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Jul 6, 2022
LONDON, UK – 06 July, 2022 – Businesses around the world are planning major investments in digital technologies to support ambitious expansion plans following lessons learned from the pandemic. New findings from an annual survey of technology decision-makers, by Equinix, Inc. (Nasdaq: EQIX), suggest a movement toward a less connected world could not be further from the plans of digital leaders across industries and geographies. Despite concerns of a potential looming recession and talk at the World Economic Forum in Davos about the end of globalisation, businesses appear to remain bullish about their plans for further global expansion.
Of the 2,900 IT decision-makers surveyed globally in the Equinix 2022 Global Tech Trends Survey, 72% of respondents indicated their organisation is planning to expand in the next 12 months, into either a new city (31%), a new country (33%), or a new region entirely (38%).
The global sentiment was echoed by UK-based IT decision-makers, with 43% planning expansion into a new region; 31% into a new country; and 26% into a new city. Overall, however, tech decision-makers in EMEA were less ambitious in terms of expansion plans, with 59% planning to expand into a new market in the next year—perhaps reflecting more caution around economic factors. By contrast, IT leaders in APAC and in the Americas were more optimistic in this regard, with 82% and 78% intending to expand across geographies.
A number of potentially limiting factors were identified by businesses when it came to global growth, with supply chain challenges highlighted as a particular area of concern. 59% said their business was plagued by global supply chain issues and shortages, while 58% specified the global microchip shortage as a threat to their business.
These continued supply chain issues appear to be driving a need for more virtualisation, with growth aspirations underpinned by significant planned investment in digital infrastructure. Almost half (47%) of respondents globally said they plan to facilitate global expansion plans by deploying virtually via the cloud, while the UK came in at a lower 40%. More than a quarter (26%) of IT leaders surveyed said they would achieve expansion using a bare metal solution, which was matched in the UK. Meanwhile, 47% both in the UK and globally said they expect increased spending on carrier-neutral colocation solutions to facilitate the planned rise in digital deployments, while even more (59% globally; 61% in the UK) said they intend to increase investment in interconnection services as they plan to progress digital transformation and build resilience.
The pandemic also continues to have a significant impact on businesses’ digital strategies. More than half of global and UK IT leaders (52% and 57% respectively) say they are accelerating their company’s digital evolution because of the COVID-19 crisis. Indeed, over half (54% globally and 56%) confirm their IT budgets have increased as a direct outcome of its legacy—an insight into the now broadly acknowledged necessity for robust digital infrastructure to pivot to evolving business needs in an instant. Furthermore, the majority of respondents (61% globally and 62% in the UK) believe the technology changes and investments implemented during the pandemic are here to stay.
Russell Poole, Managing Director for Equinix in the UK, said: “The pandemic has seen truly impressive innovation and incredible acceleration of digital evolution globally, and EMEA is no different. These results highlight more lingering caution felt by IT leaders in EMEA than their counterpart regions—not unexpectedly. While 59% of EMEA respondents intend to expand into new geographies, the UK is tracking slightly higher at 62%, which is hopefully indicative of further growth and transformation to come, despite recent adversity.
“While there have been innumerable challenges over the last two years, the survey reveals some positives that can be taken, such as more than half of UK respondents confirming their digital evolution has accelerated and IT budgets have increased as a lasting result, as well as 62% reporting the changes made under duress in a time of need were sound decisions that will remain in place, at a time when many businesses pan-industry are reconsidering hastily implemented systems.
“It remains an exciting time in the rapidly evolving tech sector, as all regions reported growth and increased investment and planning around new technologies from 5G to Web 3.0, the IoT and XaaS. Equinix remains committed to support our digital partners in their evolutionary journeys through the utilisation of the multiple problem-solving platforms we offer.”
There remain, however, significant concerns around cybersecurity. Ensuring expansions are supported by resilient digital models is business-critical, particularly at a time of increasing volatility and emerging global threats. As part of their digital-first strategies, 85% of respondents confirmed a key priority is improving cybersecurity. 84% said complying with local market data regulations is critical, while 83% highlighted the need to futureproof their businesses. According to IT specialists, the most feared threats were cyberattacks, security breaches and data leaks (all 70%).
In addition, the survey revealed:
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To read more about the Global Tech Trends Survey or download a copy, please visit: Equinix 2022 Global Tech Trends Survey
Additional Quote
Eugene Bergen Henegouwen, President, EMEA, Equinix:
“The resilience of many EMEA businesses throughout the pandemic appears to be stronger than ever. As the survey demonstrates, technological changes made by companies across EMEA during the pandemic are largely here to stay, with a solid 58% reporting this to be the case. Moreover, opportunities have been created for companies to accelerate their digital strategies—cloud adoption and interconnectivity between business partners have and continue to increase as a result. Indeed, almost half (46%) of the survey’s EMEA respondents flag more ambitious strategies, with the same amount stating their IT budgets have increased as a direct outcome of COVID-19. As part of these revamped and funded IT strategies, it’s most promising to see technologies such as Web 3.0, 5G and the internet of things, taking greater priority than we’ve ever seen before. We’re working with our customers to expand global connectivity and on-ramps to the cloud, while determining which digital services best meet their needs as they continue to evolve and innovate.”
Rick Villars, Group Vice President for Worldwide Research at IDC:
“Even as enterprises seek to navigate the waves of disruptions associated with inflation, supply chain disruptions, and unmet skills needs that arose in the first half of 2022, IDC consistently hears from IT leaders that timely and expansive access to innovative technology, interconnectivity, and intelligent SaaS resources is critical. Companies like Equinix, that can speed access to needed facilities and connectivity options while also enabling more effective use of hybrid and multicloud services, will play a vital role in helping IT teams make sustainable technology investment decisions and take full advantage of SaaS and digital infrastructure.”
About the Survey
The independent study, commissioned by Equinix, surveyed 2,900 IT decision-makers in diverse enterprises across the Americas (Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Mexico, U.S.), Asia-Pacific (Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Singapore, South Korea), and EMEA (Bulgaria, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Nigeria, Poland, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UAE, UK). Respondents were selected for participation from Dynata’s online panel. The survey was conducted online between March 1, 2022 and March 29, 2022.
Learn more about The Future of Digital Leadership.
About Equinix
Equinix (Nasdaq: EQIX) is the world’s digital infrastructure company™, enabling digital leaders to harness a trusted platform to bring together and interconnect the foundational infrastructure that powers their success. Equinix enables today’s businesses to access all the right places, partners and possibilities they need to accelerate advantage. With Equinix, they can scale with agility, speed the launch of digital services, deliver world-class experiences and multiply their value.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from expectations discussed in such forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such differences include, but are not limited to, the challenges of acquiring, operating and constructing IBX® data centers and developing, deploying and delivering Equinix products and solutions; unanticipated costs or difficulties relating to the integration of companies we have acquired or will acquire into Equinix; a failure to receive significant revenues from customers in recently built out or acquired data centers; a failure to complete any financing arrangements contemplated from time to time; competition from existing and new competitors; the ability to generate sufficient cash flow or otherwise obtain funds to repay new or outstanding indebtedness; the loss or decline in business from our key customers; risks related to our taxation as a REIT; and other risks described from time to time in Equinix filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In particular, see recent Equinix quarterly and annual reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, copies of which are available upon request from Equinix. Equinix does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking information contained in this press release.
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