Darren Webb

Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer

As Co-Founder and CEO, Darren’s role is to ensure Evolution Data Centres delivers on its strategic vision to become the next-generation leading pan-Asian data centre platform, delivering digital growth, reliably and sustainably, into high growth markets. Darren founded Evolution because he believed that customers deserved a greater choice of sustainable data centre infrastructure in Asia.

Darren has been in Asia for 13 years and he has worked in all aspects of the digital infrastructure ecosystem, including telco, data centre and artificial intelligence. Based in Singapore Darren was the MD for Asia for IO Data Centres (a next-generation, modular data centre operator), where he led the business to net cash flow positive and ultimately to a successful exit.

With his co-founder, and leadership team, Darren is passionate about workplace culture. He aspires for Evolution to be a company where everyone makes an active contribution and is accountable. Darren’s mantra is to enjoy the journey, rather than being obsessed with reaching the destination.

Darren refuses to take any shop offered plastic bags and has a personal commitment to improving health and sustainability.

Ed Martin-Sperry

Co-Founder & Chief Investment Officer

Ed’s role as Chief Investment Officer is to drive Evolution’s investment program while developing and managing relationships with capital and strategic partners. Ed co-founded Evolution due to his conviction that underserved Southeast Asian markets are set to become the next frontier of data centre growth in Asia, as well as the attraction of addressing the tremendous challenge of sustainability in the industry.

Ed was previously an investment banker to the digital infrastructure and renewable power sectors in Asia. In his role as Head of Asian TMT Investment Banking at ING, he advised digital infrastructure businesses on fundraising, M&A and capital strategy in emerging markets, including winning Infrastructure Investor’s 2020 “Digital Infrastructure Deal of the Year in Asia Pacific”. Ed also has 10 years’ experience working on Asian renewable power transactions and has undertaken more than 30 M&A transactions in the region.

Ed is a Civil Engineering graduate and has been passionate throughout his career about enabling sustainable solutions to infrastructure development.

Simon Hamer

Chief Technology Officer

As Chief Technology Officer, Simon brings to life Evolution Data Centres’ vision by implementing data centres that deliver high availability, performance, sustainability and scalability to meet our customer’s requirements. Simon’s extensive career includes design, commissioning and leadership roles for general contractors, consultants and clients.

Simon has been involved with a range of projects that have enabled him to implement innovative data centre designs. His experience of control systems will enable Evolution to be able to track metrics, performance and target sustainability goals across all facilities.

Simon’s recent data experience spans leading the APAC data centre team for an international consultancy, to most recently heading the APAC co-location engineering team for Amazon Web Services.

He has been in Asia for 25 years with 20 of those being based in Singapore and has travelled extensively through the region for work and pleasure. He is committed to sustainability and cycles or walks to work at least three times a week and insists on drinking his coffee from reusable cups.

Mingli Xue

VP Sales

Mingli Xue brings more than 20 years of leadership experience across hyperscale data centres and the telecommunications industry. Recognised for her strategic vision, collaborative approach, and ability to bridge cultures, she has consistently delivered growth, nurtured talent, and built strong global partnerships throughout her career.

Mingli began her professional journey at China Telecom and China Mobile International, where she played a key role in strengthening market presence, developing innovative solutions, and inspiring diverse teams to achieve ambitious goals. She later joined Yondr Group as Senior Director, Global Client Solutions APAC, where she led engagement with hyperscale clients, drove growth through value-based strategies, and positioned the business as a trusted partner across the region. Most recently, as Director of Strategic Partnerships at K2 Strategic, she helped shape global strategy and fostered meaningful international alliances with some of the industry’s most influential players.

She holds a Master’s degree in Business Studies, Administration & Management from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and has been based in Singapore for more than a decade, where she has established herself as a respected voice in the digital infrastructure community.

Beyond her professional achievements, Mingli is a passionate advocate for sustainability, actively supporting recycling initiatives, raising environmental awareness, and promoting responsible business practices. She is deeply committed to building a more sustainable future for the industry and the communities it serves.

Sau Ern Chee

Financial Controller

Sau Ern’s role as Financial Controller is to oversee the Group finance activities including financial reporting, planning, budget, treasury and corporate governance.

Sau Ern is a Chartered Accountant, Singapore with over 20 years of finance experience in the telecommunications industry. Prior to joining the team, she was the Finance Director of a Singapore start-up, MyRepublic, where she headed the finance team of its Singapore business. She led the setting up and automation of finance processes and was key in scaling up the business, including expanding MyRepublic’s internet service business into mobility business. Before MyRepublic, she took on various finance roles including finance business partner and finance controller in Cable & Wireless/Vodafone covering APAC region.

Sau Ern holds a Bachelor of Accountancy degree with Nanyang Technological University of Singapore and started her professional career with KPMG Singapore as an auditor.

Sau Ern is committed to sustainability through recycling and reusing. She recycles household materials and participates in E-Waste recycling programmes in Singapore.

Owen Irving

Head of Commercial

Owen’s role is to ensure data centre construction and operations meet the commercial demands of our prospective customers, balancing price and performance through optimal project design, build and operational delivery. To that end he has been deeply involved in aligning our wider team of consultants and suppliers around this purpose, ensuring right-sized and value engineered designs are brought to construction.

Owen has been based in Singapore for more than 20 years, initially leading Cable & Wireless’ and then Vodafone’s Global Enterprise commercial teams in APAC; this role involved responsibility for bids, pricing and in-contract commercial management for Enterprise and Carrier customers. He also previously ran Cable & Wireless’ International Carrier Sales and APAC Sales Operations. Most recently he worked within the Property function at Standard Chartered Bank, evolving the strategy of IT-enabled colleague collaboration and smart building technology to enable more efficient use of office real estate.

Owen has a Bachelor of Commerce from Auckland University, New Zealand and started his professional career at Deloitte in New Zealand, originally qualifying as a Chartered Accountant, working in Business Advisory, Corporate Advisory Services and Consulting.

Owen is a keen user and advocate of public transport and demonstrates personal initiative for sustainability on a daily basis, keeping his local community tidy by picking up (usually) plastic litter around his neighbourhood during his early morning dog walks.

Alexander Shepherd

General Counsel and interim Chief Operating Officer

Alex’s role as General Counsel is to support legal and regulatory aspects of the business in relation to its strategic partners, site acquisition, construction, customer contracts and operations. His role as interim COO is to manage and oversee the day-to-day administrative and operational aspects of the group during its development phase. His responsibilities cover our head office in Singapore and each of our operating markets.

Alex has more than 25 years’ experience as a lawyer specialised in technology, media and telecoms (TMT). He was previously a partner at Pinsent Masons MPillay and Bird & Bird ATMD in Singapore, and Simmons & Simmons in Dubai, having trained with Linklaters in London and New York. In March 2023 he was recognised by Asian Legal Business as one of the “Super 50 TMT Lawyers” in Asia and has consistently been highly ranked by Legal500 and Chambers & Partners. He has extensive experience of technology and telecommunications matters, including data centres, subsea cables, and IT system and software development, and in relation to data privacy, data security and data sovereignty.

Alex has a Computer Science degree and is admitted as a solicitor in England & Wales and the Republic of Ireland, and is a registered foreign lawyer in Singapore.

Alex’s personal sustainability pledge has been to swap from taxis to his bicycle and the MRT for his daily commute.
Josh’s commitment to sustainability incorporates avoidance of single-use grocery products, conscious selection of meat sourced from animals with a lower carbon footprint, and day-to-day power conservation efforts in the household. Josh also takes the bus or MRT in his daily morning commute and walks back home after work.

Matt Coleman

Principal – Strategy and Investment

Matt’s role as Principal – Strategy and Investment is to support the senior leadership team in delivering Evolution’s strategy, execute on growth initiatives in new markets and manage relationships with key capital providers and strategic stakeholders. Matt joined Evolution in order to be part of the solution to Asia’s technological and sustainability challenges.

Matt has been living in Asia for three years. Prior to joining Evolution, he obtained his MBA from INSEAD in Singapore and before that, Matt was a Vice President with Investcorp in Singapore and London where he led the launch of the Southeast Asia private equity team and Investcorp’s first investment in Southeast Asia.

Matt has an MBA from INSEAD and an MA from the University of St Andrews. He is also a CFA Charterholder.

Matt’s personal commitment to health and sustainability is to complete a triathlon in 2025 as well as reduce his intake of beef and dairy and maximise his use of public transportation.

Josh Lam

Investment Manager

Josh’s role as Investment Manager is to evaluate, execute and manage investment opportunities and capital-related activities. Whilst working across all of Evolution’s target markets, Josh has a particular passion, as a native Filipino in helping to deliver the digital transformation in the Philippines.

Prior to joining the team, Josh was an investment banker in the digital infrastructure and renewable energy space in Southeast Asia. Josh undertook fundraising projects for regional telco conglomerates as an Associate under Credit Suisse’s Southeast Asia TMT sectors team and landmark Philippine M&A transactions while working under ING Corporate Finance.

Josh completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and Accountancy from the University of the Philippines Diliman. He has also passed the Philippine CPA exam (2015) and CFA Exam Level II (2016).

Josh’s commitment to sustainability incorporates avoidance of single-use grocery products, conscious selection of meat sourced from animals with a lower carbon footprint, and day-to-day power conservation efforts in the household. Josh also takes the bus or MRT in his daily morning commute and walks back home after work.

© Evolution Data Centres - All rights reserved. 2025