We ‘deep dive’ with Laura Ortman, CEO of Cologix, who tells us about life inside and outside of the office.
What would you describe as your most memorable achievement in the data centre industry?
Our recent expansion in Columbus, Ohio, where we’re investing more than US$7 billion to develop AI-ready data centres across 154 acres, stands out as a milestone. Additionally, the continued trust of our investors, reinforced by our recent US$1.5 billion in debt and equity financing, is a significant achievement.
However, none of this would be possible without what I consider our proudest accomplishment: the culture we’ve built at Cologix. Our values guide everything we do and knowing that every team member feels valued as a critical part of our success is incredibly rewarding.
What first made you think of a career in technology/data centres?
Like many in our industry, my background was in software, cloud and SaaS. As the digital economy expanded globally, I saw firsthand how essential digital infrastructure is to enabling transformation. My passion for helping customers find the right solutions made the move into data centres a natural fit.
What style of management philosophy do you employ in your current position?
The most common phrase across emails, chat, and text at Cologix is ‘TWW’ – Together We Win. I believe in fostering an environment where each person brings their unique talents and perspectives to the job while feeling empowered and accountable for driving success. We are stronger together.
What do you think is the current hot talking point within the data centre space?
I would certainly say AI and with it, power. It presents incredible opportunities for innovation, but it also brings significant challenges that require collaboration between our industry, policymakers, utilities and communities to thoughtfully leverage the promise of AI.
For our customers, another important talking point is interconnection. Our customers are telling us that robust ecosystems are more essential than ever to address the ever-increasing demand for real-time information. Enterprises across Canada and the U.S want to deploy applications at the digital edge and load balance compute resources across multiple sites dynamically.
How do you deal with stress and unwind outside the office?
I am intentional about maintaining perspective. What matters most is my family, and everyone’s health and balance. I was an athlete in college, and while I no longer compete, I do very much still enjoy a tennis match or round of golf. Plus, I make time to walk every workday – even 10 minutes outside provides a great reset.
What do you currently identify as the major areas of investment in your industry?
Land and power are the big ones, of course, but I also see major investments to address the evolving data centre design needs, as enterprise densities increase and AI demands grow. Alternative energy investment is also critical longer term as utilities explore solutions to support customer needs.
What are the region-specific challenges you encounter in your role?
Each market in North America has specific challenges and the ability to secure land and power that’s sufficient to meet customer demand is the common theme, regardless of market. With that, there are local nuances tied to public policy and environmental requirements. It’s important that we are good neighbors in the communities where we live and work, so we are very thoughtful in our approach.
What changes to your job role have you seen in the last year and how do you see these developing in the coming months?
The core of my role – positioning the team for success, navigating challenges and adapting to change – remains the same. What has shifted is the pace at which we operate in response to surging demand for digital infrastructure. Enterprises’ need for interconnected ecosystems and colocation has particularly accelerated since the pandemic, and now, with AI, the momentum is even faster.
So, while it’s a very exciting time in the industry, right now we are seeing more complexity and constraint. For Cologix, this means adding a Chief Energy Strategy Officer and a Chief Business Officer to help drive future development and create a pathway for growth.
What will remain the same is our commitment to our people. Maintaining a strong culture and providing paths that help them grow professionally and engage meaningfully with each other and our communities is foundational for our success, and something we are deeply proud of.
