HCL launches dedicated business unit for Microsoft technologies

Noida-based information technology services firm HCL Technologies has launched a dedicated business unit for Microsoft technologies. Named HCL Microsoft Business Unit, the division will help customers using Microsoft tools with their digital transformation initiatives, the company said in a media statement.

According to the company, the unit will focus on Microsoft’s offerings of business applications, its cloud platform Azure, Dynamics 365 as well as other emerging technology products that the Redmond-based enterprise software giant offers to its customers. The division will bring more than 2,000 of HCL’s customers using Microsoft technologies under one roof.

The division will also create intellectual property, extending the Microsoft platform for customer-specific scenarios, and provide additional support to clients in the financial services, healthcare and life sciences, manufacturing, retail and travel industries, HCL said.

With a number of large enterprise customers embracing Microsoft cloud for their digital transformation initiatives, the system integrators or the IT services firms are building dedicated divisions to address the growing demand. They plan to move employees with specialised skills in using Microsoft platforms and technologies to this unit.

Recently, Mumbai-based TCS, the country’s largest software firm, launched a separate business unit for Microsoft technologies to help enterprises accelerate their digital transformation initiatives. Bengaluru-based Wipro and Infosys launched an advanced cloud security operations centre (SOC) services using Azure Sentinel, Microsoft's cloud cybersecurity platform.

“Customers are increasingly making bold strides, incorporating IoT solutions with machine learning for analytics, running this solution in the public cloud and (being) supported by CRM (customer relationship management),” Kalyan Kumar, corporate vice president and CTO for IT Services at HCL Technologies, said.

The company said that the business unit combined HCL’s specialised services and global reach with Microsoft’s powerful cloud and business technologies. HCL has also appointed Don Jones, who has more than 20 years of Microsoft experience, to lead the initiative.

“By establishing a dedicated unit, companies will benefit from unique products and services tailored to their digital journey while fostering collaboration,” Judson Althoff, executive vice president at Microsoft, said.   

Last week, HCL had reported a 16% rise in profit during the December quarter.