Microsoft South Africa has announced Heather Third`s appointment as business marketing officer for the global software company`s local subsidiary. Third, who took on the leadership role in April, will focus on aligning Microsoft marketing strategy to the local market while driving the company`s "people-ready" business vision.
"The people-ready business is our vision for how successful companies harness their greatest asset - their people - by empowering them with the right software to help them improve business performance," says Gordon Frazer, managing director of Microsoft South Africa. "And driving this new approach to help businesses bridge the gap between their people and the technology in order to realise better business performance will be an exciting challenge for Heather and the marketing team."
Third says "people-ready" is an evolution for the Microsoft brand and a natural extension of the founding vision of empowering people through software. "The Microsoft brand has always stood for individual empowerment through software. Today, with the right software, we believe people involved in industries such as manufacturing, financial services, retail and many others can do amazing things for their organisations," says Third.
"We`ve an amazing pipeline of innovation coming to market, from Windows Vista, Microsoft Office 2007 and Exchange Server 2007. All of this innovation is focused on addressing customers` pressing business problems in areas like business intelligence, communication and collaboration, and mobility," says Frazer.
"A people-centric marketing strategy is synergistic to the business vision and strategy. And we see it as key to inspiring companies to think about how to leverage the powerful combination of people and software so that it will help drive results," adds Third.
Many successful businesses today have come to understand that people drive business success and growth. However, the right software can provide the tools to empower workers to become the drivers of business success. "Embracing the advantage that technology means seeing your people and IT as strategic assets," adds Third.
Third has been with Microsoft since 1998, where her roles have included communications specialist, product manager, marketing manager and most recently the Information Worker business group manager. She will oversee all the elements of the marketing mix and drive marketing efficacy for Microsoft South Africa and the Microsoft brand.
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