Microsoft Malaysia’s head of comms joins MDEC next week

Microsoft Malaysia’s Head of Communications, Dashika Gnaneswaran is exiting the company and will be joining the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) next week.

Dashika, who is responsible for all of Microsoft’s internal and external communications in Malaysia up till the end of today, will be joining MDEC next week under the Brand, Partnerships and Digital Investments scope.

She is a global award-winning marketing, communications and advocacy expert with 16 years of experience in several leadership roles. Some highlights of her experience include driving strategic communications and building brands through areas such as public affairs, social impact projects, crisis communications, media relations and social media strategy.

“Government affairs and policy communications have been an important component in the work I do,” Dashika told MARKETING Magazine. “From designing a campaign to stakeholder management and execution, I have led community engagement work in my previous roles, partnering with the stakeholders not only in Malaysia but across the globe as well.”

During her three years leading Microsoft’s communications, Dashika’s job scope included managing the corporation’s corporate strategy and showcases, championing brand advocacy, internal advisory, customer voice and success story telling. Aside from that, she also led media relationship building, senior leadership positioning and philanthropies plans for Microsoft.

“I was also privileged to lead the nation building campaign national skilling program at Microsoft and ideating and executing strategies on the value of technology in economic recovery and to build resilient nation while bridging the digital divide with a focus on digital transformation and inclusivity , innovation, and security,” she added.

Prior to working at Microsoft, Dashika spent four years as the Vice President of Communications at the largest financial investment institution in Malaysia – Kenanga Investment Bank, where she was responsible for the organization’s marketing, brand management, digital communications and investor relations.

Recognized for executing creative, innovative, and strategic marketing campaigns, she had the opportunity to contribute across multiple industries including technology, FSI and healthcare automation, retail, travel and airlines.

According to Dashika, she continues to innovate with an entrepreneurial mindset and execute a the magnitude of a bold and ambitious global enterprise, with the hunger to continuously learn and make a difference to the nation, businesses and the community at large.

“Pragmatic and result orientated, I am determined to build global market presence for Malaysia, and help the nation realise its digital vision by formulating narratives and initiatives to accelerate the digital economy growth in Malaysia,” she continued.

Dashika also served at Microsoft Malaysia from 2011 till 2013 as a PR Specialist and then as the Enterprise Marketing Manager, spreadsheeting B2B digitization initiatives before returning as the Head of Communications Lead in 2017.

Throughout her career, Dashika has received close to 20 local and international prestigious academic and industrial awards, including the most recent being Best Business to Business Campaign at the PRCA Southeast Asia Awards 2020.

In November last year, Dashika was a speaker at the first virtual Malaysian Media Conference where she presented a compelling look at how technology enabling accessibility and inclusivity is a catalyst to rebuilding economies.

Watch her session below, which starts at 53:44