Wednesday at
Microsoft Wordwide Partner Conference, partners were shown the road map for the future. With so many products being refreshed and launched int the next 12 months, Microsoft executives have been proclaiming a new era for the company this week, but the product discussions have been had in relative isolation.
John Roskill, corporate VP, worldwide partner group, focused his keynote to attendees on how partners can benefit from the full breadth of the launch cycle, and bring it all together. “We are on the edge of a new era, and our partnership will get even stronger, broader and more profitable,” he said.
Roskill touched on the past 18 months and the transition to Microsoft Partner Network. In that time, Microsoft has built out over 10,000 Gold partners and more than 25,000 Silver partners. The company has built out competencies and introduced new incentive models. Roskill said this was just the foundation for what is to come.
“We aspire to more, we aspire to nothing more than leadership; nothing more than leadership in cloud software,” he said.
Partners were telling Roskill they wanted three things: good products (nothing less), strengthened relationships with sales teams, and guidance on the path to being profitable in the cloud.
Starting at the core, Roskill discussed the product launch cycle Microsoft is currently undergoing, including its anchor: Windows 8; and other key releases such as, Windows Server 2012, System Center and Office 15, calling it the “most important release wave in our history.”
“It’s up to us to put it all together and take it to market in FY2013,” Roskill said.
