Schneider Electric Names New Data Centre Leader

Schneider Electric has appointed Matthew Baynes as Vice President of its Secure Power and Data Centre division for the UK and Ireland, placing a long-serving industry figure at the helm of its regional data centre and critical power strategy.

The appointment comes as the UK and Ireland face a period of accelerated digital infrastructure expansion, driven by AI adoption, rising compute density and increased public and private investment in data centre capacity. 

Schneider Electric says Matthew’s role will focus on resilience, sustainability and the delivery of AI-ready infrastructure at scale.

Leading secure power and data centre strategy

In his new position, Matthew will lead Schneider Electric’s Secure Power and Data Centre business across the UK and Ireland. The remit includes working closely with the company’s EcoXpert partner ecosystem, the IT channel, local authorities and wider industry stakeholders to support the development of sustainable and resilient data centre infrastructure.

“The UK is one of Europe’s most important and vibrant digital infrastructure hubs and with AI accelerating demand, the next few years present a major opportunity to strengthen its global leadership position," says Matthew.

"At the same time, Ireland continues to play a critical role in the region’s digital ecosystem, with its data centre market serving key customers globally.

“Data centres are engines for jobs and competitiveness, supporting growth that benefits the digital economy, local communities, and empowering innovation. This is a pivotal moment to shape their role in the UK and Ireland’s digital future, and I’m delighted to accept this new role at such a crucial time.”

Matthew will be responsible for aligning Schneider Electric’s power, cooling, software and services portfolio with the needs of customers deploying high-density and AI-driven workloads. This includes ensuring infrastructure deployment keeps pace with demand while meeting sustainability and energy efficiency requirements.

Experience across global data centre markets

Matthew brings more than two decades of experience in the data centre sector, with a background spanning global ecosystem management, colocation strategy, multi-country account development and commercial growth focused on digital infrastructure.

Most recently, he served as Global Vice President for Strategic Partners and Cloud and Service Providers at Schneider Electric, where he led a worldwide team supporting major cloud, colocation and hyperscale customers. During this period, he helped scale the function from an early-stage operation into a globally significant organisation supporting some of the industry’s largest platforms.

Earlier in his career at the company, Matthew held the role of Global Colocation Segment Director, where he launched Schneider Electric’s first multi-country targeted account programme. That initiative has since become a core element of the company’s global data centre strategy. He also held senior leadership roles across the UK and Ireland following Schneider Electric’s acquisition of APC in 2007 and spent several years supporting European operations from the Netherlands.

Alongside his corporate roles, Matthew has contributed to industry bodies including techUK and the European Data Centre Association, where he has been involved in policy discussions and sustainability initiatives linked to long-term sector development.

Supporting AI-driven infrastructure growth

Schneider Electric has said the appointment reflects its intention to strengthen support for customers navigating AI-driven workloads, increasing power density and tighter sustainability requirements.

In the UK and Ireland, this includes responding to heightened demand for new data centre capacity and upgrades to existing facilities.

In the role, Matthew will oversee the delivery of end-to-end solutions covering secure power, energy management, digital platforms, software and lifecycle services for data centre operators and enterprise customers.

“Matthew’s deep experience in global strategy and both local and regional execution makes him uniquely positioned to lead our Secure Power business in the UK and Ireland during this critical period of growth,” says Pablo Ruiz-Escribano, Senior Vice President, Secure Power & Data Centre division, Europe. 

“His track record in building high-performing teams, influencing complex ecosystems and scaling data centre programmes will be instrumental as our customers navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by AI.”

The appointment takes effect immediately and forms part of Schneider Electric’s broader focus on supporting responsible data centre growth across the region as AI-driven demand continues to rise.