Microsoft chief does it by the book for Varadkar visit
MICROSOFT had a warm welcome for Taoiseach Leo Varadkar when he visited its famous Redmond Campus in Washington last November. He was welcomed by the company’s president Brad Smith and other senior members of the team and also addressed 100 members of the company’s huge staff.
With the planning debacle over the Apple data centre clearly on people’s minds, one of the key messages the Government was keen to get across was Ireland’s business-friendly environment and new strategy on data centres.
Briefing documents released under Freedom of Information legislation flag the fact that Microsoft might “mention some issues it is facing in expanding in Ireland”.
The company employs 3,000 people and has invested €1bn here since 1985, officials estimated.
Chief executive of Microsoft Satya Nadella did not manage to meet the Irish delegation, but did send on a copy of his book, Hit Refresh, to the Taoiseach.