Business / Technology

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella emphasized his productivity, dual-user and cross-platform goals in his keynote this morning at the Worldwide Partner Conference being held in Washington, D.C.

Shortly after Satya Nadella took over as CEO of Microsoft in February, he emphasized the reality of a Microsoft that had a lot of catching up to do in certain areas, and said the company was approaching that reality with a “challenger mindset.”

That message is also coming across clearly today at the company’s Worldwide Partner Conference in a keynote address  from Chief Operating Officer Kevin Turner.

Microsoft is holding its Worldwide Partner Conference this week in Houston, where about 15,000 resellers, consultants, systems integrators and others are gathered to hear about Microsoft’s roadmap for its products and services in the upcoming year. This morning’s  keynote, which starts at 7 a.m. PT, will be streamed live here. I will also be tweeting at…

Microsoft COO B. Kevin Turner is among the executives scheduled to give keynote speeches at this year’s WPC. (Photo from Microsoft)

As Microsoft opens its annual Worldwide Partner Conference this week, it’s a good time to ask: How is Microsoft doing in its relationships with its 640,000 partners? And what role might the partners play as Microsoft transforms itself into a devices-and-services company?

I asked the CEOs of  two locally based companies for their perspectives.