Microsoft UK snaps up former Kyndryl executive to lead its solutions business

Microsoft has announced the appointment of Tosca Colangeli, former president of Kyndryl’s UK and Ireland business, as its new solutions leader for the UK.

Tosca will head up the tech giant’s UK solutions strategy across the Microsoft Cloud portfolio, which includes Modern Work, Azure, Dynamics, and Surface, while collaborating with customers and industry partners.

She joins from Kyndryl, the IT infrastructure services provider spun off from IBM, where she served as president of its UK and Ireland business since its inception.

Previously, she also held various other leadership positions at IBM during a 21-year spell at the company, including general manager of its global technology services for the UK and Ireland.

“I am thrilled that Tosca is joining Microsoft,” said Clare Barclay, CEO at Microsoft UK. “She brings a depth of leadership and solutions capability, as well as a passion for helping customers digitise and transform.”

Microsoft and Kyndryl announced a strategic partnership back in November 2021 in the wake of the latter’s spinoff as an independent managed infrastructure services business. Since then, the pair have worked closely to help organisations across various industries accelerate their global transformation.

Back in October, Microsoft and Kyndryl announced the creation of new data pipes that connect mainframe data with the new Microsoft Power Platform, as well as a new integrated hybrid cloud offering that combines Kyndryl’s managed services, Microsoft Azure software, and infrastructure from Dell.

Now on the other side of this partnership, Tosca praised the ongoing collaboration between her new and former employers.

“I’ve seen first-hand the powerful partnership between Kyndryl and Microsoft and the unique value it has brought to both organisations across many areas,” she said.

“My career has been founded on adding value with customers through technology, and I am passionate about what can be achieved by innovation and transformation. It felt like the perfect time to turn the page and start the next chapter with Microsoft.”