Image Gallery: Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference

For four days, July 10-14, 16,000 members of the Microsoft global partner network took over Ontario’s capital city Toronto, the international hub for finance, communication and cultural life. At the first-ever sold out event, partners met the recently appointed new channel brass Judson Althoff, commercial lead, and Gavriella Schuster, the new global channel chief.

The vendor stressed that successful partners are, or should be, cloud-bound, and laid out its three core goal objectives: reinventing productivity and business processes, building the intelligent cloud, and, more personal computing, as well as its six FY17 priorities: Drive digital transformation with customers, accelerate cloud adoption; propel Windows 10 enterprise deployment, generate SQL Server 2016 growth, drive ISV and SI momentum, and make the experience come to life through hardware solutions.

Instead of focusing on confusing partner-program changes, Microsoft was keen to talk about product direction and the investments that it’s making to enable partners to be successful in the cloud, such as new and more expansive branding initiatives, and the hiring of 3,500 technical folks tasked specifically to help hybrid and cloud partners transform their business.

If you missed this year’s WPC, sign-up already has begun for WPC 2017 in Washington, D.C.

Missed WPC 2016 or want to relive the experience? Our image gallery has the highlights. You might just see someone you know.

Microsoft WPC: Arena-Packing Crowd

16,000 attendees from 144 countries convened in Toronto for the first-ever sold out Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC). The theme: digital transformation.

Microsoft WPC: Toronto

Like the architectural landscape of Toronto today that mixes the old and new, 40 percent of attendees at WPC 2016 were first-timers, the highest percentage ever at the event. Last year that figure was about 20 percent. Gavriella Schuster, corporate vice president for Microsoft’s worldwide partner group, told us the company is attracting a mix of partners that includes more technology partners and ISVs that are critical to Microsoft’s digital-transformation strategy.

Microsoft WPC: Connect Roundtables

WPC Connect roundtables, or one-to-one conferences, are the most valuable part of attending the conference for many partners. They literally get a seat at the table with Microsoft executives to discuss business challenges, changes and opportunities. They also get to catch up with their peers and potentially forge new partner-partner relationships to “do better together.”

Microsoft WPC: IAMCP

This is the International Association of Microsoft Channel Partners (IAMCP) booth at WPC, open to old-timers and newbie partners to connect and form new professional relationships, worldwide. Also located in the IAMCP community hub was the Women in Technology (WIT) lounge. Hundreds of partners attended IAMCP sessions and roundtables with Microsoft executives.

Microsoft WPC: Channel Chief Schuster

Gavriella Schuster addressed Microsoft WPC attendees for the first time as the company’s global channel chief. On day one of the conference, she outlined the company’s three goal ambitions: reinventing productivity and business processes; building the intelligent cloud; and more personal computing. On day two she led with product opportunities to reach those goals, and on day three, sher outlined the investments that Microsoft is making to enable partners to be successful.

Microsoft WPC: Partner Investment Engine Portal

Microsoft’s Partner Investment Engine (PIE) portal, the one-stop shop for all of the vendor’s partner investment programs, is going global this month. U.S. partners were the first to get access to PIE when it launched at WPC 2014, followed by Canadian partners, who together tapped into about $20 million worth of funding to grow their businesses over the past year. The money is used for dozens of programs such as marketing development funds, advertising, social media, pilot and deployment programs, etc.

Driven by user feedback, PIE was relaunched in February with new functionality such as smart search to find information faster, ease-of-use features, etc. Microsoft also is looking to improve the site with a payment-as-a-service feature designed to pay partners faster.

Microsoft WPC: Partner Awards

A round of applause for the 14 companies that can now proudly call themselves 2016 Microsoft Partner Network (MPN) Partner of the Year Award winners in North America.

Microsoft WPC: HoloLens

More personal computing – one of the three ambitions for digital transformation as outlined at WPC – is exemplified by HoloLens in the Windows & Devices booth on The Commons.

Microsoft WPC: IoT Journeys

AT&T, Schneider Electric and Taqtile shared their IoT journeys highlighting the push for tools and resources to make IoT a reality — as well as IoT in action.

Microsoft WPC: Busy Event

The scramble to attend the packed four-day event that included daily keynote addresses, 145,000 scheduled meetings, and evening time for vendor receptions, regional celebrations and dinners with partners and friends.

Microsoft WPC: Gwen Stefani

All work and no play … no way. This year’s Partner Celebration featured three-time Grammy winner Gwen Stefani who rocked the Air Canada Centre along with Swedish duo Icona Pop.

Microsoft WPC: Bring on 2017

WPC 2017 will be held in Washington, D.C. Here’s someone signing up already.

Image Gallery: Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference

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