MISSION

IslaLink’s mission is to deliver the managed bandwidth global telecommunications providers rely on by deploying and operating next-generation submarine cables. Through its vision, determination and experience it strives to provide the foundation upon which operators are able to develop competitive offerings and ultimately contribute to enhanced connectivity for its customers and the advancement of the global telecommunications industry.

Business Principles

IslaLink holds its customers and investors in the highest regard. This respect for those who help lay the Company’s foundation has driven us to operate under the following key principles:

  • Commitment – We are a neutral and independent infrastructure operator committed to the telecommunications industry and information society, striving to serve its key actors.
  • Customers – They are our reason for being – We are a company built on collaboration, not competition. Our business is about serving our customers with the highest-quality service through mutually beneficial relationships. We never compete with our customers.
  • Mutually Beneficial Relationships – We develop strong, productive and long term in-win relationships deeply rooted in trust and respect. Together we share our successes.
  • Infrastructure – Our infrastructure is an essential element. We provide strategic infrastructure for the development of the telecommunication operators’ offer in operational and competitive conditions.
  • Capital – Our investors lay the foundation on which we operate. We hold our investor relations in the highest regard and ensure remuneration in return for their investments.

EQT is a global private equity group with a long-term, responsible and sustainable approach to ownership. EQT has portfolio companies in Europe, Asia and the US with total sales of more than EUR 15 billion and over 100,000 employees. By working with the portfolio companies to achieve sustainable growth, operational excellence and market leadership, EQT creates value for both the investors, the portfolio companies and the society at large.

The fund EQT Infrastructure II acquired IslaLink in November 2014. For further information on EQT, please visit www.eqtpartners.com.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Esther Garcés

Esther Garcés

CEO

Fernando Conte

Fernando Conte

Miguel Iraburu

Miguel Iraburu

Board Of Directors

Ross Mullins

Ross Mullins

CEO

Daniel Perez

Daniel Perez

Board Of Directors

MANAGEMENT TEAM
Esther Garcés

Esther Garcés

CEO

Damien Bertrand

Damien Bertrand

Director Mediterranean Business Unit

David Fernandez

David Fernandez

Director Corporate Development

Sonia Hadadou

Sonia Hadadou

Head Marseille Delegation within the Mediterranean Unit

Pablo Martín Rojas-Marcos

Pablo Martín Rojas-Marcos

CFO

Salvador Martinez

Salvador Martinez

Director Project Management Office

Joan Moya

Joan Moya

Director Production (Engineering, O&M, QoS) within the Mediterranean Unit

Eva Pumarega

Eva Pumarega

Head Balearic Delegation within the Mediterranean Unit

Ricardo Rodrigo

Ricardo Rodrigo

Director Atlantic Business Unit

History & Founders

Vision, determination and experience

 

In 1999 Alfonso Gajate took the initiative of creating a neutral and independent submarine cable operator, Ross Mullins joined as CFO and the company was incorporated on July 28th, in September Bruce Raw (who passed away in 2014 at the age of 53) joined as CTO. The team combined the necessary skills and experience, to deploy a submarine cable route between the Spanish mainland and the Balearic Islands known as BalaLink.

The initial financial shareholders were Banco Santander, Bancaja and SaNostra – based in Madrid, Valencia and Baleares Islands.  They were key in the initial cable launch. When Banco Santander disinvested all its non- banking activities, Banca March, through Corporation Finanaciera Alba, became the financial shareholder. When IslaLink initiated its CanaLink project, CUBE Infrastructures Fund Became the reference financial shareholder and, when IslaLink launched EllaLink, EQT took the leading and financial shareholder. 

IslaLink is an independent and neutral operator specialized in the submarine telecommunications sector with headquarters in Madrid, Spain. IslaLink’s mission is to deploy and operate submarine cables on under-served routes and to provide its customers with the top quality managed bandwidth services they require.

To date, IslaLink has deployed systems representing investments of more than EUR 125 million and 4,000km of optical fiber with a total of 10 landing stations and approximately 1,500km of terrestrial network. At present, IslaLink is currently planning additional investments encompassing more than 10,000km of optical fiber.

IslaLink is owned by EQT Infrastructure II, part of global private equity group EQT, (www.eqt.se), which was founded in 1994 by Investor AB, Northern Europe’s largest industrial holding company and part of the Wallenberg family group of companies. EQT is the leading private equity group in Northern Europe, having raised a total of EUR 25 billion of capital commitments since inception; of which EUR 2.9 billion are focused on acquiring and developing operational infrastructure businesses.

Main Milestones

1999: Creation of IslaLink

2001: Laying of the first cable to the Balearic Islands → BalaLink

2011: Laying of the cable to the Canary Islands → CanaLink project

2011: First POP in Marseilles in service → OranLink

2012: Laying of the branch to Asilah (Morocco) – Loukkos project

2014: EQT Partners enters as the investor partner of IslaLink

2015: Telebras and IsaLink create EllaLink, the Joint Venture for the construction of a submarine cable that will directly connect Brazil and Europe – EllaLink