People Moves: Paula Panarra

Job From: General Manager, Iberia at Avanade

Job To: General Manager, UK and Ireland at Avanade

"Avanade truly stands out in today's landscape with its commitment to purposeful innovation backed by a deep-rooted partnership with Microsoft."

Avanade, a provider of Microsoft-based enterprise solutions, has appointed Paula Panarra as General Manager for the UK and Ireland, effective 1 December 2024. The appointment comes as the Microsoft services market faces a period of expansion, with forecasts indicating growth from $125 billion in FY24 to $168 billion in FY27, driven by artificial intelligence integration and technological developments.

Paula, who has served as Avanade's General Manager for Iberia since April 2024, brings significant Microsoft ecosystem experience to the role. Her previous tenure at Microsoft spanned 15 years, during which she held the position of General Manager for Microsoft Portugal, where she directed digital transformation initiatives. She later served as Global Director for Retail and Consumer Goods within Microsoft's Business Applications Sales division before becoming Global Business Applications Value Lead in July 2023.

The appointment coincides with Avanade's launch of mid-market services, designed to support organisations in implementing artificial intelligence solutions while maintaining cost control. Paula says: "We're at a pivotal moment for AI – when done right, technology can achieve impactful, far-reaching results that transcend traditional solutions."

Before joining the technology sector, Paula worked at Procter & Gamble, the consumer goods corporation, for 15 years in leadership roles. She holds a degree in Chemistry and Biotechnology from Instituto Superior Técnico de Lisboa. Her contributions to engineering were recognised with the Maria de Lurdes Pintassilgo Prize in 2019, an award highlighting women's achievements in engineering.

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