Digital 9 Infrastructure plc (LON:DGI9), a leading investor in the infrastructure of the internet, has noted the appointment of additional personnel to the Triple Point Investment Management digital infrastructure team.
Further to the previous announcement on 1 December 2022, the Investment Manager has completed the competitive recruitment and selection process to appoint a new Head of Digital Infrastructure. Triple Point and the Board of D9 have thoroughly evaluated the skills and experience D9 would benefit from to complement the skillset of the existing portfolio management team, including Investee Companies’ executive management, and of the Operating Partner panel at Triple Point.
Diego Massidda, Head of Digital Infrastructure
Following this process, Triple Point is pleased to appoint Diego Massidda as Head of Digital Infrastructure with effect from 1 September 2023. Diego will lead the active management of D9’s portfolio to further optimise its operating and financial performance and help drive the growth and convergence of D9’s platforms.
Diego is a seasoned industry veteran with over 20 years’ operating experience in global telecommunications and digital infrastructure. Diego has spent 16 years with Vodafone Group plc (LON:VOD) , and is currently CEO of Vodafone Partner Markets, responsible for all services provided by Vodafone to other mobile operators in c. 50 countries where Vodafone does not operate directly. In this role, he provides strategic guidance and operational expertise to partner market CEOs to grow revenue share, profitability, and drive operational excellence.
Until recently, Diego was also CEO of Vodafone Carrier Services, responsible for the commercial strategy and execution of Vodafone data and voice wholesale business globally, including sub-sea and terrestrial optical fibre assets.
Diego spent five years as CEO of Vodafone Hungary, taking the mobile operator from number three to number two in revenue share in the market, through sustained double-digit revenue and profit growth and best customer experience. His experience in Vodafone includes leading the development and launch of a satellite/cable/IPTV broadcasting and streaming service for Vodafone Germany, and the responsibility for the development of Vodafone’s fixed broadband activities globally.
He was previously the CEO of Telecom Italia France and Tiscali (South Africa and later France), during which time he was responsible for the B2B hosting and co-location business of these entities based on their data centre assets.
Diego started his career as a civil engineer, and later worked for McKinsey & Company. He is a qualified civil engineer and holds an MBA from INSEAD Business School.
Following an induction process, Diego will be responsible for stakeholder relations and will be available to meet shareholders and sell-side research analysts following the publication of the Company’s Interim Results for the period ended 30 June 2023.
The interim results will be presented by Ben Beaton, Co-Managing Partner of Triple Point, who will continue to manage D9 on an interim basis, and long-term will continue to support the execution of the Company’s strategy working closely with the Triple Point digital infrastructure team.
Arnaud Jaguin, Head of Investment – Digital Infrastructure
Diego will lead an established team of digital infrastructure investment experts at Triple Point including Arnaud Jaguin, who has been promoted to Head of Investment – Digital Infrastructure. Arnaud has been integral to D9’s development since IPO in 2021, leading the origination and execution of the Company’s investments into Aqua Comms, Arqiva Group and Elio Networks (formerly, Host Ireland).
Arnaud has over 15 years’ experience in telecoms and digital infrastructure. He began his career in telecoms M&A advisory at UBS Investment Bank, advising on approximately £50 billion worth of transactions. Arnaud’s diverse industry experience includes Level3 Communications (corporate development and strategy), CenturyLink (marketing), RETN (sales operations) and Ontix (finance).
Laureen Cook, Operating Partner
Triple Point is also pleased to appoint Laureen Cook to its digital infrastructure team’s Operating Partner panel alongside Alan Harper, Simon Beresford-Wylie and Steve Andrews. Laureen will sit on Triple Point’s Digital Infrastructure Investment Committee and, alongside an established panel of Operating Partners, will support Investee Companies’ commercial development in partnership with the executive management teams.
Laureen has a leading track record of over 25 years in the wireless, fibre, subsea, towers and data centres sectors, in addition to investment expertise in emerging technologies including IoT, cloud convergence, and satellite. Laureen has deployed over $16 billion to telecoms infrastructure projects in these sectors globally on behalf of institutional investors and was most recently the former principal of the TMT private equity investment group at the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation.
Phil Jordan, Chair of Digital 9 Infrastructure plc, said: “Diego is an industry leader and his track record at CEO level of delivering revenue and profitability growth will complement the expertise of D9’s investment team and our world-class Investee Company management. We look forward to working with Diego and Laureen, alongside Arnaud and Ben, who will continue to execute the Company’s investment strategy and fund management.”
