The era of AI: Leadership and Copilot

Throughout history, the right tool, in the right hands, has sparked transformation. Right now, in the era of AI, we are experiencing the most exciting shift of our generation. And in the era of AI, work moves at the speed of AI as well. 

In my role as President of Microsoft Western Europe, I’ve learned that leading in today’s fast-paced environment requires more than just experience and intuition. It requires being able to make informed, strategic decisions in real-time.  

As leaders, we need to lead by example, creating a culture where AI tools are leveraged successfully to accelerate value creation and augment the quality of our work. At the same time, it is also our responsibility to ensure this transformation happens responsibly. 

As ever, leading by example is key which is why I wanted to share how Copilot has been a gamechanger for me in how I make decisions and lead my team across Western Europe.  

Pulling it together, spotting the opportunities 

I attend a lot of meetings with customers and key internal stakeholders. In these meetings having the right information is vital. But – as for many leaders – prep time can be limited.   

And more often than not, the information I need is scattered across emails, previous meetings, Teams channels, documents and even in external sources online. This can make it challenging to get the full detailed picture that I need.  

That’s when I turn to Copilot to bring the relevant data together from disparate sources and provide that all important context to the information.   

This ability to instantly gather and process information gives me a strategic advantage. Be it surfacing new opportunities for growth, finding solutions to best address customer challenges, or identifying market trends, Copilot helps me stay on top of the information I need to lead effectively. With this I’m feeling empowered, and more able to engage confidently and make decisions that drive impact.  

And I am seeing this across Western Europe. MAIRE, a leading technology group from Italy, has seen their engineers saving hundreds of hours per month on administration work and collate information to make more informed decisions with a fraction of the effort during large installation projects with Microsoft 365 Copilot. 

Strengthening Customer Relationships 

Across Western Europe, I work with many different country leaders and sales teams to sponsor important deals and ensure we’re meeting the needs of our customers’ businesses.  

AI plays a key role in this process by analyzing customer communications and other information we have on our relationship. With Copilot, I now have the ability to quickly understand our customers’ unique challenges and opportunities and come fully prepared with insights that allow me to offer tailored solutions and deepen our relationships. 

An example which brings this to life can be seen with Swedish manufacturer, Sandvik Coromant. Their team is present in 150 countries and pride themselves on being a comprehensive partner to their customers. Using Copilot for Sales, their team is able to consistently and confidently capture customer information and insights from every interaction. 

What I think is really powerful is how Copilot was helping their sales leaders with intelligent contact creation, opportunity summaries and a 360 degree view of their customer’s ongoing deals at a glance. With this information their team is able to pull together the information they need for better decision making and spot the opportunities faster, enabling greater strategic customer interaction. 

The ability to serve our customers in a more meaningful way has been one of the most valuable aspects of using Copilot for me. It’s not just about providing solutions but about showing that we understand their business and are committed to helping them succeed. 

Catching up! 

Despite the best efforts of Copilot, my team and me, I can’t be everywhere. But at the same time, I want to ensure that teams across Europe and other regions around the world are aligned and working cohesively.  

By summarizing key meetings that I may have missed, Copilot enables me to stay connected to every team and still contribute in a meaningful way. Whether it’s providing feedback or identifying areas where collaboration can be strengthened, I can offer guidance asynchronously without holding up important discussions. 

This level of visibility allows me to empower my teams to act quickly and decisively, while ensuring we stay aligned with our strategic goals. 

An example that I really like Hargreaves Lansdown in the UK. Within a few weeks, their team has been able to complete documentation faster and save 2 to 3 hours a week. And crucially, as a busy client-facing business in banking, they have given great feedback about the ability to catch up on meetings they may have missed.  

With Copilot, I’ve been able to provide more meaningful support to my teams, fostering an environment of shared responsibility and innovation across Western Europe. 

The Copilot Advantage 

For me, the most significant benefit of Copilot is not just the time saved or the improved productivity. It’s been a game-changer in how it enables me to focus on what really matters: spending quality time with customers, helping my teams achieve their goals, and driving greater value.