Microsoft has announced the appointment of Samer Abu-Ltaif as the Corporate Vice President and President for the Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa (CEMA) region.
Abu-Ltaif was previously leading Microsoft in the Middle East and Africa region.
With this appointment, Microsoft will unify its operations in Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa to form CEMA and enable customers, partners, and individuals in 109 countries to accomplish more.
“We are bringing two of Microsoft’s most unique and diverse teams together to create one unified team that will share and combine strengths, talents and expertise to empower customers across three continents to achieve more,” said Samer Abu-Ltaif, Microsoft Corporate VP and President, Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa.
“Our CEMA team have done extraordinary work to accelerate the digital agenda within their markets. As we bring our efforts together, we unleash greater possibilities for our teams to drive even more impact for our customers, partners, and communities across this diverse and vibrant area.”
For almost two decades, Abu-Ltaif has held various prominent leadership positions within Microsoft’s Middle East and Africa division. During his time as the President of MEA, Microsoft established its cloud data centres in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, South Africa, and most recently, Saudi Arabia.
Over the years, Abu-Ltaif has focused on enabling individuals, communities, startups, enterprises, and governments in leveraging the benefits of technology.
He has led various programmes incuding skills training, providing numerous youth with the necessary technology, skills, networks, and opportunities to succeed in the digital age. Additionally, his dedication to advancing the region’s sustainability has enabled various governments, businesses, and startups to access crucial tools and solutions towards creating a more sustainable future for generations to come.
Abu-Ltaif has consistently focused on empowering Africa, having played a significant role in Microsoft’s $100 million investment in the Africa Development Centers located in Nairobi, Kenya, and Lagos, Nigeria, which were launched in 2019.
Under Abu-Ltaif’s leadership, Microsoft established the Africa Transformation Office, aimed at enabling African-led digital transformation for Africa through partnerships with public and private organisations to foster economic prosperity. In 2022, the ATO launched a new initiative with the objective of catalysing the growth of 10,000 African startups.
