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

Mon Oct 27 08:43:14 EST 2014

Come tonight and see.... see you all there!

...Skeeve

*Skeeve Stevens - *eintellego Networks Pty Ltd
skeeve at eintellegonetworks.com ; www.eintellegonetworks.com

Phone: 1300 239 038; Cell +61 (0)414 753 383 ; skype://skeeve

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Juniper - Cisco - Cloud - Consulting - IPv4 Brokering

On 27 October 2014 08:27, Joseph Goldman <joe at apcs.com.au> wrote:

> 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*
>>
>> ---
>>
>> Remember, if you want to read it first, subscribe to Commsday @
>> www.commsday.com <http://www.commsday.com>
>>
>>
>>
>> *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
>>
>> facebook.com/eintellegonetworks
>> <http://facebook.com/eintellegonetworks> ;
>> <http://twitter.com/networkceoau>linkedin.com/in/skeeve
>> <http://linkedin.com/in/skeeve>
>>
>> twitter.com/theispguy <http://twitter.com/theispguy> ; blog:
>> www.theispguy.com <http://www.theispguy.com/>
>>
>>
>> The Experts Who The Experts Call
>>
>> Juniper - Cisco - Cloud- Consulting- IPv4 Brokering
>>
>>
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