Data Center POST interview with Kate Wilson, Head of Marketing, Media, Seaborn Networks

By Contributing Editor Michael Egan

Kate Wilson is Head of Marketing and Media for Seaborn Networks, a company transforming the subsea global communications landscape as the leading independent developer-owner-operator of submarine fiber optic cable systems, including Seabras-1 and ARBR. Seabras-1 is the first direct submarine cable system designed and deployed to service key financial centers in the United States and Brazil. The company’s subsea system offers multiple branching units to enable additional global routes through Argentina and South Africa, and is able to connect multiple contents through a single connection. Unique among other independent cable operators, Seaborn is positioned to address the communication needs between North and South America for carriers, OTT (Over the Top content entities), Internet Service Providers (ISPs), enterprises, governments and more. At Seaborn Networks, Kate is responsible for all media, press relations, branding, social media, the company’s website and more.

In preparation for ITW 2019, which is taking place June 23-26, 2019 in Atlanta, Data Center POST asked Kate to discuss the problems Seaborn solves in the market, what milestones they’ve achieved and what they’re hoping to accomplish at this year’s ITW event.

Data Center POST, Michael Egan (DCP-ME) Question: What does Seaborn Networks do and what problems are you solving?

Seaborn Networks, Kate Wilson (SN-KW) Answer: Seaborn Networks is a builder, owner and operator of subsea cable systems. Seaborn has broken the mold of slow responses, long delivery intervals and passive support for LATAM (Latin American) services. Instead, Seaborn delivers a service wrapper of flexibility and speed where sales and support replies are quick, services are delivered in 48 hours (not weeks or months) and uptime is paramount.

DCP-ME Q: What do you attribute to Seaborn’s success?

SN-KW A: We contribute Seaborn’s success to our experienced, determined and innovative management team. The Seaborn management team has designed, built and operated more submarine cable systems than any other existing provider. Systems our management built and operated include more than 50 landing stations, 250 global points of presence and 260,000km of subsea fiber optic cable (enough to circle the earth more than six times at the equator). Our management team also previously owned and operated one of the world’s largest fleets of cable ships.

DCP-ME Q: What milestones did you achieve in the past year and how will these developments help Seaborn keep up with the demands of the quickly-growing and ever-changing telecommunications industry?

SN-KW A: Here’s a list of a few of our accomplishments this year:

  1. In September, we celebrated the first year anniversary of our US-Brazil Seabras-1’s ready-for-service (RFS) date.
  2. We introduced our ‘Youth Entering Subsea’ or ‘ YES’ initiative to encourage diverse youth to consider the subsea industry in their future career decisions.
  3. We announced that Seaborn has established an interconnection to DE-CIX New York, enabling turn-key direct access from Seabras-1.
  4. Our CEO was included in Capacity Magazine’s 2019 list of the Power 100.
  5. Our CEO was also appointed to the US–Brazil CEO Forum.
  6. We announced that CloudSmartz will enable Seaborn’s digital transformation strategy and deployment over the next several months, offering an end-to-end automation platform that will enable services to be delivered by leading SDN (Software-Defined Networking) technology.
  7. Seaborn won the 2019 French-American Business Award by the French American Chamber of Commerce, New England

DCP-ME Q:  An accomplished year for sure, thank you for summarizing that for our readers.  What do you think is the greatest challenge in the industry and how is Seaborn working to overcome it?

SN-KW A: It’s no surprise to anyone that this industry is, to all effects, aging out, creating possibly long-term issues with hiring talent and remaining a competitive and innovative industry within the larger technology space as a whole. At Seaborn, we have taken a proactive role with our YES initiative. This includes speaking at local colleges and job fairs to encourage and disseminate information, offering internships and speaking on panels at industry events to help promote diversity, youth and women to consider this industry when deciding on a career path.

DCP-ME Q: What are you hoping to accomplish at ITW 2019?

SN-KW A: We’re very excited to participate, catch up with industry colleagues and establish new dynamic relationships that we can leverage to create exciting synergies for the future.

DCP-ME Q: Thanks so much for sitting down with Data Center POST and sharing information about Seaborn with our readers, Kate. Kate and the Seaborn Networks team will be attending ITW 2019 in Atlanta from June 23-26, 2019 at the Hyatt Regency and Marriott Marquis hotels. For more information about Seaborn Networks, please visit www.seabornnetworks.com.