IDA recognises Microsoft’s 40 years in Ireland with special recognition award
An Taoiseach Micheál Martin joined IDA Ireland today to recognise Microsoft’s contribution to the Irish economy with a special recognition award. This acknowledgement coincides with Microsoft celebrating its 50th anniversary globally, and its 40th year in Ireland.
The special recognition award is presented to companies who have made a significant contribution to both the Irish economy and to Irish society in general. Previous recipients of the award include Pfizer, Apple, and Google.
Microsoft established a presence in Dublin in 1985 with a small manufacturing operation with less than 100 people. Through successive investments, transformation and the diversification of its operations, Ireland has become a significant international hub for Microsoft with more than 4,000 people providing software development, engineering, data centres, finance, operations, and sales and marketing services for the EMEA region.
Accepting the IDA special recognition award at the Our Shared Digital Future event in the Mansion House, Dublin, this morning, Brad Smith, vice chair and president of Microsoft said: “For four decades, Microsoft has shared a special relationship with the people and government of Ireland. From our first European Operations centre that shipped software in boxes to customers, to one of our most advanced cloud data centre campuses delivering AI solutions, Microsoft Ireland continues to play a pivotal role in driving innovation and transformation across the EU.”
Presenting the award, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said: “Microsoft’s decision to choose Ireland as a location from which to expand its operations has contributed immensely to the vibrant and innovative tech ecosystem that has evolved here over the past four decades, not to mention its economic and social impact. I want to both congratulate and thank Brad Smith and all the team for Microsoft’s presence and its continued investments in Ireland, and to assure them of the ongoing support of the Irish Government, through IDA Ireland, as Microsoft continues to innovate, transform, and shape the future of AI.”
CEO of IDA Ireland Michael Lohan added: “Our special recognition award celebrates the substantial contributions our client companies make to the Irish economy and to the people of Ireland. Foreign Direct Investment continues to be a substantive driver of the Irish economy. Many of our client companies have demonstrated longevity, resilience, and continued commitment, by creating jobs and delivering real economic impact, both nationally and regionally.
“Microsoft is one such company and is a very deserving winner of our special recognition award 2025. IDA Ireland and Microsoft have built a longstanding, trusted partnership over four decades of expansion and growth in Ireland and I look forward to our continued partnership throughout the next decades as the company continues to develop the next wave of AI-powered software and technology.”
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