Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer Visits UkraineVisit highlights the role that Ukraine plays for Microsoft globally. KYIV, Ukraine — 20 May 2008 — The chief executive officer of Microsoft Corp., Steve Ballmer, has arrived in Kyiv for a one-day business trip. This is the first visit of the world IT leader's top executive to Ukraine. The visit highlights the role that Ukraine plays for Microsoft globally and the company's aspirations to further extend cooperation with the Ukrainian government and the country's business and public sectors.
Ballmer is in Kyiv today to meet with senior government officials, launch a Microsoft Innovation Centre, sign a memorandum of understanding with the government, and deliver a speech to Ukrainian academics and students at the Kyiv National Taras Shevchenko University. Microsoft's CEO will also meet with key partners, customers and employees of Microsoft Ukraine and will open the company's new office facilities in Kyiv. Ukraine is one of five countries on Ballmer's tour across Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) from 19–23 May, along with Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Russia. This first-ever extensive CEE tour clearly demonstrates Microsoft's commitment to one of the most dynamic regions in the world in terms of economic and IT growth. "The CEE region is Microsoft's fastest-growing market, and the Ukraine IT sector in particular is seeing strong expansion. Microsoft is committed to contributing to Ukraine's ongoing transition to a knowledge economy, and to helping government, business, and society use the power of information technology to create sustainable economic progress," Ballmer said during his visit. According to IDC, in 2007 Ukraine outstripped other CEE countries with the highest IT industry growth rates. With almost 40 per cent growth and over $3.4 billion in volume, the Ukrainian IT market ranks fourth after Russia, Poland and the Czech Republic. "This rapid growth explains the interest in the Ukrainian market of such global IT leaders as Microsoft, which ultimately enhances our integration into the global IT community," noted Volodymyr Pozdnyakov, regional manager and head of IDC in Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova. "We are proud that the Ukrainian IT industry has achieved remarkable growth, and we see Microsoft's crucial role in it," said Eric Franke, general manager of Microsoft Ukraine. "Due to the trust of our customers, our local team's professionalism, a reliable partner environment and vast social initiatives, we strongly contribute to the country's IT industry, strengthening the competitive position of the Ukrainian economy and its integration into the global knowledge economy. We are especially happy to have Microsoft's CEO, Steve Ballmer, open our new office facilities in Kyiv today to give a flying start to the local team. For us, it is an encouraging sign of Ukraine's importance to the corporation." During his stay, Microsoft's CEO will meet with senior government officials to discuss the government agenda on innovations, investment in education and building up IT infrastructure, developing intellectual property rights legislation, and e-government programs, as well as the further adoption of technology by government, academia, business and consumers. The high-level meeting agenda will also feature Microsoft capabilities with regard to sharing knowledge about specialized IT solutions for EURO 2012. Education will be in the spotlight of Ballmer's agenda in Ukraine. First, he will sign a memorandum of understanding with the Ukrainian government, regarding the Partners in Learning program, and will open the first Microsoft Innovation Centre in Ukraine on the premises of the Kyiv National Taras Shevchenko University. "At the Microsoft Innovation Centre, Ukrainian IT professionals can access the latest software and training materials to further develop their skills," Ballmer said. "The centre is just one example of Microsoft's broader investments in supporting IT education and fostering local software economies. I'm impressed by the high level of technical talent and expertise in the Ukraine, and we are committed to continuing to contribute to the professional growth of Ukrainian students and developers." Ballmer also will deliver a speech to professors and students of leading Kyiv universities, while thousands of other Ukrainian scholars, professors and students will be able to watch online broadcast in high schools across Ukraine. The speech webcast will also be available at http://www.microsoft.ua/CEOvisit. Further information on Ballmer's tour is available at a special virtual pressroom created at the EMEA Press Centre at http://www.microsoft.com/emea/presscentre/MicrosoftinCEEVPR/pressmaterial.mspx. The pressroom will be updated daily during Ballmer's regional tour. The EMEA Press Centre can be added to an RSS reader. The latest information can be downloaded from the Microsoft Ukraine pressroom at http://www.microsoft.ua/CEOvisit. About Microsoft Ukraine
In 2003 Microsoft opened a regional office in Ukraine aimed at developing the software market, promoting Microsoft products, and providing partner and customer support, as well as introducing and localising the newest technologies and implementing social initiatives in Ukraine and Belarus.
For more information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft web pages at http://www.microsoft.ua (in Ukrainian) and http://www.microsoft.com (in English). About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realise their full potential.
About Microsoft EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa)
Microsoft has operated in EMEA since 1982. In the region Microsoft employs more than 16,000 people in over 64 subsidiaries, delivering products and services in more than 139 countries and territories.
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Sergiy Kadulin, Marketing Director, Microsoft Ukraine
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E-mail: Sergiy.Kadulin@microsoft.com
Julia Gumenyak, Senior Project Manager, PRP Ukraine
Phone: +380 (44) 495 2960
Fax: +380 (44) 495 2961
E-mail: jgumenyak@prp.com.ua Microsoft EMEA Response Centre
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