Jim Smith has joined Equinix as Managing Director – Hyperscale. (Photo: Infrastructure Masons)
During Smith’s time at Digital Realty, he led teams that delivered more than 300 megawatts of data center projects, totaling more than $4 billion of capital investment. His time at Microsoft coincided with an extraordinary period of growth in which the company invested billions of dollars in support the
Equinix created a Hyperscale Infrastructure Team (HIT) to focus on these larger projects, and has recently begun work on its Paris 8 data center, the first facility designed for hyperscale customers.
“We expect to add a handful of strategic builds across key markets over the next year and we have a healthy pipeline of attractive hyperscale opportunities,” said Peter Van Camp, Interim CEO and President of Equinix, on the earnings call. “We are also progressing well with financing structures that will allow us to pursue this important market with limited balance sheet exposure.”
‘Healthy Funnel’ for Hyperscale
Meyers said Equinix has already won several hyperscale deals, and said the company has “an exceptionally healthy funnel” of prospects.
“We are actively engaged in deal discussions for both projects that are hyperscale oriented into some existing facilities, but now really starting to ramp up, where we’re talking about deals that are going to go into dedicated HIT facilities,” said Meyers. ”
In announcing its expansion into hyperscale deals, Equinix said it would begin competing on deals for between 3 and 5 megawatts of data center space, perhaps delivered in phases. Equinix says the hyperscale initiative will be targeted, focusing on strategic customers in key markets.
