The Record - Issue 21: Summer 2021

28 www. t e c h n o l o g y r e c o r d . c om MAR K E TWATCH Mars to drive digital transformation with intelligent supply chains Mars is expanding its long-term partnership with Microsoft to accelerate digital transformation. The confectionery manufacturer will use the Microsoft Azure platform to improve operational speed and realise intelligent manufacturing supply chains. According to Microsoft, the expanded partnership will integrate transparent and responsible data, artificial intelligence and digital technologies into Mars’s global portfolio, which will position the business to “further embrace market-leading digital technologies and capabilities, intelligent manufacturing and personalised customer engagement, and improved digital skills training”. “Through our expanded relationship, we’re harnessing the expertise and insights Mars has gained from more than a century of producing some of the world’s most loved brands to create a layer of intelligence that will drive reimagined experiences for associates and consumers,” said Judson Althoff, executive vice president of Microsoft’s Worldwide Commercial Business. “Together, we will create a foundation for cloud, data and AI that will allow Mars to grow faster and transform how work gets done.” BlueJeans Gateway for Microsoft Teams supports work-from-anywhere culture Verizon Business recently announced greater management controls to further simplify and enhance its BlueJeans Gateway for Microsoft Teams cloud video interop (CVI) solution. With more than one billion cloud-connected room system minutes supporting thousands of different room system configurations, the Microsoft-certified BlueJeans Gateway is a pure software-as-a-service solution that enables customers to use their existing H.323 and SIP-based endpoints to join Microsoft Teams meetings from any conference room or huddle space. As organisations look to advance their hybrid workplace initiatives, the BlueJeans Gateway enables them to extend their Microsoft Teams collaboration capabilities, regardless of where employees are located.