Goodman poaches Microsoft data centre boss Kraig Knight to ramp up global business

An artist’s impression of a proposed Goodman Group data centre development in Sydney.

Goodman Group has poached Microsoft’s data centre general manager as the industrial landlord doubles down on its plans to become a global digital infrastructure powerhouse.

The company has brought on US-based Kraig Knight to lead its global expansion plans and Goodman’s international data centres developments.

Mr Knight joins from Microsoft where he was responsible for tech giant’s data centre operations in America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa and the Asia Pacific. He’s also managed data centre operations for Amazon Web Services and managed critical infrastructure for Amazon and Capital Power Group.

The appointment comes as Goodman is seeking to rapidly expand its data centre capacity in Sydney, having lodged plans for four new facilities last year comprising a combined 350 megawatts of capacity.

Earlier this year, the company raised $4bn as it accelerates plans to get 500 megawatts of additional data centre capacity at least under construction by mid-2026.

Goodman chief executive Greg Goodman says Mr Knight would be responsible for developing critical infrastructure planning as well as providing networking, IT and physical security guidance to Goodman’s customers.

“Kraig’s expertise across data centre design, construction and operations will see him build out the operational capabilities of the data centre business in line with developing our 5GW global power bank,” he said.

Goodman CEO Greg Goodman. Picture: John Feder/The Australian

Goodman executive vice president of data centres Kraig Knight

Mr Knight added that he was excited to find a “rare opportunity” in the Australian market.

“Goodman has an impressive global pipeline that’s attractive to a variety of customers. By pairing our demonstrated capacity delivery with operational expertise, we’ll be able to improve speed-to-market for customers and provide them with the operational flexibility they require to meet their own data centre business growth goals,” he said.

Goodman is attempting to rapidly expand its local offering, having lodged plans to develop a 90 megawatt data centre in Sydney’s Lane Cove known as Project Mars.

The application shows plans to demolish four existing warehouses to build a $1.2bn two-storey facility around 18,830sq m in size that has been designed by HDR Architecture.

In October last year, Goodman filed plans for another 90 Megawatt data centre named Project Apollo Data Centre in Sydney’s Macquarie Park, about 5km northwest of Project Mars.

Goodman planned to demolish two existing buildings – about 23,190sq m in size – to build a four-storey, 15,400sq m data centre and a 3575 sq m office space.

A render of Goodman’s 90-megawatt data centre in Sydney’s Macquarie Park, called Project Apollo.

In May the company lodged plans for a data centre closer to Sydney’s CBD, planning a 90-megawatt facility comprising five stories and 2,705sq m in Mascot, about 2.5 km from the city’s airports.

Project Duke will repurpose two Mascot sites that front Gardeneras Road, Kent Road and Ricketty Street.

A couple of months earlier, Goodman lodged plans to turn an old ABC building into an 80-megawatt data centre on Sydney’s lower north shore.

Goodman will spend $1.4bn to develop the former ABC headquarters in Artarmon into a 52m-tall data centre. It picked up the site for $94.87m in July 2022.

An artist’s impression of Goodman’s proposed data centre in Artarmon, Sydney.

The Artarmon play is part of a broader shift by Goodman to build and deliver turnkey data centres, with operating the centres also on the cards.

About 4km away from Goodman’s planned Lane Cove Data Centre in North Ryde, ISPT has also lodged plans to build a data centre more than twice the size and capacity.

The property developer has lodged plans for a 170-megawatt, six-storey facility that would cater for 12 data halls.

The plans include a major power redundancy capacity with 72 3.2-megawatt diesel generators and an 840 kilolitre diesel storage capacity across 12 tanks.