Search
 
Alexander Hamilton Awards

Standardizing Customization for Global Financing Solutions

Congratulations to Microsoft, winner of the 2021 Gold Alexander Hamilton Award in the category Best Practices in Restricted/Emerging Markets!

Emerging-market businesses need cloud-based storage and services as much as companies in the developed world do—if not more—and Microsoft has stepped up globally to meet those needs. That’s one reason why analysts are predicting that sometime next year Microsoft Azure will surpass Microsoft Office as the company’s largest source of revenue.

At the same time, though, Microsoft has found that demand to extend payment terms is acute in emerging markets. In some cases, this boils down to the fact that working capital is at a premium and Microsoft’s cost of financing is lower than most customer organizations can get from their financial institutions. In other cases, customers may not have access to external credit at all, whether due to the local banking landscape, the country’s compliance requirements, the company’s credit history, etc.

Some cloud customers already needed help with financing prior to 2020, but Covid-19 exacerbated the issue. “Consider a business like an airline or a movie theater,” says Rahul Daswani, the group finance manager within Microsoft Global Treasury and Financial Services (GTFS) who’s responsible for customized financing solutions for markets outside the Americas. “These companies were hit hard in the pandemic. As the global economy comes back, they need Microsoft technologies, but they haven’t yet gotten back to normal cash flow.

Complete your profile to continue reading and get FREE access to Treasury & Risk, part of your ALM digital membership.

Your access to unlimited Treasury & Risk content isn’t changing.
Once you are an ALM digital member, you’ll receive:

  • Critical Treasury & Risk information including in-depth analysis of treasury and finance best practices, case studies with corporate innovators, informative newsletters, educational webcasts and videos, and resources from industry leaders.
  • Exclusive discounts on ALM and Treasury & Risk events.
  • Access to other award-winning ALM websites including PropertyCasualty360.com and Law.com.

Already have an account?

NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2023 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.

Meg Waters

Meg Waters

Meg Waters is the editor in chief of Treasury & Risk. She is the former editor in chief of BPM Magazine and the former managing editor of Business Finance.

More from this author

 

Recommended Stories

Treasury & Risk

Join Treasury & Risk

Don’t miss crucial treasury and finance news along with in-depth analysis and insights you need to make informed treasury decisions. Join Treasury & Risk now!

  • Free unlimited access to Treasury & Risk including case studies with corporate innovators, informative newsletters, educational webcasts, and resources from industry leaders.
  • Exclusive discounts on ALM and Treasury & Risk events.
  • Access to other award-winning ALM publications including PropertyCasualty360.com and Law.com.

Already have an account? Sign In Now
Join Treasury & Risk

Copyright © 2023 ALM Global, LLC. All Rights Reserved.