Chief Development Officer - Data Center Platform

Chief Development Officer – European Data Centre Platform

London-based (with European scope)

A new, well-capitalised data centre platform is being established to shape the next generation of European digital infrastructure. We are seeking an exceptional Chief Development Officer to join the founding leadership team.

This is a rare opportunity to lead the end-to-end development of a hyperscale-ready platform from the ground up. Backed by significant institutional investment, the business will identify, acquire, and transform industrial sites and zoned land into scalable data centre campuses serving the cloud and AI ecosystem across Europe.

Entrepreneurial, fast-paced, and highly ambitious, the platform is designed for leaders who combine strategic vision with hands-on execution across the full development lifecycle.

The Role

As Chief Development Officer, you will take full responsibility for the development lifecycle, from site origination and acquisition through planning, procurement, construction, and delivery.

You will:

• Lead site identification, evaluation, and acquisition strategies across key European markets.
• Oversee planning, permitting, and stakeholder engagement processes.
• Define and implement procurement strategies, including contractor selection, commercial structuring, and supply chain optimisation.
• Drive the end-to-end development of hyperscale data centre assets from concept through to completion and handover.
• Work closely with technical, commercial, and investment teams to align development strategy with customer and market requirements.
• Manage external partners including advisors, consultants, contractors, and local authorities.
• Ensure projects are delivered on time, on budget, and to the highest technical and sustainability standards.
• Optimise cost, programme, and risk through robust procurement and contract management
• Build and lead a high-performing development team across multiple geographies.
• Play a central role in shaping the platform’s growth strategy and pipeline.

About You

You will bring:

• Mandatory experience delivering hyperscale data centre developments end-to-end, from site identification through to operational delivery.
• Proven track record of site sourcing, acquisition, and navigating planning processes across European markets.
• Strong expertise in procurement strategy, contract negotiation, and supply chain management for large-scale data centre projects.
• Deep understanding of power, utilities, cooling, and infrastructure constraints critical to hyperscale environments.
• Experience managing complex, multi-jurisdictional development programmes.
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to balance risk, cost, and delivery timelines.
• A hands-on, entrepreneurial mindset suited to a fast-paced, high-growth platform.
• The leadership capability to build and scale a best-in-class development and procurement function.

The Opportunity

This is a unique opportunity to join at the ground floor of a new platform combining institutional backing with entrepreneurial agility. You will define and execute the full development and procurement strategy for a business at the forefront of Europe’s digital infrastructure evolution.

If you have the hyperscale experience and the ambition to build and deliver a pan-European platform from site identification through procurement to completion, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Apply now to be considered for an interview.