Equinix has appointed Olivier Leonetti as Chief Financial Officer, effective March 16, as the global digital infrastructure company prepares for the retirement of longtime finance chief Keith Taylor.
Leonetti succeeds Taylor, who joined Equinix in 1999 and has played a central role in shaping the company’s financial strategy through its early growth, public listing and global expansion. Taylor will retire in 2026 after a 27-year career with the company but will remain as a special advisor for about a year to support the leadership transition.
The appointment comes at a time when the data centre industry is undergoing a new wave of investment driven by artificial intelligence, cloud computing and digital transformation.
A key player in global digital infrastructure
Equinix is widely regarded as one of the world’s most important digital infrastructure companies. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, the Nasdaq-listed firm operates hundreds of data centres globally and provides interconnection services that allow enterprises, cloud providers, telecom operators and financial institutions to exchange data securely and at low latency.
By 2025 the company had built a network of roughly 280 data centres worldwide, enabling businesses to deploy digital infrastructure close to customers and partners across major global markets.
The company’s business model centres on carrier-neutral facilities, meaning multiple telecom operators and cloud providers can connect within the same data centre ecosystem. This structure has made Equinix a critical hub for the global internet economy.
Its platform supports hyperscale cloud providers, network operators, enterprises and financial institutions that require high-performance infrastructure to support digital services, AI workloads and data-intensive applications.
Why the CFO role matters
Financial leadership is particularly strategic in the data centre sector.
Building a large-scale data centre requires billions of dollars in capital investment, access to land and power infrastructure, and long-term financing strategies. CFOs therefore play a decisive role in capital allocation, debt issuance, real-estate financing and investor relations.
As Equinix continues expanding capacity across major global markets, the CFO will be responsible for managing the financial architecture behind the company’s growth strategy, including financing new facilities and navigating rising energy and construction costs.
Olivier Leonetti: a veteran finance leader
Leonetti brings more than three decades of financial leadership experience in global technology and infrastructure companies.
Prior to joining Equinix, he served as Chief Financial Officer of Eaton, a global power management company that supplies electrical infrastructure and energy systems to data centres and other industries.
Before Eaton, Leonetti was CFO of Johnson Controls, where he oversaw finance for a global building technologies company focused on smart buildings, energy efficiency and digital infrastructure solutions.
Earlier in his career, he served as CFO of Zebra Technologies and Western Digital, both major technology firms. He also held senior finance roles at Dell and Amgen, gaining experience across enterprise technology, life sciences and global manufacturing.
Leonetti is a certified accountant and holds graduate degrees in economics, accountancy and internal audit from French institutions, as well as an MBA.
Why Equinix chose Leonetti
Equinix CEO and President Adaire Fox-Martin said Leonetti’s background across infrastructure and technology made him well suited to guide the company through its next phase of expansion.
“Olivier is an exceptional leader with a distinguished track record of delivering strong results at leading technology and infrastructure companies,” Fox-Martin said.
“His strategic vision, combined with his deep financial acumen and operational rigor, will be a great addition to our team as we continue executing on our priorities to serve our customers and create value for our shareholders.”
Leonetti’s priorities at Equinix
Leonetti said he has long admired Equinix for its role at the centre of the global digital ecosystem.
“Equinix is a company that I have long admired given the important role it plays connecting the world’s digital infrastructure,” he said.
He noted that the company already has a strong finance organisation and that his focus will be supporting continued growth in both revenue and profitability.
Data centres and the AI boom
The leadership transition comes as demand for data centre infrastructure accelerates globally.
Artificial intelligence, cloud computing, streaming services and digital payments have dramatically increased demand for secure, high-capacity computing facilities. At the same time, operators face growing challenges around energy availability, power costs and regulatory approvals for new sites.
These factors have made financial discipline and capital planning increasingly important for data centre companies such as Equinix.
With Leonetti’s experience across technology and industrial infrastructure, the company is betting that strong financial leadership will help sustain its expansion in an increasingly competitive digital infrastructure market.
