In Moscow:
Nezhdana Bukova Phone: +7 495 411 7555 E-mail: NBukova@ifc.org
In Washington, D.C.:
Josef Skoldeberg Phone: +1 202 473 6978 E-mail: JSkoldeberg@ifc.org
IFC Partners with IXcellerate to Expand Access to IT Infrastructure in Russia
Moscow, Russia, May 30, 2012—IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is making a $2.6 million (RUB 83 million) equity investment in datacenter operator IXcellerate to support the construction of a major data facility, expanding access to information technology infrastructure for businesses in Russia.
Construction of a new top-tier datacenter with an internationally experienced management team will provide high quality services needed by the growing business community in Russia.
“The investment by IFC, a sophisticated investor with a successful track record supporting the technology sector in emerging markets, will allow us to establish a strong base and continue expanding our business in Russia,” said Guy Willner, co-founder of IXcellerate.
This investment is part of IFC’s strategic focus on developing all elements of infrastructure in Russia to support the private sector and encourage economic growth. The total project, expected to be the largest vendor-neutral datacenter in Russia, will cost an estimated $55 million (RUB 176 million).
Kent Lupberger, IFC Global Head of Telecom, Media and Technology, said, “In today’s world, IT infrastructure is increasingly important for economic development. IXcellerate’s new datacenter will provide a cost-efficient, reliable and secure environment for electronic information storage and processing to Russian and international companies, contributing to the creation of a favorable business and investment environment in the country.”
Russia became a member and shareholder of IFC in 1993. Since then, IFC has invested nearly $6 billion in the country, including $1.5 billion in syndicated loans, and is involved in 250 projects across a variety of sectors. IFC’s investment portfolio in Russia stands at $2.54 billion, the third-largest country exposure for IFC globally.
About IFC
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused exclusively on the private sector. We help developing countries achieve sustainable growth by financing investment, providing advisory services to businesses and governments, and mobilizing capital in the international financial markets. In fiscal 2011, amid economic uncertainty across the globe, we helped our clients create jobs, strengthen environmental performance, and contribute to their local communities—all while driving our investments to an all-time high of nearly $19 billion. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.
About IXcellerate
IXcellerate is a datacenter operator founded by Guy Willner (Founder and Former CEO of IXEurope), and Cliff Gauntlett (Former SVP of Golden Telecom). The project will encompass the construction and operation of a 6,200 square meter carrier-neutral data center in Moscow set on a 15,000 square meter campus. The datacenter will be built over three phases, with the first 1,000 square meters planned to be operational in 2012. IXcellerate is an alliance member of the International Data Centre Group (www.idc-g.com), a global alliance of independent datacenter operators. For more information, visit www.ixcellerate.com