Verne appoints Sarah Kane as Head of People

Verne, the leading provider of sustainably powered HPC data centers across the Nordics, has announced the appointment of Sarah Kane as its Head of People. Based at the company’s group headquarters in London, Kane will lead the people function playing a central role as the company continues to implement its strategic growth plans. Key responsibilities will include establishing and growing teams across The Nordics and the UK, as well as solidifying the company’s purpose-led culture.

Kane brings wealth of relevant experience to the role, having held senior HR positions at a diverse range of companies in a career spanning more than 20 years. She joins from professional services company, Control Risks, where she was HR Director, EMEA, for over seven years. She has also held senior roles at CBRE Global Workplace Solutions, Reed Business Information, and private equity-owned Gemfields, as well as Nordic-based sustainability giant, Stora Enso.

"As Verne continues to grow, so do our talent needs. Sarah is a key addition to our executive team and her extensive experience will be instrumental in shaping and advancing our people strategy," said Dominic Ward, CEO of Verne. "Her proven success in building and leading cohesive international teams will be invaluable as we scale our operations to meet increasing demand for data center services."

“Verne’s ambitious growth plans, its steadfast focus on sustainability, and its exceptional team, make this a hugely exciting opportunity,” said Kane. “I’m looking forward to helping the company further strengthen its employee value proposition, reinforcing its purpose-led culture, and creating a world-class team that can serve the needs of a growing number of customers.”

Kane joins Verne at a time of substantial expansion. Backed by a $1.2 billion investment from Ardian, the company is expanding across the Nordics, an ideal data center location due to its cool climate and stable, renewable energy sources. The company has recently announced the expansion of its existing data center campus in Helsinki, as well plans to build a major new AI-ready facility in Mäntsälä, Finland.