KUALA LUMPUR TO HOST TRAILBLAZING MICROSOFT REGIONAL SUMMIT

Thought leaders from technology, government and non-profit sectors to gather at
Microsoft Accelerating Asia Pacific 2011

Kuala Lumpur, 23 November – The second Microsoft Accelerating Asia Pacific 2011 summit will be held in Kuala Lumpur on 6 – 7 December this year and will highlight how the combination of Microsoft’s technology and local partnerships are positively impacting pressing societal issues such as education, child safety, social and economic opportunity, workforce development and disaster response throughout Asia.

With Malaysia rising five spots to place 21st in the 2011 World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Index and Asia continuing its upsurge in becoming a global economic powerhouse, remarkable progress has been made in improving the living standards of people throughout the region. However, Asia still has the highest number of people in poverty – almost 40 million people in the region have an income of less than US$1.25 a day. Against this backdrop of brisk yet uneven economic growth, continued success depends on removing technological and infrastructural impediments to progress.

“As urgency over national competitiveness, youth empowerment as well as advancements in education, healthcare and citizen services intensifies, technology plays a key role towards enabling transformation. Microsoft, through its people and partnerships, will continue to be Malaysia’s trusted and long-term partner in realizing the nation’s aspirations towards advancement of economic and social progress,” said Ananth Lazarus, Managing Director of Microsoft Malaysia.

“Programmes such as Microsoft’s Unlimited Potential, BizSpark as well as partnerships with the Malaysian government have helped enabled technology to play a key role towards enabling economic growth and the fostering of healthy communities in Malaysia. Better services and innovative solutions towards age old problems are made possible through continuous commitment towards collaboration in realising the nation’s full potential”, Ananth added.

Microsoft’s impact in Asia is already immense – companies in the Microsoft ecosystem generated nearly US$125 billion in revenues and employed close to 3 million people in 2009. For every dollar of Microsoft revenue in the region, companies in the ecosystem will gain US$10.97, according to a 2009 study by IDC.

“Accelerating Asia Pacific is a unique conference that offers an insight into a seldom seen aspect of technology, one where it has far-reaching consequences—from impacting national policies to enhancing a person’s employability, moving beyond the commonplace conversations of how technology benefits non-profit organisations,” said Md Ghani Ibrahim, COO of Yayasan Salam Malaysia.

“Since 2004, Microsoft’s Unlimited Potential grant, software donations and digital literacy curriculum have been integral to Yayasan Salam Malaysia’s e-initiative program; it brings real world digital divide impact in rural areas and low income communities”, Ghani added.

The two day summit will include speakers from Microsoft such as Lori Harnick, the Worldwide Head of Citizenship, Lynne Stockstad, General Manager of Worldwide Public Sector and Akhtar Badshah, Senior Director of Microsoft Community Affairs; as well as speakers from organisations like TechSoup Asia, the Population and Community Development Association (PDA) of Thailand, the AbleGamers Foundation, and many others.