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WOOX Innovations Signs 10-year Agreement with IBM to Move to a Hybrid Cloud Model

Company Selects IBM to Transform Music and Lifestyle Entertainment Business

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Hong Kong - 13 Nov 2014: IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced it signed a 10 year, large-scale services agreement with WOOX Innovations to move key operations to the IBM Cloud, including global supply chain, over 100 business applications and core IT infrastructure services.

The agreement will support WOOX Innovations’ goal of achieving its next level of transformation and growth, and will provide it with benefits including efficiencies in supply chain, operations and technology, as well as process enhancements across a diverse set of functional areas.

Headquartered in Hong Kong with approximately 1,900 employees worldwide, WOOX Innovations is a global leader in sound, entertainment and related accessories. Formerly the Lifestyle Entertainment Business Unit of Royal Philips, WOOX Innovations became a part of US-based Gibson Brands Inc. -- which includes Gibson Guitar -- on June 30. As a part of the transition, WOOX Innovations needed to establish a new global IT infrastructure.

“We have chosen to work with IBM as we believe we can differentiate in the market with a global cloud backbone and the expertise of IBM to help innovate and grow our future business,” said Wiebo Vaartjes, CEO of WOOX Innovations.

As part of the agreement, IBM will assist WOOX Innovations in designing and operating a new set of core global enterprise applications on an SAP platform that will manage and run more than 100 integrated business applications on cloud infrastructure from SoftLayer, an IBM company. The IBM Cloud will also host nearly all core IT infrastructure services for WOOX Innovations such as directory services, distributed printing, mobile device management and virtual desktops.

A key objective of the solution design is to use hybrid cloud capabilities to provision business applications and infrastructure from multiple interconnected and secure cloud Points of Delivery – with Hong Kong as the lead hub within IBM’s global data center network – to serve WOOX Innovations’ global footprint across 21 of its operating locations. 

With the support from IBM’s global network of local cloud centers, WOOX Innovations will be able to maintain consistency and improve collaboration while streamlining its ability to expand operation overseas.

“We do business in a fast-paced and ever-changing environment from a consumer, customer, supplier and organizational perspective. We expect this partnership with IBM to be a key factor in allowing us to change and adapt in a nimble and effective manner to these changes as we scale globally,” said Ruben Stappers, CFO of WOOX Innovations and the Business Owner responsible for the business transformation program that is part of the partnership.

“In bringing our cloud and most recent innovations to bear, IBM will strive to assist WOOX Innovations beyond the core enterprise business domains and into the realms of systems of engagement, digital front office, cloud-based product innovations, analytic-driven business management and other leading edge growth-oriented domains,” said Chun Yin Mak, Managing Partner of IBM Global Business Services in Hong Kong and overall IBM Co-Lead Executive for the Partnership.

About WOOX Innovations

From great sound quality, to advanced technology and sophisticated design, WOOX Innovations strives to improve the entertainment experience. Headquartered in Hong Kong and with over 1,900 employees worldwide, we develop and market products in sound, home entertainment and related accessories. WOOX Innovations is a Gibson Brands company and a brand licensee of Royal Philips. For our latest news, go to www.woox.com/news/.

About IBM Cloud Computing

IBM is the leading enterprise platform for Cloud with an unmatched portfolio of open cloud solutions to enable clients for the hybrid cloud era with integration, control over data and expertise. IBM Cloud has helped more than 30,000 clients around the world.  Today, IBM has 100+ cloud SaaS solutions, thousands of experts with deep industry knowledge helping clients transform and a growing global network of cloud centers.  Since 2007, IBM has invested more than $7 billion in 17 acquisitions to accelerate its cloud initiatives. IBM holds 1,560 cloud patents focused on driving innovation. For more information about cloud offerings from IBM, visithttp://www.ibm.com/cloud. Follow us on Twitter at @IBMcloud and on our blog atwww.thoughtsoncloud.com. Join the conversation #ibmcloud.