Goonhilly Appoints Chris Roberts to Run Data Centre Business

Cornwall, UK, Jan. 29, 2019 – Satellite communications innovator and space gateway Goonhilly Earth Station today announced that data centre industry veteran Chris Roberts has joined its executive team as head of data centre and cloud. Chris’s appointment comes as Goonhilly prepares to open a tier 3/4 data centre in Spring 2019, offering exceptional connectivity by linking global subsea cables with satellite communications and fibre.

Chris brings more than two decades’ experience in the data centre and cloud hosting industry including senior roles at Pulsant, Datapipe and iomart. His expertise in building high-growth cloud hosting and data centre businesses via a mix of direct and indirect channels will be invaluable in his new role.

Goonhilly’s new high - specification data centre’s use of renewables, its Enterprise Zone status and its low latency connections are designed to make it a cost-effective choice for hosting and co-location customers in the satellite and broadcast industries as well as a wide range of enterprises. A national infrastructure asset for many decades, the Goonhilly site offers customers a high level of resilience, enhanced by its rural location and a secure energy source including green power from its onsite solar farm and local wind generation.

“Goonhilly’s investments in data centre technology including security, power and cooling systems will ensure a compelling proposition for customers. Not only will the data centre appeal to the space and satellite industry but other enterprises will be attracted by the ability to collaborate and interoperate faster and more effectively,” said Chris Roberts, head of data centre and Cloud at Goonhilly.

Chris joins Goonhilly following a number of long-term consulting engagements and interim sales and channel partner roles. Most recently he was partner and alliances manager, Europe at Megaport. Prior to that Chris was director of channel sales at Pulsant following his role as head of channel and new business at MTI. He has also worked at Datapipe, iomart, Quostar and PSINet.

“Chris is a talented individual with the industry expertise and relationships required to lead this important part of our fast-growing business. Our ambition is to ensure that the Goonhilly data centre appeals to both existing customers and enterprises who want to benefit from our world-class connectivity,” commented Ian Jones, CEO of Goonhilly.

Goonhilly is a global communications services hub and satellite station located in Cornwall, UK. It provides a comprehensive range of leading-edge connectivity and operational solutions to the space industry, GEO, MEO and LEO satellite fleet operators, broadcasters, as well as a wide diversity of enterprises seeking to grow their businesses on earth and in near and deep space. Customers include SES, Intelsat, Eutelsat and Inmarsat, as well as space agencies, governments, broadcasters and others. Since 2014 the partners in Goonhilly Earth Station Ltd. have been focused on building the company and investing in the site.