Kao Data & CBRE partner for data centre management

Kao Data has selected CBRE as its new partner for integrated facilities management.

CBRE, recognised for its ability to manage large-scale data centre operations and its extensive database management experience, has been given responsibility for overseeing the full range of facilities management services for Kao Data's centres in Europe. This includes both current operations and those planned as part of Kao Data's future expansion.

This appointment aims to bolster Kao Data's reputation in the delivery of exceptional customer service, system uptime, operational efficiency, and sustainable practices within its data centres. CBRE's engagement will span the company's whole range of facilities management, incorporating hard and soft services within Kao Data's data centre estates.

As part of its new assignment, CBRE will manage the structural, mechanical, electrical, cooling, and fire systems within Kao Data's existing London facilities, as well as the new data centre set to open in Greater Manchester by 2026. CBRE's hard facilities management and engineering services will extensively cover maintenance and support for critical systems, such as suninterruptible power supplies and hybrid air and liquid cooling systems.

Additionally, CBRE will handle various essential day-to-day services, including security management, access controls, and routine cleaning services at Kao Data's facilities. To mitigate human-related risks and uphold high standards of service reliability, CBRE will integrate its Critical Environments Risk Management programme.

Pete Judson, Chief Operating Officer at Kao Data, remarked, "Our data centres are home to some of the industry's most mission-critical computing environments, from global financial services to hyperscale cloud deployments, and GPU-powered AI research and development workloads. To ensure we continue to deliver best-in-class service and resiliency across these systems, appointing CBRE was the obvious choice." He added, "CBRE's reputation for continuous improvement and attention to detail, coupled with its consistently high standards of performance, make it the perfect FM ally – especially as we grow our data centre portfolio into new locations and markets across Europe."

Craig Bristow, Managing Director of CBRE Data Center Solutions UK, expressed his enthusiasm about the collaboration, stating, "We are thrilled to partner with Kao Data on their UK data centre portfolio and look forward to the future supporting them as they expand into new markets across Europe. We share a joint commitment to operational excellence and are dedicated to delivering a best-in-class service. Our team's relentless focus on innovation and performance ensures that we are well-equipped to meet Kao Data's evolving needs as they continue delivering their exciting growth strategy."

The partnership with CBRE officially began on 1st December 2024, marking a new chapter in the management and operational excellence of Kao Data's facilities.