Microsoft Corporate Challenge 2007 to be held in Thailand
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Indiantelevision.com Team
(5 May 2007 3:40 pm)
MUMBAI: The third edition of India's only national inter- corporate team
competition - The Microsoft Corporate Challenge will be held from 30 August to 2
September in Hua Hin, Thailand. A unique team event that puts the physical
endurance abilities and mental caliber of India's top corporates to the ultimate
test, the Microsoft Corporate Challenge has seen the field double from 17 teams
comprising 100 participants in 2005 to 38 teams and 250 competitors in 2006.
Based on a non-linear race format, the Microsoft Corporate Challenge is
contested across five to six stages, each demanding a combination of physical
and mental activities. From running, cycling, rowing and trekking through the
wild, to light engineering tasks cracking codes and negotiating board games with
a twist, the event challenges teams to push themselves to the extreme and work
together as a unit till the end. Each team will consist of seven members out of
which at least two members must be women and one a part of the senior management
of the organization.
In two years, the Microsoft Corporate Challenge has seen heavyweight competitors
from across domains like ICICI, Unilever, Infosys, GE Money, Hewlett Packard,
Barclays Bank, Wartsila, ABB, Thomson International, Pepsi Foods, IDEA Cellular,
Ashok Leyland, Motorola, JWT, Hutch, Reliance Capital, Worldspace, Grey
Worldwide, RMZ and Indiatimes. Standard Chartered Bank emerged victorious in
2006, while Bennett Coleman and Company finished second and JM Morgan Stanley
finished at third place.
Speaking on Microsoft's association with the Corporate Challenge, Microsoft COO
Doug Hauger said "Microsoft has found the event to be a great platform for
demonstrating and inspiring people to translate their potential into achieving
real goals much like our 'people ready' business software. No other event
exemplifies the importance of people and teamwork more than the Microsoft
Corporate Challenge and we are happy to continue our association with the event
till 2009".
The Microsoft Corporate Challenge has been conceptualized and is managed and
produced by Sports Media Limited and DNA Networks.
Speaking on the announcement, Sports Media Ltd managing director Prem Bhatia,
said "The response from corporate India has surpassed our wildest imagination.
Unfortunately, due to infrastructure limitations, we have had to cap the number
of teams at 50. With ICICI winning the inaugural event, and Standard Chartered
winning the second edition, this year is going to be tougher and far more
competitive. The course design has taken us six months to finalize and will
reward the physically able, mentally astute, and companies that have good
strategy and are completely cohesive as a unit."
"We received an overwhelming response last year from companies for the Microsoft
Corporate Challenge. Having successfully organized an event of this magnitude
twice, involving months of logistics planning and behind the scenes activities,
we decided to look at Thailand for the Microsoft Corporate Challenge. Thailand
with its exotic locations and excellent infrastructure facilities will be the
ideal location for the Microsoft Corporate Challenge 2007" said DNA Networks
managing director T Venkat Vardhan, ,.
Hua Hin, a popular retreat for the Thai Royal Family is the oldest beach resort
of Thailand and is two hours south of Bangkok. Despite its expansive growth and
development as a luxurious destination, the splendor of Hua Hin remains intact.
The first edition of the Microsoft Corporate Challenge was held in Goa in 2005
and the second edition in 2006 was held in Kochi.
The registrations for the Microsoft Corporate Challenge 2007 are now open and
team places will be allocated till June 2007. The event is open to a maximum of
50 teams.
Sports Media Limited is a company engaged in sponsorship management in sports
and entertainment on behalf of major clients, advertisers as well as federations
/ cricket boards / rights holders.
DNA Networks is an International event marketing and production company for over
two decades. In India they have redefined promotion and presentation of events,
to live and television audiences across the country