Siemens enters collaboration with Microsoft

Siemens Smart Infrastructure, a digital infrastructure division of German conglomerate Siemens, today announced a collaboration agreement with Microsoft to transform access to Internet of Things (IoT) data for buildings. The collaboration will enable interoperability between Siemens' digital building platform Building X and Microsoft Azure IoT Operations, a component of this adaptive cloud approach, providing tools and infrastructure to connect edge devices while integrating data. The interoperability of Building X and Azure IoT Operations seeks to make IoT-based data more accessible for large enterprise customers across commercial buildings, data centres, and higher education facilities, and provide them with the information to enhance sustainability and operations. It enables automatic onboarding and monitoring by bringing datapoints such as temperature, pressure, or indoor air quality to the cloud for assets like heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, valves, and actuators. The system should also allow customers to develop their own in-house use cases such as energy monitoring and space optimisation. The collaboration leverages known and established open industry standards, including World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web of Things (WoT), describing the metadata and interfaces of hardware and software, as well as Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture (OPC UA) for communication of data to the cloud. Both Siemens and Microsoft are members of the W3C and the OPC Foundation, which develops standards and guidelines that help build an industry based on accessibility, interoperability, privacy, and security. “This collaboration with Microsoft reflects our shared vision of enabling customers to harness the full potential of IoT through open standards and interoperability,” claims Susanne Seitz, CEO, Siemens Smart Infrastructure Buildings. “The improved data access will provide portfolio managers with granular visibility into critical metrics such as energy efficiency and consumption. With IoT data often being siloed, this level of transparency is a game-changer for an industry seeking to optimise building operations and meet sustainability targets.” “Siemens shares Microsoft’s focus on interoperability and open IoT standards. This collaboration is a significant step forward in making IoT data more actionable,” argues Erich Barnstedt, Senior Director & Architect, Corporate Standards Group, Microsoft. “Microsoft’s strategy underscores our commitment to partnering with industry leaders to empower customers with greater choice and control over their IoT solutions.” The interoperability between Siemens’ Building X and Azure IoT Operations will be available on the market from the second half of 2025. For more from Siemens, click here.

Anritsu, Fujikura confirm equivalent core crosstalk results

Anritsu Corporation, a Japanese multinational corporation manufacturing test and measurement equipment for telecommunications, in collaboration with Fujikura, a Japanese manufacturer of cables and optical fibres, has measured inter-core crosstalk in weakly-coupled multi-core optical fibres using multiple methods and has confirmed that the results are equivalent. Both companies presented their results at the international OptoElectronics and Communications Conference (OECC 2025) in Sapporo, Japan. With the growing adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud services, the demand for higher transmission capacity in optical submarine cables and data centre interconnects is rapidly increasing. Today’s optical communications rely on single-mode fibre (SMF) and advanced signal optimisation technologies to achieve high data throughput. However, as the transmission capacity per fibre continues to grow, these technologies are approaching their physical and performance limits. Consequently, recent R&D has focused on weakly-coupled multi-core optical fibre with multiple independent cores in a single optical fibre. While this type of fibre significantly increases transmission capacity, inter-core crosstalk – caused by interference resulting from light leakage between each core – degrades the quality of transmission. This varies not only due to the optical fibre design and manufacturing, but also depending on the installation conditions, requiring evaluation of inter-core crosstalk in field conditions. Although various companies and research institutions have proposed different methods for measuring inter-core crosstalk, the measured results from each method have not yet been adequately validated. In the presented comparative evaluation, Anritsu, collaborating with Fujikura, measured inter-core crosstalk using four methods: two using optical power meters, and two using Anritsu's OTDR (Optical Time Domain Reflectometer) for measuring optical fibre loss and reflection. The evaluated four-core weakly-coupled multi-core optical fibre manufactured by Fujikura features a standard cladding diameter of 125 µm. The measured results from each measurement method were all within ±1.0 dB at 1550 nm. Consequently, any of these four measurement methods can be chosen according to the weakly-coupled multi-core optical fibre application scenario, such as R&D, Manufacturing, and Installation and Maintenance (I&M), with assured consistent correlation regardless of which method is used. Furthermore, these results should assist with future standardisation of weakly-coupled multi-core optical fibre. Anritsu says it will continue to contribute to the practical implementation of next-generation optical communications technology by providing test solutions for weakly-coupled multi-core optical fibres.

nLighten appoints Andreas Herden as MD for Germany

nLighten, a European edge data centre platform, has appointed Andreas Herden as Managing Director for Germany. In his new role, Andreas will lead the strategic development of the German market and drive the expansion of the local data centre network. Andreas brings decades of experience in the data centre and digital infrastructure sector. Prior to joining nLighten, he served as Senior Vice President of Sales for Continental Europe at Green Mountain. His career also includes acting as Chief Sales Officer at Lefdal Mine Data Centers and various positions at Equinix, including Sales Director for the automotive, finance, and manufacturing sectors. This background, the company believes, has solidified his reputation as a recognised industry expert. At nLighten, Andreas will focus on strengthening the company’s presence in Germany’s industrial and metropolitan regions to support its mission to deliver sustainable, high-performance edge infrastructure. Commenting on his appointment, Andreas says, “nLighten’s data centres are not only state-of-the-art from a technological perspective, but also follow a holistic approach that balances customer needs and environmental requirements. This is exactly what the market needs and where I want to make an impact. By creating an ecosystem that combines connectivity, performance, and sustainability at a new standard, nLighten is truly ahead of the pack.” Harro Beusker, CEO and Co-Founder of nLighten, adds, “We are delighted to welcome Andreas to our leadership team. His extensive experience and strategic vision will allow him to play a key role in expanding our presence in Germany and realising our vision of a sustainable, sovereign digital infrastructure.” For more from nLighten, click here.

Arista expands AI-driven campus and branch networking offerings

Arista Networks, a provider of cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) networking systems, has announced several AI-driven enterprise products that deliver an expanded set of switching, Wi-Fi 7 access point, and WAN capabilities. In conjunction, Arista has acquired the VeloCloud SD-WAN portfolio from Broadcom. This combination hopes to bring operational ease through zero touch operations, proactive monitoring, and automated troubleshooting across the broad set of client-to-cloud networking domains. As organisations seek real-world business value from generative and agentic AI, they are adopting centres of data strategy that connect the algorithms and models to key, distributed data stores across the enterprise - from the data centres to the campus, the branches, and remote offices. Reliable networks that are always on, easy to operate, and with built-in security are, therefore, more important than ever. Arista says it continues to embrace this challenge with "an expanding set of hardware and software solutions optimised for various customer needs." VeloCloud offers cloud-delivered SD-WAN solutions with integrated security. It comprises of a range of edge hardware platforms, featuring integrated firewalling and application-optimised SD-WAN, available with a choice of integrated Wi-Fi and/or 5G mobile connectivity. This portfolio intends to provide expanded choice and to enable global WAN services to interconnect data centres and distributed campus offices, whilst adding to Arista's existing CloudEOS routing stack and 7000-series WAN routers. “We have been using Arista and VeloCloud in production environments,” states Alan Davidson, CIO of Broadcom. “The addition of the VeloCloud edge strengthens and scales the enterprise WAN network.” Arista is also introducing the AWE-7220R WAN router with regional connectivity. Together with the previously announced AWE-7230R and AWE-7250R systems, the company suggests customers can build a hub-spine and VeloCloud micro-edge ​​WAN topology. Arista's new campus portfolio features PoE capabilities in a compact form factor switch, along with a wider range of Wi-Fi 7 indoor and outdoor access points for branch deployments, enabling newer IoT applications, such as ESL (Electronic Shelf Label). "We’re thrilled with Arista's access point integration with VusionGroup's Electronic Shelf Labels,” comments Dean Penebacker, IT Director, Pan Pacific Retail Management (PPRM) Hawaii. “This seamless integration with our existing systems means we can manage pricing dynamically and reduce labour costs, all while ensuring accuracy at the shelf edge. It’s the innovative technology we need to stay competitive in today’s retail landscape." Key additions to the switching and wireless portfolio include:• A new, compact, fanless 12-port PoE switch that is also 60W capable in the 710 family of access switches, designed for remote office and branch deployments.• A new, ruggedised outdoor Wi-Fi 7 access point, the O-435, designed for harsh industrial and outdoor environments, featuring a 2x2 tri-radio and a fourth dedicated tri-band multi-function radio.• A new, entry-level 2x2 tri-radio Wi-Fi 7 indoor access point, the C-400, targeted for high-volume service provider-managed (MSP) branch environments, including SMBs, multi-dwelling units, and small remote offices. “Arista Networks’ new, compact, fanless switch platform and entry-level Wi-Fi 7 access point are a perfect fit for our clients with small distributed offices and branches,” claims Neil Dearman, CTO EMEA, High Point Solutions. “As a channel partner, we can address the unique needs of our clients with enterprise-grade technology that’s easy to deploy and manage, all while keeping costs in check. It’s a win-win for us and our customers." Arista CloudVision AGNI (CV AGNI) now supports a fully on-premises deployment model, seeking to enable customers with strict regulatory and data compliance requirements to benefit from scalable AI-driven network access control from large campuses to distributed locations - while the new 1G and 10G virtual ZTX platforms extend Arista MSS identity-based micro-segmentation to remote branches and small campuses. "For years, we searched for a solution to secure our network and district resources without adding complexity, financial strain, or management challenges,” notes Najeeb Qasimi, Director of IT, Oak Grove School District. “Arista CV AGNI allows us to effortlessly implement and maintain policies, while its secure client connectivity ensures every student, teacher, and device - whether on district-provided or personal equipment - remains protected. This powerful, hassle-free tool has revolutionised how we safeguard and operate our network." The availability of the products are currently as follows: • O-435 and C-400 will ship in Q2 2025.• 710XP will ship early Q3 2025.• The AWE-7220R WAN router is shipping now.• On-premises CloudVision AGNI is shipping now.• Arista MSS virtual ZTX appliances are shipping now. For more from Arista Networks, click here.

DigitalBridge and La Caisse complete acquisition of Yondr

DigitalBridge and La Caisse (formerly CDPQ) have announced the successful completion of the acquisition of Yondr Group, a global developer, owner, and operator of hyperscale data centers, from Cathexis Holdings. This investment furthers DigitalBridge and La Caisse’s history of partnership in digital infrastructure investing, positioning Yondr to accelerate its expansion in strategic markets and attempt to meet the surging demand for hyperscale and AI-driven data centres. La Caisse is investing alongside DigitalBridge-managed investment vehicles and has assumed joint control of Yondr. In connection with the completion of the acquisition, Aaron Wangenheim has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer, and Sandip Mahajan as Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately. Yondr develops and operates data centres to address data centre capacity demands of large technology companies. The operator has more than 420MW of capacity committed to hyperscalers and additional land to support a total potential capacity of over 1GW. The company believes it is well-positioned to capitalise on the growing demand for advanced data processing capabilities driven by ongoing digital transformation, the expansion of cloud solutions, and the rise of AI.​ “We’re thrilled to finalise our acquisition of Yondr alongside La Caisse,” announces Jon Mauck, Senior Managing Director and Head of Data Centers at DigitalBridge. “With a diverse global portfolio of campuses, Yondr further strengthens DigitalBridge’s world-class data centre portfolio and reinforces our focus on being a global partner to the leading hyperscale, technology, and AI companies that are driving the digital economy. We look forward to working alongside Aaron and Sandip, who bring extensive leadership experience, as we support Yondr’s strategy of developing and operating scaled capacity to meet the demands of AI and cloud computing. We are also very pleased to partner again with La Caisse, who shares our partnership-orientated approach to long-term value creation.” “Over the past few years, we have explored various direct investment opportunities in the data centre space and Yondr has stood out as a compelling platform to capitalise on the growth of the sector. At the end of 2024, we joined forces with DigitalBridge – a trusted partner – to invest in Yondr’s next development phase under renewed leadership and ownership,” adds Emmanuel Jaclot, Executive Vice President and Head of Infrastructure at La Caisse. “This investment reflects our conviction in the value of digital infrastructure and our confidence in Yondr’s ability to scale with agility, innovate, and deliver AI-ready data solutions at pace.” DigitalBridge and La Caisse have a longstanding track record of partnership in the digital infrastructure sector. In 2019, La Caisse acquired a 30% stake in Vertical Bridge, a private owner and operator of communications infrastructure in the United States and a DigitalBridge portfolio company. In 2024, DigitalBridge and La Caisse supported Vertical Bridge's $3.3 billion (£2.4 billion) tower transaction with Verizon. "I am proud to have supported Yondr on its journey since its formation in 2018. Yondr has become a vital infrastructure partner to many of the world's largest technology companies, and I believe DigitalBridge and La Caisse are the right partners to support Yondr through its next stage of growth. I look forward to seeing what the business will achieve," says William Harrison, CEO of Cathexis. Aaron, who joins Yondr as Chief Executive Officer, brings over two decades of data centre leadership and extensive experience overseeing the development and operations of data centre campuses around the world. He spent over a decade at T5 Data Centers in roles of increasing responsibility, including eight years as Chief Operating Officer. Most recently, he served as an advisor and developer of customised data centre solutions, where he worked with numerous investors evaluating both the property and operating aspects of the evolving data centre industry. Sandip, who joins Yondr as Chief Financial Officer, brings over three decades of financial leadership and infrastructure investment experience, including expertise in leveraged finance, equity and debt raising, and financial transformation. He has served as Chief Financial Officer at Mitie Group, a publicly-listed, UK-based support services business, and was earlier at Balfour Beatty, a publicly-listed construction services business in a number of roles, including as a project finance leader specialising in infrastructure equity investments. “Yondr has an impressive track record as a leading developer, owner, and operator of hyperscale data centres, and I’m excited to be joining the company as Chief Executive Officer at such a pivotal time for the business and the industry,” comments Aaron. “I look forward to leading Yondr through its next phase of growth with the backing of two world-class investors that appreciate the critical role we play in supporting our clients.” Aaron succeeds Paul Cossell, who is retiring from the Chief Executive Officer role after two and a half years at Yondr and a nearly three-decade career in the construction and infrastructure industry. Sandip succeeds Chester Reid, who is stepping down from the Chief Financial Officer role after more than two years at Yondr to pursue other business interests. For more from Yondr, click here.

RETN deploys new fibre route between Milan and Padua

RETN, an independent global network services provider, has announced the launch of a new fibre optic route between Milan and Padua as part of its national expansion strategy, aiming to deliver increasingly high-performance, low-latency connectivity. The new route, spanning 360km and adding to RETN’s 140,000km global network, takes an optimised path and introduces a key improvement: the segment from Milan to Ponte San Pietro (Bergamo) is the shortest connection available on the market, which the company says brings "significant benefits," particularly for latency-sensitive sectors like finance. By leveraging points of presence at Milan’s Caldera Campus and the Padua VSIX, and transiting through the Aruba Data Center in Ponte San Pietro, the route seeks to ensure enhanced performance and network efficiency. As a carrier neutral provider, Aruba supports the route by providing a strategic location for RETN’s network deployment. Designed to serve organisations that consider connectivity a strategic asset, the new route hopes to guarantee ultra-fast response times and high stability. Furthermore, RETN aims to provide companies with greater bandwidth capacity to meet their hyperscaling needs and support increasingly complex digital business models. “This new route reaffirms our ongoing commitment to the Italian market and represents a concrete milestone towards interconnecting with RETN’s Eastern European network, delivering increasingly widespread and integrated connectivity on a Eurasian scale,” comments Milko Ilari, Head of Southern Europe at RETN. “Milan and Padua are two strategic hubs for national data traffic: connecting them through an optimised infrastructure offers Italian businesses a tangible advantage in terms of performance, scalability, and global market access.” For more from RETN, click here.

Elevate strengthens MPO expertise with Senko

Elevate – Future Faster, the data centre brand from Excel Networking Solutions, continues to build momentum in the EMEA data centre market, with its Config Team recently completing advanced training in MPO (multi-fibre push-on) connectivity, delivered by Senko. Senko is an industry-trusted manufacturer of fibre optic connectivity - with solutions at the heart of Elevate’s high-performance MPO portfolio. The recent training covered the full spectrum of MPO best practice - termination, polishing, testing, inspection, and cleaning - reinforcing Elevate’s ability to deliver high standards for mission-critical data centre infrastructure and ensuring that Elevate’s team is equipped with the latest expertise. Andrew Percival, Managing Director of Excel Networking Solutions, comments, “At the core of Elevate is a simple promise: to deliver Future Faster. That means investing in partnerships, in solutions, and in our people. “When our associates are trained to this level, they approach every project with confidence and, in turn, that helps our customers deliver their projects with equal levels of confidence.” This latest investment in people builds on Excel Networking’s decade-long commitment to pre-configuration services, which have seen major expansion over the past 12 months. New facilities at the additional warehouse facility, Environ House, which has a three-times larger footprint than the HQ, include a purpose-built fibre room with dedicated zones for multi-fibre and high-density terminations (MPO, MTP, VSFF), supported by a multi-six-figure investment in state-of-the-art equipment and capacity. Richard Cann, Config Team Manager, adds, “As demand for MPO grows, having this expertise in-house gives Elevate and our customers a real advantage - delivering high-quality, UK-assembled solutions at speed and scale.” Andrew concludes, “Our Powered by Partnerships approach is all about combining best-in-class technology with deep technical knowledge. Senko is a key partner and together with our investment we’re helping the market deploy future-ready connectivity faster.” To discover more about Elevate – Future Faster and their MPO capabilities, visit the Elevate website.

1/3 of UK businesses losing £4m a year due to network failures

Network instability is taking a serious toll on UK businesses, with over a quarter (33%) reporting revenue losses of up to £4 million due to network outages or poor performance. Alarmingly, an additional 18% have experienced losses exceeding £4 million. These findings come from an IDC InfoBrief, entitled Enterprise Horizons 2025: Technology Leaders Priorities: Achieving Digital Agility, commissioned by telecommunications company Expereo. Following a series of high-profile IT disruptions over the past year, ranging from cybersecurity breaches to connectivity failures, half (50%) of UK businesses have been compelled to re-evaluate their technology infrastructure and 35% of UK tech leaders say it’s caused networking and connectivity to rise higher up the C-suite agenda. Perhaps as a result, networking/connectivity now comes out on top in terms of the technologies UK businesses will prioritise in terms of financial investment over the next 12 months (40%). This is followed by cybersecurity (39%) and AI (35%). Last year, AI took the top spot (42%), followed by cybersecurity (37%) and networking/connectivity (35%). This highlights that AI is no longer the most urgent priority, being beaten by both networking and security. The urgency is well-founded. More than one in four UK organisations (27%) say that inadequate network and connectivity performance is actively threatening their growth plans for the coming year. At the same time, nearly half (49%) report that network limitations are holding back their ability to support large-scale data and AI initiatives. Alarmingly, just 5% of businesses in the UK believe their networks are fully prepared to support AI without any barriers. “To drive a sustainable competitive advantage, connectivity is no longer an IT concern – it’s a strategic business imperative," argues Ben Elms, CEO of Expereo. “This research confirms what many technology leaders are already experiencing firsthand: connectivity is now the backbone of business. As organisations race to adopt new AI solutions, the C-suite must treat network performance with the same urgency as cybersecurity and AI itself - because without it, businesses simply cannot succeed." Having the right talent in place is also critical for building and maintaining the robust network and connectivity infrastructure businesses need to thrive. However, the research suggests this may be easier said than done. Cybersecurity continues to top the list of areas where organisations struggle to find or retain skilled professionals (44%), closely followed by networking (40%). As a result, 40% of UK businesses say they plan to increase their reliance on external partners, such as vendors or managed service providers, to help bridge the networking skills gap. For more from Expereo, click here.

Datum launches second Manchester data centre, MCR2

UK data centre provider Datum Datacentres has officially launched MCR2, its newest data centre in Manchester, marking a milestone for both the company and the region’s £500 million regeneration initiative. The well-attended opening ceremony took place on Thursday, 26 June and celebrated the completion of the almost two-year construction project, signalling a boost for Manchester’s position as a UK tech hub. The ribbon was cut by Emma Taylor, Labour Councillor for the Sharston Ward, and the event was attended by distinguished guests including members of Manchester City Council, who collaborated closely with Datum throughout the project. Their joint efforts sought to ensure the facility aligns with the goals of Wythenshawe's ongoing regeneration, creating a resource to support the community's sustainable growth and innovation. Commenting on the launch, Matt Edgley, COO at Datum Datacentres, says, “We are thrilled to have officially opened MCR2. From the outset, our vision for MCR2 was to set new standards in operational resilience and reliability while embedding sustainability at its core. This facility stands as a testament to our commitment to fostering positive social and environmental change, supporting the local economy and playing an active role in the regeneration of Wythenshawe.” MCR2 was built in response to Manchester’s rapidly growing demand for data centre infrastructure. The new facility provides capacity for up to 1,200 racks, each capable of up to 30kW power delivery on dual circuits, supported by 2N level resilience. MCR2 offers a design PUE of 1.25, a 100% power availability SLA, and a focus on sustainability, security, and "operational excellence." Security is further bolstered by the inclusion of an on-site police-linked Alarm Receiving Centre and the site’s NSI Gold certification (BS5979 SOC). Emma Taylor, Labour Councillor for the Sharston Ward, comments, “Data centres are a critical part of our data infrastructure in Manchester and, as anchors for investment, play a really important part in supporting local growth. This multimillion pound investment by Datum really demonstrates the confidence in the region and I’m really excited for what the future holds. As someone who grew up just metres from the site of what is now MCR2, I’d like to thank the team at Datum for bringing a bit of life back into the fringes of Wythenshawe town centre.” Datum’s design and construction partner Keysource delivered the facility. Jon Healy, Managing Director at Keysource, a Salute company, adds, “It’s been great to deliver on another successful project with Datum Datacentres. We set out to challenge the status quo and drive the highest possible standards across the project design, construction, and sustainability. Collaboration between Datum and Keysource has been at the fore to deliver on key business drivers and is testament to our talented people involved. We look forward to the next project.” For more from Datum Datacentres, click here.

Puglia 'Data Center Valley' set to become biggest AI hub in Europe

Puglia, a region of southern Italy located at the 'heel' of the peninsula, is seeking to redefine the digital landscape of the Mediterranean with the creation of the Puglia Data Center Valley, a development program that brings together three AI hyperscale data centre projects totalling more than 2 GW of power capacity. Data centre company Adriatic DC’s plans include the redevelopment of Bari’s former Manifattura Tabacchi industrial area into a 200 MW data centre, the development of a second 500 MW greenfield facility in Brindisi’s industrial area, and the Adriatic DC Hub, a 1.5 GW greenfield campus spanning 2,000 acres. Said hub is set to become the largest data centre complex currently under development in Europe and among the largest in the world, on par with the Stargate campus in the United States. This initiative arises from an unprecedented global demand for computing power - driven by the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) - and aims to position Southern Italy at the heart of this epochal transformation. The overall strategy rests on solid infrastructural foundations. Puglia is the leading Italian region for electricity production from renewable sources, boasts operational international submarine digital backbones, and will soon be connected to the new Italy–Albania energy cable, designed to further strengthen the flow of renewable energy along the Adriatic corridor. In this context, the Regional Government of Puglia has established an interdepartmental working group on data centres, tasked with effectively coordinating permitting processes, defining technical guidelines, and facilitating dialogue with local authorities, thereby offering operators guidance and a dedicated institutional channel. "The Puglia Data Center Valley was created to place Southern Italy and Southern Europe at the centre of the new geopolitics of artificial intelligence," states Lorenzo Avello, CEO of Adriatic DC. "Global demand for computing power is growing at record rates. Our goal is to build an industrial platform capable of attracting strategic investment to projects with reliable execution timelines, generating skilled employment, and strengthening both European digital sovereignty and national data security. "Puglia offers industrial land availability, energy networks targeted for major future development by the TSO, global submarine digital links, and a favourable institutional environment - a rare and unique mix in Europe. We are firmly convinced that the south can position itself in the new global chessboard of artificial intelligence.” The first construction sites are scheduled to break ground by the end of 2026, with an initial investment phase of approximately €2 billion (£1.72 billion) for the first project. However, estimates suggest that, once fully operational, the total investment across the three projects - including direct, indirect, and infrastructure-related components - could exceed €100 billion (£85.88 billion) - an unprecedented level of capital for Southern Italy. The anticipated impacts include thousands of direct and indirect jobs, as well as the creation of new industrial supply chains in the ICT sector, such as AI-as-a-Service and cybersecurity. In a Europe that must accelerate toward strategic autonomy, digital resilience, and decarbonisation, the Puglia Data Center Valley seeks to position itself as an active platform, ready to engage with stakeholders in the global technological transformation.