How did you get into digital infrastructure?
I began my career with a background in finance, originally planning to go into investment banking. But after a conversation with a mentor, I pivoted to engineering and joined a joint venture between Jacobs, the engineering and technology firm, and OCP, the world’s largest phosphate company. I spent the next few years working on global mining and minerals projects, primarily in Africa and the U.S. while also completing an LLM in Corporate and Commercial Law.
As the joint venture evolved, it launched a new division focused on the energy transition. I worked with that team and quickly discovered a real passion for the energy space. That experience opened the door to a new opportunity at ENGIE, the French utility company and global energy leader. I started out working on the development and financing of conventional power and gas projects — things like combined cycle gas turbines and liquefied natural gas — as well as renewables, including geothermal, solar, wind and green hydrogen.
After several years, I was invited to join ENGIE’s two-year executive leadership finance program, where I completed two assignments with the global Corporate Finance and M&A teams. I spent that time working mainly on acquisitions and divestments in the energy sector. While I really valued the experience, I came to realize that my true passion lies in project development and finance.
Around that same time, an executive search firm reached out about a new opportunity with Yondr. I wasn’t actively looking, but as I reflected on my career, I realized that digital infrastructure was the missing piece. I had touched different parts of infrastructure but not digital. COVID had accelerated the shift to cloud, and conversations around AI and machine learning were gaining momentum. Data centres were no longer just real estate but were becoming critical infrastructure around the world.
After speaking with the leadership team at Yondr and feeling aligned with the company’s values and mission, I decided to take the leap. My path to digital infrastructure wasn’t random, but rather a natural next step.
If your application is successful, Harlow Council will transfer the grant by BACS. Bank details (account name, number and sort code) will need to be supplied with a summary of accounts.
Funding conditions: If your application is successful, your project must be delivered by 31 December 2026. You will have to return any grant funds if the project is not delivered or the organisation receiving the funding stops operating.
A contract agreement will need to be signed between your organisation and Harlow District Council before any funding is granted.
Monitoring and Evaluation: Grant recipients will be required to provide an end of project report to establish whether the project has met its aims and objectives, as well as to assess the overall impact on participants. Funding for the project is provided on the basis that the Project Evaluation form is returned within the agreed project timescale (no later than 31 January 2027).
Risks and Liabilities: In giving grants the ‘Harlow Council’ will require the supported project organisation or groups to accept all risks and liabilities associated with the activity being supported. This will be a condition of the grant. Copies of relevant documents may need to be provided if the application has been approved.
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The Council is committed to handling your personal information in line with the data processing principles. The Data Protection Legislation and the General Data Protection Regulation 2016/679 (GDPR) sets the legal framework for how we collect, handle and process personal data and for your rights as a ‘data subject.’
General Data Protection Regulation: Personal data provided by you will be processed in accordance with this protocol. For more details, please see https://www.harlow.gov.uk/privacy-notice
Thank you for taking the time to read these guidance notes. If you have any questions, please get in touch with [email protected].
