Last week Microsoft hosted Elevate, an event designed to demonstrate tried-and-true workplace applications, as well as offering just a glimpse of the future.
The event was structured along a path called Everyday Lane, down which guests could stroll from one Modern Workplace booth to another, from a classroom to a law firm, witnessing modern workplace applications in real and practical environments.
As well as demonstrations there were inspiring keynote speakers, such as Minnie Baragwanath, Chief Executive of BeAccessible, envisioning a nation which embraces accessibility for all.
Vanessa Sorenson, Microsoft New Zealand’s Enterprise Director, hosted the event, making the point that, ‘Every business you can think of is in some way either racing away from, embracing or reluctantly accepting digital transformation. That is what binds all of us. The details of the transformation may differ but we are all managing change and transformation. Elevate was all about helping businesses through that transformation and empowering everyone to achieve more.’
‘The way I work today would be so alien to the way my mother or father worked. And to be frank, the way my kids work in the future will be absolutely alien to me when I am happily retired! By 2020 over half the workforce will be made up of millennials, many of whom are not only digitally-savvy but expect to have access to tools that empower them at work. We designed Elevate to give everyone a moment to pause, take a breath, to listen to some inspiring case studies from customers and partners alike, and to engage in some really strong thought leadership. And I believe we achieved that.’
The main speakers at the event were two Kiwi ex-pats, Microsoft Surface Product Marketing Manager, Jordana Murray, and Senior Product Marketing Manager, Tom Batcheler, both of whom drove home the point that two-thirds of CEOs now have, ‘transformation at the heart of their strategy.’ And Tom finished with a little future gazing, discussing Microsoft’s billion-dollar-breakthrough around ‘topological qubits’, and its potential to change both business and society.
