TOP 250 COMPANIES

Data Centre Leader: Noelle Walsh Industry: Cloud Computing / Hyperscale

Microsoft builds and runs one of the largest purpose-built estates in the world, spanning more than 500 data centres across 34 countries. This digital infrastructure network forms the backbone for more than 80 Azure regions. Capital expenditure reached about US $ 88bn in the 2025 financial year, much of it committed to AI-enabled capacity, making the company a defining source of demand for developers, equipment suppliers and utilities. Its Fairwater sites in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin and Atlanta, Georgia use closed-loop liquid cooling that removes operational water consumption, supporting a 2030 water positive commitment. The 20-year agreement with Constellation Energy to restart the Crane Clean Energy Center brought nuclear generation into mainstream data centre procurement. Alongside its self-build programme, Microsoft leases at volume from colocation providers, underpinning development pipelines and financing decisions across established and emerging markets.

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