DCN July 2017 | Page 16

meet me room Specifically, over the next 12 months we are working with current and future customers to help them roll-out their hybrid cloud models, as well as rising to the challenges of intensifying regulatory compliance. support our growing customer base. What we announced earlier this year is the expansion of our London campus, which is situated between the Square Mile and Tech City. Lon3 is a £30 million investment opening in 2018. Right now, it is the biggest data centre build in central London. Which major issues do you see dominating the data centre industry over the next 12 months? The impact of Brexit on London will continue to dominate headlines, whilst regulatory compliance requirements including GDPR and MiFID II (coming in to force in 2018) are high on the agenda for many of our customers. Some organisations will establish dual sites in and outside the EU and many will consider UK data held within the UK an Stunning Thailand, Andrew’s favourite holiday destination. A blast from the past: The chimney that remains from the old Truman Brewery that can be seen from Andrew’s office. essential requirement. Irrespective of all the speculation, I believe London, with all it has to offer, will (as it always has) continue to be an attractive proposition – in short, #openforbusiness. What, in your opinion, is the most important aspect of a successful data centre? (E.g. security, energy efficiency) Power, cooling, resilience, security, green credentials etc. are all vitally important. Organisations know that the right data centre partner can help them gain the commercial advantage. Today, the hallmark of a great data centre isn’t just about technology, but trust. Our work is far more complex these days, as we develop deeper understanding of the intricacies of each customer’s needs. So, the most important aspect is customer trust amid rapid change. What are your company’s aims for the next 12 months? Everything we do is focused on walking beside our customers on their journey. The continued expansion of our London campus is in response to demand and to create a highly connected location to meet their future needs. We are expanding our ‘communities of interest’ to leverage the diverse customers who operate digital businesses. 16 | July 2017 What gives you the greatest sense of achievement? Delighted customers on our campus, all being looked after by a dedicated, motivated and expert team, coupled with impressive and sustained growth, gives me a constant source of satisfaction. I am also immensely proud of Interxion’s status as an integral part of London’s technology infrastructure. We are making a real contribution in helping businesses located here to flourish, as well as making London a highly attractive proposition for organisations from all over the world. Where is your favourite holiday destination and why? I love the bustle and energy of London, but to relax, I can think of no better place than stunning Thailand. Favourite: Book? Film? TV show? Singer/band? Frank Capra’s ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’. It’s a metaphor for my life. If you could travel back to any time period in history which would it be and why? From my office on Brick Lane I can see the tall chimney that remains from the famous Truman Brewery; once one of the largest breweries in the world. I would love to travel back to the same spot in the 1700’s, to see how different daily life would have been, compared to the tech savvy start-ups, pop-up boutiques and cosmopolitan café culture of today. Then somehow I’d like to watch a movie on a tablet and see how people reacted!