Intelligent Data Centres Issue 74 | Page 68

I BELIEVE IN FOSTERING AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE EACH PERSON BRINGS THEIR UNIQUE TALENTS AND PERSPECTIVES TO THE JOB.
D E E P D I V E
WE‘ DEEP DIVE’ WITH

LAURA ORTMAN, CEO OF COLOGIX, WHO TELLS US ABOUT LIFE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE OFFICE. w

What would you describe as your most memorable achievement in the data centre industry?
Our recent expansion in Columbus, Ohio, where we’ re investing more than US $ 7 billion to develop AI-ready data centres across 154 acres, stands out as a milestone. Additionally, the continued trust of our investors, reinforced by our recent US $ 1.5 billion in debt and equity financing, is a significant achievement.
However, none of this would be possible without what I consider our proudest accomplishment: the culture we’ ve built at Cologix. Our values guide everything we do and knowing that every team member feels valued as a critical part of our success is incredibly rewarding.
What first made you think of a career in technology / data centres?
Like many in our industry, my background was in software, cloud and SaaS. As the digital economy expanded globally, I saw firsthand how essential digital infrastructure is to enabling transformation. My passion for helping customers find the right solutions made the move into data centres a natural fit.
What style of management philosophy do you employ in your current position?
The most common phrase across emails, chat, and text at Cologix is‘ TWW’ – Together We Win. I believe in fostering an environment where each person brings their unique talents and perspectives to the job while feeling empowered and accountable for driving success. We are stronger together.

I BELIEVE IN FOSTERING AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE EACH PERSON BRINGS THEIR UNIQUE TALENTS AND PERSPECTIVES TO THE JOB.
What do you think is the current hot talking point within the data centre space?
I would certainly say AI and with it, power. It presents incredible opportunities for innovation, but it also brings significant challenges that require collaboration between our industry, policymakers, utilities and communities to thoughtfully leverage the promise of AI.
For our customers, another important talking point is interconnection. Our customers are telling us that robust
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