Phoenix Group and DC Max Launch $8 Billion European AI Data Center Platform with First Site in Lyon
May 13, 2026
Phoenix Group and DC Max Launch $8 Billion European AI Data Center Platform with First Site in Lyon
Phoenix Group PLC (ADX: PHX), a global digital infrastructure operator headquartered in Abu Dhabi and part of the IHC portfolio, has announced a strategic partnership with DC Max to develop its first European AI data center. The initial deployment, an 18MW facility in Lyon, France, marks the launch of a broader European Data Center Platform targeting over 1GW of combined AI and high-performance computing (HPC) capacity across Europe and the GCC.
The partnership is structured as a scalable, repeatable development model rather than a single project. With a pipeline of opportunities valued at an estimated $8 billion, DC Max contributes deep expertise in site origination, permitting, and grid access, while Phoenix brings capital and operational scale. Together, the two companies aim to deliver AI-ready capacity at speed across key European markets, addressing a critical gap in supply. Demand for AI compute in Europe is rapidly outstripping availability, with enterprises and hyperscalers reserving capacity years in advance, while traditional development timelines of 36 to 48 months leave most operators unable to respond at the pace the market requires.
France, and specifically Lyon, was chosen for its strong industrial base, robust electrical infrastructure, and land costs significantly lower than in Paris. DC Max’s established grid access and permitting relationships, combined with Phoenix’s proven ability to design, procure, and build infrastructure quickly, allow the partnership to move materially faster than typical European timelines. “What we are announcing today is not an incremental step; it is a genuine inflection point for Phoenix and for what an Emirati company can achieve on the global stage,” said Munaf Ali, Co-Founder and Group CEO of Phoenix Group. “The 1GW ambition is not a ceiling; it is a starting point.”
Romain Fremont, CEO of DC Max, added: “Phoenix brings exactly the kind of operational scale and capital discipline that French data center development has been waiting for. We have spent years identifying and securing the best power positions in this market, and this partnership means we can now move on that pipeline at a pace and scale that would not have been possible independently.”
This European platform sits alongside Phoenix’s existing 550MW of deployed capacity across the UAE, Oman, North America, and Ethiopia, supporting its ambition to become a scaled global digital infrastructure operator. Phoenix sees the move as a direct extension of the UAE’s national AI ambition, ensuring that regionally headquartered operators are active shapers of the global AI economy. Further announcements are expected later in 2026.
Source: afp
