Writing speeches for the CEO of Microsoft, pioneering cloud services in China, and establishing generative AI technology are all responsibilities that Jared Andersen has taken on since graduating from the BYU Marriott School of Business. Although technical skills have been essential to his success as a graduate of the master of information systems management program, he has also found effective communication to be vital.
Andersen believes his childhood in Hong Kong greatly influenced who he is and how he communicates today. “Hong Kong has always been a unique combination of East and West,” he explains. “Learning multiple languages and traveling extensively overseas as I grew up gave me a better understanding of people who are different from myself.”
Despite his considerable travel experience, Andersen faced a period of difficult reverse culture shock when he first moved to the United States to study at BYU. He eventually became comfortable with his surroundings and excelled at his studies—but he always envisioned returning to China one day to work.
In the early 2000s, Andersen and many of his peers were set to graduate during an economic recession. He aspired to work for Microsoft, but he also recognized the situation at hand: because of the recession, Microsoft was unlikely to send a university recruiter to BYU.
Andersen decided to host a Microsoft event regardless, hoping to highlight his and his classmates’ qualifications and connect with his dream company. “So many students registered that Microsoft didn’t just send a speaker for the event—they also sent a recruiter,” he says. “We filled the largest lecture hall on campus.” The recruiter noticed Andersen running the event, and soon after he received a job offer.
Having worked for Microsoft since graduation, Andersen has been able to fulfill many of his career aspirations. He returned to China in 2011, where he navigated challenging regulations to set up the country’s first multinational cloud services—Microsoft 365 and Azure.
By leading teams at Microsoft, Andersen realized he often learns more than he normally would when he listens to others and collaborates with coworkers, drawing on their expertise to accomplish the company’s goals. When working together, he says, “our vision becomes real.”
Learning how to realize the company’s vision was particularly crucial as Andersen took on additional responsibilities. In 2015 he accepted the opportunity to work as a speechwriter for Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. Andersen was responsible for crafting important company narratives like Nadella’s quarterly earnings reports to articulate Microsoft’s goals and inspire shareholders with news of the company’s recent successes.
Andersen’s current vision centers on expanding the reach of generative AI through Microsoft Copilot. “I’ve always been passionate for how technology can improve the way we live, work, learn, and play,” he explains. Since Copilot’s audience includes students, he has worked with BYU to ensure the product is accessible to all BYU students and faculty.
No matter his responsibilities, Andersen knows the key to successfully gathering people behind a common goal is rather simple: “Know what you want to do,” he says, “and be exceptional at communicating that vision to others.”
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Written by Nicholas Day
