Inside Sydney’s A$17b supercomputing operation, co-owned by Infratil

To gain access to one of the largest privately-owned data centre operations in Australia, some rooms require six methods of identity authentication.

CDC Data Centres' high-security campus is home to some of its 22 data centres down under, including in Auckland - eight of which were still under construction.

The private company, worth A$17 billion in enterprise value, which included debt, was half-owned by New Zealand-based investment outfit Infratil.

“We’re the home of supercomputing in both Australia and New Zealand,” CDC founder and chief executive Greg Boorer told Markets with Madison in Sydney.

CDC Data Centres' Sydney campus is home to some of its 22 data centres down under - eight of which are still under construction.

Before reaching this point, the business first began as Boorer’s idea and was entirely bootstrapped in its early years.

“Everyone said, ‘I’ll believe it when I see it'.

“Failure wasn’t an option.”

Demand for data centres, like the ones it’s building, was still booming and could increase by 10 times from here, he said.

“Data centres being built is a sign of current and future economic prosperity ... Because they are the digital infrastructure factories.”

CDC Data Centres founder and CEO Greg Boorer built the A$17b business from nothing 18 years ago.

Get the first look inside CDC’s Sydney data centre campus and learn how Government information, big tech players and AI are fuelling demand, in today’s episode of Markets with Madison above.

Get investment insights from executives and experts on Markets with Madison every Monday and Friday here on the NZ Herald, on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts.

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Disclaimer: The information provided in this programme is of a general nature, and is not intended to be personalised financial advice. We encourage you to seek appropriate advice from a qualified professional to suit your individual circumstances.

Madison Malone (nee Reidy) is host and executive producer of the NZ Herald’s investment show Markets with Madison. She joined the Herald in 2022 after working in investment, and has covered business and economics for television and radio broadcasters.