Digital Transformation

Newly appointed managing director of Microsoft Malaysia Laurence Si brings 30 years of experience to the role

- Chong Jinn Xiung

In July, experienced software professional Laurence Si was named managing director of Microsoft Malaysia and brings a plethora of experience and skill to his current position. Before joining Microsoft, he occupied executive roles in well-known businesses like Lucent, Cisco, VMware and Amazon Web Services (AWS). With his broad experience and industry knowledge, he is well-positioned to promote innovation and growth in a number of Malaysian sectors, including the public sector, small and medium-sized enterprises, enterprise businesses and the developer and startup ecosystem. Here is Si, in his own words, expressing his philosophy behind leadership and where he hopes to take Microsoft next.

How have your diverse experiences in the technology industry shaped your leadership style at Microsoft Malaysia?

I’ve been in the technology industry for over 30 years. Throughout my career, I have witnessed several major technological disruptions. From the internet revolution in the 1990s to the introduction of the smartphone in 2007, the rise of social media in the early 2010s and now the rapid advancements in AI. These disruptions are occurring with increasing frequency; what used to take a decade now happens in just three to five years. For instance, AI technology has seen massive leaps forward within the span of a single year.