Pure Data Centres CEO Dame Dawn Childs has stepped down from her role, with former CyrusOne CEO Gary Wojtaszek temporarily taking the helm.

Pure this week announced the appointment of data center veteran Wojtaszek as executive chairman and interim CEO.

Wojtaszek said: “Pure DC has built a strong, differentiated platform across Europe and the Middle East. The AI wave that transformed the US market is now emerging across Europe, and the opportunity to scale a focused, high-quality platform at this moment is compelling.

"Our objective is clear: expand in supply-constrained core markets, deliver for hyperscale and AI customers at the highest standards, and develop the next generation of large-scale AI campuses across the region.”

Dame Childs had served as CEO since May 2023. She will transition to the role of president of Pure DC.

Childs said: “Gary’s appointment is a significant milestone for Pure DC. His global leadership experience and proven ability to scale complex infrastructure platforms make him uniquely suited to lead our next chapter of growth. We have strong momentum and a world-class team – and this leadership transition positions us to accelerate further.”

Founded in 2013, Pure is owned by investment firm Oaktree Capital Management. The company has developments in London (Brent Cross, Park Royal), the UAE (Abu Dhabi), Saudi Arabia (Riyadh), Spain (Madrid), Indonesia (Jakarta), Ireland (Dublin), the Netherlands (Amsterdam), and Finland (Seinäjoki). On its website, Pure says it has more than 500MW of capacity live or under development.

Following stints at General Motors, Delphi, and Agere Systems, Wojtaszek joined Cincinnati Bell in 2008. He was then appointed CFO and subsequently President of CyrusOne, a subsidiary of the telco at the time. CyrusOne subsequently completed an IPO in 2013. Wojtaszek stepped down as CEO in February 2020 "by mutual agreement with the board."

Wojtaszek then started a new venture, buying RV storage facilities, where he is the founder and “chief camper.”

He remains on the boards of data center operators DayOne, GDS, Nxtra, and Involta.

A veteran of the Royal Air Force, Dawn is a Dame of the British Empire. She joined Pure in 2021 following stints at Gatwick Airport, theme park company Merlin, and National Grid.