Top 10: Data Centre Leaders in North America

The North American data centre market remains the global benchmark for scale, innovation and capital deployment – underpinned by hyperscale expansion, AI workloads and enterprise digital transformation. 

Leadership across this sector increasingly demands not only operational excellence, but strategic foresight in power, sustainability and geographic diversification. 

In this Top 10, Data Centre Magazine’s ranking highlights the executives steering some of the region’s most critical infrastructure platforms, balancing investor expectations with customer demand and regulatory pressure. 

From colocation specialists to hyperscale-focused developers, these leaders are defining how the next generation of data centres is financed, built and operated.

10. Raul Martynek

• Company: DataBank
• Founded: 2005
• Location: Texas

Raul Martynek has positioned DataBank as a fast-scaling edge and colocation provider across North America. Under his leadership as CEO, the company has pursued an aggressive acquisition strategy, consolidating regional assets into a cohesive platform. Raul’s focus on edge deployments and hybrid IT environments reflects shifting enterprise demand. His ability to align private equity backing with long-term infrastructure growth has made DataBank a notable contender in secondary markets often overlooked by hyperscale developers.

9. Laura Ortman

• Company: Cologix
• Founded: 2010
• Location: Colorado

Laura Ortman has strengthened Cologix’s position as a leading interconnection and colocation provider across key North American metros. Her tenure as CEO has focused on expanding connectivity ecosystems, particularly in underserved but strategically important markets. Laura’s emphasis on customer-centric growth and digital infrastructure accessibility has helped differentiate Cologix in a competitive sector. She continues to drive investment into scalable, network-rich facilities that support enterprise and cloud connectivity demands.

8. Andrew Schaap

• Company: Aligned Data Centers
• Founded: 2013
• Location: Texas

CEO Andrew Schaap has led Aligned Data Centers through rapid expansion, underpinned by its innovative cooling and energy efficiency technologies. The company’s adaptive modular infrastructure has resonated strongly with hyperscale clients seeking flexibility and sustainability. Andrew’s leadership emphasises technical differentiation, particularly in managing high-density workloads. His strategic direction has enabled Aligned to secure significant investment and scale its footprint across major US markets.

7. Spencer Mullee

• Company: Csquare
• Founded: 2018
• Location: New York

Spencer Mullee is driving Csquare’s emergence as a specialist investor and developer in digital infrastructure. With a focus on capital deployment into next-generation data centre assets, Spencer brings a financial lens to operational growth as CEO. His approach centres on identifying high-demand locations and aligning them with institutional investment. As capital continues to shape the sector, Spencer’s influence reflects the increasing importance of financial engineering alongside technical delivery.

6. Matthew VanderZanden

• Company: STACK Infrastructure, Americas
• Founded: 2019
• Location: Colorado 

Matthew VanderZanden plays a central role in scaling STACK Infrastructure into a leading hyperscale data centre developer across North America. As CEO of STACK Americas, he oversees the delivery of large-scale campuses tailored to cloud and AI workloads. His leadership emphasises speed to market, operational consistency and close alignment with hyperscale customers. Matthew continues to drive expansion across key metros, strengthening STACK’s position in an increasingly competitive infrastructure landscape where he focuses on sustainability and power procurement strategies.

5. Chris Crosby

• Company: Compass Data Centers
• Founded: 2011
• Location: Texas

CEO Chris Crosby has built Compass Data Centers into a major hyperscale partner through a focus on simplicity, speed and customer alignment. The company’s model of delivering bespoke campuses for large clients has proven highly effective. Chris’s leadership emphasises execution discipline and long-term relationships with hyperscalers. This approach has enabled Compass to scale rapidly while maintaining a strong reputation for delivery in a competitive development landscape.

4. Eric Schwartz

• Company: CyrusOne
• Founded: 2000
• Location: Texas

Eric Schwartz has guided CyrusOne through a period of transformation following its privatisation. His leadership as CEO has focused on refining the company’s hyperscale strategy and expanding its global footprint. Eric brings a strong financial and operational background, aligning capital investment with long-term growth opportunities. Under his direction, CyrusOne continues to strengthen its position as a key player in large-scale, mission-critical data centre development.

3. Sureel Choksi

• Company: Vantage Data Centers
• Founded: 2010
• Location: Colorado

CEO Sureel Choksi has been instrumental in scaling Vantage Data Centers into a global hyperscale powerhouse. His leadership has combined operational precision with aggressive international expansion. Sureel’s focus on sustainability and campus-scale developments aligns with hyperscaler expectations. By securing significant capital investment and executing consistently across regions, he has positioned Vantage as one of the most influential data centre platforms in North America and beyond.

2. Andy Power

• Company: Digital Realty
• Founded: 2004
• Location: Texas

Andy Power leads one of the world’s largest data centre platforms, with Digital Realty serving as a cornerstone of global digital infrastructure. As CEO, Andy has focused on integrating the company’s extensive portfolio with PlatformDIGITAL, enhancing interconnection and data exchange capabilities. His leadership reflects a shift towards data-centric architecture, supporting AI, cloud and enterprise workloads at scale.

Andy’s prominence stems from his ability to balance operational scale with evolving customer demands, while managing a vast global footprint and significant capital flows. Under his direction, Digital Realty continues to expand strategically across North America and around the world, reinforcing its position as a critical partner for hyperscalers and enterprises alike. His influence extends beyond the company, shaping broader industry conversations around connectivity, sustainability and infrastructure standardisation.

1. Adaire Fox-Martin

• Company: Equinix
• Founded: 1998
• Location: California 

Adaire Fox-Martin stands at the forefront of the data centre industry as President and CEO of Equinix, the world’s leading digital infrastructure company. She is leading Equinix during a pivotal moment as it continues to expand its global platform while deepening its interconnection-first strategy. Adaire brings extensive experience from enterprise technology, enabling her to align infrastructure growth with customer transformation priorities.

She is steering Equinix through a period defined by AI adoption, hybrid cloud complexity and sustainability imperatives. Since joining Equinix full-time in 2024, she has reinforced the company’s role as a neutral platform for digital ecosystems, supporting enterprises, networks and cloud providers. In North America and beyond, her strategic direction continues to shape how interconnection and proximity drive value, ensuring Equinix remains central to the evolution of global digital infrastructure.