Portus Data Centers, a provider of carrier-neutral colocation solutions in regional markets, has announced the appointment of Richard Pimper as the new Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Chief Technology Officer (CTO), effective January 1, 2026. In this dual role, Richard will lead the technological strategy and oversee crucial operational aspects as Portus continues along its growth trajectory.
Prior to joining Portus, Richard Pimper held the position of Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of Digital Power at Huawei. With a focus on digital energy solutions for data centres and critical infrastructure, he was responsible for setting the strategic direction and overseeing technology initiatives.
Richard brings over 25 years of experience in IT infrastructure, data centres, and cloud strategies. His expertise lies at the intersection of technology, operations, and economics, with a particular focus on scalable infrastructure models, cloud adoption, and sustainable, energy-efficient operational approaches.
As COO and CTO, Richard's mission will be to expand and scale technical platforms, advance energy-efficient data centre solutions, and foster the operational integration of new locations. This seeks to reinforce Portus' buy-and-build strategy, promoting sustainable growth in Germany and its neighbouring markets.
According to Richard, "The demands placed on data centers are fundamentally changing as increasing performance requirements, new technologies such as AI and edge computing and the growing focus on energy efficiency and sustainable operating models are shaping the market." Portus Data Centers, he believes, uniquely combines regional proximity with infrastructure and a clear growth strategy, and he is excited to bring his expertise to the team's mission of advancing digital infrastructures responsibly.
Group CEO, Falk Weinreich, expresses confidence in Richard's ability. "With Richard Pimper, we are gaining a proven technology and operations expert with a deep understanding of data center, cloud and energy systems."
Portus operates highly connected data centres at regional locations, aiming to meet growing demand for secure, scalable, and energy-efficient IT infrastructure.
Under its expanded leadership, Portus plans to invest in regional capacity, as illustrated by the MUC2 edge data centre expansion in Kirchheim, near Munich. By early 2027, the site is projected to offer an additional 5.5 MW of IT capacity, culminating in a total capacity of 7 MW.
Parallel to this expansion, Portus is also developing a new facility offering up to 12.8 MW of IT capacity within its connected campus in Hamburg, and has further enhanced its Luxembourg data centre with an additional MW of capacity. With future projects already on the drawing board across Germany and neighbouring regions, Portus Data Centers is continuing its planned growth initiatives.
