• Swindon & Wiltshire Appointments
• Monday February 17 2025
• Author Name: Peter Davison

Former Vodafone CEO joins data centre firm nLighten as chairman

Former Vodafone CEO Nick Read has been appointed chairman of the board of nLighten, which operates 34 Edge data centres across Europe, including facilities at Swindon and Bristol.

With over 30 years of experience spanning five industry sectors and a deep expertise in telecommunications and digital infrastructure, Nick will provide strategic guidance to support nLighten’s growth and innovation efforts in digital infrastructure, the Amsterdam-headquartered firm said.

Nick was at Newbury-headquartered Vodafone for 22 years, where he served as CEO from 2018 to 2022.

At nLighten, Nick will support the company’s strategic expansion plans, commercial growth, and operational excellence. Lighten says his “deep understanding of global telecom markets and their evolving needs will be instrumental in guiding nLighten’s leadership team as the company scales its European footprint.”

Harro Beusker, CEO and founder of nLighten, said: “Nick’s leadership experience in telecoms and digital infrastructure, combined with his track record in business transformation, will be invaluable as we continue to grow and evolve our platform. We look forward to working with him.”

Nick added: “I am excited to join nLighten at such a pivotal time for the digital infrastructure industry. The increasing demand for edge computing and sustainable data centre solutions presents a unique opportunity, and nLighten is well-positioned to lead in this space. I look forward to collaborating with the team to drive nLighten’s continued innovation and growth.”

Founded in 2021, nLighten has rapidly grown to 34 data centres, serving over 1,000 customers with over 200 employees. The firm acquired the ten Proximity Data Centres in the UK – including facilities in Swindon and Bristol – in 2023.