Page 51 - SAMENA Trends - May-June 2022

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Microsoft Expands Operations in Qatar with New

Facility

Microsoft has expanded its operations looking, agile and resilient nature of Qatar. employees, offering a highly engaging,
in Qatar with the opening of a new Lusail The new Microsoft facility includes a inclusive, and flexible environment
City facility, the company’s fourth and Customer Innovation Centre that will host that leverages the latest modern work
largest in the country, part of a significant innovation and ideation workshops aimed technologies to create future proof smart
investment in Qatar. This includes the at inspiring groundbreaking solutions that workspaces. The second was sustainability,
soon to be launched Microsoft Cloud spur transformation across industries in to deliver the first office to be certified
Datacenter Region. The launch of the new Qatar. The office will play a vital role as on the highest sustainability standards
offices reinforces Microsoft’s commitment an innovation hub for leading technology in the Middle East. I am extremely proud
to establish Qatar as a knowledge and startups, students, and community to say that we delivered on both of those
innovation hub, and will enable Microsoft organisations from across Qatar. It will objectives – while prioritizing the focus on
to better serve its customers, collaborate also serve as a regional hub for the customers with our Customer Innovation
with its technology partners and attract and company’s talent, servicing Qatar and the Centre,” Khalaf says.
develop top talent. Microsoft was joined wider Microsoft Middle East Cluster region. Further recruitment
by Mohammed bin Ali Al-Mannai, Minister Work done at the facility will support the “I look forward to welcoming customers,
of Communications and Information company’s efforts to grow, retain, and partners, visitors and Microsoft’s team
Technology, as well as high ranking officials recruit the most talented people to build members to our new office, and I am
from the US Embassy in Qatar, to celebrate the most cutting-edge solutions. The new confident that this expansion will drive
the official opening of its new state-of-the- office was designed with the evolution of further recruitment and retention of the
art office in Burj Al Fardan, Lusail City. work in mind, presenting an inclusive hybrid brightest talent who will be inspired
Deeply rooted workplace that empowers employees to to build cutting-edge solutions for
The inauguration ceremony was live- better serve customers and collaborate organizations and people in the country.”
streamed on Microsoft Teams to allow the with partners, whether they are in person or In 2020, Microsoft announced ambitious
company’s employees in the wider Middle remote. commitments to become carbon negative
East and Africa region to be part of the Future of work by 2030 and remove more carbon from
celebrations. “Microsoft has been deeply Leveraging the company’s latest future the environment than it has emitted since
rooted in Qatar and our commitment to of work technologies, the sustainable, its founding by 2050. In line with these
help grow Qatar’s innovation economy has smart space facilitates seamless hybrid sustainability goals, this new facility is
never been stronger,” said Lana Khalaf, work that offers employees flexibility to fitted with the latest green technologies
General Manager at Microsoft Qatar. “With divide their work time between the office to drive energy and water efficiency and
the launch of our new offices and our and offsite locations, leading to increased is the company’s first office in the Middle
Customer Innovation Centre, customers productivity, higher employee satisfaction East to reach Level 1 on Microsoft’s Global
and partners will have the opportunity to and enhanced team collaboration. The Sustainability Standard. The premises have
co-innovate, ideate and envision ground office incorporates a Team Based Space also achieved a C-Grade Global Microsoft
breaking solutions that will revolutionize design that pairs the latest technology with Accessibility Standard for extending
their industries” modern and collaborative workplaces and equal opportunities for all employees to
Fueling innovation is fitted with the latest Microsoft Teams- access their workspaces with features
With one side of the office overlooking enabled hardware and software to facilitate such as easily accessible parking spaces,
the Arabian sea and the other facing the seamless hybrid work. “In designing the automatic doors, room signs with Braille,
desert, the eye-catching space fuses new office, we were guided by two main and audible and visible alarm systems.
Microsoft’s global corporate identity with principles. The first was our determination
local Qatari flavor to capture the forward- to provide the best workplace for our

51 MAY-JUNE 2022