JLL Buys VIPA to Expand Data Center Advisory
The deal adds a 168-project data center track record to JLL's services as it bets on $3 trillion in sector investment by 2031.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Data Centers
JLL has acquired data center consultancy VIPA Digital, and the VIPA team will join JLL's Work Dynamics division. The deal was announced November 4, 2026, and is a completed acquisition rather than a product or research development.
Why it matters
JLL, a global real estate and investment services firm, says the move reflects the growing importance of data centers to its business. It adds a specialized data center advisory team to services JLL already offers in that area, as demand for facilities built to host AI and cloud computing continues to rise.
VIPA Digital's track record covers more than 168 completed data center projects in 31 countries, according to the company's reported figures. JLL's $3 trillion investment forecast for 2031 is its own projection, and the deal's financial terms have not been disclosed.
The players
JLL
JLL is a global real estate and investment services firm that already offers data center-specific services alongside its broader property portfolio.
VIPA Digital
VIPA Digital is a data center consultancy founded in 2018 that has worked on more than 168 projects across 31 countries.
Sue Asprey Price
Sue Asprey Price is CEO of EMEA Work Dynamics and global head of portfolio services at JLL, to whom the VIPA founders will report.
The details
Data center consultancies advise developers and operators on planning, design, and delivery of facilities that house servers, networking equipment, and cooling systems. VIPA's work spans these project phases across many countries, and its team will now sit inside JLL's Work Dynamics division, which is led by founders Vijay Mistry and Paul Cranfield. JLL previously acquired New York data center and project management services company SKAE Power Solutions in 2024, extending its in-house capability in the sector.
Timeline
2018: VIPA Digital was founded.
2024: JLL acquired SKAE Power Solutions.
Earlier in 2026: JLL forecast $3 trillion in data center investment by 2031.
November 4, 2026: JLL announced the acquisition of VIPA Digital.
The Tech Race
JLL's forecast of $3 trillion in data center investment by 2031 frames this deal as a bid to win advisory work in a sector expanding fast. Acquiring VIPA Digital, after SKAE Power Solutions in 2024, puts JLL in a position to compete for planning and delivery mandates alongside other large real estate and engineering services firms.
For now the change is internal: VIPA's team joins JLL's Work Dynamics division, and clients of JLL's data center services may see broader advisory capacity over time. The stub gives no timeline for specific service changes or pricing.
The takeaway
The deal signals that large real estate and services firms see data center advisory as a core growth market rather than a niche. Watch JLL's next data center mandates and whether it publishes updated figures on its 2031 investment forecast.
Further reading
For broader context on how this sector is expanding, see the Data Centers section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Datacenterdynamics.
