Six months before Kevin Ooley officially assumes the role of Databank CEO, he revealed that his top priority is finding a successor. Ooley told CFO Dive in an interview that he plans to take over as CEO in January next year, succeeding Raul Martynek, who will transition to Executive Chairman.

"The first thing I need to do is find someone to replace me, and then determine which responsibilities need to be handed over or released so I can focus on the new role," Ooley said in the interview.

Currently, the longtime CFO also manages several departments, including human resources, legal, and corporate social responsibility (ESG) functions. He said he may retain some of these responsibilities depending on the background and skills of the CFO candidate ultimately selected.

Vote of confidence

Databank is a Dallas, Texas-based company that provides data center services and infrastructure, including "edge colocation" services—deploying data centers closer to local businesses to shorten the physical distance of data transmission, according to its website.

Ooley's career at Databank spans 15 years, beginning with his first tenure as CFO in 2011. After six years as the financial chief, he was appointed President in 2017, taking on more operational responsibilities.

He revealed that his appointment as CEO was about a year in the making. At that time, Martynek first discussed his succession plans with Ooley. The board then hired executive search firm Egon Zehnder to conduct a comprehensive market search of internal and external candidates, a process in which Ooley also participated.

"Frankly, the process was somewhat challenging because I knew what was happening," he said of the search. "But I think we, and especially I, said at the time: 'Okay, let the process run its course, and we'll respect it.' Being part of it was very exciting for me."

Because of Ooley's long tenure at the company and his familiarity with the business details, his discussions with the board about the CEO candidacy were less about a "100-day plan" and more about "trying to clarify and understand: Is this really what I want? Am I ready for this? Is this just a natural progression?" Ooley said.

Ooley also built a strong working relationship with Martynek, a telecom industry veteran with two decades of experience who joined Databank in 2017. This relationship also helped Ooley earn the board's trust. During their joint tenure, they completed multiple equity financing rounds, such as a consortium led by Swiss Life acquiring a minority stake for approximately $1.5 billion in 2022, and a $1.5 billion investment from AustralianSuper in 2024.

"At that time, it was the two of us presenting our roadmap, plans, and strategic initiatives to the board, and how we would achieve those goals," Ooley said. "Then we were able to show results and emphasize that we met those goals, and I think that earned the board's trust."

Ultimately, the board's decision to select Ooley as the next CEO represented "a significant vote of confidence in the company," he said.

"This is a vote of confidence in the existing leadership team, not just me, but also our Chief Operating Officer Joe Minarik, Head of Sales Stephen Callahan, Head of Corporate Development Justin Pucchio, and all team members. It shows we recognize your work and want to maintain this strategic continuity."

'Trial run'

Due to the lengthy executive search process and Ooley's long familiarity with the company and its leadership, he has effectively been on a "trial run" since his appointment was announced, preparing for his future role as CEO.

"I've had a year to think about every decision: 'How would I make that decision? How would I shape the business?'" Ooley said.

With this mindset, Ooley also wants to ensure he stays focused on business goals, which means communicating with the executive team that will soon become his direct reports. The company has been executing on its objectives, but "there's always a need for some fresh perspective, a new pair of glasses," he said.

"I want to sit down with each executive and say: 'Hey, what would you like to see done differently? How can we improve?'" he said. "So, I think from the outside, you won't see much change, but we'll seize the opportunity to quickly refresh our priorities."