Microsoft President Jeff Raikes Declares, “It’s a New Day for Business Intelligence” Raikes announces product momentum, strategic alliances and acquisition at first-ever BI Conference in Seattle.

SEATTLE, WA (rushprnews) May 13, 2007 — Jeff Raikes, president of the Microsoft Business Division, today will open the first Microsoft Business Intelligence (BI) Conference, with an overview of new developments to further enable Microsoft Corp.’s vision and strategy for delivering pervasive BI and performance management.

In addition to describing how Microsoft is leading the transformation of the BI market by enabling BI and performance management throughout the enterprise, Raikes will announce key milestones for Microsoft’s BI offering:

Microsoft’s product development vision and launch timeline for the next version of SQL Server™, code-named “Katmai”

• Strong momentum of Microsoft® Office PerformancePoint Server 2007
 
• Strategic partnerships with key global systems integrators Accenture, Capgemini and Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. (TCS)
 
• Acquisition of SoftArtisans Inc.’s OfficeWriter for managed report authoring in Microsoft Office
 

“Microsoft is charting a course to transform the BI marketplace as we know it,” Raikes said. “By fundamentally changing the economic model for BI and delivering unprecedented ease of use, we’re enabling the broadest deployment of BI possible so employees can better contribute to a company’s overall business performance.”

Strengthening End-to-End BI Solution

Building on the trusted platform delivered by SQL Server 2005, Microsoft announced the next version of SQL Server. Code-named “Katmai,” the product will deliver on Microsoft’s overall data platform vision to meet the needs of the coming data explosion and the next generation of data-driven applications. SQL Server “Katmai” will also include key capabilities for large-scale data warehousing and richer information delivery through Microsoft Office. More information on the product development vision for SQL Server “Katmai” can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2007/may07/05-09KatmaiPR.mspx.

Also spotlighted in Raikes’ keynote address will be Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server 2007, now in its second community technology preview (CTP) and set to launch in the second half of 2007. The Office PerformancePoint Server 2007 CTP program includes more than 6,000 enterprise-grade and midmarket customers who are reporting impressive results with the complete and integrated performance management application and are initiating plans to deploy it. A number of these early adopter customers, including Energizer, Skanska and Maricopa County, will speak at the BI Conference.

Continued Investment in BI

As a sign of Microsoft’s continued investment in BI and to further strengthen its offering, Raikes will also announce the acquisition of SoftArtisans’ OfficeWriter. Combined with SQL Server Reporting Services, OfficeWriter will enable business users to author and consume managed reports in Microsoft Office applications.

Deepening Key Relationship

Raikes will also be joined on stage by representatives from Accenture, Capgemini and TCS to announce increased commitment by these global systems integrators to Microsoft’s BI and performance management solution.

Microsoft and Accenture are working together to combine Accenture’s performance management research and knowledge capital with Microsoft’s BI and performance management offering. The companies’ joint venture, Avanade, an IT consultancy dedicated to the Microsoft platform, will commit a global team of over 400 professionals trained on Microsoft BI technologies to support this effort. Avanade plans a new sales territory planning offering for Microsoft Dynamics™ CRM. In addition, Avanade plans to upgrade its existing solutions for budgeting, forecasting, planning and the Avanade Scorecarding & KPI Solution (ASKS) to take advantage of the new capabilities of Office PerformancePoint Server 2007 with a focus on financial services, manufacturing and retail.

Capgemini will announce the details of its global Intelligent Enterprise initiative with Microsoft, which will enable the training and development of an additional 2,000 people with advanced Microsoft BI solution skills by the end of this year. This includes 500 people with deep competency in Office PerformancePoint Server 2007. Focused on delivering solutions for the retail, utilities, telecom and finance industries, Capgemini will also create a number of new development centers in five global locations to help speed delivery and reduce costs.

TCS will announce a global initiative to deliver an expanded portfolio of BI and performance management solutions for manufacturing, retail, and banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) customers around the world. Using Microsoft’s end-to-end BI stack including SQL Server 2005 and the 2007 Office system, TCS anticipates doubling its BI practice in terms of both people and revenues over the next 24 months. TCS anticipates that Microsoft technologies will account for over 10 percent of its BI practice.

Increasing Leadership Position in BI Market

The BI Conference is the most recent milestone in the increasing momentum for the Microsoft BI offering. This includes a number of recent key product launches and acquisitions and top rankings on various industry analyst reports. With more than 2,400 attendees registered for the sold-out conference, Microsoft will host participants from more than 65 countries at the Washington State Convention & Trade Center in Seattle. The conference will showcase more than 50 partner exhibitors and a strong customer lineup from both midmarket and Global 2000 companies.

Microsoft will also announce its first BI customer awards honoring success and innovation in BI and performance management. From more than 100 nominations and submissions, finalists were selected and will compete in four separate categories:

• Enterprise Insight. Clalit Health Services, JD Group Ltd., DaimlerChrysler AG
 
• Pervasive BI and Performance Management. Sonic Corp., HSBC Bank Mexico S.A., Hilton Hotels Corp.
 
• Business Value of BI.ADP Dealer Services, 1-800 Contacts Inc., Verizon Data Services, TDIndustries
 
• Microsoft BI Pioneer. Brenda Jansen, Energizer; Laura Gibbons, Expedia Inc.; Ron Van Zanten, PREMIER Bankcard
 

The winners will be announced Thursday evening. More information about Microsoft’s BI Conference can be found at http://www.microsoftbiconference.com.

More information about Microsoft’s complete and integrated BI solution can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/BI/default.mspx.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass on Microsoft’s corporate information pages. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may since have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/contactpr.mspx.
Partner Support for Microsoft BI

“Effective enterprise performance management is critical to building a high-performance business, enabling companies to manage shareholder value by organizing, integrating and analyzing financial, operational, competitive and marketplace information. Having Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server 2007 in our suite of solutions allows us to ensure that clients have access to the latest and most innovative EPM software and tools.”

• Troy Barton
Senior Executive
Finance & Performance Management
Accenture
 
“Capgemini is investing deeply with Microsoft because we share a commitment to enabling truly pervasive BI and performance management across the enterprise for customers around the globe. Capgemini and Microsoft are delivering innovative BI and performance management solutions that enable enterprises to drive business performance and achieve competitive advantage.”

• Eddie Short
Vice President
Business Information Management
Capgemini
 
“TCS shares a global relationship with Microsoft, delivering tremendous value to our customers by bringing together complimentary strengths. As part of this alliance, TCS strongly supports Microsoft’s end-to-end BI offering as we share a common vision of enabling customers with enterprisewide performance management capabilities. The combination of TCS’ market-leading BIPM services and Microsoft’s complete and integrated BI and performance management solution will continue to deliver greater value for enterprise customers around the world.”

• Akther Ahmed
Vice President
Global Alliances
Tata Consultancy Services
 
“HP is committed to delivering superior business intelligence and data warehousing solutions by integrating HP hardware, software, storage and services with the BI platform available from Microsoft. As one of the five solutions offered under the $300 million HP & Microsoft Solutions for the People-Ready Business announced by both companies in December 2006, HP is helping customers increase productivity, speed decision-making and turn their information into a strategic asset to optimize business outcomes.”

• Ben Barnes
Vice President and General Manager, Business Intelligence Group
HP Software
 

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Anne Howard www.annehowardpublicist.com writer and publicist