January 2019 Summaries

Box.org participated in the Tech Forward event, gathering with numerous nonprofits and tech for good peers to explore how technology can revolutionize mission-focused organizations. The event featured notable discussions, including Tris Lumley's insights on the collaborative use of technology and Marnie Webb's focus on emerging technologies like AI and IoT. A highlight was presenting a Technology Innovation Award to the Support Center for Child Advocates, which plans to use the grant to develop the Digital Locker Program, a cloud-based solution for securely storing important documents for children in the welfare system. Additionally, a closing panel addressed the evolving role of corporate and foundation investments in the social sector, emphasizing the need for strong partnerships and diverse CSR strategies. Box.org expressed pride in supporting the tech for good community and highlighted their commitment to nonprofits through donations and discounts on Box Content Cloud Management services.

Box is enhancing its platform to streamline the integration of rich content experiences in modern applications across various industries such as wealth management, healthcare, and education. The introduction of Box Elements, modular and customizable components, has allowed over 1300 enterprises to simplify the development of in-app content features like uploading and viewing. The recent addition of the Box Sidebar Element enables developers to integrate collaboration tools, engagement metrics, and file metadata insights seamlessly into their applications. This new feature supports customization and leverages third-party AI for enhanced content insights. Complementing this, Box has introduced a Python SDK and a Box CLI to facilitate easier interaction with Box's APIs, empowering developers to efficiently build and manage content-driven applications. These advancements in the Box Platform highlight the evolution of cloud content management, providing developers with the tools to create world-class content experiences within their apps.

Businesses in Britain face a complex regulatory environment, particularly with Brexit's impact on regulations such as GDPR still uncertain, prompting the need for strategies to ensure continuity and preparedness. In response, Box has announced the launch of a new UK Zone, an addition to its Box Zones offering, with primary and secondary data centers in London and Cardiff, respectively. This UK Zone allows both British and multinational companies to maintain data residency within UK borders, offering control over data management and compliance with evolving regulations while ensuring seamless collaboration. The UK Zone ensures that encrypted content remains within the country, enhancing user experience with in-country upload and download processing, and is part of Box's global network, which includes locations in countries like Australia, Canada, and Germany, among others. The Multizone support feature, introduced in 2018, further enhances the ability for organizations to collaborate across any of Box’s eight Zones from a single instance, ensuring adaptability to ongoing changes in data protection laws.

Lakshmi Hanspal has been appointed as the new Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at Box, bringing over 20 years of experience in information security, risk management, and privacy to the role. With a history of leadership at companies like SAP Ariba, PayPal, and Bank of America, Lakshmi is set to oversee Box's cybersecurity practices, security operations, and data protection efforts. Her commitment to fostering women in technology and developing talent within teams aligns with Box's emphasis on security and privacy, which is crucial as work dynamics evolve and security threats grow. With Box serving over 90,000 customers, including 70% of the Fortune 500, Lakshmi aims to enhance secure cloud content management at a time when compliance and privacy challenges are increasing. Her personal interests include community volunteering and coaching youth sports.

Michael Mors has been appointed as the leader for Central Europe at Box, operating from the newly expanded Munich office, where he will focus on growing the DACH business, which includes Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. With a robust background in IT solutions and cloud technologies, Michael has previously held leadership roles at companies like SuccessFactors, SPSS Software, and Hyperion, and most recently served as General Manager of Central Europe at beqom SA. Box has enhanced its offerings in the DACH region by introducing multizone storage capability to Box Zones and obtaining BSI C5 certification, alongside expanding Box Skills, a machine learning framework for content managed in Box. Michael, who holds a degree in IT Science and Economics and business coaching qualifications, sees significant opportunities in the digitization and automation trends in Central Europe, where Box is well-positioned to assist companies across various industries. In addition to his professional achievements, Michael is an avid marathon runner and serves on the advisory board of HORIZONT, an organization supporting homeless children and mothers in Munich.