Brady Rafuse Steps Down as Chairman of euNetworks; Kevin Dean Set to Succeed Him in Leadership Transition
Brady Rafuse is transitioning out of his role as Chairman of euNetworks, marking the end of an impactful era for the company following the successful completion of its equity recapitalization in August and a significant debt refinancing accomplished in June. Kevin Dean, who is currently serving as Interim CEO and has been an integral part of the euNetworks leadership team, will step into the role of Chairman once the company appoints its new CEO.
Rafuse has been a pivotal figure at euNetworks since joining in March 2009, initially as CEO. His leadership has been instrumental in transforming the company, driving revenue growth from approximately €30 million per year in 2009 to over €240 million projected for 2024. Under Rafuse’s stewardship, euNetworks evolved from a Singapore-listed penny stock to a company valued at €2.1 billion, alongside securing a robust long-term infrastructure debt financing of €1.26 billion.
Reflecting on his 15-year journey with the company, Rafuse stated, “I have had the privilege to lead euNetworks’ development and I’m immensely proud of the team we have built. Together, we have achieved remarkable milestones, and euNetworks’ talent has consistently shaped the bandwidth infrastructure market. I am excited about the future, confident that the Board, investors, and team will continue to build on our successes.” He expressed deep gratitude to the euNetworks team, emphasizing their dedication and commitment to excellence, which he believes sets the company apart in the industry.
In his commendation of Rafuse, Kevin Dean highlighted his exceptional leadership qualities, stating, “Brady is a transformative leader whose vision and mentoring have enabled euNetworks to redefine the bandwidth infrastructure industry. His insights and commitment to inclusion and diversity have positively impacted many, including myself. I am proud to have worked alongside him and to have benefited from his vast knowledge and experience.”
Before stepping into the Interim CEO role, Dean served as CMO, where he was responsible for overseeing product development, infrastructure investments, marketing strategies, and commercial operations. In his recent position as Interim CEO, he closely collaborated with new investors—including Stonepeak, IMCO, APG, Aware Super, and Mercer—to successfully navigate the recent recapitalization and establish a new Board of Directors. His extensive experience and strong relationships within the industry position him well to lead euNetworks into its next growth phase.
“I am thrilled to take on the role of Chairman of euNetworks and support the exceptional team as we build and develop what is the core foundation of Europe’s future critical infrastructure,” Dean added.
Cyrus Gentry, Managing Director at Stonepeak, recognized Rafuse’s significant contributions to the telecommunications landscape, noting, “Brady has been at the heart of the communications industrial revolution and has successfully led euNetworks to new heights over the past 15 years. The recent refinancing and recapitalization, achieved under his leadership, empower euNetworks to leverage its unique position as a market leader in data center connectivity in Europe. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Brady for his dedication and wish him the best in his future endeavors. Congratulations to Kevin on his appointment as Chairman; we look forward to the next chapter of euNetworks under his guidance.”
As euNetworks prepares for this pivotal transition in leadership, both Rafuse and Dean’s combined experience and strategic vision will undoubtedly continue to influence the company’s trajectory, ensuring that euNetworks remains a key player in the ever-evolving bandwidth infrastructure landscape. The future looks promising as they continue to set performance benchmarks and drive innovation in the industry.
About euNetworks
euNetworks is a critical bandwidth infrastructure company, owning and operating 18 fibre-based metropolitan networks connected with a high capacity intercity backbone covering 53 cities in 17 countries across Europe. The company leads the market in data centre connectivity, directly connecting over 545 today. euNetworks is also a leading cloud connectivity provider and offers a targeted portfolio of metropolitan and long haul services including Dark Fibre, Wavelengths, and Ethernet. Wholesale, finance, content, media, mobile, data centre and enterprise customers benefit from euNetworks’ unique inventory of fibre and duct based assets that are tailored to fulfil their high bandwidth needs.
The company delivers services with an active commitment to sustainability and is focused on its path to being carbon emissions net zero, environmentally responsible supply chain management and working as a community and industry to collaborate on the environmental challenges ahead.
