I bring active, real-world expertise from leading 8.5MW hyperscale operations at Salesforce to select strategic advisory and interim leadership engagements. You get guidance from someone currently solving these challenges—not theoretical advice from someone years removed from operations.
Service Areas
1. Data Center Construction & Build Leadership
The Challenge:
Most organizations building data centers face a critical gap: technical teams lack build program experience, while general contractors don’t understand hyperscale operational requirements. The result? Multi-million dollar cost overruns, missed timelines, and facilities that don’t meet operational needs.
What I Deliver:
Bridge the gap between construction and operations with 20+ years building data centers across three continents. I ensure your build program delivers on-time, on-budget facilities that actually work for your operational teams.
Build Leadership Services:
- Greenfield data center design and deployment
- Brownfield expansion and capacity addition planning
- Physical infrastructure coordination: power systems planning, space planning, cooling systems coordination, structured cabling (fiber/copper)
- General contractor oversight and multi-vendor management
- International deployment leadership (US, EMEA, APAC)
- M&A infrastructure integration programs
Typical ROI:
- Prevent $1M+ cost overruns through experienced technical oversight
- Reduce commissioning delays by 30-40% with operational input during design
- Ensure facilities meet day-one operational requirements (no expensive retrofits)
- Build local team capabilities through knowledge transfer and training
Who This Is For:
- Organizations planning new data center facilities or expansions
- Companies executing M&A with data center infrastructure integration needs
- Executives evaluating build programs requiring technical leadership
- Data center teams needing interim build program management
Build Experience:
- Extensive data center projects across multiple continents
- International experience: EMEA and APAC region deployments
- Technical scope: Power distribution systems, space planning, cooling infrastructure, structured cabling (fiber/copper), rack & stack operations
- General contractor coordination for multi-million dollar builds
- Team leadership: Coordinated 4-6 remote engineering teams across international regions
M&A Infrastructure Integration:
- Led acquisitions infrastructure integration (Commerce Cloud, Pardot)
- Established new product deployment patterns
- Coordinated cross-business unit technical teams
- Delivered integrations with zero business disruption
Recent Build Program Experience:
APAC Region Deployment (Salesforce): Coordinated data center infrastructure deployment across multiple APAC facilities including physical infrastructure coordination (power distribution, cooling systems, structured cabling), vendor management, and local team training. Delivered on-time commissioning with operational teams ready for handoff.
EMEA Region Build Program (Salesforce): Led infrastructure build program including power systems planning, space planning, and structured cabling (fiber/copper) deployment. Managed general contractor relationships and coordinated remote engineering teams across multiple time zones.
Commerce Cloud M&A Integration (Salesforce): Integrated acquired infrastructure (pods 71, 73, 74) into core data center operations. Coordinated cross-business unit teams, established deployment patterns, achieved zero service disruption during $2M+ program.
Multi-Site Enterprise Deployments (Verizon): 30-site international upgrade program across US, EMEA, and APAC regions. Managed multi-vendor ecosystems (Cisco, Juniper, Dell, HP), created comprehensive documentation (MOPs, drawings, rack layouts), coordinated hardware installations at remote facilities.
Typical Outcomes:
- On-time delivery of multi-million dollar build programs
- Successful international team coordination and training
- Physical infrastructure properly planned (power, space, cooling, cabling)
- General contractor and vendor partnerships optimized
- Local operational teams trained and ready for handoff
Engagement Structure:
- Initial consultation: 2-hour discovery session (complimentary)
- Program assessment: 2-4 weeks, includes technical and vendor evaluation
- Interim build leadership: 3-12 months, on-site as needed
- Advisory retainer: Ongoing guidance for build program execution
2. Strategic Advisory
What I Deliver:
AI Infrastructure Readiness Assessment (2-4 weeks): Are your data centers ready for AI workloads that require 3-5x power density? I’ll audit your current infrastructure, identify power/cooling constraints, and deliver a prioritized roadmap showing exactly what needs to change—and what it will cost.
Typical outcome: Prevent $1M+ infrastructure surprises when your business demands AI/ML capabilities next quarter.
Strategic Capacity Planning (60-day program): Stop guessing at capacity needs and hoping you got it right. I’ll build data-driven forecasting models aligned with your business growth, integrate vendor lead times, and deliver quarterly capacity recommendations your CFO will actually trust.
Typical outcome: Defer $2-3M in unnecessary expansions while preventing capacity crises that could cost you customers.
Operational Excellence Transformation (3-6 months): Your data center is running, but could it run better? I’ll audit operations, identify efficiency gaps, build improvement roadmaps with clear ROI, and help your team implement changes that stick.
Typical outcome: 20-30% efficiency gains without headcount increases, measurable improvements in MTTR and uptime.
Who This Is For:
- Organizations planning AI/ML infrastructure investments
- Data center leaders scaling operations across multiple sites
- Executive teams evaluating build vs. colocation vs. cloud strategies
- Companies facing capacity constraints or overcapacity risks
Engagement Structure:
- Initial consultation: 2-hour discovery session (complimentary)
- Strategic assessment: 2-4 weeks, includes executive presentation
- Ongoing advisory: Monthly retainer with quarterly strategic reviews
3. Interim Leadership
What I Offer:
- Data center operations leadership (Director/VP level)
- Facility build and decommissioning program management
- Team development and organizational design
- Crisis management and turnaround situations
- Transition leadership during permanent hire search
Who This Is For:
- Organizations with leadership gaps (departure, promotion, growth)
- Companies launching new data center facilities
- Teams undergoing operational transformation
- Situations requiring immediate executive-level leadership
Typical Outcomes:
- Stabilized operations with measurable KPI improvements
- Successful facility builds or decommissioning programs
- Developed internal talent for long-term succession
- Operational frameworks that outlast the engagement
Engagement Structure:
- Typical duration: 3-6 months (flexible based on needs)
- On-site presence: 2-4 days per week or full-time as needed
- Remote coordination: Daily standup and weekly executive briefings
- Transition planning: Knowledge transfer and successor onboarding
4. Executive Coaching
What I Offer:
- Career acceleration for technical leaders transitioning to VP/SVP roles
- Building executive presence and strategic business acumen
- Operations teams scaling infrastructure and leadership scope
- Interview preparation and executive positioning
- Resume and LinkedIn optimization for senior roles
Who This Is For:
- Directors seeking VP/SVP-level advancement
- Senior engineers moving into operations leadership
- Data center managers scaling from single-site to multi-site responsibility
- Technical leaders building business impact narratives
Coaching Background:
- 20+ years data center infrastructure leadership
- Extensive international deployment experience (US, EMEA, APAC)
- Cross-functional program leadership (40+ stakeholders)
- M&A integration expertise
- U.S. Air Force veteran with operational discipline background
Typical Outcomes:
- Clear career acceleration strategy with 6-12 month roadmap
- Executive positioning that attracts $250K+ opportunities
- Strategic business acumen development (budget management, stakeholder influence, board-level communication)
- Successful transitions to VP/SVP-level roles
Engagement Structure:
- Initial session: 90-minute career assessment and goal-setting
- Ongoing coaching: Bi-weekly 60-minute sessions
- Duration: 3-6 months typical, ongoing retainer available
- Access: Email/Slack support between sessions
Specialized Expertise
AI/ML Infrastructure Planning
The next generation of data centers will require fundamentally different approaches:
- 3-5x power density increases for GPU/AI workloads
- Liquid cooling and advanced thermal management
- High-performance networking for AI cluster interconnects
- Capacity planning for unpredictable AI workload growth
I’m pioneering these approaches at Salesforce and can help your organization prepare for AI infrastructure demands.
Global Infrastructure Coordination
Experience deploying and operating data centers across three continents:
- US Region: Multiple facility deployments including Dallas (8.5MW facility build)
- APAC Region: Multiple facility deployments and technical team coordination
- EMEA Region: Data center builds with local team training
I understand the complexity of global infrastructure—time zones, regulatory requirements, vendor ecosystems, and cultural coordination.
M&A Infrastructure Integration
Proven track record integrating acquired company infrastructure:
- Commerce Cloud Integration: Successfully integrated pods 71, 73, 74 into core infrastructure
- Pardot Integration: Deployed 26+ cabinets with established deployment patterns
- Zero Business Disruption: Maintained SLA commitments throughout integration programs
- Cross-Functional Coordination: Led technical teams across business units
Cross-Functional Program Leadership
Proven ability to coordinate 40+ stakeholders across 6 teams to deliver $2M+ programs:
- Executive stakeholder management
- Distributed team coordination
- Budget and timeline accountability
- Risk management and escalation
Engagement Models
Discovery Call (Complimentary)
30-45 minutes to understand your challenges and determine if there’s a fit.
- Discuss your infrastructure challenges and goals
- Explore potential engagement models
- Determine next steps
Strategic Assessment
2-4 weeks for comprehensive analysis and recommendations.
- Infrastructure audit and capacity analysis
- Stakeholder interviews and documentation review
- Executive presentation with prioritized recommendations
- Optional: Implementation roadmap and success metrics
Typical investment: Project-based pricing based on scope
Ongoing Advisory Retainer
3-12 months for continuous strategic guidance.
- Monthly strategic planning sessions
- On-call advisory for critical decisions
- Quarterly executive briefings
- Access to frameworks, templates, and best practices
Typical investment: Monthly retainer based on engagement level
Interim Leadership
3-6 months for hands-on operational leadership.
- Full-time or part-time engagement
- On-site presence 2-4 days per week (adjustable)
- Complete operational accountability
- Team development and knowledge transfer
Typical investment: Project-based pricing or monthly retainer
Executive Coaching
3-6 months for individual career acceleration.
- Bi-weekly 60-minute coaching sessions
- Email/Slack support between sessions
- Resume, LinkedIn, and positioning development
- Interview preparation and negotiation strategy
Typical investment: Package pricing or monthly retainer
How We’ll Work Together
1. Discovery & Alignment (Week 1)
- Complimentary discovery call to understand your challenges
- Scope definition and engagement structure proposal
- Kickoff planning and stakeholder identification
2. Assessment & Planning (Weeks 2-3)
- Infrastructure audit and stakeholder interviews
- Current state analysis and opportunity identification
- Recommendations development and prioritization
3. Execution & Support (Weeks 4+)
- Implementation of recommendations (if ongoing engagement)
- Regular check-ins and progress reviews
- Adjustments based on results and changing needs
4. Knowledge Transfer & Closeout
- Documentation of frameworks and processes
- Team enablement and capability building
- Transition planning for sustained impact
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Are you available for full-time roles? A: I’m currently leading operations at Salesforce and take on select advisory and interim leadership engagements. For exceptional VP/SVP opportunities, I’m open to discussing full-time roles.
Q: What industries do you work with? A: My expertise is in data center operations and infrastructure, applicable across industries including technology, finance, healthcare, telecommunications, and hyperscale cloud providers.
Q: Do you work remotely or on-site? A: Both. Strategic advisory is primarily remote with on-site visits as needed. Interim leadership typically includes 2-4 days per week on-site. Executive coaching is remote.
Q: What’s your typical engagement size? A: I work with organizations ranging from startups planning their first data center to Fortune 500 companies managing global infrastructure portfolios. Engagements range from focused advisory (2-4 weeks) to interim leadership (3-6 months).
Q: How do I know if we’re a good fit? A: Schedule a complimentary discovery call. We’ll discuss your challenges, explore potential approaches, and determine if there’s alignment on goals and engagement model.
Q: How do I know you’re not just selling generic consulting frameworks? A: Fair question. I’m not a career consultant—I’m a career operator who takes on select advisory work. Everything I recommend comes from systems I’ve actually built and operated, not from business school case studies. If I haven’t done it myself at scale, I won’t recommend it to you.
Let’s Connect
Ready to discuss how I can help your organization or your career?
Email: chet@chetlwilliams.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/chetwilliams1 Mastodon: @chetwilliams@fosstodon.org Telegram: @chetwilliams Signal: Signal Message
I respond to all inquiries within 24 hours.
Last Updated: 2026-03-30