LONDON, May 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Colt Data Centre Services (Colt DCS), global provider of hyperscale and large enterprise data centre facilities, today announced the appointment of Xavier Matagne to the role of Chief Real Estate Officer. Matagne will be responsible for leading Colt DCS’ Development, Engineering and Construction teams.

Xavier Matagne

Xavier Matagne joins us with a wealth of expertise. He has worked in the data centre industry for over 17 years, holding global leadership roles with a strong track record in strategic development and large-scale infrastructure delivery across Europe and Africa. Matagne, most recently served as Chief Development Officer at Africa Data Centres, where he led the expansion strategy across multiple markets. Having worked in over 15 countries, including France, the UK, the Netherlands, Italy, Sweden, Poland, and South Africa, Matagne, is known for his ability to simplify complex projects, bringing innovative thinking to fast-growing environments.

Niclas Sanfridsson, CEO of Colt DCS, said: “The Executive Leadership Team and I are delighted to welcome Xavier to Colt DCS at such a pivotal moment in our growth. He will be instrumental to the success of our ambitious expansion plans and further enhancing the outstanding calibre of our teams”.

Xavier Matagne, Chief Real Estate Officer of Colt DCS, said: “I am thrilled to be joining Colt DCS at such an exciting time. Colt DCS has a world-class team of Development, Engineering and Construction professionals. They are also in a fantastic position of having secured powered land enabling capacity expansion up to 1GW. I am very much looking forward to helping continue Colt DCS’ tremendous growth, to 1GW and beyond”.

About Colt DCS
We design, build and operate data centres for global hyperscalers and large enterprises. 

Our global portfolio includes 13 operational data centres, with an additional 9 in development across 11 cities in the UK, Europe, and the APAC region.
We enable our customers to effectively plan for the growth of their business while also providing them with peace of mind. We provide secure, resilient, well-connected infrastructure with planned future capacity growth potential. We have over 25 years of experience in the data centre industry, delivering on our vision of being the most trusted and customer-centric data centre operator in the market.

We put the environment at the heart of everything we do by recognising this as a fundamental responsibility towards our planet. That’s why we’re taking ownership to reduce our environmental impact globally and make sustainability a key strategic driver. As part of our sustainability planning, Colt DCS has set comprehensive near-and long-term Science Based Targets to cut our emissions in line with the SBTi’s latest Net Zero Standard.

https://www.coltdatacentres.net

LONDON, May 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Colt Data Centre Services (Colt DCS), global provider of hyperscale and large enterprise data centre facilities, today announced the appointment of Xavier Matagne to the role of Chief Real Estate Officer. Matagne will be responsible for leading Colt DCS’ Development, Engineering and Construction teams.

Xavier Matagne

Xavier Matagne joins us with a wealth of expertise. He has worked in the data centre industry for over 17 years, holding global leadership roles with a strong track record in strategic development and large-scale infrastructure delivery across Europe and Africa. Matagne, most recently served as Chief Development Officer at Africa Data Centres, where he led the expansion strategy across multiple markets. Having worked in over 15 countries, including France, the UK, the Netherlands, Italy, Sweden, Poland, and South Africa, Matagne, is known for his ability to simplify complex projects, bringing innovative thinking to fast-growing environments.

Niclas Sanfridsson, CEO of Colt DCS, said: “The Executive Leadership Team and I are delighted to welcome Xavier to Colt DCS at such a pivotal moment in our growth. He will be instrumental to the success of our ambitious expansion plans and further enhancing the outstanding calibre of our teams”.

Xavier Matagne, Chief Real Estate Officer of Colt DCS, said: “I am thrilled to be joining Colt DCS at such an exciting time. Colt DCS has a world-class team of Development, Engineering and Construction professionals. They are also in a fantastic position of having secured powered land enabling capacity expansion up to 1GW. I am very much looking forward to helping continue Colt DCS’ tremendous growth, to 1GW and beyond”.

About Colt DCS
We design, build and operate data centres for global hyperscalers and large enterprises. 

Our global portfolio includes 13 operational data centres, with an additional 9 in development across 11 cities in the UK, Europe, and the APAC region.
We enable our customers to effectively plan for the growth of their business while also providing them with peace of mind. We provide secure, resilient, well-connected infrastructure with planned future capacity growth potential. We have over 25 years of experience in the data centre industry, delivering on our vision of being the most trusted and customer-centric data centre operator in the market.

We put the environment at the heart of everything we do by recognising this as a fundamental responsibility towards our planet. That’s why we’re taking ownership to reduce our environmental impact globally and make sustainability a key strategic driver. As part of our sustainability planning, Colt DCS has set comprehensive near-and long-term Science Based Targets to cut our emissions in line with the SBTi’s latest Net Zero Standard.

https://www.coltdatacentres.net

Photo – https://laotiantimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/xavier_matagne-1.jpg
Logo – https://laotiantimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/colt_dcs_logo-1.jpg

LONDON, May 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Colt Data Centre Services (Colt DCS), global provider of hyperscale and large enterprise data centre facilities, today announced the appointment of Xavier Matagne to the role of Chief Real Estate Officer. Matagne will be responsible for leading Colt DCS’ Development, Engineering and Construction teams.

Xavier Matagne

Xavier Matagne joins us with a wealth of expertise. He has worked in the data centre industry for over 17 years, holding global leadership roles with a strong track record in strategic development and large-scale infrastructure delivery across Europe and Africa. Matagne, most recently served as Chief Development Officer at Africa Data Centres, where he led the expansion strategy across multiple markets. Having worked in over 15 countries, including France, the UK, the Netherlands, Italy, Sweden, Poland, and South Africa, Matagne, is known for his ability to simplify complex projects, bringing innovative thinking to fast-growing environments.

Niclas Sanfridsson, CEO of Colt DCS, said: “The Executive Leadership Team and I are delighted to welcome Xavier to Colt DCS at such a pivotal moment in our growth. He will be instrumental to the success of our ambitious expansion plans and further enhancing the outstanding calibre of our teams”.

Xavier Matagne, Chief Real Estate Officer of Colt DCS, said: “I am thrilled to be joining Colt DCS at such an exciting time. Colt DCS has a world-class team of Development, Engineering and Construction professionals. They are also in a fantastic position of having secured powered land enabling capacity expansion up to 1GW. I am very much looking forward to helping continue Colt DCS’ tremendous growth, to 1GW and beyond”.

About Colt DCS
We design, build and operate data centres for global hyperscalers and large enterprises. 

Our global portfolio includes 13 operational data centres, with an additional 9 in development across 11 cities in the UK, Europe, and the APAC region.
We enable our customers to effectively plan for the growth of their business while also providing them with peace of mind. We provide secure, resilient, well-connected infrastructure with planned future capacity growth potential. We have over 25 years of experience in the data centre industry, delivering on our vision of being the most trusted and customer-centric data centre operator in the market.

We put the environment at the heart of everything we do by recognising this as a fundamental responsibility towards our planet. That’s why we’re taking ownership to reduce our environmental impact globally and make sustainability a key strategic driver. As part of our sustainability planning, Colt DCS has set comprehensive near-and long-term Science Based Targets to cut our emissions in line with the SBTi’s latest Net Zero Standard.

https://www.coltdatacentres.net

Photo – https://laotiantimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/xavier_matagne-2.jpg
Logo – https://laotiantimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/colt_dcs_logo-2.jpg

Setting the EU standard for secure, adaptable and interoperable satellite communications to support military operations and the IRIS² constellation

SINT-NIKLAAS, Belgium, May 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — ST Engineering iDirect’s EU Satcom Centre of Excellence, ST Engineering iDirect Europe, based in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium, today announced the advancement of the European Protected Waveform (EPW) project to its second phase. Under the leadership of Belgium’s Ministry of Defence and with ST Engineering iDirect Europe as the consortium lead, this milestone marks significant progress in enhancing secure and autonomous satellite communications for Europe.

The project brings together a consortium of 22 organisations from 12 EU Member States, encompassing experts from industry, government and academia.

The project brings together a consortium of 22 organisations from 12 EU Member States, encompassing experts from industry, government and academia. This collaborative effort aims to develop a comprehensive, end-to-end waveform solution designed to ensure resilient and secure communications for military operations and critical government needs in increasingly complex operational environments.

With the foundation established during Phase 1 that laid the framework for the waveform’s initial development, Phase 2 focuses on the prototyping and integration of the EPW system. The goal is to provide secure, interoperable systems that align with Europe’s strategic initiatives, including the future IRIS² satellite constellation and the EU GovSatCom programme.

“Together with ST Engineering iDirect Europe, we are investing in the backbone of modern military operations: secure and reliable communication,” said Theo Francken, Belgian Minister of Defence. “With support from the European Defence Fund, we are advancing technological innovation, strengthening strategic autonomy, and enhancing the safety of our troops. In today’s uncertain world, European cooperation in research and development is not a luxury — it’s an absolute necessity. This project aligns perfectly with our broader mission to modernise Defence and deepen European collaboration in R&D.”

“The advancement to EPW Phase 2 underscores the strategic importance of this initiative to bolster European autonomy in secure satellite communications,” said Koen Willems, Vice President, EU Programmes, at ST Engineering iDirect Europe. “This recognition by the European Defence Fund demonstrates the urgent necessity to address emerging threats and foster resilience for critical operations across Europe.”

The total investment in the EPW project now stands at €65 million, with €35 million dedicated to Phase 2 following the €30 million allocation in Phase 1. This investment highlights Europe’s commitment to advancing protected satellite communications and strengthening collaborative defence capabilities among its Member States.

The European Protected Waveform (Phase 2)  is funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of ST Engineering iDirect Europe only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. 

About ST Engineering iDirect Europe

ST Engineering iDirect Europe, located in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium, is ST Engineering iDirect’s EU Satcom Center of Excellence specialising in the development of ground segment technology and solutions specifically for the EU. As a legal Belgian entity, ST Engineering iDirect Europe has its own board of directors to comply to the guidelines and conditions as put forward by the EU Commission and the Belgian Government. With over 35 years of experience, the ST Engineering iDirect portfolio of high-value product lines and services in addition to a dedicated team of domain specialists, and a ISO9001 certified manufacturing center the team has a portfolio of capabilities to cater to the specific needs of European funded satcoms programs. 

For more information visit https://www.idirect.net/st-engineering-idirect-europe/