JLL boosts Data Centres team in EMEA with key hire

LONDON, 22 August 2024 – JLL announced today that Mark Harper has joined JLL as a Technical Consulting Specialist for its data centre practice in EMEA. In this role, Harper will assist clients in meeting their technical needs within the entire JLL data centre solution.

Harper brings 27 years of industry experience and comprehensive knowledge of the operational landscape with him to JLL, where he will provide guidance in technical due diligence, drive operational sustainability, advise clients on technical risk management and legacy retrofit projects, explore technology innovation opportunities and promote operational excellence. Based in London, Harper reports to Catriona Shearer, JLL Global Consulting Lead for EMEA Data Centre Solutions.

“We are excited to welcome Mark to JLL,” Catriona said. “He’s held numerous leadership, client management and project roles throughout his impressive career. His deep understanding of system design, modifications and asset management, in addition to his expertise with operational standards and best practice, will be an asset to our clients.”

Harper was most recently the Technical Operations Manager for the service provider at the prestigious Telehouse London site. Prior to that role, he held several technical and leadership positions with SPIE UK ltd, AMEC Facilities and Matthew Hall. He was responsible for the implementation of the UK’s largest data centre and oversaw the site evolution from one data centre to five across his tenure.

Data centre demand has skyrocketed in recent years. JLL Research recently published a report on the growth trajectory for edge data centres, predicting that edge IT infrastructure and data centres will become a $317 billion market globally by 2026, representing a 107% increase since 2020. The demand for colocation, hyperscale, edge and enterprise data centres, fueled in part by the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, is transforming the sector and ushering in a new wave of innovation to better meet the demand and help operators reach sustainability goals.

“I thrive on driving innovation and change and, with that, consistently keeping data centres at the forefront of technology advancements,” Harper said. “I’m thrilled to join JLL and further influence and shape the direction of data centres using industry-leading innovations.”

Your data has never been more critical, and neither has your data centre partner. From site selection and land acquisition to upgrades and facilities and energy management, JLL’s team of dedicated technical experts are trained and experienced in every phase of the data centre lifecycle to help you scale, optimize and maintain efficiencies in your data centre strategy. Our solutions enable your business to make higher-quality decisions and enter new markets with reduced friction through local market expertise, business intelligence, proprietary data and cutting-edge technology tools. To learn more, visit jll.co.uk/en/industries/data-centres.

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