Microsoft has been rapidly expanding its cloud infrastructure to meet increasing customer demand in Europe and today announced the availability of new cloud services in France and the expansion of cloud services from new datacenters in Germany and Switzerland.
Microsoft plans to offer enterprise cloud services for businesses, government, and NGOs from datacenter locations in the regions of Geneva and Zurich. Microsoft can thereby provide data residency in Switzerland to support Swiss companies and institutions, including the financial services industry, in the next steps of their digital transformation. The Microsoft Cloud – comprising Microsoft Azure, Office 365 and Dynamics 365 – from Swiss datacenters is expected to be initially available in 2019.
“As a company, we’re focused on empowering every organization and person on the planet to achieve more. We intend to be the first global provider to deliver enterprise cloud services from Swiss datacenters which will empower companies and institutions of all sizes and across industries to accelerate their innovation and increase their productivity. Through that we contribute to the digital transformation as laid out in our commitment to Switzerland,” says Marianne Janik, CEO of Microsoft Switzerland.
Microsoft’s global cloud services are based on the principles of security, compliance, protection of privacy, as well as transparency. The option to store data across cloud regions located in the regions of Geneva and Zurich adds a new layer of control and will help companies and institutions comply with regulatory requirements. The cloud services including Azure, Office 365 and Dynamics 365 delivered from Switzerland are therefore especially interesting for Swiss companies and organizations handling sensitive data, such as the finance or health sector, the public sector, and the robust NGO sector in Switzerland. The new services offered from Switzerland will provide the same high standards regarding security, service and quality that apply to all of Microsoft’s cloud services.
Over a number of years, Microsoft has engaged deeply with financial institutions and their regulators in Switzerland. By investing to deliver a trusted cloud platform within Switzerland, Microsoft intends to provide financial institutions and other regulated industries with a greater ability to focus on their core competencies. By bringing unique services tailored to the industry and to the region, including blockchain, Azure’s PCI Blueprint, and our Financial Services Compliance Program, Microsoft plans to help accelerate existing work with lighthouse customers in the financial services industry and elsewhere.
Swiss Re, a longtime and strategic partner welcomes the announcement of the Microsoft Cloud in Switzerland:
“As one of the world’s leading providers of insurance-based risk transfer, the Swiss Re Group strives to apply future-oriented technologies to drive digitalization of the insurance industry. Microsoft’s decision to now offer cloud services from datacenters in Switzerland means we can better provide innovative solutions to our clients”, says René Turra, Head Property & Casualty IT at Swiss Re.
Swisscom, Switzerland’s leading telecoms company and one of its leading IT companies, is collaboration closely with Microsoft as a cloud solutions provider and one of the most trusted brands for Swiss companies and consumers.
“In the summer of 2017, we decided to systematically expand our range of services with Microsoft Azure. As a trusted Swiss Cloud Solution Provider, we are helping our customers to benefit from the cloud. With the announcement of Microsoft Cloud from new datacenters in Switzerland, we can integrate and manage our comprehensive range of services even more directly on the Microsoft platform for our customers.”
About Microsoft
Microsoft is the leading platform and productivity company with the mission to empower every person and organization on the planet. Microsoft Switzerland GmbH is a subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation (Redmond USA). Since the establishment of the branch in 1989, the company has developed into a typical Swiss SME with 620 employees. Microsoft Switzerland is closely connected with the country’s economic and political institutions and fosters active social dialogue on the topics of innovation, security and education. The partner network comprises 6,000 local business partners and 14,000 certified product and solution specialists nationwide. Microsoft Switzerland GmbH is headquartered in Wallisellen near Zurich. Further offices are located in Wollishofen, Bern and Geneva.
