Claire O’Halloran
International Lead, Emerging Business, Microsoft Corporation
Claire has spent 12 years in Sales, Marketing and Business Development in IT and Telecoms and has a substantial network encompassing public sector, private sector, media and academia.
For the past four years at Microsoft, Claire has worked with software developers and partners. In 2008 her work with the Emerging Business Team at Microsoft Corporation will focus on developing an international strategy to support start-ups and early stage companies, working with the investor community and entrepreneurship groups. Microsoft’s Local Software Economy initiative is designed to increase the contribution of the software industry to overall economic development – improving skills, job creation and fostering innovation.
To date Claire has initiated alliances globally with TiE, UK India Business Council, European Business Angels Network, global banks and other large corporates and financial institutions interested in collaborating to help the next generation of entrepreneurs succeed on the global stage.
A keen advocate of international trade, Claire continues to work with UK Government and other trade agencies such as Enterprise Ireland and NZ Trade and Investment, to increase the flow of trade, ideas and capital between Europe and Asia and other regions. Trade missions to Vietnam, Philippines and India are some of the outcomes and Claire is also pioneering cross-border programs with the Middle East.
Before Microsoft, as a self-employed Sales & Marketing consultant, Claire helped start-up companies and small businesses grow. In her twenties Claire worked with Compaq – initially managing a $100m business unit for Ingram Micro and then at Marconi Communications, where she went on to manage the global relationship with Siemens. Claire began her career as a graduate with IBM Ireland.
In addition to pushing the boundaries in corporate land, Claire invests her time into community projects and has a keen interest in Women’s Enterprise, championing projects such as Trestle Group Foundation’s Empowering Women IT Entrepreneurs in Developing Countries.
Claire was recently appointed a Global Angels Ambassador enabling her to work on projects connecting capital to young women in India, South Africa and South East Asia, and she is a regular contributor to policy concerning education and enterprise development and on stage at events worldwide speaking about innovation and entrepreneurship.