The Data Center Exchange

Hosted by Harper Harrison

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Jul 2024

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About the show

Join Del Connolly, host and Global Director of Harper Harrison, a built environment recruiting firm as he is joined by some of the most senior leaders within the data center industry. Del and his guests will be touching on topics such as the culture of a fast growing business within the sector, sustainability, engineering, construction challenges, diversity & inclusion, and much more.

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12 recent

July 25, 2024Episode 1240 min

ESG at Stack Infrastructure with Michillay Brown, Vice President

The purpose of the Data Center Exchange is to shine a positive light on the Data Center Industry. Often an industry misunderstood and often subject to great levels of scrutiny surrounding the environmental and social impact of the industry. But it’s an industry that takes this seriously. There are so many great initiatives across the industry relating to ESG which are hugely positive. And no better company to lift the lid on that Stack Infrastructure. Michillay Brown (Vice President of ESG) joins us to discuss her career background, her view on the Data Center Industry’s stance on ESG and what Stack Infrastructure are up to. About Michillay Brown With almost a decade of experience in the fields of environmental, social, and governance (ESG), sustainability, human rights and international relations, Michillay is passionate about creating positive impact and value for both the planet and the people. As the Vice President of ESG at STACK Infrastructure, a leading global data center provider, she is responsible for developing and implementing the company's ESG strategy, policies, and initiatives, and ensuring alignment with the industry standards and best practices. To get in touch with host, Del Connolly, please email him at d.connolly@harperharrison.com

June 11, 2024Episode 1137 min

Integrating businesses following M&A’s with Jeremy Pease

In this podcast series, ⁠Del Connolly⁠ will be joined by industry leaders to discuss topics such as the culture of a fast-growing business within the sector, sustainability, engineering, construction challenges, diversity & inclusion, and much more. Mergers and Acquisitions are fairly common across the Data Center Industry. When they occur, the complex process of integrating businesses begins. This episode we welcome Jeremy Pease- CEO of Colohouse/Hivelocity (recently merged) to discuss his experience of M&A’s across the industry, his thoughts on the challenges you have to navigate as a leader and what he believes are the most important aspects to consider to get this very sensitive process right. About Jeremy: A seasoned executive with over 20 years in the data center and cloud hosting industry, Jeremy Pease has built a career rooted in extreme ownership and servant leadership. As the CEO of Colohouse, he is harnessing his extensive background to guide the company toward a dominant position in the industry, targeting advancements in cloud technology, BareMetal, and retail Colo services. To get in touch with host, Del Connolly, please email him at d.connolly@harperharrison.com

April 29, 2024Episode 1039 min

The Gender Gap within the Data Center Industry with Lindsey Bruner

In this podcast series, Del Connolly will be joined by industry leaders to discuss topics such as the culture of a fast-growing business within the sector, sustainability, engineering, construction challenges, diversity & inclusion, and much more. In this episode we explore the Gender gap that exists within the Data Center industry, statistics show that only 20% of the workforce is made up of women. We discuss Lindsey’s journey, her view of the gender gap across the industry, what can help change this in the future and explore some of the positive initiatives out there. Lindsey Bruner is COO of CleanArc Data Centers and is an accomplished Data Center Executive. A lawyer by trade, Lindsey has held several executive-level positions across the Data Center industry for both CyrusOne and CleanArc. Before entering the Data Center Industry, Lindsey was a senior Attorney at RES- one the largest independent Energy companies in the world. Lindsey studied Law at the University of Denver before completing an Executive MBA at Quantic School of Business & Technology. To get in touch with host, Del Connolly, please email him at d.connolly@harperharrison.com

March 27, 2024Episode 957 min

Data Center Passion & Industry Innovation with Adam Gibson

In this episode of the Data Center Exchange podcast, Del Connolly was joined by Adam Gibson, a Data Center professional AND enthusiast. If the industry is going to grow and overcome the skills shortages, it’s important we make it the industry of choice. And Adam is a great example of somebody who brings the industry to life. Join me as we explore Adam’s own unique career journey, exploring his own goal to visit 1000 data centers in his lifetime. We discuss how we can raise awareness of the industry, how the industry has become more accessible and we explore what it’s like to take over 100 flights in a calendar year. We look at how important building relationships is within the industry and despite being in a digital world, having that personal interaction is simply irreplaceable. There are some more light-hearted points but the discussion attempts to discuss the critical aspects of raising the profile of the industry and shining a light on how interesting and exciting it can be. About Adam: Adam Gibson is a specialist in Data Centres and has been working in the industry for 17 years on Design, Operation and Management in varied Executive, C-Suite and board positions. Alongside this skilled knowledge Adam's ability to design, develop Fibre Optic Network and Network Technology services has been proven a strong play in ANZ with multiple executive roles. With a global understanding of Data Centres and enabling partnerships, Adam’s driven passion for Digital Infrastructure, Technology and Data has proven the ability to be a presenter, panelist and speaker at events globally. Being the next generation of Digital Professionals, Adam has started to seek further into the industry to support and create new opportunities to enhance the next Technology Revolution. To get in touch with host, Del Connolly, Please email him at: d.connolly@wearelhi.com

January 25, 2024Episode 818 min

PTC Special with Jesse Sargent

Welcome to a special edition of the Data Center Exchange filmed live from PTC24 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Del was joined by Jesse Sargent, President of OVERWATCH - a veteran owned Strategic Consultancy serving the Data Center market with deep expertise in Operations and Management. Jesse is also the co-host of the Data Center Revolution, which is a great podcast with nearly 80 episodes recorded. So, Jesse and I are here to talk about PTC24. What happens here, how Overwatch approach it and why the conference is such a great one to attend. In addition, Team OVERWATCH take their profession very seriously, but they have a lot of fun doing so. Hear what the team have been up to whilst in Hawaii…. It’s pretty wild! And finally, does the Data Exchange have its first scoop?! Are OVERWATCH bringing their conference DC:AC to London?! Listen in to find out! More about Jesse: Prior to being a co-founder of OVERWATCH and having a number of leadership positions within the Mission Critical sector, Jesse served in the Military. As a decorated US Army veteran, Jesse is clearly passionate about supporting ex-military personnel and sees just how impactful they can be to the Data Center industry. Jesse resides in Ohio and when he’s not working and influencing the Data Center industry on social media, he clearly enjoys time with his family including his four children. To get in touch with host, Del Connolly, Please email him at: d.connolly@wearelhi.com

January 10, 2024Episode 642 min

Tackling the skills gap with John Shingler

In this episode, we are joined by John Shingler who has one of the most fascinating backgrounds of any Data Center Leader! We delve a little into John’s past ranging from a serviceman as a Navy Nuke through to being a full-time College Football coach, then in to the Oil & Gas industry to now being a Data Center Operations leader. John talks about those transitions and also offers insights into his view on the skills gap, the need to embrace people outside of industry and just how powerful this can be for retention and engagement. It’s a great episode and you really get to see the importance John places on relationships. A must listen! To get in touch with host, Del Connolly, Please email him at: d.connolly@wearelhi.com

November 29, 2023Episode 648 min

All things Sustainability within the Data Center world

In this episode, we are joined by Susanna Kass to discuss all things Sustainability within the Data Center world. One of the hottest topics across an industry which often gets bad press relating to the environmental impact it has. We explore how just this criticism is, the challenges the industry faces, the great work it is doing and just how far the industry has come. Susanna is somebody who speaks with a huge amount of experience, knowledge and passion. It’s an episode not to be missed. To get in touch with host, Del Connolly, Please email him at: d.connolly@wearelhi.com

September 20, 2023Episode 547 min

Compass Quantum, the skills gap in the industry and being a Data Center influencer!

We are delighted to welcome Tony Grayson to the Data Center Exchange. Tony is a former sub commander and now an Executive within the Digital Infrastructure world. As the General Manager of Compass Quantum, he is at the helm of a hugely exciting new modular Data Center solution. We touch on some of the features and advantages of the solution and look at the journey so far. We also cannot invite Tony on the podcast without touching on his background in the services, how ex servicemen and women can help plug the undoubted skills gap within the industry, his role as Veterans Chair within the Infrastructure Masons and his views on some of the discussion points about nuclear energy within the Data Center market. Tony is a well-known seasoned executive with over 25 years of technology and leadership experience. He is a decorated serviceman and a hugely experienced Data Center and Technology leader who is General Manager at Compass Quantum. To get in touch with host, Del Connolly, Please email him at: d.connolly@wearelhi.com

July 18, 2023Episode 440 min

Organizational culture and performance within the Digital Infrastructure industry

In this podcast series, Del will be joined by industry leaders to discuss topics such as the culture of a fast-growing business within the sector, sustainability, engineering, construction challenges, diversity & inclusion, and much more. Building on from episode 3, we talk to Anna Carlton, VP, Culture and Learning at Compass Datacenters. Anna is hugely passionate about all things culture and a real curator of culture at one of the shining stars of the Data Center Development Industry. We delve in to organizational culture holistically, and explore the differences culturally between organisations within the Digital Infrastructure world and those across other industries. We also shine a light on Compass Datacenters and learn a bit about their secret sauce. Anna is a strategic HR leader who excels in all aspects of people practices, from recruitment to retirement. She is known as a culture catalyst, capable of driving positive change throughout an organization. With extensive experience in senior leadership, Anna was a perfect guest to invite on to the show to offer her insights around organizational culture. Anna is VP, Culture and Learning at Compass Datacenters based out of Dallas, Texas. Compass Datacenters have designed, built and delivered over $5bn of Data Centers globally. To get in touch with host, Del Connolly, Please email him at: d.connolly@wearelhi.com

June 13, 2023Episode 31 hr 16 min

How can organizational culture impact high performance?

We are delighted to be joined by Chris Yetman. Chris is the COO of Vantage Data Centers, one of the fastest-growing organizations within the sector. I wanted to discuss how organizational culture impacts the high performance and growth of a business. Particularly a business operating to such high standards expected within the Data Center market. Chris talks us through his personal journey and offers us an insight into the success of Vantage, the mindset and approach to customer engagement. This is a rare opportunity to gain an insight into what is one of the industry's success stories. As Chief Operating Officer at Vantage Data Centers, Chris Yetman leads operations, security, construction, design, engineering and IT. Yetman is dedicated to building a culture of operational excellence and constant improvement by focusing on transparency and performance measurements and applying lessons learned to Vantage’s next generation of data centers. With more than 30 years of experience, Yetman approaches strategy and decision-making from the customers’ viewpoint. In partnership with Vantage’s leadership team, he develops the company’s strategy and evangelizes it throughout the organization. Yetman has been instrumental in accelerating Vantage’s growth from a regional data center provider in the United States to a fast-growing global operator. Prior to joining Vantage, Yetman served as vice president of infrastructure operations for Amazon Web Services (AWS) where he was responsible for managing the operations of the company’s data centers worldwide. At AWS, he achieved 99.9% availability of servers, reduced the data center operations ticket backlog by 76%, decreased the mean time-to-repair by 56%, and enhanced provisioning performance by 50% for 95% of all servers. Before this, Yetman managed the daily operations of one of the largest fiber and TCP/IP networks in the world at Level 3 Communications. Yetman received his Bachelor of Science in computer engineering from Northeastern University. To get in touch with host, Del Connolly, Please email him at: d.connolly@wearelhi.com