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

[Skeeve Stevens]

I think the PDF-->text copy and past is very sucky... dozens of errors. But
I fixed up anything obvious that came up in the spell-checker...  Errors
are likely to be my fault. Sorry for any inaccuracies peeps.


...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

facebook.com/eintellegonetworks ;  <http://twitter.com/networkceoau>
linkedin.com/in/skeeve

twitter.com/theispguy ; blog: www.theispguy.com


The Experts Who The Experts Call
Juniper - Cisco - Cloud - Consulting - IPv4 Brokering

On 27 October 2014 08:33, Nathan Brookfield <
Nathan.Brookfield at simtronic.com.au> wrote:

>  If you did a copy and paste on that without editing in any way, CommsDay
> needs new editors because that’s terrible lol
>
>
>
> Kindest Regards,
>
> Nathan Brookfield (VK2NAB)
>
>
>
> Chief Executive Officer
>
> Simtronic Technologies Pty Ltd
>
>
>
> *Local:* (02) 4749 4949 *|* *Fax:* (02) 4749 4950 *|* *Direct:* (02) 4749
> 4951
>
> *Web*: http://www.simtronic.com.au *|* *E-mail*:
> nathan.brookfield at simtronic.com.au
>
>
>
> [image: Untitled]
>
>
>
> *From:* AusNOG [mailto:ausnog-bounces at lists.ausnog.net] *On Behalf Of *Skeeve
> Stevens
> *Sent:* Monday, 27 October 2014 8:20 AM
> *To:* ausnog at ausnog.net
> *Subject:* [AusNOG] Commsday Exclusive: Megaport goes global, Microsoft
> vet tapped as new CEO; Megaport launches Superloop fibre spinoff
>
>
>
> 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
>
>
>
>
> *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
>
> facebook.com/eintellegonetworks ; linkedin.com/in/skeeve
>
> twitter.com/theispguy ; blog: www.theispguy.com
>
>  The Experts Who The Experts Call
>
> Juniper - Cisco - Cloud - Consulting - IPv4 Brokering
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.ausnog.net/pipermail/ausnog/attachments/20141027/ca3d8763/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.png
Type: image/png
Size: 6473 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://lists.ausnog.net/pipermail/ausnog/attachments/20141027/ca3d8763/attachment.png>