In 24 amazing years, our Microsoft Ireland workforce has increased to over 12 times its original size. We opened the European Operations Centre in Dublin in 1985 with 100 jobs. By the end of the 80s the European Product Development Centre had been established and this figure had almost doubled. The 90s saw massive growth in our markets and operations, and when Steve Ballmer became Microsoft president in 1998, Windows was available in over 40 countries and we had almost 900 employees in Ireland.

The 21st Century sees us go from strength to strength, with the development and localization of Xbox and now Xbox 360, huge capital investment and the release of over 100 Microsoft products across 85 countries in over 100 languages – including Irish!

As to the future: with our pioneering new European Development Centre taking a world lead in innovative technologies like Digital Video Broadcasting, MPEG2 and Smart Card, who knows what it will bring? We do of course! At least, more than most. See how we’ve got to where we are.

2009

• Microsoft opens the company's first Windows Live EMEA Data Centre in Dublin in July 2009 with an investment of $500 million.
• Microsoft wins first place in the BEST Workplace Award 2009

2008

• After 33 years in Microsoft, Bill Gates stepped down from full time work on Friday the 27th of June. He will remain as non- executive chairman as he shifts his main focus to philanthropy at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
• Microsoft Ireland hosts the final of the Irish Imagine cup with students competing for a place in the global finals in France later in the year. The Minister for Education Mary Hannifin attended the event and presented the award to the winners.

2007

• Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates announces Dunshaughlin Community School as one of only twelve “schools of the future” around the world. The School of the Future programme is designed to bring 21st century learning to teachers and students.
• Halo 3, the biggest video game in history is launched. Microsoft Ireland was responsible for managing the launch across EMEA including manufacturing, logistics and localization and post-production of the game.
• Microsoft and the IMI open the National Productivity Centre on the IMI campus in Sandyford. The centre is launched by An Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, TD.

2006

• Microsoft Ireland played a central role in the global launch of Windows Vista and Microsoft Office 2007. EDC undertook core development for Windows Vista, and the Office 2007 product family was translated into over 27 languages. Over 12 million Vista and Office disks were manufactured in Ireland for launch and the entire EMEA roll-out was managed from Dublin.
• Microsoft Ireland and the IMI announced a partnership to create the National Productivity Centre – a centre of excellence for public and private sector managers on addressing the issue of productivity

2005

• Microsoft Ireland is one of the country’s largest contributors to the Exchequer, spending approximately €350 million per annum in the Irish economy, with exports of goods and services to the value of €7.9 billion annually, and revenue in excess of 5.6% of the Irish GDP.
• Microsoft European Operations Centre now supports activities across 85 countries.
• Sales Marketing and Services Group becomes the fastest growing subsidiary in Western Europe.
• European Product Development Centre localises over 100 products in more than 60 different languages.
• Microsoft opens pioneering new European Development Centre (EDC) to focus on the research and development of technologies that will shape Microsoft’s core products for the future.

2004

• Launch of the Irish Local Language Program, to translate Windows and Office into Irish.
• Launch of localised Irish MSN Portal MSN.
• €1 million launch of Microsoft’s Community Program, Unlimited Potential.

2003

• The EPDC building opens following €150m of Capital Investment.
• Office System 2003 and Server 2003 are released. Office System, which includes online services, is released in 28 languages across 85 countries.
• 228 Microsoft Ireland employees are involved in its development.

2002

• Microsoft Ireland’s state-of-the-art Atrium Building opens in Sandyford.
• European Xbox and groundbreaking game Halo are released in 20 languages.

2001

• Xbox is released worldwide. Microsoft Ireland’s Home and Entertainment Division are involved in its development.
• Windows XP is released worldwide.

2000

• Microsoft Belfast is established.
• Following the acquisition of Visio by Microsoft, Microsoft Ireland and Visio Ireland merge.
• Windows 2000 Professional and Server 2000 sell over 1 million copies in their first month.
• Microsoft.net platform, the next generation of software and services, is unveiled.

1998

• Steve Ballmer is appointed President of Microsoft.
• Windows 98 is released and is available in over 40 countries.

1997

• Microsoft Ireland translates Microsoft’s first game, Age of Empires, into 16 languages.

1996

• Construction of the EPDC 2 building in Sandyford begins.

1995

• The number of Microsoft Ireland employees grows to 889.
• Windows 95, Office 95 and MSN are released, selling more than 1 million copies in four days.
• Microsoft Ireland manufactures and distributes all three for the whole of Europe.
• Office 95 is released in 14 languages.

1993

• Microsoft Office is expanded to include Access, and is translated into 8 languages by EPDC. Windows NT is released, supporting mission-critical corporate applications.

1992

• Microsoft Office applications Word, Excel and PowerPoint are produced in a single box for the first time, and translated into two languages, Swedish and Italian, by the EPDC.

1991

• Microsoft Ireland Sales, Marketing and Services Group is established managing all sales, marketing and technical support for customers and partners of all sizes throughout Ireland.

1990

• Microsoft Windows 3.1 is released. It is translated into Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Finnish and Italian by EPDC employees.
• Microsoft Ireland swells to 279 employees.

1989

• Microsoft expands its Irish employee base to 183.

1988

• Microsoft European Product Development Centre (EPDC) is established. Its employees play a significant role in the development and localization of products into different languages.

1985

• Microsoft sets up the European Operations Centre in Ireland, creating 100 jobs at Sandyford, Dublin to give sales support and customer support across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.