Meet the Women Driving Change in the Data Centre Industry

The data centre industry is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by the people shaping its future.

Among the most significant forces behind this evolution is the growing influence of women across the sector, bringing new perspectives to leadership and innovation.

Women are playing a critical role in redefining how data centres are designed and operated. Spearheading global infrastructure strategies and reshaping procurement and engineering practices, their impact is being felt across every layer of the ecosystem.

At Data Centre LIVE: The London Summit, the Women in Data Centres panel will spotlight these contributions.

The session will explore leadership, career development and inclusion strategies, while offering practical insight into how diverse teams can unlock stronger performance and innovation.

Catriona Shearer: driving global strategy and client value

As Global Head of Data Centre Consulting at JLL Data Centre Solutions, Catriona Shearer brings a uniquely holistic view of the industry.

Her role centres on shaping strategic consulting services that deliver measurable value for clients across global markets.

Working across regions, she integrates sustainability, operations, procurement and industry consulting into a cohesive offering, ensuring organisations can navigate the increasingly complex data centre landscape with confidence.

Her career spans senior leadership roles across operations, consultancy and sales, including experience with major colocation providers and Schneider Electric.

This breadth enables her to speak authoritatively on topics ranging from operating models and compliance to employee engagement and commercial strategy.

On the panel, Catriona is set to offer a strategic lens on how leadership and collaboration can drive both performance and inclusion at scale.

Rebecca Weekly: scaling the infrastructure behind the internet

Rebecca Weekly, VP of Infrastructure Engineering at GEICO, is one of the most recognised figures in global infrastructure.

She currently leads a major hybrid cloud transformation, focused on building a secure, efficient and modernised infrastructure stack.

Previously, she played a pivotal role at Cloudflare, overseeing the lifecycle management of compute, network, storage and AI systems across more than 300 cities worldwide.

A former President and Chairperson of the Open Compute Project, Rebecca has long championed the democratisation of hyperscale innovation. Her industry recognition includes Fortune’s 40 Under 40 and multiple accolades celebrating her influence in cloud and data centre technology.

Her contribution to the panel will centre on scaling innovation, building resilient infrastructure and creating pathways for more inclusive participation in technical leadership.

Eve McIlvaney: transforming procurement for future growth

As VP of Global Procurement at Yondr Group, Eve McIlvaney is redefining how procurement functions operate within the data centre sector. She places relationships at the heart of strategy, ensuring long-term value, quality and innovation for clients.

She oversees procurement across the full lifecycle of data centre delivery, from build and fit-out to ongoing operations.

By developing a robust network of global, regional and local suppliers, she ensures projects are supported by the right expertise at every stage.

Her work is instrumental in creating agile, resilient supply chains capable of meeting the demands of next-generation data centres.

At the same time, she is enabling teams to access specialist skills quickly and efficiently, driving both performance and scalability.

Eve will bring valuable insight into how inclusive leadership and strategic partnerships can strengthen supply chains and support sustainable industry growth.

Villie Xeni: bridging engineering and delivery excellence

Villie Xeni, Commissioning & Engineering Director at MiCiM Ltd, offers a perspective grounded in hands-on engineering experience.

With a background in mechanical engineering and early career experience as a project engineer, she has a deep understanding of the practical realities of data centre construction.

Her transition into client-facing roles has allowed her to combine technical expertise with strategic oversight, supporting projects from design through to commissioning.

She brings a multidisciplinary understanding that spans building services, civil engineering and architectural considerations.

Having worked on complex, mission-critical projects, Villie is well positioned to advise on both programme efficiency and real-world installation challenges.

Her insights will highlight the importance of bridging design intent with on-site execution, a critical factor in delivering successful data centre projects.

Join us in London

Join us at Exhibition White City in London on May 20–21 for Data Centre LIVE: The London Summit.

Attendees will gain practical insight from industry experts, hear real-world case studies and connect with peers and key decision-makers shaping the future of data centres.

Click here to guarantee your ticket for this unmissable event.