Scenes From Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference 2014

by Darryl K. Taft

Microsoft welcomes thousands of its partners to Washington, D.C., for the company’s Worldwide Partner Conference.

Microsoft sets up shop in the nation’s capital, planting life-size representations of its logo inside the Washington convention center.

Phil Sorgen, corporate vice president of Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Group. kicks off the conference by highlighting opportunities for partners to grow their business in the year ahead.

Kevin Turner, chief operating officer, addresses partners during his Day 1 keynote at WPC.

Scott Guthrie , executive vice president of Microsoft’s Cloud and Enterprise Group, shares the company’s cloud-first strategy with partners during the Day 1 keynote.

On opening day, Gavriella Schuster, general manager of Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Programs, discussed new partner programs Microsoft is putting in place to better enable partners to sell Microsoft cloud, Dynamics and other technology.

More than 16,000 attendees gathered for the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference.

During a Day 1 keynote speech, Brad Anderson, corporate vice president of Microsoft’s Cloud and Enterprise Division, discusses how partners can harness productivity in a mobile-first world.

John Case, corporate vice president, Microsoft Office Division, addressed partners during Day 1 keynotes. Among other things, Case spoke on how Microsoft is pushing Office 365 through partners.

In her Day 1 keynote, Julia White, general manager of the Office Division, spoke about the new Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider program and Office 365.

Here’s a look at the expo floor at WPC 2014.

Microsoft partners engage in an interactive session at WPC.

Legendary blues guitarist Buddy Guy, along with his protégé Quinn Sullivan, open the day 3 activities at WPC 2014.

Satya Nadella addressed partners during his Day 3 keynote at the Worldwide Partner Conference. WPC 2014 was Nadella’s first time in front of Microsoft partners as CEO of the company. He came through with flying colors, delivering technical elements of his talk with aplomb.

Attendees watch Satya Nadella’s Day 3 keynote at WPC. He spoke on how Microsoft is striving to be the productivity and platform company for the mobile-first, cloud-first world.

Tony Prophet, corporate vice president of Windows Marketing, told partners to look for new opportunities in converting Windows XP customers to newer versions of Windows, building an enterprise Windows mobility practice and developing Windows line-of-business apps.