Rita Picarra, Finance Controller, LATAM New Markets

Microsoft will host its first-ever local conference entitled M4: An Event by Microsoft– Re-imagining Your Business in a Digital World at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad on Thursday, November 20^th.  The conference brings together partners and business leaders as well as regional Microsoft experts who will share the potential of Microsoft’s “Mobile First, Cloud First” vision.

“We live in a mobile-first and cloud-first world.  Computing is now ubiquitous, and experiences span devices.  In this new technologically advanced world, there will soon be more than 3 billion people with Internet-connected devices – from a farmer in a remote part of the world with a smartphone, to a professional power user with multiple devices powered by cloud service-based apps spanning work and life,” said Frances Correia, Country Manager, Microsoft Trinidad and Tobago, Eastern and Southern Caribbean.

“Microsoft was founded on the belief that technology creates opportunities. Our passion is to empower every person and every organisation to not only do more but also to achieve more in this mobile-first and cloud-first world. Through the conference, Microsoft’s subject matter experts will detail to the business community and our partners attending how we plan to deliver on our promise and their needs, in particular within emerging markets like Trinidad and Tobago.”

Mariana Castro

A major feature of the conference are the 14 speakers who will discuss how businesses can transform to achieve increased productivity; use their data to analyze trends, which would lead to strategic marketing and increased sales; and operate in a mobile world where employees can use various devices that are integrated for efficiency, all while ensuring the company’s sensitive data is safe and protected. The keynote address, Re-imagining Your Business, will be delivered by Mariana Castro, General Manager, LATAM New Markets, who is responsible for the success of Microsoft’s business and partner relationships in this region. Some of the other speakers at the event include:

Roberto Arbelaez

Roberto Arbelaez leads the Cyberdefense, Critical Infrastructure Protection and Information Security initiatives for governments and public sector organisations in the Americas, as the Chief Security Advisor. He is an IT Security professional with over 15 years of experience. Arbeláez is also a part-time professor in the Information Security Graduate Degree programme of Universidad de los Andes, (Colombia) and has been a professor in the Information Systems Audit Graduate Degree programme of Universidad Santo Tomás (Colombia).

Marlon Fetzner

Marlon Fetzner is Director of Legal and Corporate Affairs for LATAM New Markets. He ensures Microsoft’s legal and regulatory compliance, provides legal support and strategic advice on opportunities and trends in law and public policy to subsidiary business leaders, and creates ties with governments, industry and community organisations. Before joining Microsoft Corp., he was a litigation attorney covering intellectual property matters in Brazil. He focused his practice on copyright infringement cases and provided counsel for software companies.

Guillermo Almada

Guillermo Almada is the Public Sector General Manager for LATAM New Markets, leading a team of sales and marketing professionals serving government, education, public safety and healthcare customers in more than 36 countries. In this role, he oversees Microsoft’s work in providing innovative technology solutions and forward-thinking programmes to help public sector organisations provide efficient and effective public services to their citizens and build the capacity of their populations.

Rita Picarra, as Finance Controller, has responsibility over the LATAM New Markets region encompassing 12 sales locations across Latin America and the Caribbean.  Her responsibilities include Profit and Loss Management, Controls and Compliance, and Statutory Management. Picarra has more than 15 years of corporate finance experience including 10 years with Microsoft in various roles at corporate headquarters and internationally in Portugal, France, Brazil and Latin America.