Iron Mountain, a major player in the global data center industry, has acquired a minority equity stake in MENA Digital Hub, which is the carrier-neutral data center company of the wider Ooredoo Group, a Middle Eastern telecommunications giant. Initial engagement will focus on operational support, infrastructure enhancement and supporting MENA Digital Hub’s existing plans to further expand its data center capacity across key markets in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
However, the specifics of the deal such as percentage acquired or monetary component, have not been disclosed so far. In a press release, Ooredoo said that the partnership will enable Ooredoo to expand its MENA footprint of hyperscale and AI data center infrastructure, by combining its strength in local development and operational track record with Iron Mountain’s global operating expertise. In addition to industry expertise, Iron Mountain will provide MENA Digital Hub with specialised advice in the design, construction and daily operations of data centers to meet evolving global demands.
Iron Mountain, which operates in 61 countries, offers a range of information management services including digital solutions, data centers, secure records storage, information governance, and asset lifecycle management. Since founding its data center division in 2013, Iron Mountain has scaled to operating approximately 415 MW of colocation, hyperscale and AI-related capacity in 21 markets across three continents, with total potential capacity of nearly 1.3 GW.
Bill Meaney, President and CEO, Iron Mountain, said, “This alliance strengthens our data center business and demonstrates our commitment to investing in the region’s future. We see immense potential in the MENA market and are excited to leverage our expertise to drive innovation and growth alongside Ooredoo.”
Ooredoo established MENA Digital Hub last year to pioneer the region’s digital transformation by providing colocation services to hyperscalers and enterprises. Today it has data centers across five markets in MENA. The company plans to expand its capacity to over 120 MW through an investment of US$ 1 billion in the medium term.
Aziz Aluthman Fakhroo, Group CEO, Ooredoo, said, “This partnership will provide the strategic support needed to optimise operations, accelerate infrastructure development, and scale our platform to meet the growing demand of blue-chip customers and major organisations across the region.”
Sunita Bottse, CEO, MENA Digital Hub, said, “This strategic collaboration enables MENA Digital Hub to leverage Iron Mountain’s deep expertise alongside Ooredoo’s market strength, reinforcing our ability to meet the escalating demand for reliable and scalable data centers across key markets in the region. It also enhances the value we deliver to both new and existing customers, solidifying our position as a key enabler of digital infrastructure growth.”
Ooredoo is also betting big on AI. Readers would recall that in September last year, it had entered into a landmark QAR 2 billion (~US$ 500 million) financing deal with QNB, Doha Bank, and Masraf Al Rayan to accelerate the growth of its data centre and AI business.