With the appointment of Jan Lange as the new CEO and Managing Director, TelemaxX Telekommunikation GmbH not only gains an experienced leader – the company’s engagement within the Alliance for the Strengthening of Digital Infrastructures, which was founded under the umbrella of the eco Association, also receives a new face. As the future contact person for his company within the Alliance, Lange brings a clear vision about the challenges and opportunities of digital infrastructure in Germany. In this interview, he talks about his personal experiences and visions, the role of his company in the digital ecosystem and the importance of the Alliance as a united voice in dealings with politics and the public sphere.
Mr. Lange, what personal experiences and visions do you bring to your new role as Managing Director and CEO of TelemaxX?
With over 30 years of experience in telecommunications, data centre services and cloud infrastructure, I bring a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities of digital transformation. In leadership positions at companies such as Deutsche Telekom, Colt Technology Services, 1&1 Versatel and DB broadband, I have successfully developed and implemented profitable growth strategies. What particularly attracts me to TelemaxX is its clear positioning as a regionally anchored company with high standards of quality, security and reliability – values that are more important than ever in today’s digital world. My vision is to consistently continue along this path and to provide new impetus, particularly in the area of sustainable IT solutions and in expanding our offering for SMEs in the region.
TelemaxX is primarily represented in the Karlsruhe region. What role does this region play for Germany as a business and digital location? And through what measures do you strengthen local companies?
The Karlsruhe region is one of Germany’s most important IT and science locations and is among the most digital cities in the country. With a strong university landscape, numerous technology companies and a clear focus on digital innovation, it offers an ideal environment for future-oriented developments. TelemaxX contributes significantly to digital transformation in the region by providing highly available, powerful and secure data centre services. Against the backdrop of the uncertain global political landscape, our data centres provide the foundation for efficient, reliable and future-proof IT operations in Germany. Location, employees and service – we provide everything from a single source. The shareholders also come from the region and stand for the highest levels of security and quality “made in Germany”. In close cooperation with regional partners and public shareholders, we develop tailor-made IT solutions that sustainably strengthen the region’s digital competitiveness
What are your strategies for increasing the energy efficiency and sustainability in your data centres?
TelemaxX pursues a comprehensive sustainability strategy that goes beyond legal requirements. Since the beginning of 2024, we have been operating our data centres entirely with TÜV-certified green electricity. We have also introduced an environmental management system in accordance with EMAS and are continuously implementing modernisation measures, such as replacing UPS systems with more efficient models and optimising our cooling systems. Our data centres use indirect free cooling and cold aisle containment to minimise energy consumption and increase energy efficiency.
Which trends or technologies do you believe have the greatest potential to change the data centre industry over the next five years?
The data centre industry is in a state of transformation. Forward-looking trends such as edge computing and the Internet of Things are driving the decentralisation of data processing and placing new, complex demands on infrastructure, security and connectivity. To meet these developments, flexible, scalable and local IT solutions are needed – solutions that enable fast, real-time data processing while ensuring maximum availability and efficiency. Data centre services “made in Germany” combined with secure, highly available fibre optic connections such as those provided by TelemaxX are more relevant than ever. Particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) often value having their data stored domestically.
If you had one wish for digital infrastructure in Germany, what would it be? And how would you like to implement this wish together with strong partners – such as the Alliance for the Strengthening of Digital Infrastructures in Germany?
If I had one wish, it would be for the significance of digital infrastructures in Germany to be even more strongly focused as the backbone of a competitive, resilient and sustainable economy. We need reliable framework conditions, politically secure decisions and stronger collaboration between business, politics and society. As a member of the Alliance for the Strengthening of Digital Infrastructures in Germany, we are committed to precisely this: together with other players, we are working not only to expand digital infrastructure, but also to make it sustainable and future-proof. I am convinced that with strong partnerships and a clear commitment to digitalisation, we can achieve a great deal in Germany.
The Alliance for the Strengthening of Digital Infrastructures is an association of leading companies in the industry. Founded in 2018 under the umbrella of eco – Association of the Internet Industry, the initiative aims to draw attention to the importance of digital infrastructures for Germany as a business location through dialogue with policymakers and the public.
