As an honoree in the new Datacloud Power 50 list, what has inspired and motivated you recently in your role at Switch?

The extraordinary growth of AI presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to shape the future of our industry and create lasting value. It’s an incredibly exciting time, and I’m energised to be part of the Switch team as we navigate the challenges of resource optimisation, accelerate infrastructure development and help power the evolution of the digital economy.

What motivates me daily is being at a company built on teamwork, relentless innovation and visionary leadership. At Switch, we’re not just keeping pace with change – we’re leading it. With our cutting-edge, future-proofed data centres, I believe we’re uniquely positioned to drive this next chapter of growth for the industry and customers.

What are your main areas of focus in your role at Switch?

As CFO, my top priority is ensuring that Switch has access to the capital needed to scale, which is essential as we grow at an unprecedented pace. I’m focused on making sure our financial and accounting foundations are as strong and sophisticated as the technology that defines our data centres.

At the same time, as part of the leadership team, I’m equally focused on future-proofing the core of our business. That means not only strengthening our infrastructure, but also building the operational excellence required for long-term growth.

What are the trends you see shaping the US and global data centre industry right now?

The momentum behind AI is extraordinary even in the early stages of this transformation. The capital required to support this growth is unlike anything we’ve seen before, with projects no longer calling for many millions of dollars, but billions or even tens of billions. Speed to market and operational excellence are also becoming critical differentiators.

We’re seeing greater competition for talent too, while technology is playing a much bigger role in an industry that was once more real estate-driven. The sophistication of data centre design, efficiency and scalability are now key value drivers.

At the same time, countries are prioritising domestic infrastructure to strengthen leadership in AI, and projects like Stargate in the US show how central digital infrastructure has become to global competitiveness.

How do you see Switch’s role in the data centre market and how does it differentiate itself from other players?

Switch is a market leader in this industry, with three key areas in which we differentiate ourselves: technology leadership, our campus model, and customer diversity.

First, our technology is one-of-a-kind. We have patented, future-proofed designs developed by our founder and CEO, Rob Roy. Over the past 25 years, he has developed the most technologically advanced data centres, including both high-density air-cooled facilities and our newest offering – Rob Roy’s EVO AI Factories. These hybrid air-and-liquid-cooled facilities are purpose-built to handle the extreme performance and density demands of next-generation AI, cloud and enterprise workloads, aligned with NVIDIA’s DGX and MGX roadmaps and supporting up to 2MW per rack.

Second, our ‘exascale’ campus model sets us apart. Our campuses – in Las Vegas, Tahoe-Reno, Atlanta, Grand Rapids, Austin and Houston – span millions of square feet with multi-gigawatt power capacities. This gives us the ability to secure large, concentrated power loads and unlock economies of scale that others can’t match.

Finally, our customer diversity is a real strength. Over the past 25 years, we’ve built relationships with over 1,600 enterprise customers, including leading AI, cloud and hyperscale companies. As AI shifts from training to inference, this breadth will continue to be a significant advantage.

What methods is Switch using to maintain environmental sustainability as the industry rapidly grows?

At Switch, sustainability is part of our DNA, being at the core of how we design, build and operate our facilities – with our data centres powered by 100% renewable energy since 2016.

One area we’re particularly focused on is nuclear power because of its potential to deliver clean, reliable energy at scale. We recently signed a landmark agreement with Oklo, an advanced developer in that sector, to deploy 12GW of clean energy over the next 20 years – one of the largest corporate clean energy deals ever. We’re also optimistic about the role small modular reactors could play as part of the solution.

How do you see the data centre industry panning out over the next five years in the US?

Over the next five years, I see the data centre industry continuing to grow fast, with AI-driven momentum fuelling strong demand for digital infrastructure. I think we’ll also see increasing competition lead to more consolidation as the market matures – not just among newer entrants, but also bigger players as they seek scale, efficiency and strategic advantage.

As for Switch, we are very well-positioned for this next phase of growth. We’ve spent the past 25 years building scale, deep industry expertise, and a strong reputation for innovation and operational excellence. I’m confident we’ll continue to lead as the industry evolves.