New STT GDC India CEO Committed to Data Centre Growth
One of the fast-growing data centre colocation service providers in the world, ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC), recently announced the appointment of Bimal Khandelwal as new CEO for India.
In this new leadership role, Bimal aims to harness his 30 years of experience in telecommunications, financial services and information technology to drive STT GDC’s continued digital transformation to support Indian tech business.
Effective from the start of October 2024, he will succeed Sumit Mukhija, who has decided to step down to pursue other personal interests after having led STT GDC India's data centre business since 2016. Sumit’s contributions to the Indian data centre sector have been significant, as he has helped lead the company to the forefront of the market. Now, Bimal aims to harness this legacy to continue powering the next phase of growth at STT GDC India.
“India is one of the key pillars of STT GDC’s success as a group and we will continue to build upon our momentum, as evidenced by our recent announcement to invest US$3.2bn to add 550MW of data centre capacity in India. Bimal has been an integral part of our growth story in India for the past seven years, and the Board of Directors and leadership team are confident that, under Bimal’s leadership, STT GDC India will continue its success and achieve the business goals set for the next five years and beyond.”
Who is Bimal Khandelwal?
Often described as a key driving force behind STT GDC India as it continues on its expansion strategy, Bimal has helped refine the company’s focus to consider responsible development and sustainable growth.
First joining the organisation in 2017, he has played a critical role in shaping robust processes and government practices, including in financial processes. He was formerly Chief Financial Officer for STT GDC India and has been instrumental in leading the company’s capital procurement strategy and execution of growth.
With a strong background in finance, Bimal’s previous roles have seen him responsible for initiatives such as driving financial control, improving strategic financial planning and bolstering business analytics and reporting for consumer businesses.
Focused inexplicably on people, Bimal also oversees the company’s CSR and ESG-related initiatives. His previous leadership roles include positions at Idea Cellular, Aircel ltd. (Maxis Group), Tata Teleservices and Birla Sun Life, which have allowed him to adopt a broad and diverse leadership experience.
“Our team’s passion and dedication are the driving force behind our commitment to delivering exceptional service and exceeding customer expectations. I encourage our customers, ecosystem partners and other stakeholders to continue placing their trust in us, as we work together to achieve even greater heights.”
STT GDC continues its growth trajectory
STT GDC India has been recognised as one of the best colocation services providers in India, as the country undergoes a huge transformational shift in its digital economy. Its India unit is majority-owned by STT GDC, with Tata Communications holding a minority stake.
The data centre operator’s portfolio in India currently consists of 28 data centres across 10 cities in India, which hold a capacity of more than 318 megawatts (MW). In 2024, the company announced that it would be expanding further into India with plans to invest US$3.2bn solely to expand its data centre operations.
According to the company, it holds roughly 28% of the current market share across the country.
“We are entering an exciting era of unprecedented digital growth — as an organisation, an industry and as a country,” Bimal said upon his appointment. “We are committed to providing the essential digital infrastructure that fuels innovation and progress, while also supporting responsible, resilient and sustainable growth.”
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