BUI earns three trophies at 2020 Microsoft South Africa Partner Awards

BUI is proud to announce that it won the Modern Workplace Partner of the Year Award, the Azure Infrastructure Partner of the Year Award, and the Security Partner of the Year Award at the 2020 Microsoft South Africa Partner Awards on Wednesday night (30 September 2020). BUI was also named as a finalist for the Consulting Services Partner of the Year Award.

Microsoft SA’s awards ceremony was conducted virtually for the first time, as part of the company’s commitment to local COVID-19 lockdown protocols. Held annually, the Microsoft SA Partner Awards recognise and celebrate Microsoft Partners for their performances and achievements. Judging takes place across numerous categories after intensive reviews of the award submissions, and trophies are usually presented at a gala dinner in Johannesburg. Last night, Microsoft SA Managing Director Lillian Barnard acknowledged the different digital format as she welcomed more than 350 attendees to the online celebration.

“I really would have loved the opportunity to meet you all in person,” said Barnard. “This is an exceptional moment in history, and over the past several months, all of us have been put to the test. However, the innovation and responsiveness of our partner community has helped many organisations survive,” she continued, highlighting the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and thanking partners for their commitment, passion and energy.

Unwavering focus on customer needs

For BUI Managing Director Ryan Roseveare, the Modern Workplace Partner of the Year trophy is an important acknowledgement of the team’s unwavering focus on customer needs. “The term ‘workplace’ took on a different meaning this year as companies grappled with the demands of doing business under lockdown. BUI was quick to respond, and to provide innovative solutions that enabled customers to move entire workloads to the cloud and to shift entire workforces to remote desktops, efficiently and securely,” he explains. “I’m thrilled with this accolade, but prestigious honours like this would not be possible without the dedication of our people. They work very hard to create value-driven Microsoft solutions for our customers.”

Technical Director Willem Malan is equally pleased with this recognition, especially as BUI continues to pursue a cloud-first strategy. “We’re actively expanding our already strong professional environment with additional competencies to further support our customers through digital transformation. By focusing on change management, we can ensure that end-users are fully prepared to leverage cloud-based productivity tools like Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Teams, wherever their workplaces may be located,” he says.

A foundation of service excellence

BUI achieved the highest infrastructure-related Azure consumer revenue in FY2020 and was the first SA Microsoft Partner to launch a Cyber Security Operations Centre powered by Sentinel. Last night’s Azure Infrastructure Partner of the Year victory was particularly special, says Roseveare. “We’re cloud enthusiasts as well as cloud advocates,” he explains.

Helping customers to modernise and secure their operations with Azure is a real passion for everyone at BUI, concurs Malan. “Our success stories are built on a foundation of service excellence. We all understand the importance of delivering relevant Azure solutions that work for our customers, and that align with their strategic business vision, and that ultimately enable them to serve and support their own clients using a scalable and incredibly powerful cloud platform.”

A commitment to security

Roseveare and Malan are delighted to see BUI take home the Security Partner of the Year Award for the second year in a row. “This accolade speaks to our central philosophy,” says Roseveare. “Security is at the heart of our business and we make it a core part of design, deployment and management projects for our customers. By harnessing Microsoft’s robust security tools, we can empower organisations to proactively protect their critical assets.”

Security is an ongoing concern for local enterprises, says Malan. “South Africans experienced a surge in coronavirus-related cyber crime this year, and while the pandemic certainly increased the frequency of malicious attacks, it’s important to remember that the threat is constant. BUI is committed to leading from the front with modern security solutions. Our specialists are highly skilled and best-in-class, and this recognition from Microsoft is well-earned and well-deserved.”

BUI’s trophy haul last night marks the latest achievement in a banner year for the company. Since the beginning of 2020, BUI has celebrated its 20th anniversary, been named Microsoft’s Country Partner of the Year for South Africa, become the first local Microsoft Azure Expert Managed Services Provider, and attained Microsoft’s new Adoption and Change Management Advanced Specialization.

“I’m extremely proud of Team BUI,” concludes Roseveare. “They have helped our customers to stay online, to keep connected and to remain secure throughout the extraordinary circumstances of this year, and I know they will carry the same passion forward as we look ahead to the future.”