BCS Consultancy appoints new COO

Author: Joe Peck

BCS Consultancy, a global data centre consultancy, has appointed Chris Coward as its new Chief Operating Officer following the departure of co-founder Scott Shearer after ten years with the business.

Chris steps into the role as BCS says it continues to grow internationally and expand its work with customers across the data centre lifecycle.

Chris joined BCS in 2017 as one of its earliest employees. Over the past eight years he has worked with founders James Hart and Scott Shearer as the company expanded from a small UK-based consultancy to a global business with more than 165 specialists across five international offices.

During that period, BCS has supported more than 300 projects, advised on over £20 billion of investment, and generated annual revenue in excess of £22 million.

Chris has led the development of the company’s project management capability and helped build its talent pipeline, including launching an apprenticeship programme designed to address skills shortages within the data centre sector.

BCS says Chris will help guide the company through its current phase of overseas expansion, focusing on strengthening internal operations, supporting digital adoption, and maintaining a customer-first culture.

New leadership during a global growth phase

Commenting on his appointment, Chris says, “I’ve had the privilege of working closely with James and Scott for much of my career, and want to thank them both for their leadership and trust, which have shaped both my journey and the culture of BCS.

“As BCS becomes an increasingly global business, my primary focus is to ensure we have the right operational structure, technology, and support in place to deliver consistently for our clients while staying true to the ethos that makes BCS different.”

BCS reports that demand for data centre expertise remains strong. According to the company’s Q4 Data Centre Commercial Report, 92% of surveyed professionals expect continued sector growth through 2026. However, the report also highlights challenges such as increased AI-driven workloads, skills shortages, power and supply chain constraints, and the need for more resilient infrastructure.

BCS states that Chris’s appointment reflects its commitment to supporting customers entering the AI era and strengthening operational capability as the company continues to expand internationally.