Visit from the Lord Mayor of Copenhagen
30-01-2012
As one of the most international companies in the Copenhagen region, it is an absolute top priority for Microsoft Development Center Copenhagen (MDCC) that our many foreign employees find it attractive to work and live in the Danish capital. This is why we aim at constantly informing existing and potential employees about what Copenhagen has to offer. Why we take active part in a range of initiatives aiming at promoting Copenhagen abroad. And why we focus on maintaining a close dialogue with the people who have a say when it comes to making it easy for our international employees to settle and integrate in the Danish capital.
Meeting with the Lord Mayor of Copenhagen, Frank Jensen, in January, was an important step in this direction. The Lord Mayor, who visited the development center with key members of his staff, met with Charlotte Mark, Managing Director of MDCC, and representatives for our employees. He listened, asked a lot of questions and engaged in an interesting debate about what it takes to make Copenhagen attractive for international talents.
We appreciate the chance to give input on how we can make Copenhagen even more attractive for international talents in the future and look forward to continue the dialogue going forward.
Women at Microsoft - make it your way
20-12-2011
The old cliché about IT being a man’s world should long be dead and buried. If this isn’t already the case, and if you keep thinking that software development is only for (male) nerds, then we strongly invite you to meet eight tech-savvy women at Microsoft Development Center Copenhagen who have chosen to turn their passion for technology into an exciting and challenging career with Microsoft’s biggest development center in Europe.
Together, they have written a small book about how they have made it their way with Microsoft. The book is meant as inspiration for women with an appetite for a challenging career and aims at illustrating that, contrary to yet another cliché, personal and professional ambitions are indeed reconcilable.Read what some of our women employees have to say
here. Who knows, they may inspire you to join them and make it your way with Microsoft.
Playing it for real
22-11-2011
When we first saw him hanging in the lamppost right in the middle of the large water basin, we thought that he might be testing the online game that he was working on In Real Life – or that he had taken a misunderstood approach to cloud computing. But that was before we realized that he was just spending the coffee break exercising his parcour skills. Fortunately, Steen Zou, one of 20 school interns during this year’s IT Internship Week at MDCC, managed to jump safely back to the shore and continue the lessons in game programming with his fellow students.
Last week, MDCC’s campus was buzzing with activity as the development center, for the third consecutive year and as part of a national initiative of the Danish IT Industry Association, opened its doors to IT-interested ninth graders from surrounding schools. Many of them already had an idea of what they were getting themselves into, as their parents work for Microsoft, but some were total newcomers to the world of IT in general and software programming in particular. They all showed the same enthusiasm though, when they were offered a hands-on introduction to Kodu, a Microsoft developed programming tool targeted young people, and afterwards given the opportunity to develop their own online game.
“It’s cool”, “I never thought learning could be that fun”, “I’ll definitely download Kodu when I get home”, “I will seriously consider a career within IT” were just some of the comments along with: “It’s a bit hard to find your way around the campus”, “the coffee machine is just perfect”, “the shuttle bus works really well” and “great food and thumbs up for the free soft drinks”.
“I wish though that we had done a bit more C# and C++”, one student said, illustrating that they may be teenagers, but they may also be the technical talents that MDCC will be welcoming in a few years for the start of a long career in software programming.
After two playful days spent game programming at MDCC, the students visited the Technical University of Denmark before moving on to the Danish sub where they were given an introduction to marketing and commercialization of software products and asked to solve a real business case.
It’s not known whether Steen Zou continued practicing his parcour skill in these two other places. In any case, he is always welcome back, along with his fellow students, to explore the MDCC campus.
Highly educated immigrants make Denmark richer
17-11-2011
A new study shows that highly educated foreigners in Denmark do not only help strengthen the competitiveness of business - they also give a nice profit to the public purse: A highly educated immigrant with accompanying family gives an average yearly profit of a quarter million DKK. On average, the highly educated foreigners make use of fewer social and health care services, are rarely in contact with the justice system and pay more taxes than the Danes.
- Our ability to attract and retain foreign talent is an important competitive factor for Danish businesses. With this study we want to illustrate why it is so important to attract the most talented foreigners. This also applies in the current situation with low growth and rising unemployment as the foreign talents contribute to create growth and new jobs in Denmark, says DI's CEO Karsten Dybvad.
He points out that despite the current crisis and growing unemployment in Denmark, even among highly educated, the demographic trend will lead to fewer people in the workforce to support more people outside the workforce in the coming years.
The new report is co-funded by Microsoft Development Center Copenhagen and DI and carried out by Copenhagen Business School (CBS) under the leadership of Professor Jan Rose Skaksen. The study shows that: An average highly educated immigrant with accompanying family stays in Denmark for 8 years and contributes with around DKK 1.9 million to the public purse. An average highly educated immigrant without accompanying family stays in Denmark for 6 years and contributes with around DKK 900,000 to the public purse. And the average immigrant under the preferential expert taxation scheme without accompanying family stays in Denmark for 3 years and contributes with around DKK 650,000 to the public purse.
- This study clearly confirms what we experience in our daily life at Microsoft: That the people we attract to Denmark are socioeconomically advantaged. We have highly educated employees from more than 40 different nationalities who strengthen our business professionally, financially and personally while showing a great interest in integrating in Denmark, says Charlotte Mark, Managing Director of Microsoft Development Center Copenhagen.
She hopes the study will help increase the Danish population's awareness of the highly educated immigration’s positive impact on the Danish society.
Read the whole survey at
www.di.dk (available in Danish only).
For more information contakt:
Microsoft Development Center Copenhagen: Charlotte Mark, Managing Director, tel. +45 29 22 99 13,
cmark@microsoft.com or Linda Wendelboe, PR & Brand Manager, tel. + 45 29 22 98 78,
lindawe@microsoft.comDI: Steen Nielsen, Head of Salary and Labor Market Policy, tel. +45 33 77 33 18,
snn@di.dkCBS: Jan Rose Skaksen, Professor Ph.d., tel. +45 38 15 25 82,
jrs.eco@cbs.dkMicrosoft – the World’s Best Multinational Workplace
31-10-2011
Great Place to Work Institute has announced that Microsoft is the World’s Best Multinational Workplace.
This was announced through Fortune Magazine and the prestigious global award was handed over at a gala awards ceremony taking place at the New York Stock Exchange on the 27th of October.
The World’s Best Multinational Workplaces List is the first integrated look at survey data from employees and managers from thousands of companies across six continents; making it the world’s largest annual study of workplace excellence. The ranking marks the first time Great Place to Work presents the top 25 global companies to work for and is based on measures such as trust, pride and camaraderie in the workplace.
About Great Place to Work
Great Place to Work® Institute is a global research, consulting and training firm that serves businesses, non-profits and government agencies in 45 countries on all six continents.
To qualify for the World’s Best Multinational Workplaces List, companies must have appeared on at least five national Great Place to Work lists, have at least 5,000 employees worldwide, and at least 40 percent (or 5,000 members) of their global workforce must work outside of the company's home country.
Go camping with IT
03-10-2011
You don’t need a tent to join the University of Århus’ IT camp 2011 from the 17th to the 19th of October. And you don’t need to be a nerd either. In fact, what you do need is to be a Danish speaking young woman between 15 and 19 who is curious to know more about the diversity of opportunities offered by an IT-education.
At MDCC we’re constantly looking for more talented women to join our team which is why we’re one of the sponsors of this “IT-camp for women” in Århus. If you fit the description below, or know someone who does, we strongly encourage you to visit
www.itcamp.dk for more information. Who knows, it may be your first step into an exciting career in software development!
Uganda Energizers
19-09-2011
Microsoft Development Center Copenhagen is well known for openly embracing all cultures and we are often referred to as a showcase of diversity. However, when the traditional coffee break was recently replaced with African singing and dancing it was an eye opening experience even for our most multicultural employees.
To Mateusz Osojca, an international exchange student from Poland who works as a Software Development Engineer in Test, introducing Ugandan Youth Red Cross workers to the use of Word, PowerPoint and Excel turned out to be much more than a one-way classroom teaching experience.
“When we all got a bit tired we asked if we should grab a coffee. But they said coffee was too strong for them and asked us if we would try a “Uganda Energizer” instead. And then they started singing and dancing.”
“The first time it felt a little awkward but already on the second day of teaching we had gotten used to their “Uganda Energizers”. And honestly, it was much more efficient than a coffee break.”
Mateusz Osojca is one of six Microsoft employees who recently decided to spend their three annual voluntary work days on a program with the Danish Youth Red Cross and their Ugandan counterpart. As part of this educational program that is now on its third consecutive year, Microsoft employees teach Ugandan Red Cross workers basic IT skills. In exchange they get an experience out of the ordinary without even leaving the office.
“Since I finished high school I have always planned to do charity work in Africa. But rather than me going there, the opportunity came to me as part of my job. That’s really great. I spent three fantastic days and got six new Ugandan friends.”
Just like Mateusz Osojca, all employees at Microsoft Development Center Copenhagen are given the opportunity to donate three work days annually to take active part in local charity work. In addition to working for the Danish Red Cross, Microsoft employees have for instance volunteered for Save the Children, the Aids Foundation and Copenhagen Pride.
“When you participate in events like this you feel part of the world around you. It’s so rewarding and I highly recommend it”, says Mateusz Osojca before heading back to the coffee machine – while keeping in his mind the benefits from African singing and dancing.
Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Launches Worldwide
08-09-2011
Modern, “powerfully simple” enterprise resource planning solution delivers true business value to customers.
Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 is now available to customers around the world in 25 countries and 23 languages. Kicking off a series of more than 100 global launch events celebrating the general availability of Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012, CEO Steve Ballmer and Microsoft Business Solutions President Kirill Tatarinov joined industry experts, customers and partners to share how technology innovations enable companies to be more agile, breaking down the barriers and limitations of outdated enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions.
“Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 is a new generation of business applications. It’s the ERP solution that sets customers free and puts them in control of their business,” Ballmer said. “Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 helps companies be more agile, simplify decision-making and succeed in any environment.”
The flexible architecture of Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012, which includes built-in capabilities for multiple industries and geographic regions, lets people make quick and easy changes to processes and personal experiences to fulfill the shifting needs of their business, no matter how complex the organization. The simplicity of the Microsoft Dynamics RoleTailored experience gives people across the company the information they need to do their job, access to the Microsoft productivity tools they use every day, and built-in, contextual business intelligence, empowering better decisions. And because Windows Azure-based cloud services, such as Rapid Start, Site, Payment and Commerce services, are directly accessible from within Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012, companies can immediately realize the benefits of public cloud services from within their private cloud or on-premises deployment.
“When the CEO tells me about his new business idea and how he wants it done in two weeks, I know I can do it in one week with Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012,” said Rif Kiamil, chief information officer of JJ Food Services Ltd., a U.K.-based food service distribution company. “Microsoft has really thought about what ERP should be.”
As enterprise organizations recognize the limitations of legacy ERP solutions to enable their dynamic businesses, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 serves as a highly scalable, yet cost-effective, solution for their operations, subsidiaries or divisions to maintain a competitive edge, while retaining their legacy investment to cover administrative ERP needs at the corporate level.
At the same time, large and midsize companies are looking to Microsoft as a safe haven from current ERP vendors that may not offer clear product road maps or commitment to long-term innovation. One such customer is the City of Redmond, which chose to replace its JD Edwards system because it couldn’t support the city’s operations, was hard to use and caused concerns about continued support. The City of Redmond implemented Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012, significantly improving operations, user satisfaction and efficiency. City employees are now provided with transparent, relevant and rich information so that they can provide innovative services to their citizens.
To help businesses transition to Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 more easily, Microsoft will offer a range of incentives. The first of those is a 50 percent license discount on Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 for eligible customers with valid Lawson S3 or M3 licenses who make the switch. In addition, qualifying partners can receive a revenue credit for each Lawson-certified consultant that obtains Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 certification. These offers are valid from Sept. 8, 2011, until June 22, 2012. Customers and partners can learn more at
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics/switch-to-ax.aspx.
While all customers and partners benefit from the prebuilt industry capabilities in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012, global independent software vendors, such as Aldata, Ferranti, Harris and LexisNexis, take things a step further, embracing Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 as the core foundation they offer to customers, complemented with their own unique solutions across a wide range of verticals and industries, such as retail, utilities, professional services and legal services, to name a few.
More information about Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012, a replay of the opening keynote webcast and information about local launch events can be found at
http://www.microsoft.com/dynamics/ax2012launch
The Microsoft Dynamics ERP team can be followed on Twitter at @MSFTDynamicsERP and by using the hashtag #AX2012.
Drum Roll Please… Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 is now on the market!
01-08-2011
Today, August 1, we are pleased to announce the wait is officially over: Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 is now generally available in 25 countries and 23 languages, with more country roll-outs planned in the coming months.
Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 is “Powerfully Simple” because it has been designed to empower people to anticipate and embrace change, enabling businesses of all sizes to thrive and grow. Through our early adoption programs we already have evidence from customers and partners on the incredible value they are realizing from this latest version. Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 delivers:
- A powerful foundation of prebuilt industry capabilities and comprehensive, core ERP functionality for financial, human resources and operations management. It supports more than 40 roles within an organization from the shop floor to the top floor in both commercial businesses and public sector organizations. One of our Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 customers, Hydra-Power Systems, is primarily a national distributor of hydraulic and pneumatic systems, but the company also manufactures custom hydraulic manifolds and power units and offers installation and training services. “Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 provides us with so many new capabilities that are critical for Hydra-Power, so we customize less and remain much closer to the solution’s standard functionality,” explains Bob Jablonski, operations manager at Hydra-Power Systems.
- A new level of agility through a set of tools like our Unified Natural Models, which serve as a library of business processes that reflect real-world situations. The Royal Canadian Mint looked at other leading ERP solutions but wanted something that could deliver the maximum value to them, the shortest implementation time, the best TCO while letting them manage their infrastructure without “an army of consultants.” As CIO Greg Smith put it, “For us, it’s all about agility – if we can’t deliver in weeks, what used to take months, we’re holding back the business.”
- Simplicity across the board, allowing amazing flexibility in configuration and customization while lowering total cost of ownership to our customers. Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 is focused on making every process for both IT administrators and end users simpler, easier and more intuitive. One example of the simplicity of the product in action is at Ferranti Computer Systems, a Microsoft Dynamics AX ISV: Local partners who implement Ferranti’s MECOMS business application for utilities companies will improve time to value by up to 30 percent and be able to spend less time on deployments, allowing them to focus more on unique customer requirements. Earlier this month at the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference, we took simplicity a HUGE step further and announced Microsoft Dynamics ERP RapidStart Services. RapidStart Services, build on the Windows Azure platform, is designed to decrease the time-to-value of ERP deployments by simplifying the configuration of Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 to meet customer requirements through a simple questionnaire based approach to guiding system setup.
With Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012, deploying, configuring and managing a mission critical business application in your organization has never been easier. To learn more about this powerfully simple ERP solution that is a game-changer, check out
our Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 launch website, or contact your local partner representative to find a launch event near you. Looking for a partner? There are hundreds of Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 certified partners ready to help—get in touch with one by visiting the
Microsoft Dynamics Marketplace.
To help celebrate this great new product and learn more about how Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 can help your organization, we invite you to
register now to join Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft, and Kirill Tatarinov, President of Microsoft Business Solutions at the Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Virtual Launch Event on September 8, 2011. In addition to Steve and Kirill, you’ll hear directly from Microsoft executives, customers and Gartner ERP analyst Nigel Montgomery about how the innovations in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 can immediately benefit your organization. Following the webcast, 35+ on-demand sessions will take you inside the product and focus on our key industries, integration, technical architecture, and business ROI.
New head of Microsoft Dynamics AX development
15-06-2011
He’s new to the Microsoft Dynamics AX team but a well known figure at MDCC where he has been working since Microsoft bought the Danish IT-company Navision. Kim Ibfelt is Danish and has been working on what is today known as Microsoft Dynamics NAV since 1999. Most lately as Director of Program Management for Microsoft Dynamics NAV and part of the MDCC Leadership Team.
As of per 1st of May and after more than ten years working on the legacy of Navision, Kim Ibfelt has taken the great leap to Microsoft Dynamics AX where he has been appointed Product Unit Manager for Supply Chain Management. This internal career jump within the MDCC Leadership Team makes Kim Ibfelt responsible for the Danish-based development of Microsoft Dynamics AX for the global market.
According to an old saying, you should never change horses in midstream. So what makes one of the most senior Navision-profiles at MDCC change product team?
“My career move is a good example of what we internally call “cross group pollination”. In practice this means that rather than working isolated in their own “box”, people within Microsoft are encouraged to move across the organization, spreading knowledge, inspiring each other and acquiring new expertise. Not only does this translate into some exciting career opportunities, like the one I grabbed, it also creates a dynamic work environment and, not the least, it leads to innovation and growth”, says Kim Ibfelt.
In his new position, Kim Ibfelt replaces British Richard Barnwell who, after finishing his contract with MDCC, is continuing his career with Microsoft in the USA. Kim Ibfelt looks forward to digging into a new product and a new organization within MDCC. And to all the new challenges brought along by his position as responsible for the further development of one of Microsoft’s biggest business solutions investments.
”Microsoft has significant development potential on the global market for software based business solutions. With our latest product, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 that’s being launched globally later this year, we introduce a whole new generation of ERP. And at the same time we enter into a new league where we are ready to target big international customers. I look forward to being part of the development in the near future where I believe that we will see a change of game rules on the global ERP-market”, says Kim Ibfelt.
Microsoft in Vedbaek the sweetheart of engineers
24-05-2011
“The sweetheart in Vedbæk has the whole package”. This is how the Danish magazine Ingeniøren sums up the results of its annual image survey 2011 that puts Microsoft in Denmark in a solid first place as the most attractive IT-workplace in Denmark. For the third consecutive year, that is.
More than 3100 engineers and engineering students took part in the image survey this year and were asked to rate the 111 biggest engineering workplaces in Denmark on a range of criteria such as salaries and benefits, communication and visibility, management and career opportunities.
“Neither the students nor the graduates have any doubt: Microsoft in Denmark, with its development center in Vedbæk and its headquarters in Hellerup, scores top marks on almost all parameters in the image survey”, the magazine concludes.
For Microsoft’s biggest development center in Europe, this award is of the highest importance.
“As an international development center based in Denmark, building a strong Danish profile is essential to us and we are incredibly pleased about this result. It means a lot to us that Danish engineers and engineering students have a consistently high opinion of Microsoft in Denmark. It is critical for us that we are able to attract the best talents from all over the world and we see this award as a sign that even more Danish skilled engineers may consider making at career with us in the future. That is extremely positive as we believe we have a lot to offer in terms of interesting and challenging career opportunities”, says Charlotte Mark, Managing Director, Microsoft Development Center Copenhagen (MDCC).
Find out more and dig deeper into the “Profile Magazine 2011” here.
Full house!
13-05-2011
At MDCC we speak code and we’re always on the lookout for talented people who share our language and our passion for developing software.
This is why we regularly open our doors for interested students from the technical universities in the region. We are always overwhelmed by the talent and the interest that we’re met with. And, to say it mildly, this year’s Open House event was no exception.
On 26 April, no less than 125 students accepted our invitation to visit our campus, meet with our management and employees, hear about our products and technologies – and, not the least, get an idea of future potential career opportunities with Microsoft’s biggest development center in Europe.
They exceeded our expectations by far not only in terms of number but also in terms of passion for our business. The traditional coding challenge, where students are asked to solve a number of problems in the shortest possible time, was the main attraction with students constantly queuing up for an opportunity to “break the code” – and to walk away with an Xbox and Kinect.
There was lots of asking questions, eating pizzas and mingling during the afternoon. The students’ enthusiasm turned the event into a successful combination of business and pleasure with the last passionates missing the return bus and leaving our campus with money for the taxi.
The participating students were all invited to send in their CV’s as the first step in a screening process that, hopefully, will lead us to welcoming some of them as our colleagues in the near future.
We look forward to repeating the Open House event next year.
Breaking the ice in Copenhagen
10-02-2011
Kgs. Nytorv is a majestic and beautiful square in Copenhagen where the Danes go ice skating in the winter and eat ice cream in the summer. However, when employees from Microsoft Development Center Copenhagen (MDCC) gathered there on a cold and foggy Saturday in January, they did neither. Rather, they engaged themselves in a heated discussion in one of the legendary wine bars on the square. Theme of the day? History and culture.
The employees – newcomers, experienced expats as well as a handful of Danes – had just been touring the old historic center of Copenhagen as part of the latest initiative of the development center aimed at bringing its employees closer together. At MDCC, every third employee is of another nationality than Danish making the development center one of the most international companies in Denmark.
“Key to making our many international talents feel at home in Denmark is to help them break the ice – with each other as well as with the Danes. This is why we offer a range of programs and initiatives to help our international employees not only to integrate easily at work but also to enjoy a rich social life outside office hours”, says Charlotte Mark, Managing Director for MDCC.
The tour was the first in a series of explorative city tours, each with a different theme, aimed at introducing MDCC employees and their families to the “coolness” of Copenhagen – and we are not talking temperatures here but design, culture, architecture, history, shopping, food, fashion and much more.
For this first historical dive into the Danish capital, the participants were split up in smaller groups and introduced to all the landmarks of the old city center, from Vor Frue Kirke through the Latin Quarter and past the old Copenhagen University to Kgs. Nytorv between Strøget and Nyhavn. Discovering the history and the cultural particularities of the Danish capital in small groups made networking and connecting across nationalities easy as it provided a natural and informal platform for cultural exchange. Conversation just flows easier when there’s something to talk about – and it doesn’t all have to be about software. The winter may be cold in Copenhagen. However, through this initiative the MDCC employees succeeded in breaking the ice and got themselves warmed up for getting to know Copenhagen – as well as their colleagues – better.
What a release!
12-01-2011
2010 ended on a high for the Microsoft Dynamics NAV team. Having put all their efforts into ensuring the release of Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 R2 , they could finally celebrate a well deserved New Year after shipping the product simultaneously in 42 countries in December – an outstanding achievement that is well worth a champagne toast!
Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 R2 is the latest set of functionalities for Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009, an ERP solution (Enterprise Resource Planning) tailored for midsize organizations with specialized and locally relevant business needs. The new set of functionalities focuses in particular on increased CRM integration (Customer Relations Management) and online payment services. Developed in response to customer feedback, these latest enhancements will help improve business productivity in midsize businesses across the world.
“This release is a perfect illustration of the cross-team work that characterizes our Microsoft organization”, says Daniel Brown, General Manager for Microsoft Dynamics NAV.
“A release, such as this one, is always the result of a great team effort involving software development engineers, researchers, designers, program managers, testers, marketing and sales people – not only from MDCC but from across the company. This is particularly true when we release simultaneously in 42 countries – an unprecedented broad release. When all these people, drawing on their different backgrounds and expertise, succeed in landing a product like the one we have just released, this is when we can truly say: Mission accomplished”.
Today, the employees involved in the final release of 2010 are all back to work. They may not be working at exactly the same pace as before, but they are surely busy again, preparing for the next releases. In fact, time never stands still when working with software development and the next three big launches of Microsoft Dynamics NAV are already programmed and communicated to partners.
Time to deliver – again and again.
Gartner says good for it - again
05-01-2011
For the second year running, leading analyst firm Gartner Inc. has positioned Microsoft Dynamics AX in the “Leaders Quadrant” of the “Magic Quadrant for ERP for Product-Centric Midmarket Companies”. In the same report, which this year evaluated global enterprise resource planning (ERP) products specifically tailored for companies with 100 to 999 employees, and with annual revenue between $50 million and $1 billion, Microsoft Dynamics NAV is recognized as a “Niche Player”.
Microsoft Dynamics is Microsoft’s line of ERP solutions for the global market. While Microsoft Dynamics NAV is targeted at midsize organizations with specialized and locally relevant business needs, Microsoft Dynamics AX supports global midsize and larger organizations operating in multiple locations, as well as organizations looking for a single ERP solution to manage subsidiaries, divisions and branch entities while maintaining a separate headquarters solution.
The “Magic Quadrant” is a research tool developed by Gartner Inc. in order to provide IT-decision makers with an overview of a specific market’s competing technology providers at a specific time. Providers are positioned, and visually presented, in four different quadrants according to their respective strengths and challenges: Challengers, Leaders, Niche Players and Visionaries.
In its report, Gartner Inc. notably attributes the positioning of Microsoft Dynamics AX as a Leader to its ability to execute which is “proven by a long track record and above-average growth rates in the midmarket”.
“We believe being recognized as a Leader demonstrates our commitment to enabling dynamic businesses,” said Crispin Read, general manager of Microsoft Dynamics ERP, Product Management Group, at Microsoft. “Our focus on simplicity, value and agility is key to maintaining our position as a leader in the ERP industry.”
In the same report, Gartner Inc. says about Microsoft Dynamics NAV: “Dynamics NAV has a high brand awareness that is constantly expanding beyond its home markets in EMEA. The partner ecosystem provides a wide variety of individual solutions that serve the specific customer needs”.
To read the Gartner Inc. report and for more information on the “Magic Quadrant” research tool:
http://www.gartner.com/technology/media-products/reprints/microsoft/vol10/article22/article22.htmlFor more information on Microsoft Dynamics solutions, please visit
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics/default.aspx
Cultivating teenage talent
06-12-2010
When in front of a computer, they often tend to get stuck for hours navigating through status updates on Facebook. However, when 27 teenagers recently worked their way through a one week’s internship at Microsoft, there was no time for facebooking but for a lot of focused work.
The internship was part of the national week of “IT Work Experience” organized every year by the Danish IT Industry Association, and the ninth graders came from all over the country. Some had travelled a long way to get a taste of what it’s like to work at Microsoft and all showed great motivation and interest in what they were being taught.
The teenagers started out their week here at MDCC where Mogens Nielsen and André Lamego gave a hands-on introduction to programming through “Kodu”; a programming tool developed by Microsoft Research and specifically targeted young people. They then visited the Technical University of Denmark before moving on to the Danish subsidiary to learn more about marketing and commercialization of software products.
“We wanted to give them a broad introduction to as many aspects of software development as possible in order to raise their awareness of all the interesting career opportunities that we and the IT industry have to offer”, says Charlotte Mark, Managing Director. And explains why opening its doors to youngsters is part of the strategy of MDCC.
“The constant access to talent is critical to MDCC and it is of great concern to us that not enough young people in Denmark today seem interested in pursuing a career within IT. As one of the leading IT companies, we believe we should take part of the responsibility. We therefore use any occasion to introduce young people to all the opportunities within our profession and to share our passion for software development with them. There is definitely a lot of interest and talent out there. However, if we want access to highly skilled IT specialists in Denmark in the future, we must make sure that this talent is cultivated.”
Inspiring future talents to turn towards an IT education has long been high on MDCC’s agenda. And is the reason why MDCC offers this internship once a year and has undertaken a series of initiatives such as Digigirlz, a program aimed at raising interest for IT among teenage girls, as well as Digikidz, aimed at doing the same but among even younger boys and girls.
Judging from the work presented by the teenagers attending this recent internship, there is no doubt that they have the potential for a promising career.
“If only some of these teenagers choose one day to realize their potential by working with software development, our mission is accomplished”, says Charlotte Mark.
Make it work for your partner as well
03-12-2010
As an expatriate, when accepting an offer at MDCC, you are not only embracing a new career opportunity. You are equally saying yes to a whole new adventure that may involve your entire family and give you all an experience for life.
In order for an expatriation to be successful, it is essential that your accompanying family settles well in Denmark – and that your accompanying partner enjoys just as a rewarding experience as you do. For a large part of expat partners, key to a fulfilling experience in Denmark involves working. And now there’s good news for willing working partners!
Work in Denmark, the official website for international recruitment, has launched a free-of-charge job network called Partner Link for accompanying partners of global professionals who wish to work while in Denmark. Via the Partner Link, the spouse or partner is actively guided through the entire job seeking process and in all the relevant aspects hereof – including writing resumes and job applications for the Danish job market.
And there is even more good news! In fact, it is worth noting that Denmark has a structural demand for highly qualified labour and that career opportunities are rather good. You should also know that Danish families rarely rely on one single income and that extensive child care facilities make it possible for both partners to work even with small children. Not the least, you should be aware that most Danish companies value worklife balance, making it possible to pursue a rewarding career without compromising on your family life.
If you’re interested in knowing more about how you can make it work for your accompanying partner while exploring your career opportunities with MDCC, please visit the
Living in Denmark section on our career website.
In this section on our career site, we also link to a bunch of useful information websites such as
www.workindenmark.dk where you can read more about the Partner Link network.
If you’re an accompanying partner and already ready to pick up work in Denmark, we invite you to fill in the job template available for
download here.
Regardless of where you are from and how far you are in the process of engaging in a new adventure, this will help you to make it work in Denmark.
The talented returnees
29-11-2010
They left Denmark to explore their opportunities and gain valuable experience abroad. And they return to MDCC for the exact same reasons. Ambitious and talented “returnees” are an extremely attractive target group for MDCC in our constant efforts to attract the best talents from all over the world.
In order to raise awareness of the opportunities that MDCC has to offer talented “returnees”, we recently invited “expat Danes” working for Microsoft in Redmond to an informal meeting with the Danish Leadership Team during a visit to the American headquarters.
Ten “expats” showed up to get an introduction to MDCC and an idea of what it’s like to work for one of the most international companies in Denmark. They asked a bunch of questions, showed great interest in the career opportunities – and got a welcome taste of the Danish beers brought along for the occasion. Time and conversation flew as the potential top candidates discussed individual plans and common opportunities with the Danish Leadership Team – a few even made it clear that they would definitely consider pursuing their career with MDCC. When they do, they will join other talented “returnees” at MDCC.
One of them is Program Manager David Probst. David is Danish, started his career at Navision in 2001 and has been with Microsoft ever since. A couple of years ago, his ambitions and taste for adventure brought him to the headquarters in Redmond where he spent some challenging and instructive years before returning to MDCC.
“In Redmond, I spent some exciting years in the fast lane. I didn’t return to Denmark to slow down though. Speed is also high at MDCC – I’m constantly challenged and get a kick by working in an area where the growth potential for Microsoft is enormous”, says David. And he is no isolated case.
Søren Abildgaard was recently appointed as Principal Development Manager at MDCC. He came back to Denmark after more than ten years spent in the USA working for Autodesk, one of Microsoft’s biggest ISV-partners (Independent Software Vendors).
“In the American work culture, as I experienced it working as a VP for Autodesk, the sky is the limit for your ambitions. It’s perfectly legitimate to strive for the top. It’s even accepted to be unrealistic and take chances – in fact, this is how you succeed. Today, I have returned to Denmark because I find this same culture at MDCC. Here’s room for risk taking, huge ambitions and creativity”, he says.
Charlotte Mark, Managing Director for MDCC, is confident that reaching out to Danish top profiles abroad will make even more talented “expat Danes” realize that “returning” doesn’t mean “retiring”.
“MDCC actually has a lot to offer Danish, as well as Scandinavian, top talents who wish to return to live in Denmark – while giving their career a boost at the same time. Based on the positive feedback that we received during our recent visit to Redmond, I’m confident that MDCC will welcome even more ambitious and talented “returnees” in the future”, she says.
Talent knows no handicap
02-11-2010
He takes up a little more office space, requires his own parking space and a ramp at the door. Per Rasmussen is 29 years old. He has got muscular dystrophy and is bound to his wheel chair. However, that’s not the point here. The point is that he is an extremely skilled software development engineer in test, working at Microsoft Development Center Copenhagen (MDCC) – and passionate about his job.
When Per presented himself and his story recently at a career event held at Microsoft in Denmark, in collaboration with Disabled People’s Organizations Denmark (DPOD), he was asked by someone in the audience if he had ever felt treated differently in Microsoft because of his handicap. “That’s a good question” he answered. “I have never really thought about that”.
Microsoft in Denmark had invited people with disabilities for a visit and presentation of career opportunities. 70 people (including sign language interpreters but excluding guide dogs) showed up at the event, surpassing our most optimistic expectations and turning it into an extreme success. With the only downside being a logistic that didn’t completely match up. Whereas we learned a lot from this event and identified areas for improvement regarding logistics, there are still no plans for particular hiring policies for people with disabilities at Microsoft in Denmark. “Our answer to this must be that we focus exclusively on talent and professional competencies when we hire people. As part of our diversity policy, we employ people regardless of nationality, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation – as well as physical abilities. Once we have found the right talent, we consider how we can ensure the best working conditions for all. Microsoft has all the resources, the technology and the tools that it takes to make everyone feel and perform at their best – and to overcome any potential challenges in this regards”, says Site HR Manager for MDCC, Lone Damsgaard.
The key message is clear. It’s the talent that counts – and talent knows no handicap. This message seemed to be well received among the many participants. Within just a couple of days after the event, the staffing team had already received several phone calls and emails from interested potential candidates – and made one hire. “I hope this event has made it clear that having a disability is not incompatible with pursuing an ambitious career”, says Per.
Buddy talk
27-10-2010
They’re all three in it for different reasons. But when they meet for drinks in downtown Copenhagen after work, they totally agree that they have fun. Anne Gerssen, Hans Have and Ali Cetinbulut are buddies – formally as active participants in MDCC’s internal “Buddy Program” and informally as “we-meet-at-least-once-a-week-outside-work”-buddies.
“The Buddy program” is an employee initiated offer to newcomers at MDCC. As part of the program, new colleagues are given the opportunity to hook up with an employee, a “buddy” who will guide them through their first work period and assist with all kinds of issues related to being new to MDCC/Microsoft – and often even to Denmark.
When Ali, who is initially from Turkey, relocated from Redmond to MDCC earlier this year, he immediately decided to join “the Buddy Program”.
“When you take up a new position you need to prove yourself and this requires a lot of resources. In addition, when you’re on totally unknown territory and need to find your way around not only in a new company but also in a new country, it’s an even bigger challenge. Through this employee program, rather than spending time on practical issues related to my move, I wanted to be able to focus on my new job. In addition, I was interested in meeting new friends in Denmark”, says Ali.
Ali found Hans and Anne on a “match list” of voluntary “buddies” that was published on the MDCC intranet. Hans is Danish and Anne is Dutch. Whereas she experienced the challenges of settling in a new country while taking up her position at MDCC three years ago, Hans is a “homie” with a five year long experience at MDCC – and the ambition to make life easier for his international colleagues. Joining experiences and perspectives, the two of them are the originators of “the Buddy Program”. Based on complete voluntariness, the program doesn’t have any predefined framework or rules that have to be followed.
When it comes to our threesome – Ali, Anne and Hans – they initially met for lunch. That went well. Then they met for drinks. That went even better. Then they met for drinks again. And then it just clicked and they went for drinks again, again and again – eventually with their partners and families. Now, you may think that this is all about drinking. But that’s not the case, they say. And point to the fact that besides helping Ali with practical issues, the do a bunch of things together. Anne has for instance been shopping with Ali’s wife and this summer they’ll all spend holidays together in Ali’s hometown in Turkey.
“This is just such a cool experience. In addition to enjoying each other’s company, we learn about our respective cultures. We are all very proud of our diversified work culture at MDCC and this program makes it possible to dig a little deeper and get to know your colleagues even better than what’s possible around the coffee machine”, says Hans.
Smarter than a ninth grader
18-10-2010
From an outside perspective, software development may seem complicated. We tend to imagine a (male) nerd, using more technical abbreviations that any normal person would in a life time and speaking in a code language that is understandable only for the happy few. However, one very smart ninth grader just broke the code and proved these stereotypes wrong when she completed a successful traineeship at Microsoft Development Center Copenhagen (MDCC).
Karoline Marding Nielsen is 15 years old and a ninth grader at a public school north of Copenhagen. As of today, her favorite subject is biology and in addition she loves to draw. Though her dad works at MDCC and IT is a natural part of her world, she has never imagined working with software development herself. However, Karoline went into her traineeship at MDCC with an open mind and spent a very instructive week as the Benjamin of the Dynamics User Experience (UX) team.
“Rather than having Karoline sit in the corner of an office all week, we taught her the basics about UX, personas, brainstorming and sketching, and had her run a design project from start to finish”, says User Experience Designer Hans Have who acted as Karoline’s manager during her work week.
And, as the UX team soon discovered, Karoline caught on quick, turned out to be a very gifted artist and, with some help, showed fully capable of creating her own idea and turning it into a consumer product. The end result was “Super Sole 3000”, a pair of running shoe soles with built in sensors to track the running pattern of its user and, combined with a mobile application, help decide which new shoes to get. All designed, of course, to be compliant with Windows Phone 7 guidelines.
The team was impressed as their young colleague finished the final hi-def designs in Photoshop and presented her work. As for Karoline herself, she doesn’t really understand what the positive fuss is about.
“I just did what I had to do. I wouldn’t have been pleased with myself if I hadn’t managed to come up with an idea – though I must admit that it was a bit hard to be creative on the spot”, she says.
To Karoline, the most instructive part of her week as a software designer was the brainstorming process.
“It really surprised me how much value is put on ideas when developing software. The brainstorming process is something that I will definitely take with me from this experience and something that I can use in many other areas”, she says.
Though Karoline enjoyed her stay at MDCC, it is yet much too early to decide for a future within IT. As for the UX team, they hope to welcome more talents like Karoline in the future. And can’t help to pass on the challenge with some friendly irony – “are you smarter than a ninth grader”? As this story illustrates, it doesn’t have to be that complicated. If you have the right idea, the UX team has the methodology that will help you shape it, show the value of it and carry it out – without writing one single piece of code. How easy is that?
LGBT diversity – adding color to the business
20-09-2010
They were all there – leading companies such as Maersk, British Telecom, IBM, IKEA, KPMG, DSB, First Hotels and of course Microsoft. They had flown in from all over the world to meet at MDCC on Friday September 17. The fully packed conference room was decorated in all the colors of the rainbow adding to the theme of the day – LGBT diversity.
As part of Microsoft, MDCC has a long history of working with diversity as integrated part of its business strategy. And, as this conference clearly illustrated, the development center is far from alone in seeing the potential in diversity as a strategic business advantage. More than 100 attendees including HR professionals, business managers and members of the LBGT community were ready to get inspired and share best practices.
“More and more companies today are discovering the importance of diversity in the workforce – including the resources and the potential of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community. However, we still have much to learn. And therefore we are extremely pleased that so many companies accepted our invitation to put further focus on the correlation between diversity and business”, says Charlotte Mark, Managing Director for MDCC.
The theme of the LGBT Business Summit at MDCC, organized on the initiative of the LGBT community across Microsoft’s two business entities in Denmark: Microsoft Danmark and Microsoft Development Center Copenhagen, was “LGBT diversity as a strategic business advantage”. The conference gathered companies and business people from both Denmark and abroad and, apart from some friendly teasing, competition was put aside as best practices were shared for the common good.
The atmosphere was informal, the speakers were eager to share their personal experiences and the audience was attentive and engaged. During the breaks, everyone was busy networking and the interest for the idea of a cross company LGBT network was huge. The first important step was taken to a National LGBT network as the date and venue for the first meeting hosted at IBM was announced.
All in all, the event was a success. And a clear illustration that there can be no doubt – “Out” is definitely the new “In”, as the LGBT community at MDCC like to say. For the people and for the business.
Copenhagen Campus
16-09-2010
“Farvel og tak” (“goodbye and thanks”). Too many international students come to Denmark, complete their education – and then leave. However, Denmark is in serious need for international brain power. This is why it has become a national priority to make it more attractive for international students to stay in Denmark once they have finished their studies.
“At MDCC, where every third employee is of another nationality than Danish, we are fortunate to have international students who have chosen to stay and continue their career with us once they have finished their internship. One example is Aida Sefi Labrosse who came to Denmark from Iran eight years ago to attend the Technical University of Denmark and started as a student worker at MDCC the following year. She is still with us, now as a full time employee. However, we need more to follow Aida’s example”, says Charlotte Mark, Managing Director for MDCC.
“ThinkTankTalents” is a Danish organization that works with the development and execution of projects that will enable Denmark to attract and retain local and international talents. According to this think tank, one reason as to why international students often chose to leave Denmark again is that they face serious integration challenges. They often live isolated and only socialize with other Danes when at school or work. This is why “ThinkTankTalents” has taken the initiative to create a “Copenhagen Campus”.
“Copenhagen Campus” is the name of a prestigious housing development project planning to create accommodation for approximately 1500 international and Danish students, researchers and trainees. According to plans, the international campus will be located in the centre of Copenhagen and will, in addition to providing better housing, contribute to a more international cultural and educational community in Denmark. Similar projects have been implemented with success in cities such as Barcelona and Paris.
MDCC, along with a range of other stakeholders, supported the pilot study leading to the launch of the project.
“Copenhagen Campus” is a very interesting project and definitely a step in the right direction towards a better integration of highly skilled international students and trainees in Denmark. Providing a genuinely international living environment, “Copenhagen Campus” will help retain international talents and at the same time provide our Danish students with a multicultural perspective. We believe it will make a difference and expect a lot from this initiative”, says Charlotte Mark.
If you are a student or a graduate interested in exploring your opportunities with MDCC, please check out our
dedicated career site.
New top hire at MDCC
27-08-2010
Attracting and retaining top talents from all over the world, regardless of cultural barriers and physical frontiers, is a constant priority for Microsoft’s biggest development in Europe. And with the latest appointment of Søren Abildgaard, Microsoft Development Center Copenhagen (MDCC) is pleased to announce yet a top hire.
42-year old Søren Abildgaard is Danish, but his career is American. In fact, Søren returns to Denmark after more than ten years in the U.S. working for Autodesk, one of Microsoft’s biggest global ISV-partners (Independent Software Vendor). He started as a software developer, continued as a development manager and ended up as a member of the senior staff in a product division that he helped become a world leader through a successful product development and acquisition strategy. His latest position at Autodesk was that of Vice President of Engineering with responsibility for several hundred employees.
As Principal Development Manager for Microsoft Dynamics AX SCM, Søren will contribute to strengthening MDCC’s position on the global market for ERP (Enterprise Resource Management) and SCM (Supply Chain Management). His responsibilities include organizational optimization, ensuring the right focus on products, technicalities and design as well as making sure that teams deliver on time without comprising on the consistently high quality of the MDCC products and solutions.
“I leave one dream job for another. I have a strong entrepreneur spirit and what drives me in my new position at MDCC is the enormous potential. Despite its size, reputation and world class products, there is still plenty of room for development and growth for Microsoft on the global ERP market. Backed by Microsoft’s resources and commitment, I see only the sky as the limit. In addition, I’m strongly attracted by the MDCC culture. No one offers you a final recipe. The development center is a genuine showcase of diversity with a unique work environment and plenty of room for creativity.”
To MDCC, the appointment of Søren Abildgaard is the result of a targeted effort to attract the best talents from all over the world.
“We are extremely pleased that Søren has chosen to take the next step in his career at MDCC. We depend highly on both local and international talents and we are always on the lookout for highly qualified and experienced top profiles with visions and ambitions. In order to attract the best talents, we have constant focus on offering competitive and challenging career opportunities. We welcome Søren and will do all we can to offer him the best conditions for realizing his full potential with us”, says Managing Director for MDCC, Charlotte Mark.
Pride and no prejudice
23-08-2010
They may not stand out when you meet them in the corridors. However, the LGBT people (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered) at Microsoft are proud of their differences – and not afraid to show and tell.
During this year’s Copenhagen Pride, the festival celebrating the diversity of the gay community in Denmark, the LGBT employees from Microsoft did more than just celebrate. They succeeded in putting serious focus on the importance of diversity, in society as well as at the workplace, and attracted a lot of positive attention from both the public and the media. One Microsoft employee in particular, Lars Frandsen who heads the Nordic community of LGBT people at Microsoft, saw himself projected into the limelight as he appeared several times on national television side by side with a colorful and nationally famous drag queen. Later, more seriously, he represented Microsoft in a panel debate with Danish politicians discussing the right of homosexuals to adopt children.
As one of the official sponsors of Copenhagen Pride 2010, Microsoft in Denmark was present during the entire festival. In a Microsoft tent, located at Rådhuspladsen, the City Hall Square in Copenhagen, employees from Microsoft Denmark and Microsoft Development Center Copenhagen answered questions from thousands of curious passers-by and engaged in dialogue with potential employees from Denmark and abroad. During the final Pride Parade throughout the city of Copenhagen, more than 30 Microsoft employees and managers, including Managing Director Charlotte Mark, participated wearing flashy t-shirts stating that “Microsoft Office 2010 is out – and so are we” and “In is the new out”. Attention guaranteed! However, to Microsoft Copenhagen Pride is so much more than just a PR-platform.
“Copenhagen Pride is a very good opportunity for us to meet with both potential customers and employees. Reaching out to different people and communities is integrated part of our business strategy as well as our employer branding activities. Our employees come from more than 40 different nationalities and cultures, and we serve customers from all over the world regardless of physical frontiers, ethnicity, religion, culture – and sexual orientation. Diversity is simply in our DNA”, says Charlotte Mark.
That pride comes with no prejudice at Microsoft will be illustrated again in September when the development center hosts a LGBT Summit with the theme: LGBT diversity as a strategic business advantage. The conference takes place at Microsoft Development Center Copenhagen in Vedbaek on Friday 17 September 2010.
Please visit the Event section to sign up before 10 September or as long as seats are available. Participation is free.
They came, they saw and they conquered
23-07-2010
Last April, MDCC received the visit of a group of students from Denmark’s Technical University (DTU). They came to visit our campus, meet with our management and employees, hear about our products and technologies – and, not the least, get an idea of their future potential career opportunities at our development center.
During the event, the students were not only introduced to potential long term career opportunities but also invited to send in their application for currently available student worker positions at MDCC. At the time, Managing Director and Site Leader of MDCC, Charlotte Mark, said that she was positively surprised by the interest shown by the students and that she hoped to welcome some of them as colleagues in the near future.
Let’s do the follow up and get the facts and figures straight: 72 people came to the open house event, 24 of them chose to apply for our nine available student worker positions and we had 18 on campus interviews with potential candidates. Whereas many were highly qualified, seven people fit the profiles and were subsequently offered a job as a student worker. In addition, one candidate was offered a job as a full time employee (FTE).
Charlotte Mark is pleased with the result: “When we do an event like this it’s not only for a social purpose. It’s because we are constantly on the look-out for new talents to join our development center. We were impressed by the professional level among the DTU students and very pleased that we found these eight matches.”
We look forward to welcoming our new colleagues!
United in Diversity – invitation to join
29-06-2010
At MDCC we are working determinedly with diversity as part of our business strategy. And we are not alone. More and more companies today are discovering the benefits of diversity including the resources and the business potential of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered (LGBT) community.
How to exploit the full potential of our unique qualities is a question that has entered the boardrooms – both in Denmark and abroad. However, we still have much to learn and this is why Microsoft in Denmark’s LGBT Community has organized a LGBT Business Summit with the theme: LGBT diversity as a strategic business advantage.
The business summit gathers companies and business people from both Denmark and abroad. And we would like to invite you to participate as well.
Join us and learn from leading international companies such as British Telecom, KPMG and Novo Nordisk. Hear about their experiences working with LGBT diversity and learn more about the correlation between LGBT and business.
The conference takes place at MDCC in Vedbæk on Friday 17 September 2010.
More information here where you can also sign up before 10 September or as long as seats are available. Participation is free.
We look forward to seeing you!
Microsoft in Denmark the favorite among engineering students and graduates
21-05-2010
Microsoft in Denmark – comprising of Microsoft Development Center Copenhagen (MDCC) and the Danish Sales Subsidiary – is the most attractive IT-workplace in Denmark in 2010 according to the opinions of more than 6000 engineers and 2500 engineering students. They took part in an image survey carried out by the Danish magazine Ingeniøren and publicized at a ceremony held in Copenhagen on Thursday May 20th.
Microsoft in Denmark is both proud and happy to be named the most attractive place to work by Danish engineering students and graduates. And even more so, that this is the second time in a row that we top the list of Danish IT-companies and win this prestigious Danish image award.
“It means a lot to us to be able to attract the best talents – in Denmark and abroad – and we are incredibly pleased that Danish engineers and engineering students have such a positive view on Microsoft in Denmark. It is a known fact that we are highly dependant on our capacity to attract the very best people in the industry and we hope that this award will encourage even more skilled engineers to consider making a career with us”, says Charlotte Mark, Managing Director, Microsoft Development Center Copenhagen.
Microsoft in Denmark notably scores top marks in a range of fields such as salaries and benefits, communication and visibility, management and career opportunities.
The article following the announcement said: “Once again, Microsoft in Denmark is the industry favorite of both students and graduates. With its development center in Vedbæk and its headquarter in Hellerup, Microsoft has scored top marks on all of the parameters in the profile analysis.”
Source: Ingeniøren Profil 2010.
In addition to topping the IT-list, Microsoft in Denmark comes in number 15 on the general list of all engineering companies in Denmark and is as such the highest placed IT-company in the entire survey.
Find out more on
www.ing.dk and in the “Profile Magazine” that is published along with the “Ingeniøren” on Friday May 21st.
Microsoft Unveils New Functionality for Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009
19-05-2010
Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 R2 will deliver on software-plus-services vision and include CRM integration and online payment service. As part of Microsoft Corp.’s commitment to providing leading enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions to midrange organizations worldwide, the company today unveiled Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 R2 at Directions EMEA 2010. Because of the investment in architecture for Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009, customers are able to take advantage of the benefits of the software-plus-services vision through the R2 release more quickly than scheduled, including built-in integration with Microsoft Dynamics CRM and online Payment Service. Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 customers will benefit from the following:
- Microsoft Dynamics CRM integration. Today’s fast-paced business environment demands instant access to customers and vendors. Microsoft is providing built-in integration with Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Benefits of customer relationship management (CRM) integration include eliminating redundant data entries, keeping information up to date in both ERP and CRM solutions, and providing salespeople with the ability to quickly access detailed business information about contracts, pricing and product availability. Customers can choose between integration to on-premises Microsoft Dynamics CRM or Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online with the option to migrate to either option over time.
- Online Payment Service for Microsoft Dynamics NAV. This enables customers to process payment transactions from the Microsoft Dynamics NAV interface across multiple channels, including e-commerce, point of sale and call center transactions. The Payment Service works with leading payment processing services and all major credit cards.
- RoleTailored interface access for remote or roaming users. Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 R2 supports direct access from the Microsoft Dynamics RoleTailored experience over the Internet. This allows for remote or roaming users to take advantage of the richness and Microsoft Office integration of the RoleTailored interface and the many integration features connected to local resources, such as the operating system and Microsoft Office. This reduces the complexity and overhead compared with using other applications such as Citrix Systems and Terminal Services, especially for hosting partners offering cloud-based Microsoft Dynamics NAV deployments.
- Microsoft Application Virtualization support. The Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 R2 RoleTailored interface can be deployed using Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V) technology, which is relevant for both on-premise and hosted solutions. This provides a better experience for the end user as all integration with local applications is done on the desktop. It also cuts IT costs by centrally managing Microsoft Dynamics NAV client installations with automatic deployment to the desktop after an update.
- Windows 7 user experience improvements. Through Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 R2, jump lists can be used to open recently accessed customers and vendors for increased business productivity and efficiency, and the icon overlay functionality provides information on system events and status streamlined with the Windows 7 user experience.
- Treemap visualization. Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 R2 showcases the possibilities around business data visualizations abilities in Microsoft Dynamics NAV through rich ad hoc data visualization. It provides treemap analysis that enables the comparison of any two values, for example sales and profits, which increases business productivity and business insight. The innovative client extensibility framework used allows partners to extend the user experience of Microsoft Dynamics NAV to integrate visualizations into any end-user scenario.
“We’re delivering this release in response to customer and partner feedback,” said Crispin Read, general manager of Microsoft Dynamics ERP at Microsoft. “Microsoft is committed to continuously bringing forth innovation in our ERP solutions, including the integration with cloud services. These latest enhancements to Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 are an important step in delivering solutions that drive real business productivity.”
“The new features in Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 R2 improve our business opportunities and benefit our customers. The fact that Microsoft is able to deliver faster than planned reaffirms our decision to build our solutions on Microsoft Dynamics NAV,” said Christian Sega, managing director at agiles Informationssysteme GmbH, an industry solution provider and consulting company specializing in horizontal workflow solutions built on Microsoft Dynamics NAV.
Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 R2 will be available in the fourth quarter of 2010.
Microsoft in Denmark second best for diversity
23-04-2010
In Microsoft in Denmark, comprising Microsoft Development Center Copenhagen as well as our Danish headquarter and sales office, working actively to promote equality and diversity has for a long time been an integrated part of our business strategy. As a result of our work, we were nominated for the prestigious MIA Award 2010 by the Danish Institute for Human Rights in February.
MIA is the Danish acronym for “Diversity in Working life”. The award is handed out each year to companies that work to promote equality and diversity in the workplace in both policies and practice. This year, the award ceremony of the Institute for Human Rights took place in Copenhagen on March 25. Microsoft in Denmark came in second in the category “Large private companies”.
The jury committee of the MIA Award notably highlighted Microsoft's broad approach to diversity.
"Microsoft clearly demonstrates how they have managed to achieve results by actively using diversity as a resource in relation to product development as well as recruitment, retention and employee satisfaction," the committee stated in their assessment.
Technical students breaking the code
22-04-2010
They came to visit our campus, meet with our management and employees, hear about our products and technologies – and, not the least, get an idea of their future potential career opportunities. And though it was all pretty serious business for the 72 students from Denmark’s Technical University (DTU) who visited Microsoft Development Center Copenhagen (MDCC) on April 20, there was equally plenty of time for networking and fun.
To cater for the students, a specially booked bus brought the students directly from DTU to the campus. The agenda was packed with interesting topics and in-house speakers and a coding challenge competition awarded the winner with an XBOX.
They day turned out as a successful combination of business and pleasure with more students showing up than initially expected. They asked a lot of questions, cleaned the pizza trays, got lost in the coding challenge and almost missed the return bus. However, for MDCC this was so much more than just a social event.
“By organizing an event like this, we hope to inspire the students to see their professional future at MDCC. The continuous success of MDCC is deeply dependant on the access to highly qualified IT specialists. In Denmark, many big talents graduate from DTU. This is why it is so important for us that these students are aware of all the interesting opportunities that we offer,” says Managing Director and Site Leader Charlotte Mark.
During the event, the students were not only introduced to potential long term career opportunities but also invited to send in their application for currently available student worker positions at MDCC. The chosen applicants will be invited for interviews and the final selection will take place in June.
“I’m extremely pleased that so many DTU-students accepted our invitation and positively surprised about the huge interest that they showed in our development center. This leads me to believe that we may welcome a significant number of them as our colleagues in the near future – and that will be with wide open arms”, says Charlotte Mark.
Young learners in Software-land
09-04-2010
Even though they may claim that developing software is fun, and that they often apply untraditional methods in their work, playing with Lego is not something they normally do at Microsoft Development Center Copenhagen (MDCC). However, when 85 kids moved into the campus during last Easter break, the small colorful pieces played a central role as part of a three day program destined to strengthen the digital capabilities among Danish youngsters.
In fact, as part of “Digikidz – Easter Holiday Camp”, as the event was called, two eleven-years olds were building a small Lego town complete with houses, roads and a lot of figures placed randomly among dogs, cats – and dinosaurs. However, they were not doing this in an attempt to substitute the traditional family visit to Legoland during Easter break. They were doing this because they wanted to learn how to make a movie on their computer, using the Lego town as their setting. And they had chosen voluntarily to spend their Easter break “camping” at MDCC rather than at Legoland.
This is the third consecutive year that Microsoft has opened up its doors for IT interested youngsters – kids of Microsoft employees as well as their friends – during Easter break. This year, 85 kids were learning about “digital story-telling”. However, the learning process was far from traditional class room teaching, which is probably why so many kids – double as many as during the first Easter Camp in 2008 – had chosen to spend three of their precious holidays “in school”.
“Experience shows that combining modern technology tools with traditional and simple tools such as scissors and papers or, like here, Lego is extremely efficient. It gives the kids the impression to play – and while they are having a lot of fun they are actually learning a lot as well”, says Thue Leibrandt, one of the teachers collaborating with Microsoft on the event this year.
Easter Camp is the result of collaboration between Microsoft and a group of dedicated public school teachers. The initiative is part of Microsoft’s ambition to make coming generations see the opportunities in IT and to inspire more students to choose a scientific education.
Microsoft in Denmark nominated for diversity award
11-03-2010
Microsoft in Denmark has been nominated for the MIA Award 2010 that goes to businesses working to promote diversity in the workplace in both policies and practice. The award of the Institute for Human Rights will be handed out at ceremony taking place on March 25 at Experimentarium in Copenhagen. This is the first time Microsoft in Denmark participates in the competition.
Microsoft in Denmark has been nominated for the MIA Award 2010 in the category "Large private companies". MIA is the Danish acronym for “Diversity in Working life”. This is the sixth time the award is handed out by the Institute for Human Rights to companies working to promote diversity and equality in the workplace.
"Promoting diversity is an integral part of Microsoft's business strategy. It is anchored at the highest level and permeates our entire company. Therefore, we are both happy and proud to be nominated for the MIA Award - not least because we see it as endorsement of our work on diversity, a work that is critical to our business success. In fact, diversity helps us to develop and deliver innovative and value adding solutions to our customers", said Charlotte Mark, Managing Director of Microsoft Development Center Copenhagen and Jørgen Bardenfleth, Managing Director of Microsoft Denmark.
Microsoft in Denmark is particularly well on track in promoting diversity in terms of nationalities and cultural backgrounds, sexual orientation, and in promoting female representation in IT and management.
Promoting diversity is an ongoing process
Microsoft hopes this competition will be an opportunity to share experiences and to obtain new knowledge and inspiration for use in its further work with diversity.
"We have come some way, but we are also very aware that working on diversity is a process that never ends. We can always learn to be better in exploiting the diversity that our company offers. We therefore look forward to receiving feedback on our approach and to gain an insight into other companies' experiences in the field", said Charlotte Field, Managing Director of Microsoft Development Center Copenhagen and Jørgen Bardenfleth, Managing Director of Microsoft Denmark.
This is the first time Microsoft in Denmark participates in the competition and it is to be seen as part of the company’s efforts to highlight the importance of targeted work with diversity.
New Finance Director will help to ensure continued success for Microsoft in Denmark
04-03-2010
Microsoft in Denmark has appointed Lise Skaarup Mortensen as new Finance Director. Lise Skaarup Mortensen will be responsible for ensuring the continued positive economic performance of Microsoft's development center in Vedbaek and of the sales and marketing division in Hellerup.
Lise Skaarup Mortensen looks forward to manage the economy in a company that accounts for a substantial part of the Danish IT infrastructure:
"37 percent of Danish IT jobs are directly related to Microsoft, and each time Microsoft earn one kroner, our partner companies earn 9 kroner. This means that we are at the same time committed and have a responsibility to operate a healthy business in Denmark. We have to meet some crucial requirements of the current global economic crisis in order for our company to continue to grow - and I see this as an exciting challenge that I must help to solve”, says Lise Skaarup Mortensen.
Lise Skaarup Mortensen also points out that she will be the Finance Director for both Microsoft's sales and marketing organization in Denmark as well as Microsoft Development Center Copenhagen, located in Vedbaek:
"With 650 employees in Vedbæk and 450 in our division in Hellerup, Microsoft has a strong foothold in Denmark. Both entities have been able to produce black numbers on the bottom line despite an overall time of crisis, and I am excited to help expand and continue the success of both businesses", says Lise Skaarup Mortensen.
Lise Skaarup Mortensen is 41 years old and lives in Virum. She graduated as an Economist from the Business School at Aarhus University and comes from a position as CFO in Bring CityMail Denmark. Previously, Lise was with IBM and Maersk Data
15 companies launch common initiative to attract and retain highly skilled foreigners
08-02-2010
15 of the largest Danish and international companies in Denmark have joined forces and launched a new initiative – Consortium for Global Talent – whose main objective is to create better framework conditions for highly skilled global professionals in Denmark. Furthermore, the Consortium aims at changing the general attitude and behavior of Danes towards expatriates. According to the companies, action is crucial if Denmark wishes to maintain its position as one of the richest countries in the world.
The Danish Minister of Economic and Business Affairs, Lene Espersen, sees the new initiative as an important supplement to already existing initiatives:
“It is very positive that so many large companies have come together in support of the overall objective of ensuring that Denmark will further become an attractive country to work and live in for highly skilled foreigners. We strongly need this workforce, and we have to look at how we can further improve the conditions in general for this group of labor, as they play an important role in securing our welfare for the future. The business world is close to the daily challenges, and I welcome that the companies involve themselves in an active way and communicate where they find there is a need for change.”
The purpose of the Consortium will be to address common challenges and coordinate the companies’ efforts in relation to the many existing public and private initiatives on offer.
The task is complex and is not limited to taxation and financial issues. For instance it is crucial that expatriates settle in well both work wise as well as privately and that the family is provided with attractive working conditions and school services. It means a lot if they have a rich personal life and that they feel welcome in Denmark also after working hours says Tine Horwitz, Head of Consortium for Global Talent which in 2010 is located with A. P. Moller-Maersk Headquarters in Copenhagen – and hereafter with the participating companies in yearly turns.
“Denmark really needs the highly skilled professionals so for this reason we should appreciate and be proud when they in particular choose to come to work in Denmark. Their presence is of added value to all of us and helps create prosperity and enrich our society. We can all contribute to their smooth integration by being good colleagues and by showing interest in them as private persons. Danes should aim to be more open-minded and less reserved towards socializing with expatriates in a private setting, Tine Horwitz concludes.
Facts about Consortium for Global Talent:
The 15 companies behind Consortium for Global Talent:
A.P. Moller-Maersk A/S, Arla Foods Amba , Carlsberg A/S, Danske Bank Group, DONG Energy, FLSmidth A/S, IBM Denmark Aps, The LEGO Group, Microsoft Development Center Copenhagen, Nordea Bank Denmark A/S, Novo Nordisk A/S, SimCorp A/S, Torm A/S TrygVesta A/S, and Vestas Wind System A/S.
