Microsoft Award For Glyndwr Alumnus

A Glyndŵr University alumnus has won a prestigious award for his work at one of the world’s leading technology firms, Microsoft

Hamid Butt, 38, has been handed the Microsoft Gulf Market Impact Award 2013, for his contribution to the company’s success in a two categories – impact and growth. He was given the award for his work in securing several new business deals worth a collective $10 million.

Hamid graduated with a degree in Business Information Systems Management from the north east Wales institution, has been working at the firm’s Middle East subsidiary for the last five years as a Senior IT Service Delivery Manager, alongside top companies including Accenture, IBM and Serco.

Hamid, who moved from Kenya to the UK when he was five, said that his university experience shaped his life and equipped him with the skills needed to pursue a career in technology.

He said: “Studying at Glyndŵr University was a turning point psychologically and helped lay the foundation stone on which I built my career. It’s where I matured not just academically, but socially and emotionally too.

“The university gave me the tools, the context and the direction that helped me better navigate my career path. I always got great advice and guidance from those around me. There were many people at the university who were invested in my success and would happily give their time and energy to help me achieve my successes.”

Hamid also reflects fondly on his social life at the university and says: “I had a great circle of friends and to this day am in touch with a lot of them. At university there was a great balance between the social and academic work.
Speaking of his award, he said: “It feels sublime to win this award, it’s an honour and a pleasure to be recognised at a continental level in a global company like Microsoft. There are regularly a lot of great success stories in a company that has over 100,000 employees worldwide, so to be picked out from the plethora of good work is a great feeling of achievement and success. It’s a testament to hard work, dedication, self-belief and support from my loved ones.”

Glyndŵr University’s Helen James, Director of the School for Undergraduate Studies said: “It’s always positive to hear what Glyndŵr alumni are up to and this is a particularly impressive example of a student who’s gone on to achieve great things. Seeing a past student win an award for a global company like Microsoft is a fantastic achievement.

We’re continuing to develop our links with industry and establishing ourselves as a leading new university with the top graduate employability rate in Wales. I have no doubt this will be one of many success stories of this nature in the years to come.”