LONDON, UK -July 7, 2011 - Hitachi Consulting, a leading provider of IT consulting and management consulting solutions and services, proudly announced it has won the 2011 Microsoft Dynamics CRM Partner of the Year Award for its innovation and successful design, development, and implementation of solutions based on Microsoft CRM technology. Hitachi Consulting’s CRM client list includes the last three winners of the Microsoft Dynamics Overall CRM Customer Excellence Award – Magma Design Automation in 2011, Panduit in 2010, and The Linc Group in 2009.

 Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards were presented in multiple categories, with winners chosen from a set of more than 3,000 entrants worldwide.

As Dynamics CRM Partner of the Year, Hitachi Consulting was honoured for exhibiting excellence in Microsoft Dynamics CRM solutions and support, and providing high-quality services that help clients obtain significant business benefits from their CRM investments. Hitachi Consulting’s Microsoft Dynamics CRM solutions include enhancements such as social media and Microsoft Dynamics AX ERP integration; as well as extensive vertical solutions developed for professional services, manufacturing and distribution; aerospace and defense; complex case management; and field service.

“We are pleased to announce Hitachi Consulting as Microsoft Dynamics CRM Partner of the Year for its dedication to expanding business opportunities for its customers,” said Doug Kennedy, vice president of Microsoft Dynamics Partners at Microsoft. “Through sharing its vision for advanced CRM practices, Hitachi Consulting has helped customers accelerate business growth.”

“Two years ago we set a goal to become Microsoft’s number one CRM partner and began building a world-class team and superior CRM solutions. We are extremely proud and pleased that we were able to achieve this challenging goal so quickly!” said Mike Gillis, Senior Vice President of Microsoft Global Alliances at Hitachi Consulting. “Being selected the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Partner of the Year validates all the hard work and dedication by our Dynamics team. We look forward to continuing to grow our CRM practice – as well as our Microsoft Dynamics AX practice -- and deliver even more award-winning, best-of-breed services and solutions.”

In addition to the Dynamics Partner of the Year honour, Hitachi Consulting was named as a Finalist in three other 2011 Microsoft Partner of the Year Award categories including Search, Systems Management and Public Sector.

As the Microsoft Search Partner of the Year Finalist, Hitachi Consulting excelled in delivering robust search solutions to clients such as Lam Research Corporation to effectively and efficiently support complex searches in exploding data environments across desktops, mobile devices, and the Internet. Hitachi Consulting was recognised for increasing customer revenue by creating engaging, search-driven experiences that have helped the customer monetise online assets, enhanced employee productivity, and saved costs.

For helping clients such as Dillon Gage and Hitachi Data Systems manage physical and virtual infrastructures across data centers, client computers and devices, Hitachi Consulting was selected as the Systems Management Partner of the Year Finalist. This honour recognises Hitachi Consulting for transforming its clients’ IT infrastructure, resulting in operational efficiencies, reduced IT labour and hardware costs, and automation of management tasks.

Hitachi Consulting’s UK practice was also named Finalist in the Microsoft Dynamics Public Sector Partner of the Year category for its industry knowledge, leadership, and innovative work with Compass Point Business Services Ltd, the first Public Sector implementation of Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 in the UK. Working together with the client, Hitachi Consulting designed a solution to provide the back office shared services infrastructure for Compass Point that has already helped deliver £2.1 million savings within the first year of implementation.

“In addition to winning the Dynamics CRM Partner of the Year award, being a named a Finalist in so many other categories is quite an achievement and we are extremely pleased and proud,” said Drew Naukam, Senior Vice President of Hitachi Consulting’s Microsoft Platform Practice. “This is the sixth consecutive year Hitachi Consulting has received Microsoft Partner of the Year award recognition, which highlights the commitment and dedication we have to Microsoft and our customers.”

The Microsoft Partner Awards recognise Microsoft partners that have developed and delivered exceptional Microsoft-based solutions over the past year. Hitachi Consulting will be honoured by Microsoft executives during the 2011 Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference July 10-14 in Los Angeles.

About Hitachi Consulting Corporation

Hitachi Consulting is the global business and IT consulting company of Hitachi Ltd. with operations throughout North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The company is a recognized leader in delivering proven business and IT strategies and solutions to Global 2000 companies across many industries. With a balanced view of strategy, people, process and technology, we work with companies to understand their unique business needs, and to develop and implement practical business strategies and technology solutions. From business strategy development through application deployment and maintenance, our consultants are committed to helping clients quickly realize measurable business value and achieve sustainable return on investment (ROI). Hitachi Consulting's client base includes 25 percent of the Global 100 as well as many leading mid-market companies. We offer a client-focused, collaborative approach and transfer knowledge throughout each engagement. For more information, visit www.hitachiconsulting.com.

About Hitachi, Ltd.

Hitachi, Ltd., (NYSE: HIT / TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a leading global electronics company with approximately 360,000 employees worldwide. Fiscal 2010 (ended March 31, 2011) consolidated revenues totaled 9,315 billion yen ($112.2 billion). Hitachi will focus more than ever on the Social Innovation Business, which includes information and telecommunication systems, power systems, environmental, industrial and transportation systems, and social and urban systems, as well as the sophisticated materials and key devices that support them. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's website at www.hitachi.com.

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For further information, please contact:

Vanessa Land

Devonshire Marketing

Tel: 0870 242 7469

Email: vanessa[at]devonshiremarketing[dot]com

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