SINGAPORE, July 12, 2013 – Microsoft today announced Jessica Tan as the new Managing Director of Microsoft Singapore. Ms Tan will take over the role previously held by Ms Helene Auriol, who needs to return to Europe for family reasons. Ms Auriol will remain with Microsoft in a new leadership role that will be announced at a later date.
Commenting on the announcement, Mr Cesar Cernuda, President of Microsoft Asia-Pacific, said “It is with some sadness that Helene needs to return home to Europe, to attend to family matters. In her tenure in Singapore, she has had a positive impact on the market, our customers, partners and the local IT ecosystem. We offer her our very best wishes and look forward to her continuing contribution to Microsoft.”
For Ms Tan, currently the General Manager of Microsoft’s Enterprise Sales & Partner division in Asia Pacific, this will be her second term as the head of Microsoft’s sales and marketing operations in Singapore. She previously served as Managing Director for the Singapore subsidiary between 2008 and 2012. This time, however, she will be returning with a significantly expanded portfolio, providing regional guidance, support and counsel to Mr Cernuda in the key areas of Education and Citizenship.
Mr Cernuda remarked, “In my brief time as President of Asia Pacific, I have been impressed with Jessica’s insights and leadership capabilities in helping to address key societal challenges, such as leveraging IT to improve education, create jobs, extend e-citizen services, enhance national competitiveness and accelerate innovation. I look forward to her continued stewardship of the Singapore business and our personal partnership in helping to scale our Education and Citizenship efforts across the region.”
Added Ms Tan: “As someone who is passionate about making a difference to our customers, especially in the areas of education and citizen services, I am delighted to be given this opportunity to return to lead the Singapore business. Microsoft Singapore continues to grow from strength to strength, as we transform ourselves to a devices and services company. This transformation creates new and exciting market opportunities for us and I look forward to growing Microsoft’s impact both locally and in the region in this expanded role”.
Ms Tan’s current role as General Manager of Enterprise Sales and Partners will be filled by 18 year Microsoft veteran Alberto Granados who joins Microsoft’s Asia Pacific Leadership team after with a long and distinguished career in Enterprise sales in both emerging and developed markets.
Since it began operations in Singapore in 1990, Microsoft has grown its presence in Singapore from a 3-man operation to more than 800 employees including the Asia Pacific Operations Centre and the Regional Headquarters. To date, Microsoft has invested over US$4.7 billion in Singapore and its software operations accounts for 1.5 percent of total exports from Singapore.
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