Microsoft, world software giant, has appointed Leo Stan Ekeh, Nigeria’s icon of Hope and chairman, Zinox Group, as one of its global partner advisors.
Ekeh, the only African among the advisors, was appointed in recognition of his pioneering and pivotal role in ICT development in the continent as well as his intuitive leadership and capacity to define market trends.
He will act in that capacity for two years.
The Microsoft global advisor committee is a committee of distinguished IT icons around the world who serve as feedback channel to Microsoft for business models and strategy for product rollout and meets two times every year. They also act as an advocacy group for customers and channel partners.
Accepting the appointment, Ekeh, fellow, Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) and IT Personality of the Year 2011, thanked Microsoft for identifying with his vision to move Africa from the analogue to digital platform.
He commended Microsoft, the software multinational, for upholding the relevance and merits of the channel thereby helping to grow the IT market in Africa according to international standards.
Ekeh praised Microsoft for its belief in customer feedback as necessary consideration for business planning, product rollout and strategy development in both developed and emerging markets.
The Zinox chairman said that he would use the Global Advisor platform to advance the objectives of the digital knowledge democracy and create technology value for Africans.
Mr. Ekeh, who was honored on October 1, 2002 as an Icon of Hope by President Olusegun Obasanjo, for his sustained entrepreneurial efforts in Information Technology said that part of his responsibility would be to advise Microsoft on how best to domesticate technology and catalyze development in Africa.
He pledged to work closely with ICT institutions, professionals, governments, and the trade to ensure that his contributions to Microsoft are truly representative.
Contacted on phone, Chris Uwaje, president, Institute of Software Professionals of Nigeria (ISPON), described the appointment of Ekeh into the committee of global partner advisors for Microsoft as a welcome development.
Uwaje said that the appointment of an African is a reflection of the growing importance of the African IT market.
He said that Ekeh has the experience, exposure and goodwill as pioneer of many strategic ICT platforms to make Africa proud in this endeavor.
He recalled that Ekeh’s sustained innovations have propelled many international OEMs to the Number One position in sub Saharan Africa.
Uwaje said that this appointment means more than business for Africans because it would also be a source of inspiration for the development of IT capacities among professionals.
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