NEW YORK & LONDON & HONG KONG--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun 19, 2025--
Options Technology (Options), a leading provider of cloud-enabled managed services for global capital markets, today announced the expansion of its Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) direct bill capabilities to Dubai. This move comes as the city cements its status as a rising global hub for Hedge Funds, Private Equity firms, and Asset Managers, many of whom are actively expanding their footprint in the region.
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With this latest launch, Options enhances its ability to deliver seamless Microsoft 365 and Azure services to clients in Dubai, offering locally supported access through its Tier 1 CSP Direct Bill accreditation, now spanning five of Microsoft’s designated global regions. The expansion also marks a strategic investment in Dubai’s growing role as a magnet for leading financial institutions seeking innovation, regulatory clarity, and geographic diversification.
Danny Moore, President and CEO of Options, commented: “Delivering Microsoft cloud services directly in Dubai marks a significant milestone for Options. This expansion has been driven by increasing demand from our clients, particularly hedge funds, private equity firms, and asset managers headquartered in London and New York, who have recently established operations in Dubai. We’re proud to support their growth with secure, enterprise-grade cloud infrastructure, localized support, and streamlined billing. As a Tier 1 Microsoft Solutions Partner with CSP Direct Bill status across five global regions, we’re ideally positioned to enable the next phase of capital markets expansion in the region.”
The new offering reinforces Options’ flagship enterprise technology platform, AtlasWorkplace, which integrates Microsoft cloud services with secure connectivity, enterprise collaboration tools, and regulatory compliance solutions tailored for capital markets clients.
This latest expansion of services will further strengthen Options’ global operational delivery, complementing its 24/7 local support to better serve the specific needs of international clients and reinforcing its broader mission to support the capital markets through cutting-edge technology, enhanced security and expertise.
Building on this momentum, the company’s growth continues with new offices established in Dubai, Sydney, Paris, Toronto, and Chicago - expanding its global footprint alongside existing hubs in New York, London, Singapore, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Auckland, and Belfast.
Today’s news comes as the latest in a series of major milestones at Options, including its partnership with Couchdrop, enhanced security services with Netskope and receipt of the Emerging Partner award from Equinix.
Options Technology:
Options Technology (Options) is a financial technology company at the forefront of banking and trading infrastructure. We serve clients globally with offices in New York, London, Belfast, Cambridge, Chicago, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Singapore, Paris, and Auckland. At Options, our services are woven into the hottest trends in global technology, including high-performance Networking, Cloud, Security, and AI (Artificial Intelligence).
www.options-it.com
Options Expands Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) Direct Bill Capabilities in Dubai, Marking Fifth Global Region of Coverage
Bill Russell. Wilt Chamberlain. Larry Bird.
That's the full list of those who managed to win three consecutive NBA Most Valuable Player awards. Nobody has pulled off that feat in 40 years, and the star power not on that list — names like Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar — speaks to how difficult it is to accomplish.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder has a chance to get there this season, whether he wants to or not. His focus — as it has been in past years as well — is on winning and on championships, not on anything of the individual variety.
“I’ve just got to be the best player I can be for this basketball team, win as many games as possible," Gilgeous-Alexander said. “That kind of recipe for me in the past has kind of worked, and I’ve been fortunate to win two in a row. No different for me going into this season.”
He is the best player on the team that is essentially the co-favorite, along with the San Antonio Spurs, to win the NBA championship. He's collected more than 75% of the first-place MVP votes over the last two seasons, and his scoring average of 32 points per game is tops in the NBA over that span.
He doesn't think he's been at his peak yet, either.
“I feel like I’m a better basketball player, more versatile as a basketball player,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “In better shape, too.”
Thunder general manager Sam Presti has been around Hall of Fame players. He sees the traits in Gilgeous-Alexander, saying in his preseason news conference last month that greats at that level have “something that separates them from the others that makes them uniquely different.”
“He has the baseline stuff of his work ethic, his discipline, his character, things that you have to have to be a consistent elite performer in the NBA or anywhere,” Presti said. “But his emotional awareness and regulation is superior, in my opinion. It’s extraordinary. His view is layered. He doesn’t live in a pass-fail world, and I think that’s part of what’s allowed him to come kind of from the back of the pack as a lightly recruited college player to this ascent.”
The game has changed, and Gilgeous-Alexander is one of the players who has changed it.
International players have won the last eight MVP awards; if the annual polling of the league's general managers proves accurate, that run will go to nine this season — since the Spurs' Victor Wembanyama is their preseason pick to emerge as the trophy winner next spring.
And with Joel Embiid — the No. 3 pick in 2014 and MVP in 2022-23 — being the exception, many of those eventual international-born MVPs weren't exactly expected by many to reach that level when they entered the league. Giannis Antetokounmpo, then of Milwaukee and now of Miami, was the 15th overall pick in the 2013 draft; he won two MVPs in this international run. Denver's Nikola Jokic was drafted No. 41 overall; he's a three-time MVP. Gilgeous-Alexander was drafted 11th; he's now gone back-to-back.
“He’s still going,” Presti said. “He’s got a lot more levels to go, and his mindset, I think, is the No. 1 thing that drives all that.”
Winning brings individual success as well, and Gilgeous-Alexander knows that. But he often reminds people that things like MVP seasons come because so many people — not just the actual trophy winner — did their part.
If the Thunder are contenders again, he'll likely be a top candidate. The best player on the best teams tends to be right in the MVP mix. And if he wins it again, it'll be costly: Gilgeous-Alexander has showered teammates with thank-you gifts after his first two MVP seasons, including fancy watches, Burberry coats and much more.
Leadership, to Gilgeous-Alexander, is far more important than trophies.
“It’s something that I’ve been intentional with, but also just I think naturally it’s just grown because I’ve grown as a man,” he said. “Becoming a father has helped with that. You’re an example for somebody every day and it’s a little bit different in the real world, but it’s essentially the same thing. You lead by example — and it’s hard to get people to follow you if you don’t do the right things and you don’t walk the walk.”
See AP’s full NBA coverage here
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander warms up before an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, against the Milwaukee Bucks in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Kyle Phillips)
