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Microsoft chief financial officer Chris Liddell, a New Zealander, on Monday announced a $1.4 million donation of software to childcare charity Barnardos New Zealand.
The donation was revealed at a function in Wellington. Earlier on Monday Liddell gave the keynote address at the Microsoft Tech Ed 2009 conference in Auckland, attended by 2000 people.
Microsoft New Zealand has donated more than $5.5m in software and funding to 288 non-profit organisations in the country in the past 12 months.
Liddell, who is a former chief executive of timber company Carter Holt Harvey, says the donation is emblematic of Microsoft Corp's wider philanthropic focus.
"Bill Gates himself impressed upon our company the value of giving back to the communities we serve," he says.
Earlier at Tech Ed Mr Liddell outlined a five point strategy for growth.
He says companies could expect the next five to 10 years to be vastly different to the last decade but that software will continue to drive productivity and innovation, according to reports of the conference posted on the internet.
Scott Wylie, director of developer and platform strategy for Microsoft New Zealand, says Microsoft Tech Ed 2009 offered attendees the opportunity to learn strategies for maximising the business and technical value of information technology, from some of the world's foremost experts.
"We live in an increasingly knowledge-based and connected global economy, and New Zealand businesses need to improve productivity and economic performance.
"A key to achieving these outcomes will be the use of technology to overcome the barriers of size and distance," he says.
