Microsoft Malta has inaugurated its new offices in Mosta today. The new premises were officially inaugurated by the Hon. Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Communications, Dr Austin Gatt together with Pierre Mallia, Microsoft Malta’s Country Manager and John Vassallo, Vice President EU Affairs Microsoft International.
Set up in 2003, the Microsoft Malta Office was initially manned solely by one employee, Pierre Mallia. Today, Microsoft Malta, boasts of a team of 10 employees with a broad range of expertise in different areas, such as sales, services, marketing and technology specialists.
“The new offices is a fulfilment of a commitment by Microsoft to its customers and partners in Malta and underlines our successful business strategy and serves to strengthen our role as an active player where innovation and the ICT industry in Malta are concerned,” said Pierre Mallia.
“In 2004, Microsoft Corporation signed a Vertical Strategic Alliance agreement with the Government of Malta as a sign of its commitment towards the country. Part of this commitment involved promoting economic growth and development at a local level. Microsoft Malta has significantly helped the government in its objective of making Malta a significant player in the global ICT sector. By encouraging a partner-driven business model that creates opportunities for local companies, and by investing in initiatives to improve technology access and skills development for people of all ages , I think it is fair to say we have kept our promise,” said Mr Mallia.
During the inauguration, Pierre Mallia presented a cheque of $20,000 to Minister Austin Gatt, as an annual grant for the Community Empowerment Organisation. The organisation was set-up by the former Ministry for Information Technology and Investment in collaboration with the Foundation for Information Technology Accessibility (FITA).
Microsoft is assisting the Community Empowerment Organisation in widening IT literacy and the development of IT skills within the Maltese community at large. Thus far the funding has been in the main directed at the founding of 10 Community Technology Learning Centres (CTLCs).
Minister Austin Gatt said: “Attracting investment is one thing. Delivering on what you promise is another matter altogether. Investors like Microsoft have found the comfort needed that the human resources and the infrastructure they need to grow at the pace they dictate. We have implemented major changes in the way we think, work and educate to match Malta’s pace with the pace of the world-wide industry.
“And this is how we should be within a Europe that is nonetheless effected by the global financial crisis. We are on the move in ICT and other key investment will be happening because as I have always stated in ICT, Malta is the place to be,” said Minister Gatt.
During his visit the minister was briefed about the current operations of the company in Malta and its plans for 2009.
