Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella on Thursday said he is looking to build more data centres worldwide and that he’s extremely bullish about Asia, especially China and India, given the huge tech demand in the region. “India is a massive growth market. Coming out of the pandemic, India as a growth market has really been reshaped because historically, Microsoft's presence in India was about mostly multinational companies operating in India. But now, it's completely changed,” he told CNBC.

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Nadella said it’s the reverse where the companies that are innovating in India, whether it’s the big large conglomerates, or new startups, are all using

Speaking about Microsoft’s stance on the region, he said, “We’re very, very bullish about what’s happening in Asia.” In China specifically, the firm primarily works to support multinational companies that operate in the country and multinational companies out of China.

When asked if Microsoft could see more layoffs like in October, which impacted less than a percent of employees, the firm is committed to ensuring that its operating expenses and revenue growth are compatible because, ultimately, it needs to be managed super well.

He also said that the current labour markets are much more resilient and most companies from energy firms to banks and retailers need software engineers.

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Nadella, however, explained that no industry is immune to macroeconomic issues, and everyone has to manage the costs and demand.

He highlighted the amount of capital that’s getting invested in the US and the new industrial infrastructure like fabrication plants, power plants and battery factories that are being built. With a cue from “new growth inside the United States”, he is very optimistic about the rest of the world too, he said.

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When asked about the impending recession and the current economic scenario, he said, “This is show time for digital tech. This is about companies like ours and others to show up and help companies really do more with less.”

He said the recessionary environment is a great one for firms like his to share as well as gain value for customers and optimise the cost for them.