The Data Center Strategy for Business Leaders to Scale Digital Infrastructure with Maarten Goeman

In this episode of Built to Scale, host Paul Koetke sits down with Maarten Goeman to discuss the opportunities driving data center growth across Southern Europe. Maarten shares how Mediterra DataCenters is building a pan-European colocation platform, why countries such as Italy, Spain, France, and Portugal are poised for significant digital infrastructure expansion, and what it takes to evaluate, acquire, and develop data center sites at scale. The conversation also explores sustainability, local market dynamics, operational discipline, and the growing role data centers play in supporting both AI and broader digital transformation.Maarten Goeman is the VP of Corporate Development at Mediterra DataCenters, where he leads corporate development and M&A activities across Southern Europe. After beginning his career in corporate finance at ING and entering the data center sector through NorthC Data Centers, Maarten now focuses on building a regional data center platform designed to support growing demand for colocation services across Europe.Key Takeaways:Why Southern Europe represents a major growth opportunity for data center infrastructureHow AI and digital transformation are accelerating demand for colocation servicesThe factors that determine whether a data center site is worth pursuingWhy proximity to customers remains critical for regional data center operatorsHow zoning, power availability, connectivity, and sustainability influence site selectionWhy saying "no" quickly is an essential part of operational disciplineThe importance of local expertise when expanding across multiple countriesHow data centers can address concerns around sustainability and water consumptionWhy secondary cities may become increasingly important in future infrastructure strategies Episode Timestamps:[00:00] - Why Mediterra is building a Southern European data center platform[05:39] - How long it may take Southern Europe to catch up with mature markets [07:43] - Evaluating new data center markets and selecting sites[10:56] - Why operational discipline starts with saying no[12:15] - The importance of local expertise and trusted advisors[14:04] - Avoiding costly mistakes and focusing on the right opportunities[17:37] - Addressing water consumption and sustainability concerns[20:48] - Why the cloud is still physical infrastructure[24:59] - The case for secondary cities and regional data centers[28:22] - Building local ecosystems around digital infrastructure[30:11] - Mediterra's long-term vision for growth across Europe Connect with the Guest Maarten Geoman: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maartengoeman/Company’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mediterra-datacenters/Company’s Website: https://mediterradatacenters.com/ Connect with the Host Paul Koetke: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulkoetke/ More from Koetke Consulting: Website: https://www.koetkeconsulting.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/koetke-consulting/