeoka – President, Microsoft Asia Pacific who assumed leadership of Microsoft’s Asia Pacific organization in 2006, overseeing a region which includes Southeast Asia, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and emerging markets Bangladesh, Brunei and Sri Lanka said “With the strength of a united front nothing is impossible. We have seen how much further a group of companies can go when they work together- we have seen how much more can be achieved. This is the special significance of the partner network Microsoft has established. Congratulations to the winners of this year Partner Awards and I look forward to many more years of partnership in the future”.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Sriyan de Silva Wijeyeratne, Country Manager, Microsoft Sri Lanka emphasized the need for continued partnerships among the ICT community. “The IT landscape in Sri Lanka is now moving faster toward achieving its full potential. With the advent of cloud computing technology, the limitlessness of the future is now more available to every single individual. As partners we need to educate ourselves and you on how best to carry this technology forward to benefit the entire local IT community. Microsoft Sri Lanka has always believed in the value of great partnerships and this year has truly proven itself to be the year of opportunity. We are proud to be associated with our outstanding group of partners and are confident that our relationships will continue to grow many years into the future.”

Presentations were also carried out by Mr. Pubudu Basnayake, SMS&P Director, Microsoft Sri Lanka as well as Mr. Imran Vilcassim EPG Director, Microsoft Sri Lanka, Mr. Channa De Silva, Director Public Sector, Microsoft Sri Lanka and Mr. Poojitha Rajapakse, OEM Director, Microsoft Sri Lanka. These gentlemen that form a part of the leadership team of Microsoft Sri Lanka spoke on each of their respective segments with emphasis on the various initiatives planned and implemented by Microsoft Sri Lanka for further development of the partner network.

Other distinguished Microsoft Representatives present at the event included Mr. Akther Ahmed, President, New Emerging Markets, Microsoft South East Asia. Speaking at the event Mr. Ahmed highlighted the great potential Sri Lanka possessed for growth in the ICT industry. “With the developments of Cloud Services, companies everywhere can grow at unprecedented levels. This will benefit us all as individuals, companies and as an overall industry and economy as well. Throughout our development goals, our approach will not change; we will continue to innovate and execute with excellence. I am pleased to congratulate the winners of this year’s ceremony and believe there are great achievements in store for all of you”.

Mr. Rahul Banerjee, Lead Partner Technology Specialist, Microsoft Global Partner Services Team was another leading Microsoft representative who flew down to participate in this years awards. “It gives me great pleasure to be present for this hallmark event. Without our partners Microsoft would not be the great company it is today and we recognize and value each and every one of you. Thank you for your hard work and determination, and congratulations to the winners”.

The Microsoft’s partner ecosystem is an integral component of its business in Sri Lanka – the Microsoft Business Model focuses on its partners driving the achievement of business goals.  Microsoft partners receive a wide range of direct support and training services from Microsoft and in turn, are authorised to deliver Microsoft technologies to end users. The emphasis throughout the engagement with Microsoft is on quality, and the ‘Partner Awards’ seek to instill in the partners a greater commitment to superior quality service and solutions.