The new venture will help develop advanced conduit and high-count fiber infrastructure to support the rapid
expansion of hyperscale data centers & next-generation connectivity across the United States
CHICAGO, July 8, 2026 -- Funds managed by Blue Owl Capital Inc. ("Blue Owl") (NYSE: OWL), a leading alternative asset manager, today announced the launch of Kirkwood Infrastructure Group ("Kirkwood IG"), a wholly owned developer and operator of next-generation communications infrastructure supporting the continued digital transformation of the United States.
Kirkwood IG serves hyperscale customers, data center operators, communications carriers, and local communities by developing, owning, and operating advanced conduit, high-count fiber optic cable, and related communications infrastructure assets. The platform supports the growing demand for connectivity driven by data centers, next generation compute, cloud, and other bandwidth-intensive use cases.
Kirkwood IG will be led by a senior management team of experienced industry executives, including Scott Bergs, Chief Executive Officer; Tim Leighton, Chief Financial Officer; Mike Sevret, Chief Commercial Officer; Chris Pancione, Chief Network Development Officer; and Jason Cohen, Chief Network Operations Officer. Together the leadership team brings decades of combined experience developing and commercializing next-generation network infrastructure, including the successful deployment and commercialization of more than 600 miles of network in the last five years. This includes current and prior Blue Owl-backed fiber development platforms, such as Dark Fiber & Infrastructure (exited) and South Reach Networks ("SRN"). The company will also benefit from the support of Blue Owl-appointed board members Chris Jensen, Luke Gilpin, and Aaron Small.
Kirkwood IG has integrated operations of Florida-based SRN, including its nearly 400 miles of network and 40 near-net and on-net data centers and key subsea cable landing stations. In addition, Kirkwood IG is constructing over 200 miles of conduit and high-capacity fiber cable across Louisiana and Mississippi, spanning from Shreveport to Vicksburg, to support the significant growth of hyperscale data center development in the region.
Scott Bergs, CEO of Kirkwood IG, said, "The digital infrastructure buildout in the U.S. is just beginning, and while a new company, our team has a tremendous track record of deploying industry-leading network infrastructure that enables the next wave of compute requirements and digital transformation. We are excited to continue our hyperscale expansion work alongside Blue Owl and we look forward to expanding our impact together."
With the support of the Blue Owl Digital Infrastructure strategy, Kirkwood IG intends to expand into new markets alongside key data center development partners whose projects push into new regions across the United States. Kirkwood IG will operate independently of Blue Owl's investment in Gigabit Fiber LLC, a leading Texas-based fiber optic infrastructure provider.
Chris Jensen, Managing Director, Digital Infrastructure at Blue Owl, added, "We are thrilled to work with the Kirkwood IG team as they enter this next chapter of growth. The Southeast is a region of incredible opportunity and rapid growth for our hyperscale customers, and we look forward to leveraging Kirkwood IG's proven network development capabilities to unlock new data center markets, accelerate critical infrastructure deployment, and support customer growth across the Southeast and beyond."
About Kirkwood Infrastructure Group
Kirkwood IG is a developer and operator of next-generation fiber networks supporting the digital transformation and connectivity needs of leading hyperscale customers. To learn more, visit www.kirkwoodinfra.com.
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