New Zealand, 12 February, 2021 – Microsoft New Zealand is congratulating Azure Business Group Lead Patrick (Padi) Quesnel for his appointment to a new regional role. From 15 February, Quesnel will become Azure Infrastructure and Hybrid Lead for the Asia Pacific region.

“The next few years represent a tremendous opportunity both for Microsoft and organisations across Asia Pacific, given the investment being made in local datacenter regions, cloud migration and digitisation. I can’t wait to collaborate more widely with partners and customers across the APAC region to help them realise that opportunity,” Quesnel said. “That said, this isn’t goodbye to New Zealand. As a proud Kiwi I’ll be taking a keen interest in local developments in my new role as well.”

Having studied sports science as well as business, Quesnel joined Microsoft in 2014 after serving at Nike and Speedo, followed by seven years at digital training provider Cliftons. Quesnel has since been instrumental in building Microsoft’s New Zealand business. As head of its Azure and AI strategy, he helped grow its AI and cloud business more than 200 per cent in the year to 2020 and oversaw a digital skilling program for more than 1,300 public sector employees in 2019.

The pinnacle of his achievements, however, was his crucial role in delivering Microsoft’s landmark investment in New Zealand’s first ever hyperscale datacenter region, announced in May 2020. As an energetic advocate for New Zealand’s digital readiness, he worked tirelessly over a number of years to drive the datacenter project and sign flagship customers such as Fonterra and BNZ.

The Microsoft datacenter region will enable local organisations to benefit from hyperscale cloud technology for the first time, accelerating growth through virtually limitless storage and compute power while guaranteeing data residency in New Zealand. It marks the second largest data infrastructure project in the country after the government’s nationwide fibre rollout.

Microsoft is now seeking a successor to the Azure lead role, who will be responsible for driving cloud adoption across New Zealand organisations, with a strong focus on preparing senior business and public sector leaders for Microsoft’s new datacenter region. Meanwhile, Quesnel’s promotion will require him to work alongside customers and partners across Asia Pacific to address local cloud requirements and build momentum on the dramatic global shift to cloud computing.

“You couldn’t ask for a better legacy than the datacenter region, and most of us would consider it a career-defining achievement. But in taking the APAC role, Padi demonstrates the sort of person he is. He’s not content to rest on his laurels – he wants everyone across the region to enjoy equal gains and not get left behind by the data revolution,” said Vanessa Sorenson, Microsoft New Zealand Managing Director.

“The incredible energy Padi always brings to the job and his genuine passion for helping customers see and realise their potential have made him such a standout member of our New Zealand team.”