Job DescriptionPosition Title: Senior Director,Market & Business Development - Financial Ecosystems
Location: Chicago, IL. or New York, NY.
Your roleAs the digital and financial services landscape rapidly evolves-driven by cloud adoption, real-time data, and AI-we are building a world-class team to lead this next phase of growth. This role is a
senior, global leadership position responsible for shaping and scaling Digital Realty's Financial Services ecosystem.
You will act as the
global quarterback for financial services initiatives, working closely with enterprise customers, cloud providers, technology partners, and internal teams to define strategy, unlock new markets, and deliver differentiated solutions at scale.
Why This Role MattersThis is a rare opportunity to shape how financial services infrastructure evolves at a global scale. You'll influence where markets develop, how ecosystems form, and how some of the world's most demanding financial platforms operate-today and in the future.
What you'll do Lead Financial Services Ecosystem Strategy- Define and execute a global ecosystem strategy across financial services, including capital markets, banking, payments, fintech, insurance, and risk & compliance.
- Identify priority markets, anchor customers, and strategic partners that drive ecosystem growth.
- Shape differentiated value propositions focused on performance, interconnection density, neutrality, resilience, and regulatory readiness.
Drive Strategic Business Development- Own executive-level relationships with selected global enterprise accounts.
- Lead high-impact customer and partner engagements, positioning Digital Realty as a trusted, long-term infrastructure partner.
- Translate customer needs into actionable go-to-market, product, and investment strategies.
Build and Scale Financial Ecosystems- Develop interconnected financial services hubs in key global metros by attracting exchanges, market data providers, cloud access points, fintechs, and analytics platforms.
- Work directly with customers to align platform capabilities with their business models, workloads, and growth ambitions.
- Build and strengthen alliances with leading technology and service providers across the financial services stack.
Influence Product, Infrastructure & Investment Decisions- Partner with Product and Engineering teams to deliver infrastructure capabilities tailored to financial services, including low-latency connectivity, exchange proximity, antenna access, and audit-ready designs.
- Collaborate with Acquisitions & Investments and New Market Development teams to support market entry, site selection, and strategic partnerships.
- Act as the voice of the customer to ensure mid- and long-term investments align with market demand.
Support Strategic Sales & Transformational Deals- Serve as an executive sponsor for complex, high-value pursuits, including AI/ML and real-time risk workloads.
- Support enterprise sales teams in executive meetings and strategic negotiations.
- Help shape solution positioning and messaging for large, transformational opportunities.
Thought Leadership & Market Engagement- Stay ahead of industry trends, emerging technologies, and regulatory developments in financial services.
- Represent Digital Realty at industry events and with regulators, industry bodies, and partners.
- Contribute to external thought leadership through speaking engagements, white papers, and executive briefings.
How Success Is Measured- A clearly defined and executed financial services ecosystem strategy
- Strong joint value propositions with strategic customers and partners
- "Lighthouse" customer wins that establish market leadership in priority use cases and geographies
What you'll need- 12 + years of Senior-level experience in business development, partnerships, or strategic selling within the financial services technology ecosystem.
- A strong network of industry leaders, customers, and partners across financial services and adjacent technology markets.
- Proven ability to articulate complex value propositions and close high-impact, multi-stakeholder deals.
- Strategic mindset with the ability to operate globally and influence cross-functional teams.
- Excellent communication skills and comfort engaging at the executive and board level.
Willingness to travel internationally as needed.
ResponsibilitiesThe role will develop and implement strategies to secure and nurture partnerships with major clients, focusing on data center markets. They will lead cross-functional teams to execute go-to-market plans, ensuring alignment with overall business objectives and market trends. The role involves conducting in-depth market and competitive analysis to identify growth opportunities and potential risks. Building and maintaining strong relationships with customers, partners, and executives is essential, as is the ability to negotiate complex agreements in a multinational environment. The role will also oversee marketing communications and stakeholder engagement activities, ensuring effective messaging and brand positioning. They must demonstrate resilience and adaptability in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment, while driving innovation and creative problem-solving across teams.
Qualifications12-18 Years significant work experience in business development, product marketing, or sales within the data center, cloud, or platforms industryProven track record of delivering results and negotiating complex agreements in a multinational environmentStrong understanding of industry trends, technologies, and stakeholder networksDegree required; MBA or university degree in a relevant field preferredWillingness to travel
