ITNewsAfrica.com: How does it feel to be back in South Africa, from an IT perspective? (Norm is a graduate of Wits University and has established himself abroad)
Norm Judah: South Africa has always been a very entrepreneurial and innovative society. What I worry about is the constraints related to Internet connectivity. African people need to be connected to the global economy; however this responsiveness could be dramatically improved. When you know what’s possible it’s hard to digest the facts.
ITNewsAfrica.com: What in your opinion are some of Microsoft’s major achievements in South Africa in recent years?
Norm Judah: As a CTO at Worldwide Services at Microsoft, my work involves technical and enterprise service strategy, but not just the technical aspects. We want to impact and build strong technical communities by running networking events and mentorship programs like Women in Technology, which acknowledges the role of women in technical organizations. One of the programs we’re proud of is DigiGirl that teaches local schoolgirls how technology could enrich their lives and become a career for them.
ITNewsAfrica.com: What is Microsoft’s strategy beyond 2010?
Norm Judah: I believe the next years will be consumer-centric. User interfaces will change dramatically, from touch and voice to motion recognition. Microsoft has continually invested in creating mobility platforms like Windows Phone 7, the Xbox Connect (motion detection console) and voice recognition software for the motor industry. Office 2010 has a voice input allowing users to talk to the computer.
Furthermore, we focus on personal and group productivity on a corporate level. Microsoft Lync is such a platform where shared content, instant messaging, email and video teach people how to work differently. Besides, cloud technology and virtualization are aggressive concepts nowadays, making IT available and creating new applications.
ITNewsAfrica.com: You have mentioned the importance of leadership in your presentation. How would you describe your personal leadership style?
Norm Judah: I believe my work involves more leadership styles, impacting people and technical leaders. We undergo different stages in our careers, from apprentice to individual contributors. Success is about what you do, but leadership is to achieve this through others. As a leader, I ask myself: how do I make the people who work with me great? This is the difference.
By Denisa Oosthuizen
