Published on the 13/04/2017 | Written by Newsdesk
Vendor dishes out a gaggle of gongs…
Microsoft showered partners with silverware at the 10th annual Microsoft Partner Awards in Auckland last night.
In amongst the earnest Te Reo efforts from the podium, charity auctions and tribal drum beating, organisers managed to squeeze in the announcement of 22 winners before the night was out.
Heralded in by host and the only comedian in IT (kind of), Jeremy Corbett, the Microsoft faithful lapped up the revelry.
Diversity in the industry was a key theme across presentations, many introduced in Maori with a particularly impassioned plea toward encouraging Maori and Polynesian representation in the industry by Microsoft CMO Frazer Scott.
Work and life skills development organisation Te Whangai Trust were the benefactors of this year’s charity auction, recognising their work with returning the long term unemployed and at-risk workers back to meaningful employment and reduced recidivism.
The diversity extended to a polished performance from Japanese drum troupe Tamashii Taiko which included three very local looking white woman amongst their ranks.
Judges praised the finalists for their tremendous contribution to accelerating digital transformation and helping to advance the cause of New Zealand business.
In a statement, Microsoft New Zealand’s newly-appointed Director for Small, Midmarket Solutions and Partner Group, Phil Goldie, says the Partner Awards are a celebration of Microsoft’s gold and silver Partners and recognises their competencies, use of cloud technologies, entrepreneurial spirit, and overall industry excellence.
“The winners of this year’s Partner Awards are high calibre technology companies and have demonstrated proactive and innovative forward-thinking to help Microsoft deliver on its global mission of empowering people and organisations to adapt to digital transformation,” says Goldie.
Microsoft’s partner channel continues to demonstrate a high level of commitment, creativity and knowledge which is hugely beneficial to New Zealand’s IT sector as a whole, he says. “Whether it’s addressing the day-to-day needs of customers with tailored hardware solutions or providing high level IT advice, partners play a critical role in our industry and ensuring businesses are able to operate at the cutting edge.”
This year marks the 10-year anniversary of the Microsoft Partner Awards and the introduction of five new categories – managed services, Internet of Things, enterprise mobility, public sector and market development – out of a total of 22 categories.
The 2017 Award winners were:
| Category | Partner Name |
| Cloud CRM | Magnetism |
| Cloud Productivity | Kinetics |
| Communications | Spark Digital |
| ERP | Theta |
| Small and Midmarket Cloud Solutions | IT Engine |
| Cloud Platform | Provoke |
| Enterprise Mobility Solutions | Datacom |
| Managed Service | Lucidity |
| Windows and Devices Deployment | Fujitsu |
| Cloud Packaged Solution | Crossware |
| Data Platform and Analytics | UXC Eclipse |
| Internet of Things | Datacom |
| Learning (and best company name in IT) | Ripped Orange |
| Licensing | Spark Digital |
| Market Development | Ingram Micro |
| Modern Marketing | Intergen |
| Partner Seller | James David, Datacom |
| Rising Star | Inde Technology Ltd |
| Solution Sales Specialist | Nick Westbrook, Provoke |
| Public Sector – Education | PCMedia |
| Public Sector – Education | New Era IT |
| Public Sector – Government | Information Leadership |
| Technology for Good | Stellar Consulting |
