With more than 40 years of experience in the information technology industry, Robert McDowell, vice president for Information Worker Business Value at Microsoft Corp., is focused on identifying critical business problems that can be solved through the application of Microsoft technologies.

McDowell joined Microsoft in 1990 to establish Microsoft Consulting Services and grew that organization to more than 1,200 people in more than 40 countries. In 1995 he became vice president of the Enterprise Customer Unit and was responsible for developing the strategies for selling and marketing Microsoft technology and services to its largest corporate customers. From 1996 through 2000, he served as vice president for enterprise business relationships, working with many of Microsoft’s strategic large-enterprise customers around the world. In 2000 he became vice president of Worldwide Services for both consulting and product support. In 2002 McDowell took on his current role in the Information Worker Group to help customers maximize their use of current Microsoft Office technologies in ways that significantly add business value to their organizations.

Before joining Microsoft, McDowell spent seven years as a partner with Ernst & Young, where he founded and managed its Strategic Business Systems practice. Before that he spent seven years as an information systems manager in the financial services industry and eight years working in information technology for the Department of Defense.

McDowell is the author of several articles on the impact of information technology on business and has been quoted in many business and technology publications, including Fortune Magazine, InformationWeek and Computerworld. He is the author of the book Driving Digital, which focuses on how companies can take advantage of the e-business era. His second book, “In Search of Business Value: Ensuring a Return on Your Technology Investment,” which deals with how to translate technology investments into business value. He has lectured at professional association meetings, universities and technology conferences around the world.

McDowell has served on the board of directors of Visio Corp., Entevo Corp. and the Virginia Military Institute Foundation and served as a member of the Virginia Commission on Information Technology. He is a member of the Board of Visitors of the Virginia Military Institute and the International Advisory Board of Scottish Enterprise. He holds a bachelors degree in economics from Virginia Military Institute and a master of science degree in business administration from Boston University.