[AusNOG] Commsday Exclusive: Megaport goes global, Microsoft vet tapped as new CEO; Megaport launches Superloop fibre spinoff

Mon Oct 27 08:27:12 EST 2014

I guess this is what tonight's event is about - Commsday breaking the 
story too early? Or is there more in the works for tonights event?

On 27/10/14 08:20, Skeeve Stevens wrote:
> I am sure this will be of great interest to the operations space.
>
> ...Skeeve
> *
> *
> *
> *
> *From Communications Day:  Issue: 4770*
> *
> *
> *Megaport goes global, Microsoft vet tapped as new CEO*
>
> Megaport, the flexible network interconnection specialist founded by
> Bevan Slattery, has unveiled plans for a massive global expansion blitz
> just over a year after launching in Australia.
>
> The firm is aiming to hit 25 key markets in the US, Europe and Asia
> within eighteen months – targeting break-even for each within a year –
> and has brought on Denver Maddux, a Microsoft and Limelight veteran, to
> lead the charge as CEO. Slattery himself will remain on board as
> executive chairman.
>
> Shortly after its mid-2013 launch, Megaport pushed dep into Asia in
> response to growing demand for scalable cloud interconnectivity
> services. Singapore and Hong Kong were two of its first expansion areas,
> with a Japanese deployment also on the cards. But he company has now
> committed to an accelerated growth plan that will see it service more
> than two dozen key markets.
>
> “In some of those, we have some services that we’re already working
> through contracts on. to acquire the appropriate level of commercial
> services we might ned to launch the business; some are tied to
> partnerships that we’re working on [with] either multinational or
> regional players,” Maddux told CommsDay.
>
> “Most of the licensing and contracting that we’ve done so far has ben
> focused on the Asian markets, and we’re working on what we ned to get
> done in North America and Europe right now.”
>
> “Those markets will follow a lot of the common internet infrastructure
> in North America. Seattle, Los Angeles, the Bay Area, Virginia, New
> York, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas.and there’s some other secondary markets
> that are of interest like Phoenix, Arizona, maybe Houston, Texas and so
> on,” he added. “Markets that are pretty well established in terms of
> critical infrastructure and locations, where our service would be most
> useful. But we’re looking for opportunity markets to, and we’re looking
> for partners in [those] markets that are really interested in helping
> with location differentiation and footprint expansion.”
>
> “In Europe [we’re targeting] London, Paris, Frankfurt and Amsterdam.
> we’re also looking at some other markets like Spain, Italy, Sweden and
> potentially some other countries that don’t have such highly established
> infrastructure.”
>
> “The cloud services business in both of these markets – the likes of
> Amazon. and of Microsoft with its Azure ExpresRoute product, and Google
> Compute which is coming out in the next couple of weeks – they’ve al got
> some reach challenges with their connectivity products,” continued
> Maddux. “We’re working with those connectivity partners to make sure
> that, from a strategic direction, the places we want o build also align
> with the things they ned to help solve.”
>
> While Megaport has built physical fibre infrastructure in some of its
> early markets, Slattery told CommsDay that wouldn’t be the case for the
> accelerated global expansion. “We expect o be partnering and acquiring
> network infrastructure from existing providers in those markets,” he
> said, adding that in fact Megaport was in the process of splitting out
> its existing fibre assets into a completely separate business (se next
> story).
>
> “We’ve always said that Megaport isn’t about Australia – it’s about
> taking it o the world. What we’ve focused on is making sure that he
> product is right. [that] we’ve got an understanding of how we approach
> the sales side when we go to markets through partnerships. I’m really
> happy with how we’ve got hat; the Australian network, operationally, has
> already broken even. and we’re not seeing competition [in terms of]
> anyone delivering a product of similar scale, technology and capability
> to what we’ve got. So now is the time to expand!”
>
> Slattery expects to spends somewhere around A$10 million on the
> expansion between Capex and Opex over the next twelve months. On the
> revenue side, Megaport isn’t disclosing targets, but Slattery said that
> “once we roll out a region or a market, we expect hat market o break
> even within the first twelve months of operation.”
>
> Maddux’s most recent experience will bear directly on his leadership at
> Megaport. As network technology and architecture VP of global digital
> content player Limelight Networks he was responsible for engineering –
> underpinning global expansion plans – plus network and services supply
> chains and partnership opportunities.
>
> “I really spent a lot of time trying to take what started as a very
> small regional content distribution network and deploying that in a
> global fashion,” he said. “I tok the network from two sites to over 150
> by the time I left he company!”
>
> More recently, Maddux served as senior director of global network
> services at Microsoft. “[The company] was really wanting to invest
> heavily into its network strategy in order to propagate its cloud
> services platform, Azure, globally; I spent a lot of time inside the
> company bringing in the appropriate staff. and pushing Microsoft into
> its first foray into dark fibre acquisitions, both terrestrially and
> submarine, as well as increasing its participation in the internet
> ecosystem – not just as a network operator but as a network innovator.”
>
> Maddux has known Slattery for years – indeed, he describes the Megaport
> founder as a “mentor” while he was helping to roll out Limelight in
> Australia – and was intrigued by Megaport’s model, leaping at he chance
> to take on the top spot. His first priority is “finding the right people
> to help us come and execute on the plans we’re laying out here; I will
> always be recruiting and hunting for the next great person to join the
> company.”
>
> “The other is making sure our platform gets propagated. there’s a
> tremendous interest. and I believe it’s revolutionary, so making sure we
> actually go and attack that distribution plan. on a global basis, as
> well as finding the appropriate partnerships that want o help enable
> that,” he aded. “And of course we’re going to keep a really strong eye
> on emerging technologies, to se what else we can do [with] the platform!”
>
> To support Maddux, Megaport has promoted Belinda Flanders to executive
> VP for APAC and MEA, and appointed Bryn Maddux – also from Microsoft –
> as EVP for the Americas and Europe.
>
> Slattery, meanwhile, will remain involved at a strategic level as
> executive chairman. “It’s more like a partnership, I suppose, than
> anything else. But Denver’s going to lead it; he’s the CEO,” he said.
> “We’ve developed the technology, we’ve proven the model. I’ve probably
> got, at times, pretty good vision and I commit do things, but [there’s
> a] level of energy and excitement in Denver. [and a] tremendous amount
> of global credibility.”
>
> “He understands – he’s rolled out a global network. he’s connected it o
> al these different markets around the world, to Asia and to Europe, the
> Middle East, Africa, the United States. I really wanted him to be
> involved, and I really wanted him to lead it!”
>
> *Petroc Wilton*
>
> ----
>
> ...as *Megaport launches Superloop fibre spinoff*
>
> As it gears for rapid global expansion, Megaport has announced that it
> will spin of its fibre assets to launch a new, dedicated infrastructure
> company called Superloop.
>
> The new firm will aim to drive innovation within the fibre
> infrastructure layer in key areas of the APAC region. Its initial
> network is slated to go live in Australia in January 2015, with its own
> diverse dark fibre connectivity between the major internet points
> operated by firms like Global Switch, Equinix, NEXTDC and more.
>
> The firm has also announced that it expects to bring forward the
> commissioning of its Singapore network after securing aces to over 150km
> of strategic duct throughout he country; over some 70% of the Singapore
> network is expected to go live in March, with rollout completion around
> July 2015. The network will provide diverse connectivity to key cable
> landing stations in locations such as Katong, Tuas and Changi, as well
> as key datacentres including Equinix facilities.
>
> “The fibre network was developed as an enabler for Megaport in its
> initial markets. The accelerated growth of the network has created a
> stand-alone business, warranting independent strategy and resourcing
> that can be provided within Superloop,” said Megaport founder Bevan
> Slattery, who will be heading up the new firm. “We are building the only
> independent, pan-Asian fibre infrastructure provider which is something
> rather special and unique, so much so that – based upon early customer
> demand – I expect Superloop to break even in its first full year of
> operation.”
>
> “[In Singapore], our strategic duct aces arrangement greatly reduces the
> time and cost to rollout the network,” he aded. “This means we can offer
> certainty, and provide services to our cornerstone clients sooner.”
>
> Working with Slattery at he new company will be PIPE Networks alumnus
> and current SubPartners COO Mat Whitlock, appointed to the role of
> Superloop COO. Mat Howard, who built NextDC’s M1 data centre, will be
> project leader for Singapore. Howard’s Hong Kong counterpart will be
> Susana Halliday, who has over 20 years in infrastructure development
> experience in the territory and was previously a director at Atkins,
> responsible for utilities engineering and environmental services.
> Project leader for Australia will be ex-PIPE Networks fibre operations
> manager Mick Fama.
>
> CommsDay also understands that Superloop has already engaged advisors
> for a possible Initial Public Offering on the Australian Securities
> Exchange.
>
> *Petroc Wilton*
>
> ---
>
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>
>
>
> *Skeeve Stevens - *eintellego Networks Pty Ltd
> skeeve at eintellegonetworks.com <mailto:skeeve at eintellegonetworks.com> ;
> www.eintellegonetworks.com <http://www.eintellegonetworks.com/>
>
> Phone: 1300 239 038; Cell +61 (0)414 753 383 ; skype://skeeve
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