Satya Nadella (Microsoft CEO)
Microsoft has moved to recognise partners working to develop solutions in response to the challenges thrown up by the coronavirus pandemic, with the introduction of a new Community Response category in its annual awards program.
“Microsoft partners are at the center of how we deliver technologies and business transformation to customers,” Microsoft global partner business strategy senior director Tracey Pretorius said in a blog post. “Today, more than ever, we need to collaborate and co-innovate to meet our customers’ needs.
“During this period of tremendous uncertainty around the world, there is also a lot of hope, with incredible examples of partnership and innovation in the face of exceptionally challenging circumstances.
“We want to hear these incredible stories and also recognise the amazing efforts our partners are taking to create [a] positive impact during this difficult time,” she added.
As such, the vendor is introducing the new Community Response award to its Partner of the Year Awards program in a bid to recognise a partner organisation that has “made a great difference, providing innovative and unique services or solutions to help solve problems for our customers and community during these unprecedented times”.
At the same time, Microsoft is also considering nominations from government and state-owned entities on a case by case basis.
Due to the disruption caused by the ongoing pandemic and the impact it’s having on Microsoft partners, the vendor is also extending its annual awards nomination submission deadline to Tuesday, 12 May 2020.
“Thank you, and we look forward to reading about all of the great work that our partner community is doing. Together, we achieve more,” Pretorius said.
Last year, Modis was crowned the Microsoft Australian Partner of the Year as part of the software giant's 2019 global awards, while Auckland-based Umbrellar was recognised as the New Zealand Partner of the Year in the 2019 global awards.
