Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella Visits Universidade Anhembi Morumbi

In late September, Universidade Anhembi Morumbi (UAM) welcomed Satya Nadella, chief executive officer of Microsoft, to its Vila Olímpia campus. During his visit, which was his first to Brazil as CEO, Nadella spoke with students and members of the university community regarding how technology and innovation can transform lives.

The event was opened by Oscar Hipólito, chief academic officer of Laureate Brazil and rector of UAM, who spoke about the university’s focus on innovation and quality higher education. Nadella confirmed that it is a great time for students to be in university. “There is a renaissance of education taking place right now. You can learn about design, medicine, sociology and their specializations and how they interact. This multidisciplinary approach is creating a wave of innovation for the future,” he said.

After talking about education, Nadella commented on a number of different initiatives, like Imagine Cup, which is a competition that blends technology, innovation, and games. He talked about some of the young people in Brazil who have benefitted from opportunities to learn about entrepreneurship and innovation. He referred to Wanderson Skrock, who learned about digital entrepreneurship; Bianca Letti and Juliana Pirani who won the Imagine Cup for their project Clothes for Me; and Joao Paulo Oliveira, one of the creators of Prodeaf.

“It is motivating to see that our country has such intelligent and dedicated young people,” said Hipólito. “It is an honor to be able to host an event like this and benefit from the wisdom and experience of a global leader like Satya Nadella, who in his first official visit to Brazil, has taken time from a busy schedule to visit us and to continue to strengthen our relationship with Microsoft.”