Masons Spain Chapter successfully coordinating companies in the Spanish data center sector to drive reforms to turn Spain into a digital power in Southern Europe.
The iMasons vision is to Unite the Builders of the Digital Age by enabling our global membership to Connect, Grow, and Give Back. We’re guided by an Advisory Council of global leaders who manage the largest digital infrastructure portfolios in the world and we have four strategic priorities – increase Awareness, enhance Education opportunities, champion Diversity & Inclusion, and promote Sustainability.
There are now over 3.5k people active in iMasons and we are growing internationally through our Local Chapters – An iMasons Local Chapter is a geographically specified area or region where the Digital Infrastructure Industry (End Users and Partners) benefit from regional focus and coordination. Whenever iMasons meet – we leave our companies at the door.
“We are competitors, we are rivals on a day-to-day basis, but we come together in a personal capacity for a greater purpose, because we have a common interest which is to put Spain on the world digital map.” Robert Assink, General Director in Spain of the group of Interxion
iMasons are honored that Patricia Rodríguez Henríquez agreed to lead the iMasons Spanish Chapter back in 2018. In May last year there was a meeting of the iM Spanish Chapter attended by leaders in the Spanish Digital Infrastructure industry. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss what issues are better addressed collectively than as individuals.
Spain has a huge opportunity to grow to become a leading hub for southern europe and has recently seen investments from Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure – but there are challenges in achieving such growth. Nobody understands these challenges better than the experts and leaders working in the sector. And it’s very rewarding to see Spanish leaders coming together, leaving their companies at the door to agree on how best to engage governments and policy makers to work together to address and overcome any challenges.
“The iMasons Spanish Chapter has made it possible for leaders in the Spanish Data center industry to come together, leaving the companies at the door, to engage the government to help provide the support we need to transform Spain into a major digital hub for Southern Europe.” Patricia Rodríguez Henríquez, Microsoft’s Data Center Operations Manager in Austria and Chapter Lead of iMasons in Spain
The Opportunity
Spain is facing a golden opportunity to become the new Digital HUB for Southern Europe. Spain, as a result of its privileged geographical position, the arrival of new submarine cables to the Iberian coasts, the commitment of new international players in cloud services and interconnection and the IT maturity of the companies operating in Spain, is at the right time to face the challenge of catching up with the great European technology markets such as Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam and Paris.
Challenges
Madrid is the ideal place for the next wave of data center growth, but the sector has to face some challenges to become a digital hub in southern Europe. Investment in physical infrastructure for a data center is comparable to an industrial investment. Given the useful life of a Data Center (between 20 or 30 years) it is necessary that there be a stable legal and regulatory framework that allows resolving as many uncertainties as:
- Availability of resources for construction and operation.
- Sufficient skilled labor or specialized service companies.
- Ease and proximity to transport infrastructures that allow agility in access.
- Expansion capacity in land, energy or ecosystem of companies to expand the offer of services.
- Cost competitiveness in the construction and operation phases.
- Economic, political, business, legal and environmental stability.
- Driving industries and elements that stimulate demand.
- Attract foreign investment.
Thanks to Patricia for doing such a great job leading the iMasons Spanish Chapter.
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