Apollo Funds to Acquire Pan-European, Highly Interconnected Colocation Data Center Business from STACK Infrastructure, a portfolio company of Blue Owl Digital Infrastructure
Apollo has announced the acquisition of STACK Infrastructure's European colocation data center business through Apollo-managed infrastructure funds. The deal encompasses seven strategic data centers across Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen, Milan, and Geneva, serving blue-chip enterprise clients including telecom carriers, IT companies, and financial institutions.
The standalone company will be led by CEO Sherif Rizkalla and will undergo rebranding, dropping the STACK Infrastructure name. The transaction allows STACK EMEA to focus primarily on hyperscale clients, while the carved-out colocation business will continue serving enterprise customers.
The deal highlights Apollo's confidence in data center infrastructure demand and interconnected colocation businesses. The existing management team and employees will transition to the new company. The transaction awaits regulatory approvals, with Latham & Watkins serving as legal counsel to Apollo Funds.
Apollo ha annunciato l'acquisizione del business europeo di data center di colocation di STACK Infrastructure tramite fondi infrastrutturali gestiti da Apollo. L'accordo include sette data center strategici situati a Stoccolma, Oslo, Copenaghen, Milano e Ginevra, che servono clienti aziendali di alto livello, tra cui operatori telecom, aziende IT e istituzioni finanziarie.
La società indipendente sarà guidata dall'amministratore delegato Sherif Rizkalla e subirà un rebranding, eliminando il nome STACK Infrastructure. L'operazione consente a STACK EMEA di concentrarsi principalmente sui clienti hyperscale, mentre il business di colocation separato continuerà a servire i clienti enterprise.
L'accordo sottolinea la fiducia di Apollo nella domanda di infrastrutture per data center e nei servizi di colocation interconnessi. Il team di gestione attuale e i dipendenti passeranno alla nuova società. La transazione è soggetta all'approvazione normativa, con Latham & Watkins come consulente legale per i fondi Apollo.
Apollo ha anunciado la adquisición del negocio europeo de centros de datos de colocación de STACK Infrastructure a través de fondos de infraestructura gestionados por Apollo. El acuerdo abarca siete centros de datos estratégicos en Estocolmo, Oslo, Copenhague, Milán y Ginebra, que atienden a clientes empresariales de primer nivel, incluyendo operadores de telecomunicaciones, empresas de TI e instituciones financieras.
La empresa independiente estará dirigida por el CEO Sherif Rizkalla y será sometida a un cambio de marca, eliminando el nombre STACK Infrastructure. La transacción permite que STACK EMEA se centre principalmente en clientes hyperscale, mientras que el negocio de colocación segregado continuará atendiendo a clientes empresariales.
El acuerdo destaca la confianza de Apollo en la demanda de infraestructura de centros de datos y negocios de colocación interconectados. El equipo de gestión actual y los empleados pasarán a la nueva compañía. La transacción está pendiente de aprobaciones regulatorias, con Latham & Watkins como asesor legal de los fondos Apollo.
Apollo는 Apollo 관리 인프라 펀드를 통해 STACK Infrastructure의 유럽 지역 콜로케이션 데이터 센터 사업을 인수했다고 발표했습니다. 이번 거래는 스톡홀름, 오슬로, 코펜하겐, 밀라노, 제네바에 위치한 7개의 전략적 데이터 센터를 포함하며, 통신사, IT 기업, 금융 기관 등 우량 기업 고객을 대상으로 합니다.
독립 법인은 CEO 셰리프 리즈칼라가 이끌며, STACK Infrastructure라는 이름을 버리고 리브랜딩될 예정입니다. 이번 거래를 통해 STACK EMEA는 주로 하이퍼스케일 고객에 집중할 수 있게 되며, 분리된 콜로케이션 사업은 엔터프라이즈 고객을 계속 지원할 것입니다.
이번 거래는 데이터 센터 인프라 수요와 상호 연결된 콜로케이션 사업에 대한 Apollo의 신뢰를 보여줍니다. 기존 경영진과 직원들은 새 회사로 전환됩니다. 거래는 규제 승인을 기다리고 있으며, Latham & Watkins가 Apollo 펀드의 법률 자문을 맡고 있습니다.
Apollo a annoncé l'acquisition du secteur européen des centres de données de colocation de STACK Infrastructure via des fonds d'infrastructure gérés par Apollo. L'accord comprend sept centres de données stratégiques situés à Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhague, Milan et Genève, desservant des clients d'entreprise de premier ordre, notamment des opérateurs télécom, des entreprises informatiques et des institutions financières.
La société indépendante sera dirigée par le PDG Sherif Rizkalla et fera l'objet d'un rebranding, abandonnant le nom STACK Infrastructure. Cette transaction permet à STACK EMEA de se concentrer principalement sur les clients hyperscale, tandis que l'activité colocation séparée continuera de servir les clients entreprises.
Cette opération souligne la confiance d'Apollo dans la demande d'infrastructures de centres de données et les activités de colocation interconnectées. L'équipe de direction actuelle et les employés rejoindront la nouvelle société. La transaction est soumise aux approbations réglementaires, avec Latham & Watkins en tant que conseil juridique des fonds Apollo.
Apollo hat die Übernahme des europäischen Colocation-Datacenter-Geschäfts von STACK Infrastructure durch von Apollo verwaltete Infrastruktur-Fonds bekannt gegeben. Der Deal umfasst sieben strategische Rechenzentren in Stockholm, Oslo, Kopenhagen, Mailand und Genf, die Blue-Chip-Unternehmenskunden wie Telekommunikationsanbieter, IT-Firmen und Finanzinstitute bedienen.
Das eigenständige Unternehmen wird von CEO Sherif Rizkalla geleitet und erhält ein Rebranding, wobei der Name STACK Infrastructure entfällt. Die Transaktion ermöglicht es STACK EMEA, sich hauptsächlich auf Hyperscale-Kunden zu konzentrieren, während das ausgegliederte Colocation-Geschäft weiterhin Unternehmenskunden bedient.
Der Deal unterstreicht Apollos Vertrauen in die Nachfrage nach Rechenzentrumsinfrastruktur und vernetzten Colocation-Geschäften. Das bestehende Management-Team und die Mitarbeiter wechseln zum neuen Unternehmen. Die Transaktion steht unter dem Vorbehalt behördlicher Genehmigungen, wobei Latham & Watkins als Rechtsberater der Apollo-Fonds fungiert.
- Apollo Funds acquiring strategic European colocation data center assets across 5 key markets
- Portfolio includes high-value blue-chip enterprise clients including telecom carriers, IT companies, and financial institutions
- Management team and employees retention ensures operational continuity
- Transaction allows for focused business strategy in enterprise colocation services
- Rebranding requirement may cause temporary market recognition challenges
- Transaction subject to regulatory approvals, introducing closing uncertainty
- Carve-out structure might involve complex separation costs and operational adjustments
Insights
Apollo expands digital infrastructure portfolio through European data center acquisition, targeting stable recurring revenue in growing colocation markets.
Apollo's infrastructure funds are making a strategic entry into the European data center market through this carve-out acquisition of STACK Infrastructure's European colocation business. The transaction secures Apollo immediate ownership of seven established data center assets across five key European markets: Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen, Milan, and Geneva.
This deal represents a focused investment in the enterprise colocation segment, which differs from hyperscale data centers by serving a diverse portfolio of blue-chip enterprise clients, including telecommunications carriers, IT service providers, and financial institutions. These facilities typically generate predictable recurring revenue through longer-term contracts.
What makes this acquisition particularly valuable is the highly interconnected nature of these facilities. In the data center industry, interconnection-rich facilities in established markets have significant competitive advantages and barriers to entry, as they serve as critical connectivity hubs that are difficult to replicate.
The carve-out transaction structure allows both parties to specialize - Apollo in enterprise colocation and STACK in hyperscale development. Maintaining the existing management team under CEO Sherif Rizkalla ensures continuity for clients during the transition and preserves valuable institutional knowledge and client relationships.
For Apollo investors, this acquisition aligns with the firm's infrastructure investment strategy of acquiring assets with stable cash flow characteristics and growth potential in the expanding digital infrastructure sector.
Apollo targets strategic interconnection-rich European data centers, positioning in high-barrier enterprise colocation markets as STACK refocuses on hyperscale.
This acquisition highlights the ongoing market specialization in the data center industry between enterprise colocation and hyperscale segments. Apollo is acquiring the enterprise colocation business serving diverse clients with connectivity-rich environments, while STACK Infrastructure continues focusing exclusively on hyperscale development and operations across EMEA markets.
The seven data centers across Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen, Milan, and Geneva represent established digital infrastructure in key European markets. Nordic locations offer advantages in power availability and favorable climate conditions, while Milan and Geneva serve as crucial business and connectivity hubs in Southern Europe.
These assets derive significant value from their interconnection status. As stated in the release, these are "strategic, highly interconnected locations" serving telecommunications carriers and financial institutions, among others. Such facilities host numerous carriers and service providers, creating digital ecosystems where multiple parties exchange data - a characteristic that typically commands premium valuations.
The retention of the entire operational team, including CEO Sherif Rizkalla, is significant as colocation businesses rely heavily on specialized expertise and strong client relationships. As part of the transaction, the business will undergo rebranding, moving away from the STACK name to establish its independent identity focused on enterprise colocation.
With established positions in five markets, this portfolio provides Apollo a platform with growth potential across the European digital infrastructure landscape, particularly as enterprises continue their digital transformation journeys.
LONDON and NEW YORK, April 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Apollo (NYSE: APO) today announced that Apollo-managed infrastructure funds (the “Apollo Funds”) have agreed to acquire the European colocation business (the “Company”) developed and managed by STACK Infrastructure, a portfolio company of Blue Owl Digital Infrastructure Advisors LLC (“BODI”) in a carve-out transaction.
The Company comprises seven data center assets in strategic, highly interconnected locations across five key European markets - Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen, Milan and Geneva - serving the data center and connectivity needs of a diverse portfolio of blue-chip enterprise clients, including telecommunications carriers, IT and services companies and financial institutions.
Sherif Rizkalla, CEO of the Company, said: “We are delighted to partner with Apollo to accelerate growth of our business as a new, standalone company. Leveraging Apollo’s expertise in infrastructure, significant access to resources and support, we believe we are extraordinarily well-positioned to capitalize on our industry’s tailwinds and bring even more value to our customers, employees and other stakeholders.”
Adam Petrie, Partner at Apollo, said: “We are strong believers in the fundamental tailwinds behind the demand for data center infrastructure. In particular, we believe high-quality, interconnected colocation businesses with differentiated value propositions like the Company’s offer an attractive, secular growth opportunity for the long-term. We are very excited to partner with Sherif and his team in taking this business to the next level and expanding its presence across Europe.”
“A client-first approach is at the heart of STACK, which is why we established a dedicated enterprise colocation business unit in EMEA last year,” said John Eland, Chief Executive Officer, STACK EMEA. “The strategic creation of the colocation business unit enabled us to support the specialised requirements of the hyperscale sector, whilst also enabling our colocation experts to deliver exclusively on the needs of the enterprise sector. As STACK EMEA evolves to focus primarily on hyperscale clients, this transaction solidifies our commitment to hyperscale data center development and operations whilst our former enterprise colocation clients will continue to receive the highest standard of performance and support from dedicated experts.”
As part of the carve-out transaction, the management team and all employees currently operating the EMEA colocation business within STACK are expected to migrate with the Company, which will be re-branded and will no longer bear the “STACK Infrastructure” name or logo. STACK will continue its growth trajectory with a focus on hyperscale development and operations across key EMEA markets.
The transaction is subject to satisfaction of certain closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.
Latham & Watkins LLP served as legal counsel to the Apollo Funds.
About Apollo
Apollo is a high-growth, global alternative asset manager. In our asset management business, we seek to provide our clients excess return at every point along the risk-reward spectrum from investment grade credit to private equity. For more than three decades, our investing expertise across our fully integrated platform has served the financial return needs of our clients and provided businesses with innovative capital solutions for growth. Through Athene, our retirement services business, we specialize in helping clients achieve financial security by providing a suite of retirement savings products and acting as a solutions provider to institutions. Our patient, creative, and knowledgeable approach to investing aligns our clients, businesses we invest in, our employees, and the communities we impact, to expand opportunity and achieve positive outcomes. As of December 31, 2024, Apollo had approximately
About BODI
BODI is part of Blue Owl’s Real Assets platform and a leading manager of global real estate private equity funds focused exclusively on investing in the digital infrastructure sector. BODI makes investments in digital infrastructure assets, including data center assets and other technology and connectivity-related assets and service providers all on a global basis. As of December 31, 2024, the funds managed by BODI had approximately
About STACK Infrastructure
STACK provides digital infrastructure to scale the world’s most innovative companies. With a client-first approach, STACK delivers a comprehensive suite of campus, build-to-suit, colocation, and powered shell solutions in the Americas, EMEA, and APAC regions. With robust existing and flexible expansion capacity in the leading availability zones, STACK offers the scale and geographic reach that rapidly growing hyperscale and enterprise companies need. The world runs on data. Data runs on STACK.
For more information about STACK, please visit: www.stackinfra.com.
Apollo Contacts
Noah Gunn
Global Head of Investor Relations Apollo Global Management, Inc.
(212) 822-0540
IR@apollo.com
Joanna Rose
Global Head of Corporate Communications Apollo Global Management, Inc.
(212) 822-0491
Communications@apollo.com
STACK Infrastructure Contacts
Stephanie Srikandarajah
press-emea@stackinfra.com
FAQ
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