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Microsoft has announced the appointment of Francisco (Paco) Salcedo as president of Microsoft Spain, a position he will officially assume on January 1, 2025. Salcedo will succeed Alberto Granados, who will take on a new role within the Microsoft EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) leadership team, the details of which will be revealed soon. Both executives will work together during the first quarter of 2025 to ensure a smooth transition in the leadership of the company in Spain.
Paco Salcedo will lead a team of more than 1,300 professionals with the mission of supporting Spanish companies and public entities in their digital transformation processes, driving the adoption of Artificial Intelligence technologies through a responsible and sustainable innovation approach.
With over 25 years of experience in the technology industry, Salcedo offers a global profile that combines technical, commercial, financial, and strategic knowledge, as well as experience in business leadership and marketing. His career includes prominent roles in digital services innovation, development of disruptive business models, and growth strategies.
Before his new role, Salcedo served as general manager of the Large Enterprises division of Microsoft CEMA (Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa). Previously, he was senior vice president at Etisalat Digital, leading the digital transformation of businesses and public administrations in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. In Spain, he worked for 15 years at Telefónica, where he held key positions, including Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Telefónica Soluciones, collaborating with clients in Spain, Latin America, and Europe.
Paco Salcedo holds a Telecommunications Engineering degree from the Polytechnic University of Madrid and has an Executive Master in Business Administration from INSEAD/Euroforum, as well as a Master’s in Space Communication Systems from the École Nationale de Télécommunications in Paris. Additionally, he has been part of the executive boards of several startups, notably serving as general director at the cybersecurity firm Help AG and at the systems integrator Smart World.
Alberto Granados Will Take on a New Leadership Role at Microsoft EMEA
Alberto Granados will assume a new leadership position at Microsoft EMEA after three and a half years at the helm of Microsoft Spain. During this time, the subsidiary has experienced annual revenue growth exceeding the average in Spain’s technology sector, increasing from 810 to over 1,300 employees in the country. In recent years, Microsoft has announced significant investments in Spain, including the opening of its first Cloud Region in the country, located in the Community of Madrid; the forthcoming construction of a Data Centers Campus in Aragón; and the launch of an AI R&D Hub in Barcelona.
According to a recent analysis by consulting firm IDC, the impact of Microsoft’s cloud ecosystem, which includes Microsoft, its partners, and customers using its cloud solutions, could represent an impact on the national GDP of over €102 billion during the period from 2024 to 2030, contributing to the creation of 194,000 specialized jobs in the technology industry during the same period.
Under Alberto Granados’s leadership, Microsoft has established significant strategic alliances with businesses, educational institutions, and Spanish public administrations, and has signed a framework agreement with the Government of Spain to promote the adoption of Responsible Artificial Intelligence in Public Administration, as well as to enhance the cybersecurity of critical infrastructures, public entities, businesses, and citizens. Additionally, the company has intensified its digital training initiatives over these years, aimed at reducing the digital talent gap and promoting the creation of specialized jobs. In its fiscal year 2023, Microsoft Spain was recognized, for the first time in its history, with the award for the best subsidiary of Microsoft in the world.
Alberto Granados has over 30 years of experience in the technology industry. He joined Microsoft Spain in 1995, and prior to being named president in 2021, he held executive positions within the subsidiary, including Director of Consulting Services, Director of Business Solutions, and Director of Large Enterprises. Previously, he held global and regional leadership roles at Microsoft, including vice president of Sales, Marketing, and Operations for the Asia-Pacific region, general manager of Large Enterprises for Latin America, and vice president of Digital Transformation Partnerships at Microsoft Corporation. In this role, he was responsible for the strategic digitization projects of large multinational organizations in Europe, Asia, and Latin America.
Alberto Granados studied Computer Science at the Polytechnic University of Madrid and has postgraduate training from IESE – University of Navarra, INSEAD, MIT Sloan School of Management, Saïd Business School (University of Oxford), and Harvard Business School. He is the president of Forética (a leading organization in sustainability and corporate social responsibility in Spain) and of the Spanish Business Council for Sustainable Development, and has collaborated as an advisor to the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership.