Highest level of Microsoft award presented to UAE National

Lootah was presented with the award, which recognizes Microsoft's most outstanding personnel, by Steve Ballmer, Microsoft CEO during a special ceremony held in the US. Lootah was also a guest at a dinner to honor the winners of the awards, which was hosted by Bill Gates.

"The Circle of Excellence Award is Microsoft's highest-level award for our employees worldwide, and we are very proud that Abdullah Lootah has been recognized in this way. This award recognizes our finest contributors, and the value they bring to Microsoft," said Ali Faramawy, Vice President, Microsoft EMEA. "Microsoft honors the winners in appreciation of their passion, determination, and leadership. Out of more than 60,000 employees worldwide less than 100 from Europe, Middle East and Africa tend to get this award each year, so this marks a real achievement for Abdullah personally and for Microsoft Gulf."

Lootah joined Microsoft in 2001 as an Account Manager, mainly handling Microsoft's interests within the government sector in Dubai. Since then he has risen to become the Government Sector Director at Microsoft Gulf. Lootah worked closely with various government departments in the UAE, including the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Departments of Health & Education, and on various aspects of the Dubai government's ongoing e-government initiative. Lootah also played a central role in the deployment of the latest Microsoft technologies within several departments of Dubai Government.

"I am very honored to receive the Microsoft Circle of Excellence Award," said Lootah,. "I have always been keen on working with Microsoft and to develop myself and add value to the organization and to my community as a whole. Being a UAE national, among several others at Microsoft, I can say that Microsoft supports its national personnel and creates the environment for them to excel by providing them with incentives, clearly defined goals and objectives. All of the nationals working at Microsoft have risen to senior positions and play an important part in Microsoft's multinational culture. I would like to dedicate this award to all the hard-working UAE nationals who are keen on contributing to the welfare of our community and to see them join multinational companies such as Microsoft," concluded Lootah.