Avison Young appoints Oliver Squires to lead UK data centres
Avison Young has appointed Oliver Squires as the UK & EMEA Data Centre & Mission Critical Sector Lead in its London office.
Oliver Squires joins Avison Young from Gardiner & Theobald, where he held the role of Director focused on data centres for over eight years. During his previous tenure, Squires supported clients with the development, refurbishment, and operational management of data centres, leveraging both market intelligence and cross-sector insight.
This appointment strengthens Avison Young's data centre capabilities as demand for data centre infrastructure accelerates across the UK and Europe. Squires brings leadership and technical expertise to guide clients through the sector's various challenges, as well as to drive the delivery of new solutions within the market.
The creation of a dedicated UK & EMEA data centre leadership role comes at a time when the sector is projected to experience significant expansion. TechUK forecasts that, by 2035, data centres have the potential to add GBP £44 billion to the UK economy. Growth projections are supported by recent announcements from technology organisations planning major UK investments, including Microsoft's commitment of GBP £330 million and Google's investment of GBP £740 million. As a result, according to the BBC, the total number of data centres in the UK is set to rise by nearly 20%.
This strategic hire aligns with Avison Young's objective to reinforce its capabilities in the increasingly prominent data centre sector, supporting both new and existing clients as they address complex technical and business challenges associated with rapid sector growth.
Oliver Squires, Director, Data Centres and Mission Critical at Avison Young, commented:
"The data centre sector is one of the most exciting and fastest growing in the UK and mainland Europe. The majority of planned sites are due to be built in the next five years, which means there's no better time to be advising on some of the largest projects in the pipeline. I'm very pleased to be joining the Avison Young team to strengthen our data centre offering, helping clients to achieve resilient, high-performance outcomes."
Steven Mason, Principal and Managing Director, Building and Project Consultancy at Avison Young, said:
"Oliver's appointment comes at such a pivotal time for the data centre sector, as demand for capacity, sustainability and innovation continues to accelerate. As a global real estate advisor, it's vital that we remain at the forefront of this evolving landscape, supporting clients as they navigate complex technical and strategic challenges. With Oliver onboard, we can now further strengthen and expand our data centre capabilities, offering a best-in-class service to clients across the UK and EMEA, and helping to futureproof the sector for years to come."
Squires' experience at Gardiner & Theobald included advising clients through a period of rapidly advancing technological requirements and supporting project delivery across multiple European markets.
Avison Young's move to dedicate a senior role to data centres is set against growing interest in digital infrastructure, with enterprises and service providers seeking expertise as they expand or refurbish their mission critical facilities, amid calls for greater efficiency and sustainability.
The expansion of data centre capacity is expected to remain strong, as organisations respond to digital transformation, increased cloud usage, and the continued growth of AI applications, all of which drive the need for robust and resilient infrastructure.
With the data centre industry contributing increasingly to the UK economy and a pipeline of substantial projects in development, Avison Young's leadership appointment underscores the company's commitment to this sector's ongoing evolution.
