DEEP DIVE
If you could go back and change one career decision , what would it be ?
I think I touched on it earlier but being brave enough to jump into the technology space earlier . It certainly would have helped me build better foundations and increased my understanding of the industry . Outside of that , I don ’ t regret my choices – it ’ s better to own and learn from them than to regret them .
What are the region-specific challenges when implementing new technologies in Europe ?
For me , it would certainly be more around the emergence of ‘ Out of London ’ locations and the challenges of breaking the idea that you ‘ need ’ to be in Central London to have truly agile and mission-critical facilities . We are seeing more and more sites being built outside of London and our major challenge is helping potential customers understand the benefits of being away from the city , rather than within it .
I think another challenge – again very specific to the data centre industry is the challenge of comparing offerings from different providers . Today , the technologies and the solutions data centres can offer are so varied , that it can be difficult to choose the right service provider for your needs . It ’ s never a
I WOULD NEVER EXPECT ANY OF MY TEAM TO DO SOMETHING I WASN ’ T PREPARED TO DO MYSELF .
case of comparing apples for apples , so this , combined with the frenetic pace our industry moves in , means what was relevant six to 12 months ago , can be almost obsolete today .
What style of management philosophy do you employ with your current position ?
A very difficult question , but I have always stood by being able to do the job I am asking someone else to do . I would never expect any of my team to do something I wasn ’ t prepared to do myself . I work hard and like to lead by example . If I had to put a label on it , it would certainly fall more towards a transformational style – I want my teams to be brave and be happy to suggest ideas and develop better ways of doing things .
What changes to your job role have you seen in the last year and how do you see these developing in the next 12 months ?
It ’ s been a strange year ! I think strategically we have tried to focus on using this time to eliminate pinch points and optimise our internal operations . My role has become broad as we scale our operation to multiple sites , and the commercial function must be engaged with all areas of the business . This is certainly something I see continuing as we find the balance between being technologyled vs . commercially led . The last 12 months have certainly seen our cross-functional teams collaborate more so than ever and offer truly dynamic service to our customers – a trend that is set to continue .
What advice would you offer somebody aspiring to obtain a C-level position in your industry ?
Outside of the obvious , I think it ’ s important to surround yourself with people who share the same willingness to move forward , the same vision and the appetite to push boundaries . Technology is all about innovation , so being willing to challenge yourself and others will certainly help . Understanding that you need to get comfortable being uncomfortable and that it ’ s not a set path . Everyone has their journey , so don ’ t get disheartened if your route is different to everyone else ’ s . � www . intelligentdatacentres . com
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