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Tech·Ed Press Room

Information for Journalists

Welcome to the Microsoft Tech·Ed New Zealand 2011 press room. Here you’ll find everything a journalist needs to know about New Zealand’s largest IT conference.

Press Releases and Fact Sheets

19 April 2011 – Registrations Open

18 July 2011 – Tech·Ed Almost Sold Out

24 August 2011 – Tech·Ed 2011 Day One

Tech Ed 2011 Fact Sheet

When:	Aug 24 – Aug 26, 2011

Where:	SKYCITY Convention Centre (TechFest: Auckland Town Hall)

Press Contacts:	Natalie Benning Porter Novelli, +64 21 183 7058, email Sarah Rutherford Porter Novelli, +64 21 027 39354, email Sharron Martin Porter Novelli, +64 21 952 512, email

Photos – Latest from Flickr

High resolution photos are available at www.flickr.com/techedlive

Content – Speakers & Tracks

Keynote

Tech·Ed 2011 New Zealand kicks off with a Keynote session presented from the Chief Technology Officer for Microsoft Worldwide Service, Norm Judah, and David Kirk, former All Black captain and all-round business leader.
More information on the keynote can be found here.

Tracks
There are 13 Technical Tracks at Microsoft Tech·Ed New Zealand 2011 spanning a variety of core Microsoft technologies. The tracks are:

There are also two virtual tracks – Deployment and Virtualisation. A detailed description of each track can be found here. You can search for specific sessions within the catalogue here.

Headline Speakers

Norm Judah
Chief Technology Officer for Microsoft Worldwide Services

Norm Judah serves as Chief Technology Officer of Worldwide Services at Microsoft, focusing on technical strategy, innovation, technical communities, and enterprise services strategy.

Prior to his current role, Judah played a key part in the newly formed Platforms, Technology and Strategy Group, reporting into the CTO-Business Platforms. He held the title of Corporate Vice President of Business Development… (read more)

David Kirk
Chairman of the Board for Hoyts Theatre Group

David Kirk is Chairman of the board of directors of Hoyts Theatre Group, Australia’s oldest theatre chain with over 400 screens in Australia and New Zealand. He is a Director of Forsyth Barr, one of the largest investment banks in New Zealand and Pacific Fibre the company planning NZ’s second subsea cables linking Australia, New Zealand and the USA. He is former Chief Executive of Fairfax Media Limited, the newspaper, magazine and digital publisher in Australia and New Zealand. David led the purchase by Fairfax of Trade Me in 2006… (read more)

Video – Tech·Ed Online

Shortly after Tech·Ed, video content and presentation files will be available on-demand via Tech·Ed Online at http://www.msteched.com/NewZealand. In 2011 we will be recording the keynote and all breakout sessions, more than ever before! This content will be also be embeddable, simply copy the embed code for the video, and paste it into your blog or site.

Social Media

You can follow Tech·Ed New Zealand on:

Twitter (@techedlive),

Facebook,

LinkedIn,

Flickr, and

Microsoft NZ Blogs.

Please use the hashtag "#tenz" where appropriate.

TechFest

TechFest this year is going to be a night to remember with an Old Skool Cartoons theme and headline act Fat Freddy’s Drop. Comedian Dai Henwood is our MC for the night, sharing his hilarious stand-up lines along the way. Microsoft TechFest will be held on Thursday 25 August, 6.30pm to 11.00pm at the Auckland Town Hall. Click here for more information

Fat Freddy’s Drop

Fat Freddy's Drop throws a fun party. Get into it' Erik Thybony, San Francisco Critic, USA

Fat Freddy's Drop's pirate soul train has seen them beat a resolutely independent path to the ears and feet of audiences around the globe for over a decade.

Formed in 1999 the Wellington seven-piece has never stuck to a script. Their sound draws inspiration from almost every part of the black music lexicon. Soul drenched vocals and jazz harmonies collide with tape delays and echo chambers, underpinned by a rhythm section as comfortable laying down a throbbing, techy soundscape as they are a swampy blues stomp. No two Freddy’s shows are ever the same and given the band's beginnings, it’s no surprise that live performance is really what excites and drives the band, with regular pilgrimages across the seven seas. Don’t miss your chance to see them live at this year's TechFest!

Dai Henwood

With his high energy and quirky humour, Dai Henwood was the obvious choice for this year's MC and comedy entertainment.

Dai's comic characters and hilarious observations on life have seen him become one of the country's most popular and in-demand comedians. He's toured to sell-out live shows around New Zealand, and performed at prestigious offshore festivals such as Canada's famed Just For Laughs in Montreal, the Edinburgh Fringe and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

Dai regularly performs his solo shows at the annual NZ International Comedy Festival, selling out everywhere from Auckland's Concert Chamber to the huge SKYCITY Theatre. Since 2002 he's won a swag of awards from the 'Fred (as in 'Dagg') Award' for comedic excellence and Best Local Show at the Comedy Festival, to Best Male Comedian and Best MC at the NZ Comedy Guild Awards. Next stop, NZ's IT party of the year!