Microsoft's new tech officer to challenge perceptions

Mark Rees says conflict with the open source community is exaggerated

Microsoft has a new National Technology Officer, replacing 12-year veteran Brett Roberts. Mark Rees’ appointment sees the role shifting to Wellington and the focus of the role shifting to government. Rees is on a mission to change perceptions of the company.

You replace Brett Roberts who was a well-known character in New Zealand ICT. How will your approach differ from his?

I think Brett did a great job and I enjoyed working with him. The key difference between our approaches is that I am based in Wellington and it is easier for me to engage with government, to participate in the various forums and interact with decision makers.

How would you describe your personal style?

I spent the early part of my career studying and researching chemistry. This has given me a passion for ideas and it means I take a considered and evidence-based approach to issues.

What are your priorities and goals for the new position and how are these different from in the past?

One of the central goals of my position will be challenging some of the longstanding perceptions of Microsoft. A lot of these are more based on the Microsoft of 1997, than the Microsoft of 2010. The company and its approach have changed a lot in that 13-year period.

Our investment in standards and interoperability is a great example of this. Some people still equate Microsoft with “lock in”, but our products now support a long and diverse range of standards. This includes the SAML 2.0 protocol used by the iGovt services and support for most browsers in SharePoint 2010.

I will also be focused on initiatives around the cloud; both the cloud services delivered from our internet-scale datacentres and local private clouds.

How broad is your brief — does it include other groups such as developers, the health sector and so forth and in what ways?

My job is to be the interface between Microsoft’s product and research teams and the government and our key customers. I am responsible for providing feedback from the New Zealand market, and working to make sure that New Zealand benefits from our products and services. It is a broad brief and one of the things that attracted me to the job.

What’s top of mind on your to-do list?

The cloud; there is so much innovation and excitement around the cloud and the efficiencies and opportunities it can provide. I think this is especially relevant to New Zealand at a time when the government has a strong interest in shared services. I will be working to make sure that New Zealand can benefit from Microsoft’s investment in the cloud.

Why was Microsoft so keen to have its National Technology Officer based in Wellington?

The government is one Microsoft’s key customers and we believe there is a lot potential for Microsoft to have positive impact on the way the government manages and delivers services. It’s easier to do that with a local role, where I can meet with our key stakeholders on a day-to-day basis, even if it’s just popping out for a coffee.

What are relations like with government and government agencies since the failure of the G2009 negotiations?

We have a strong relationship with the government. This is not something we take for granted and I will be focused on making sure that Microsoft is contributing to the government’s initiatives, including efforts to increase public sector productivity, improve delivery to the public/citizens and foster innovation.

We’ve seen the Department of Internal Affairs take control of many of the State Services Commission’s ICT functions and changes in the way ICT is being procured. How is this likely to change the way Microsoft addresses the government sector?

I don’t think this will change the way Microsoft engages with government. To date our engagement with the Department of Internal Affairs has been very positive. We have found them easy to engage and pragmatic. The government has made a significant investment in Microsoft software over a number of years and the Department is keen to make the most of that investment.

They also understand that Microsoft’s investment in R&D [approximately US$9 billion dollars a year] means that we have lot of ideas and innovation that could benefit New Zealand.

There’s still a lot of hostility between Microsoft and the open source people. Are you planning to build bridges to them or to bury them?

I think the conflict between Microsoft and the open source community is exaggerated.

There is definitely a minority of the community that has an attitude of “anything but Microsoft”, but the majority of the community, including some of its most influential members are a lot more balanced in their perspective. I will be looking for opportunities to engage with the community.


Dossier
Name: Mark Rees
Title: National Technology Officer
Organisation: Microsoft
Location: Wellington
Favourite restaurant: Matterhorn
Most recent read: Moral Panics and the Copyright Wars, William Paltry
Favourite place to visit in New Zealand: My home town, Nelson
Worst job: Cutting Gorse when I was a University student.
First computer: A Commodore Amiga
What keeps you awake at night: My two young children