Zayo Group to launch independent entities for North American & European growth

In a strategic bid to accelerate growth across North America and Europe, Zayo Group, the reputed global provider of network infrastructure, has announced plans to carve out two independent entities. This includes Zayo Europe which will focus solely on meeting network needs across the continent. The company has further explained that their decision to split up will not only present unprecedented growth opportunities but also simplify operations and align strategic objectives to generate long-term value for Zayo, its customers, and the newly formed entities.

Currently operating a largely self-governed fibre infrastructure network across eight Western European countries, Zayo Europe has appointed Colman Deegan as its new CEO. London, Paris, Stuttgart, and Sofia will continue to be the key operational hubs for the company. This transformative shift will make Zayo Europe a standalone business entity, singularly focussed to attain growth objectives across the Western European markets. However, both enterprises will remain under the same ownership group and will continue to offer global network services through formal contracts.

CEO of Zayo, Steve Smith, lauded this move as a "pivotal moment in Zayo Group's strategic journey." He added, "Under the experienced leadership of Colman Deegan, our shared owners will continue to invest in Zayo Europe and position the organisation for accelerated growth and momentum in the European market."

Effective after the separation, Zayo Europe will be governed by a new board of directors, including Jens Schulte-Bockum as the chairman. Schulte-Bockum is a leading industry figure with experience as the past CEO of Vodafone Germany and Group COO of MTN Group.

The new CEO of Zayo Europe, Colman Deegan, noted, "This strategic move will allow us to tailor our services and solutions to the needs of our European customers. As an independent company, we will have the agility to innovate faster, enhance our customer service, and deepen our commitment to the local markets."

Chairman of Board at Zayo Europe, Jens Schulte-Bockum echoed similar sentiments, stating, "This is a pivotal step forward in our commitment to delivering excellence and value in the European digital infrastructure market. Zayo and Zayo Europe's customers will continue to benefit from Zayo's extensive global network for international expansions. I am confident that this focused approach will yield substantial benefits for Zayo and Zayo Europe alike."

Alongside Zayo Europe, Zayo's business managing its customers' global network needs outside of its core North American and European networks will also evolve into a standalone entity. This division will possess a distinct management team to support international network expansions for North American and European customers.

The organisation is currently charting out the planning process to achieve these separations effectively, aiming for full legal separation in the second half of 2024.