Australian Data Centres appoints ex-Microsoft Mark Pont for expansion push

Australian Data Centres will look to grow its footprint outside of Canberra, with the hiring of former Microsoft international expansion lead for strategic missions and technologies Mark Pont.

As CEO, Pont has been tasked with “significantly” expanding ADC’s presence from its home territory by attracting global customers and industry partners.

He enters the role with 25 years of technical and technological experience. Aside from Microsoft, where he worked for more than four and a half years, Pont has also previously worked at DataMark Solutions, CDC Data Centres, Vault Systems, IBM, PwC Australia, Intelledox and CA Technologies, among other organisations.

His time at Microsoft saw him oversee the tech giant’s $5 billion two-year investment in expanding its hyperscale cloud computing and AI infrastructure in Australia.

ADC executive chairman Rob Kelly said Pont’s international and Australian credentials make him an ideal candidate to lead ADC’s next growth phase.

“He, supported by other yet to be announced highly credentialed members of his senior leadership team, will provide the industry capability and experience required to position ADC as a leader in specialised technical infrastructure and sovereign capability,” he said.

On his appointment, Pont said ADC’s past achievements attracted him to the company, as well its future potential.

“I saw an opportunity to join an agile, Australian organisation—one that is well positioned to respond to the rapidly evolving needs of AI and hyperscale cloud technology providers,” he said.

“With ADC’s deep industry expertise and focus on sovereign ownership, it is positioned to deliver next-generation data centre services at scale to meet the significant market demand.

“As for what is next, it really is a matter of watching this space.”