TOP Sponsor Collaboration; Coke Downsizing -- Sponsor Spotlight

(ATR) Atos and Panasonic will team up to "create a new chapter" for technology at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

In a joint statement released, Atos and Panasonic said the two technology companies will develop security systems and multilingual electronic display systems for Tokyo 2020 venues

"Together with Panasonic, we will rise to the occasion for Tokyo to create a new chapter in the history of the Games," Tatsuya Kamimura, managing director of Atos K.K., said in the statement.Atos K.K. a subsidiary of the French IT giant.

"This collaboration will take Tokyo 2020 to a whole new level of success by connecting the Olympic Games to a new generation of viewers, spectators and participants amidst a rapidly changing digital landscape."

Masahiro Ido, executive director of Panasonic's Tokyo 2020 Olympic division, said in the statement:"By uniting the IT technology of Atos and the AV technology of Panasonic, we offer further commitment to the success of the Tokyo 2020 Games and hope to leave a lasting legacy,"

"We believe that this partnership will be a vital element in making the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games." Panasonic is headquartered in Japan.

Atos is the TOP Sponsor for IT, while Panasonic holds the rights to the audio visual category.

The partnership could last beyond Tokyo 2020.

According to the statement, Atos and Panasonic will form "various working groups" to study their new technological endeavors.

"Both companies will work in close cooperation to accelerate the joint development of new AV and IT solutions aimed to support the Olympic Movement, starting with the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games," the statement said.

Coca-Cola Layoffs

Around 1,000 to 2,000 people will lose their jobs at Coca-Cola this year.

According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, Coca-Cola will notify United States based employees by Jan. 8, and international employees by Jan. 15 about the status of their jobs.

The firings come as part of a cost-cutting operation that aims to save $3 billion by 2019. Employees in Coca-Cola’s bottling and distribution plans were named as safe from being fired in the report.

Coca-Cola’s headquarters in Atlanta and global regional offices were named in the report as the most impacted departments for firings.

Written byAaron Bauer

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