Microsoft aims to become ‘melting pot’

Microsoft (MS) Korea Country Manager James Kim, second from left, poses with company CEO Steve Ballmer, left, and other company executives after the Korean unit won the company’s “Top Subsidiary Award” for the third straight year, at a ceremony in July. / Courtesy of MS Korea

Software giant stresses ties with device leaders, Samsung, LG

Microsoft (MS) Korea aims to become a “melting pot’’ where people with diverse nationalities and cultural backgrounds commit to push the personal technology experience in a country obsessed with e-this and e-that.

James Kim, the U.S.-educated general manager of the company, claims that a multicultural workforce will boost creative input and eventually make a visible difference in business results.

He is proud that MS Korea is the only subsidiary among the U.S. software giant’s 112 business units worldwide to received its “Top Subsidiary Award’’ for the third consecutive year, and thinks that adding international talent will allow it to make another leap forward.

The recognition from headquarters is meaningful, Kim says, because Korea represents one of the toughest markets due to consumers’ high technology literacy and reputation as a global test bed.

The significance of the Korean market in Microsoft’s overall business plans was echoed by its CEO Steve Ballmer, who on a visit to Seoul this year said it will be critical for the Korean subsidiary to expand its presence further.

“I am very proud about what we were able to achieve. We have winning teams and a winning spirit, and of course excellent customers,’’ said Kim in a recent interview with The Korea Times.

Kim believes that a borderless workforce will help competitiveness and allow work done in Seoul to gain more credibility from headquarters. He said the number of non-Koreans is just 10 now, but will grow fast in the foreseeable future.

“This will be a great stop for a Microsoft employee, an important market where he or she has the autonomy to produce work that matters. It’s a great career move no matter where they go next. We have a winning culture that sticks with people,’’ Kim said.

“Korea is definitely a good place to attempt a career jump and get Asian experience. And I think people are beginning to realize that.’’

Rolling out key products such as Windows Azure and Office 365 kits, the company has seen a significant jump in sales, Kim said, although declining to unveil financial details due to company policy and regulatory reasons.

Impressive client list

Another reason why Korea is crucial to Microsoft is that it’s home to some of the company’s major business partners, including Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics.

The relationship will only become tighter as Microsoft accelerates its efforts to increase its presence in the market for mobile Internet devices.

Kim said Microsoft and the Korean technology giants are cooperating on a wider variety of business areas than before.

“We have a lot of customers here and I think that’s very positive for us. Our most crucial partnerships here include our connections with Samsung, LG, Hyundai and KT,’’ he said.

Kim also expects massive business opportunities in the next-generation services in server-based computing, commonly called cloud computing. Korea, with one of the world’s most advanced broadband and mobile Internet networks, is clearly where cloud innovations will take place first, he said.

Microsoft recently announced the new version of its computer server software _ Windows Server 2012. It is designed both to work independently and to connect with some 200 online services that the company offers through its strategic Azure cloud computing system.

“When you talk about Azure, MS Korea has closely been partnering with Samsung Electronics. Samsung’s Smart TV applications are being serviced through the Azure system. As Samsung is our global partner from computers to smartphones, I hope this is the beginning of much more to come,’’ said Kim.

Along with the well-known tech companies, an increasing number of media entertainment companies and start-up firms are seriously considering using Azure attracted by the stability and convenience of the platform, Kim said.

“Azure is our future business. For a software company or even a gaming company, Azure guarantees greater connectivity. You don’t have to build your own data center,’’ he said.

The company has to transition to a world where Windows and Office matter less, and it sells more services via the cloud.

The new servers are highly-priced. The hope, however, is that Microsoft Korea will be able to sell much more online, with services like data marts for performing analytics, or extra computing capacity for heavy one-time workloads.

He said Samsung could be a very strong partner for it in its Windows phone operating system.

After the humiliating loss in the U.S. in its intellectual property battle with Apple over smartphones and tablets, Samsung is partnering closely with Microsoft to cut its current heavy dependency on Google’s Android software. In the recently-finished IFA tech fair in Berlin, Germany, Samsung released some devices that feature the Windows platform.

Android runs the vast majority of Samsung’s wildly popular mobile line of devices. As a representative of the Google Android community, Samsung is battling with Apple over patents.

“Windows phone is going to get bigger and bigger. Its user-interface offers a very positive experience. Consumers are beginning to see that as its fully-integrated. Also, other social networks are virtualized,’’ Kim said, adding he hopes Windows phone will become the world’s third-biggest mobile operating system this year.

“Microsoft is hoping for a win-win partnership with Samsung in many different areas. I am always ready to offer assistance,’’ he said. <The Korea Times/Kim Yoo-chul>

news@theasian.asia