Microsoft urges organisations to embrace digital transformation

Leading Software Company, Microsoft, has urged organisations in the country to embrace digital transformation in order to remain competitive, as well as ensuring business profitability and continuity. 

This position was made at Empowering Digital Transformation Summit held recently in Lagos. Beny Rubinstein, industry solutions sales director, Microsoft Middle East and Africa, in his opening address at the summit disclosed that 86 percent of Chief Executive Officers consider digital as their number one priority, as they have confidence that technology will transform their businesses more than any other mega global trend. Rubinstein cited the four pillars of Digital Transformation concept which are – customers’ engagement, employees’ empowerment, operations optimization and product and services transformation, adding that “Digital Transformation is a prevailing global inclination and which emerging markets are beginning to embrace.” Uzoma Dozie, MD/CEO of Diamond Bank, speaking in his keynote address on the role of Digital Transformation in the Financial Sector, acknowledged the significance of digital transformation for organisations, stressing that 80 percent of transactions at Diamond Bank are done outside banking halls, which has been made possible through digital technology adoption. Dozie said: “One phenomenal feature of digital transformation is that it enables organisations to be agile, flexible and more effective in their approach.” John Edokpolo, head of Legal Affairs at Microsoft Nigeria, explained that while most people believe in the importance of digital transformation, they still have fears embracing same. According to him, over 60 percent organisations believe they would have security issues when considering cloud option, although after moving, 94 percent feel more secured in Microsoft cloud than they were before. Edokpolo while commenting on the issue of data privacy stated that Microsoft has a contractually-backed commitment with consumers on data privacy, security, control and transparency. “It is interesting to mention that over 42 percent of companies on Nigerian Stock Exchange are on Microsoft Cloud and our cloud has the widest range of certification in the world, while to ensure security, we do penetration testing of our system to spot vulnerability and possible areas of improvement,” he added.