Data Centre Business News and Industry Trends

Pure DC appoints new Chairman and Interim CEO

Pure Data Centres Group (Pure DC), a designer, developer, and operator of hyperscale data centres, has appointed Gary Wojtaszek as Executive Chairman and Interim CEO as the company enters a new phase of expansion across Europe and the Middle East. Gary previously led data centre operator CyrusOne through a period of growth that culminated in its $15 billion (£11 billion) acquisition by KKR and Global Infrastructure Partners. The appointment comes as demand for data centre capacity continues to grow, driven by cloud services and artificial intelligence workloads, with Pure DC saying it is expanding its presence in established European cloud markets and developing large-scale AI-focused campuses across the region. Gary comments, “Pure DC has built a strong, differentiated platform across Europe and the Middle East. The AI wave that transformed the US market is now emerging across Europe, and the opportunity to scale a focused, high-quality platform at this moment is compelling. "Our objective is clear: expand in supply-constrained core markets, deliver for hyperscale and AI customers at the highest standards, and develop the next generation of large-scale AI campuses across the region.” Leadership transition at a time of expansion As part of the leadership change, Dame Dawn Childs will move from CEO to the role of President of Pure DC. She has led the company since May 2023. She notes, “Gary’s appointment is a significant milestone for Pure DC. His global leadership experience and proven ability to scale complex infrastructure platforms make him uniquely suited to lead our next chapter of growth. "We have strong momentum and a world-class team, and this leadership transition positions us to accelerate further.” Pure DC says it currently has more than 1GW of data centre capacity either operational or under development, with several projects underway across Europe and the Middle East. For more from Pure DC, click here.

AirTrunk secures $1.2bn Tokyo data centre loan

Australian data centre operator AirTrunk has secured a ¥191.6 billion ($1.24 billion; £903 million) green loan to refinance and expand its TOK1 hyperscale data centre campus in East Tokyo, Japan. The financing is reportedly the largest data centre loan completed in Japan to date and will support further development of the campus as demand for cloud and artificial intelligence infrastructure grows. The loan, structured under AirTrunk’s Green Financing Framework, will refinance existing facilities and fund new development phases at the TOK1 site. The campus is designed to scale to more than 300MW of capacity. The company also says it has recently started construction to add more than 100MW of IT load to meet near-term customer demand. The financing was led by SMBC, MUFG, Crédit Agricole CIB, and Société Générale as global coordinators. A total of 12 banks participated as mandated lead arrangers and bookrunners. Expansion of hyperscale infrastructure in Japan AirTrunk says the financing forms part of its wider investment in Japan’s digital infrastructure. Most notably, the operator recently announced OSK2, its second hyperscale data centre in Osaka, alongside the establishment of a new headquarters in Japan. At full build-out, AirTrunk’s four campuses in Japan - TOK1, TOK2, OSK1, and OSK2 - are expected to deliver around 530MW of capacity to support cloud and AI workloads. Robin Khuda, founder and CEO of AirTrunk, comments, “Japan is one of the world’s most important cloud and AI markets, and we’re committed to building the digital infrastructure that enables its long-term growth. "AirTrunk has been investing deeply in Japan for this reason: to build the hyperscale platform that will underpin the country’s digital future and connect it to the broader region. "This landmark financing enables us to accelerate the expansion of TOK1 and continue delivering the capacity our customers need today, while preparing Japan for the extraordinary compute demands ahead.” Masato Hori, Associate Vice President Treasury Japan at AirTrunk, adds, “This is the largest data centre financing ever completed in Japan and a testament to the deep collaboration between AirTrunk and our banking partners. We’re especially grateful for the strong support from Japan’s leading financial institutions including SMBC, MUFG, Chiba Bank and Mizuho Bank. "The structure of the facility reflects our commitment to transparency, sustainability, and innovation in capital markets, and further strengthens AirTrunk’s financing platform across the region.” The financing also includes margin incentives that will be directed to the AirTrunk Social Impact Fund, supporting community initiatives in Japan including STEM education, digital inclusion, biodiversity, and disaster relief. For more from AirTrunk, click here.

'Gen Z don’t want data centres in their backyard'

New polling conducted by YouGov, a UK international market research and data analytics company, on behalf of Cavendish Consulting, a UK communications consultancy, reveals that while the UK public broadly supports the expansion of data centres, younger generations are significantly less comfortable with them on their doorstep. Just 44% of Gen Z say they would support a new data centre in their local area - the lowest level of support of any generation - while 31% would actively oppose one. By contrast, Gen Z opposition to data centres nationally stands at just 13%, highlighting that proximity is a key issue. The survey of 2,124 UK adults aged over 18 shows strong backing for the sector overall. Some 69% of Brits support new data centres across the UK. However, support falls to 56% when developments are proposed locally, with opposition more than doubling from 10% nationally to 21% in respondents’ own areas. The findings come as the UK Government plans a major expansion of data centre capacity to bolster the country’s position as a global hub for AI innovation and to unlock significant productivity gains. Capacity is expected to increase from 1.6GW in 2024 to between 3.3GW and 6.3GW by 2030. Jobs drive support, but expectations may outpace reality Employment is the sector’s strongest argument at community level. Nearly half (49%) of respondents say new local jobs would make them more likely to support a data centre, rising to 58% among those already supportive. However, the UK’s 450 data centres currently support around 24,300 full-time roles - an average of 54 per site - suggesting public expectations for job creation may exceed the sector’s current footprint. Environment remains the key battleground Environmental concerns dominate opposition, cited by 39% of respondents (particularly among younger audiences). Across generations, the main reasons for opposing local data centres are: impact on the local environment, pressure on energy supply, and water usage (with water being especially important for Gen Z). Notably, only 22% of Gen Z who oppose or are undecided say investment in green space would change their view, and a quarter of opponents say nothing would persuade them to support a local data centre. With the increasing presence of the Green Party, especially at local government level, environmental factors are predicted to become even more influential. Recent YouGov polling conducted by Cavendish Consulting (22–23 Feb 2026) shows 46% of young people would now vote Green, highlighting the political dimension of environmental concern. The top reasons that could sway Gen Z to support local data centres are new jobs (45%) and lower energy bills (37%). Max Camplin, Executive Director at Cavendish Consulting, comments, “While national support for data centres is strong, local backing depends on credibility. "Environmental impact is the top driver of opposition, particularly among younger audiences who prioritise ecological protection over economic benefits. The sector must address this head on, countering misconceptions and clearly demonstrating how impacts are prevented. Above all, developers should speak the language of each community, tailoring messages to local priorities and political context, with environmental responsibility running as a golden thread throughout.”

Data centre land platform, TEA Real Estate, launched

A new specialist real estate platform, TEA Real Estate, has been formed with a focus on identifying and preparing land for data centre development across the UK and Europe. The company aims to secure and prepare sites suitable for digital infrastructure as demand grows from hyperscalers, operators, and institutional investors. Founded by Gary Goodman, John Clarke, and Paul Boyfield, the business focuses on sites where planning, utilities, and environmental challenges must be addressed before development can begin. It will work across the UK and selected European markets, preparing land for potential data centre projects. The team also includes Duncan Clubb, Associate Partner, who has experience advising on mission-critical data centre and enterprise infrastructure. Focus on brownfield and constrained sites TEA Real Estate says it focuses on progressing constrained or underused land, including brownfield and redundant industrial sites, through planning, environmental, and infrastructure processes so that development can move forward. Sites with existing grid connections are increasingly important as power availability becomes a key constraint on data centre growth. The company says it already has visibility of a pipeline of potential opportunities across the UK and Europe, ranging from smaller edge facilities to large campus-scale developments. It may operate either as an advisor or as a development partner, depending on project requirements. John Clarke, Partner at TEA Real Estate, notes, “There is no shortage of capital and demand for data centres, but there is a real shortage of viable, deliverable land. TEA Real Estate exists to bridge that gap - doing the hard development work upfront to turn complex sites into opportunities that investors and operators can move on with confidence.” Gary Goodman, Partner, adds, “Planning, power, and environmental risk are now the defining constraints on data centre growth. Our focus is on de-risking sites properly - from contaminated land and remediation through to planning strategy and stakeholder management - so that development can progress with greater certainty and pace.” Paul Boyfield, Partner, comments, “AI presents one of the biggest economic opportunities for UK plc in a generation, but it also brings significant challenges around infrastructure, energy, and planning. "If the UK is to remain competitive, we need to move faster in enabling the physical foundations that AI depends on. TEA Real Estate is focused on helping unlock that growth by making complex sites viable and investable.” TEA Real Estate says it will work with data centre operators seeking land for development, institutional investors and infrastructure funds looking for access to development-ready sites, and major landowners seeking to repurpose redundant estates. Associate Partner Duncan Clubb concludes, “Operators want locations that work technically as well as commercially. TEA Real Estate understands the operational realities of mission-critical infrastructure and aligns land, power, and planning strategy with how data centres are actually designed, built, and run.”

Verne appoints new COO

Verne, a provider of low-carbon, high-performance data centres across the Nordics, has appointed Wayne Louw as Chief Operating Officer (COO) - a development the business states strengthens its operational leadership as it enters a more complex, AI-intensive phase of growth and continues to scale its multi-site platform. The company says he brings extensive experience leading multi-site, mission-critical environments and will guide the next stage of Verne’s operational scale. Wayne most recently led large-scale, mission-critical operations across Europe and Africa for NTT Global Data Centers. As COO, he will oversee Verne’s operational strategy, performance and resilience across its multi-site infrastructure. Wider growth in Northern Europe His appointment comes as Verne supports increasingly power-intensive AI deployments across Northern Europe. The EUDCA State of European Data Centres 2025 identifies Northern Europe as one of Europe’s most active colocation markets, underpinned by renewable power availability and regulatory stability, with growth driven by hyperscalers, neoclouds, and enterprises seeking secure, scalable access to power. Wayne notes, “Verne operates in markets where access to secure, renewable power is a strategic advantage. That matters even more as AI workloads push density and cooling requirements higher. "I have spent my career operating complex, multi-country platforms at scale. What excites me about Verne is the opportunity to apply that operational discipline to a business entering a new level of technical intensity. That next stage demands disciplined execution at scale.” Praise from Verne With senior leadership experience at Gyron and NTT Global Data Centers, Wayne has managed large, distributed teams across multiple markets. He reportedly unified regional operations under a single model while supporting hyperscale customers through periods of significant capacity build-out. Commenting on the news, Dominic Ward, CEO of Verne, says, “Verne is entering a more technically demanding phase of growth, as our multi-site platform grows in both density and complexity. In this environment, operational discipline becomes a strategic differentiator. "Wayne brings experience leading multi-market, mission-critical platforms at scale. His appointment strengthens our ability to grow capacity while delivering the resilience, consistency, and performance our customers depend on.” Wayne has an electrical engineering background. He began his career in the banking sector, where he says he witnessed first hand the transition from enterprise-owned data centres to commercial colocation and hyperscale models. For more from Verne, click here.

'Rising power costs top data centre concern'

New research from UK colocation data centre provider Asanti shows that AI adoption, resilience pressures, and rising power costs are reshaping data centre strategies for UK organisations, with material implications for managed service providers (MSPs), cloud providers, and infrastructure partners. In a survey of 100 senior IT decision makers, nearly half (48%) said AI adoption will have a large influence on their IT infrastructure strategy over the next three years, ahead of regulatory change and hybrid or multi-cloud capabilities. IT leaders report average rack densities of 8kW per rack today, rising to 11kW within 12 months, as AI-heavy workloads and high-density compute drive up power and cooling requirements. Rising power costs are already the top concern regarding current data centre environments, cited by 52% of respondents, ahead of maintaining uptime (48%). Over the next three years, rising energy costs (34%) and sustainability commitments (33%) sit alongside AI, resilience, and regulatory change as core inputs to infrastructure strategy. Stewart Laing, CEO of Asanti, notes, “AI has moved from pilot projects to production workloads, and with it comes a step-change in rack density, power demand, and cooling requirements. Organisations are realising they need the right mix of facilities, partners, and architectures to deliver compute and storage requirements without compromising on resilience, sovereignty, or cost control.” Resilience and sovereignty drive hosting decisions Over the next 12 months, cybersecurity and resilience are the most common focus for infrastructure investment, cited by 51% of IT leaders. In response to cyberattacks and service disruptions in 2025, organisations are strengthening security controls (60%), creating backup strategies across multiple data centre providers/locations (50%), and reviewing business continuity planning (42%). A third (33%) plan to move more workloads into on-premise or colocation environments to strengthen their IT resilience. Location decisions are becoming more polarised, with 30% of organisations already using data centres outside the UK and a further 24% planning to do so, while 32% say they use only UK-based data centres. The research suggests a push‑pull between cost and sovereignty: high UK power costs draw some workloads overseas, but data protection obligations, regulatory exposure, and latency considerations keep others anchored in UK facilities. Stewart continues, “For MSPs and infrastructure partners, the opportunity is to help customers design architectures that balance the needs of today, sovereignty, compliance, and resilience with AI ambition. That increasingly means hybrid strategies that combine UK-based colocation for critical workloads with selective use of overseas capacity and public cloud where it makes sense.” Opportunity for MSPs and infrastructure partners The study shows strong and sustained demand for external expertise. More than half of organisations (54%) already use third parties for cybersecurity services, while around a third bring in external partners for infrastructure audits (35%), disaster recovery and business continuity planning (33%), and end-to-end solution deployment (35%). Looking ahead over the next 12 months, organisations expect to increase their use of external support for public cloud repatriation (32%) and technical scoping for new projects (31%), signalling a shift towards more intentional workload placement and right‑sizing. Stewart concludes, “As power, AI, and sovereignty concerns collide, few organisations can carry all the skills they need in‑house. MSPs, systems integrators, and specialist data centre providers have a critical role in helping enterprises architect for higher densities, navigate cross border data complexity, and build resilient, multi‑site infrastructure that can withstand disruption.” The full whitepaper, From Misconception to Momentum: 2026 Trends for the UK’s Data Centre Sector, is available by clicking here. For more from Asanti, click here.

Nostrum Group appoints new board member

Nostrum Group, a developer of sustainable data centre infrastructure across Spain and Europe, has appointed Les Dunkley as the newest Independent Member of its Board of Directors, coming as it expands its data centre infrastructure activities through its Nostrum Data Centers division. The appointment arrives as the group increases capacity to meet demand linked to data sovereignty requirements and AI-related workloads. Nostrum Group says the move strengthens its governance as it progresses international expansion plans. Les has more than 35 years’ experience in the data centre sector. He is a founding partner of The TLM Group, which has delivered more than 300 data centres across North America, Latin America, Europe, and the Nordics, with over two gigawatts of installed capacity in 11 countries. Supporting expansion plans Nostrum Group says Les’s background in mission-critical infrastructure design and delivery will support the development of current projects and the evaluation of new markets. Guy Auger, Partner at Andera Partners and fellow Board Member, says, “It is a true privilege for Nostrum Group to integrate a figure of Les Dunkley's calibre into our Board. His knowledge of the global market is unparalleled.” Santiago Rodriguez, Chairman of Nostrum Group, adds, “His arrival coincides with a period of unprecedented growth for Nostrum Data Centers. His expertise will be vital in ensuring our infrastructure not only grows in volume, but leads in innovation and resilience on a global scale.” The company also notes that the appointment reflects a focus on maintaining technical oversight and operational standards. For more from Nostrum Data Centers, click here.

CPP Investments, Equinix to acquire atNorth

Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments), a Canadian pension fund manager, and Equinix, a US global data centre and interconnection services provider, have agreed to acquire Nordic data centre operator atNorth from Partners Group in a $4 billion (£2.9 billion) enterprise value transaction. The deal is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. CPP Investments will invest approximately $1.6 billion (£1.18 billion) for a 60% controlling interest, while Equinix will hold a 40% stake. The companies have also provisionally agreed a $4.2 billion (£3.1 billion) financing package, underwritten by European and Canadian lenders, to fund the acquisition and future expansion. atNorth currently operates eight data centres across Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, with additional sites under development. The company has around 800MW in its installed and active development pipeline due online over the next five years, alongside 1GW of secured power for further expansion. Nordic data centre expansion plans Several atNorth facilities are designed to support AI and high-performance computing workloads, including liquid cooling capability. The portfolio incorporates renewable energy sourcing, heat reuse, and modular design principles. Equinix currently operates eight data centres in the Nordics, five in Helsinki and three in Stockholm, as part of a wider European footprint of more than 100 facilities across 20 countries. Eyjólfur Magnús Kristinsson, CEO of atNorth, says, “This acquisition is a powerful validation of atNorth’s journey and its market position as the leading Nordics data centre platform. It further illustrates the strategic importance of the region as Europe’s rising AI powerhouse. "I’m extremely proud to announce the next step in our chapter, welcoming this investment from CPP Investments and Equinix, which will enable access to capital, global enterprise, and hyperscale relationships, and supply chain strength required to scale at pace. "Our strategy remains firmly rooted in the Nordics, and we will continue to operate independently under the atNorth brand, preserving our dedication to the communities where we operate and the culture and values that have defined our success to date.” Maximilian Biagosch, Senior Managing Director & Global Head of Real Assets at CPP Investments, comments, “This transaction builds on our long-standing and highly productive relationship with Equinix. It demonstrates our conviction and commitment to the data centre sector, where demand continues to accelerate, fuelled by continued strong enterprise demand as well as cloud and AI adoption. "The Nordics are an attractive market for data centre growth, and the opportunity to partner with Equinix on this acquisition allows us to deploy capital at scale into a high-quality platform, helping us deliver attractive, risk-adjusted returns for CPP contributors and beneficiaries.” Bruce Owen, President, EMEA at Equinix, adds, “The scalable sites of atNorth are very complementary to Equinix’s connectivity services and global footprint. Combined with our joint focus on sustainability, this acquisition is expected to enhance our ability to help customers unlock the full potential of the Nordics’ expanding digital landscape." For more from Equinix, click here.

Norton advises on €210m data centre financing for Berlin

Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright has advised British multinational bank Standard Chartered and French international banking group Crédit Agricole on a €210 million (£183 million) development facility for Virtus Data Centres, a UK data centre owner-operator providing colocation services across the region. The facility will finance the development of a 19,000m² data centre campus in Marienpark, Berlin. Once fully operational, the campus will deliver 57.6MW of IT capacity to meet the needs of hyperscale, government, and enterprise customers. Investment in Germany's infrastructure market The multi-disciplinary Norton Rose Fulbright team was led by London-based partners Jennie Dorsaint and Jonathan Crookes, and included partners Veit Sahlfeld (Hamburg), Holger Wolf (Frankfurt), Simon Weppner (Düsseldorf), Head of Real Estate Finance EMEA Sarah Cullen (London), counsels Michael-Alexander Volks (Hamburg) and Tobias Block (Hamburg), Senior Associate Anne-Sophie Wilhelmy (Frankfurt), and associates Symone Malcolm (London) and Jakob Kramer (Hamburg). Jonathan Crookes comments, “This financing is a landmark transaction, representing a significant investment in Germany’s rapidly growing digital infrastructure market. The deal showcases not only the breadth of our cross-border network but also the depth of our capability in the sector.”

Echelon secures €1.7bn loan financing for European expansion

Echelon Data Centres, an Irish-headquartered developer and operator of large-scale data centre infrastructure, has announced the successful closing of an initial €1.7 billion (£1.4 billion) in loan financing provided by investment bank and financial services company Morgan Stanley. The data centre operator says the financing "further strengthens [its] capital base to continue its planned expansion across Europe." Echelon now has eight campuses across Europe, totalling 1.2 GW of capacity, of which 400MW is operational or under development. The company notes that this "new multi-billion-euro financing facility enhances [its] ability to scale [its] development pipeline, invest in enabling power infrastructure, and grow [its] campus portfolio across Ireland, the UK, Spain, and Italy." David Smith, Deputy CEO of Echelon Data Centres, comments, “Ireland is one of Europe’s most important and supply-constrained data centre markets, and we have established the leading position in the Irish market through the delivery of large-scale campus developments supported by innovative power solutions developed in partnership with customers, regulators, and grid stakeholders. “Over the past 15 months, we have expanded into Spain - in joint venture with Europe’s largest utility, Iberdrola - and into Italy, extending our development model into new strategic markets. “We are incredibly proud of the growth Echelon has achieved over the past several years and [we are] excited for the opportunity ahead. "Demand for digital infrastructure across Europe is substantial and long term, and our ambition is to continue expanding our platform to support the growth of our customers in key strategic markets.” Continuing growth Charlie Etheridge, Head of Investments at Echelon Data Centres, adds, “This €1.7 billion financing strengthens our capital position and provides the flexibility to execute on our pipeline at scale and at pace. “It reflects the quality of our platform and the strong institutional support behind our strategy. We are pleased to continue our valued partnership with Morgan Stanley as we advance the next phase of our European expansion.” Echelon was advised by A&O Shearman and Arthur Cox. For more from Echelon, click here.