Microsoft's strategic investment is in full swing, with the start of construction of the first two Data Centers being a particularly important milestone of Microsoft's strategic investment in Greece, which remains at the level of the company's initial announcement.
Microsoft's ecosystem reinforces the company's thirty-plus year presence in the country and its commitment to accelerate innovation, artificial intelligence and digital transformation in Greece. This includes the GRforGrowth initiative, which is already being implemented since 2020 and aims to empower 100,000 people with new digital skills by 2025, with 70,000 digital trainings to date.
In particular, an update on the progress of the overall Cloud Region investment was provided to the Minister of Development, Mr. Theodoricakos, Minister of Digital Governance, Mr. Papastergiou, Minister of State, Mr. Voridis and the Secretary General of Private Investments, Ms. Siarapi, by the General Manager of Microsoft Greece, Cyprus & Malta, Yanna Andronopoulou.
During the visit to the data hosting center under construction in Spata, Ms. Andronopoulou presented the progress of work, based on Microsoft's new international datacenter implementation strategy and developed the company's vision for the development of the country's economy and its transformation into an artificial intelligence and Cloud hub in the wider region of SE Europe.
Microsoft, is committed to completing, within the optimal timeframe, both the "Azure Cloud" cluster and the GRforGrowth initiative, which is already being implemented from 2020, as part of the company's overall investment in the country. In addition, Microsoft is actively pursuing its program to support the local community in Spata, focusing on education, employment and cultural heritage, in collaboration with the Municipality to best focus on the needs of the region. Through the first phase of this programme, 600 public school students and 200 residents and workers have already been trained.
The Greek Azure Cloud region, located in East Attica, will support the public and private sectors to seamlessly and immediately migrate to the Cloud, with high-speed and instantly available connectivity. At the same time, it will offer organizations and enterprises reliable and high-performance solutions, based on the standards Microsoft operates with across the global Azure Cloud network - which exceeds 60 zones and is one of the largest and most secure networks in the world. Microsoft's investments remain entirely consistent with the company's commitment to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more by focusing on responsible and secure use of the Cloud in line with the company's ethical values.
In full compliance with the current Greek regulatory framework and to optimize the delivery time of the Cloud Region in Greece, Microsoft adopts the deployment model that the company now applies internationally. Based on the latter, the company is proceeding with the construction of the first of the three Data Centers, while working with specialized partners for the other two infrastructures of the cluster.
The second of the three Data Centers in the Peania area is also under construction. The company's plan to provide Cloud and Artificial Intelligence services in the region and develop them in line with market requirements remains as originally set while the same applies to the level of investment. Microsoft's goal is for the Cloud Region to be delivered in early 2028.
Welcoming the progress of the work, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said:
"The work on the construction of the first of the three data centres that Microsoft will create in Greece is on the one hand tangible proof of the close cooperation between the government and the company for the implementation of this flagship investment and on the other hand reaffirms Microsoft's commitment to our country. Data centres are the most critical infrastructure for the 21st century economy and a prerequisite for the full exploitation of the opportunities offered by the technological developments of our time. We are working with dedication to ensure that Greece is "armed" with the infrastructure needed to be consistently among the leaders and pioneers of the economic transformations that are already taking place.
The General Manager of Microsoft Greece, Cyprus & Malta, Gianna Andronopoulou said:
"Together with our ever-growing ecosystem of partners, we are committed to supporting the Greek Government, as well as companies and organizations of all sizes, in accelerating innovation and digital transformation. Our absolute priority is to be a stable partner of Greece, to promote economic growth, create new jobs and empower Greeks with the necessary digital skills they will need for their future.
At Microsoft, we firmly believe in the power of technology and how it can drive positive change for society, which is why we work closely with all the communities in which we operate. Our initiatives and actions are designed to enhance the well-being of citizens, while ensuring that everyone can benefit from the evolution of technology. Through our collaboration with national and local stakeholders, we aim to build together a sustainable and inclusive digital economy that empowers every person and organisation in Greece to achieve more."
