Short answer: CBRE announced on October 20, 2026, that it will acquire Onnec Group, a London-based data center infrastructure services firm, for an initial £460 million (about $610 million) in cash plus an earnout of up to £300 million (about $400 million) (CBRE). The deal adds about 800 full-time specialists who design, deploy and maintain network, fiber and data center infrastructure for hyperscalers. In a market short of skilled technical staff, buying an established team is one of the fastest ways to add capacity.

Key takeaways

• £460 million upfront plus up to £300 million in earnouts.
• About 800 full-time employees across EMEA, the US and APAC.
• Expected 2027 revenue of about £370 million and core EBITDA above £50 million.
• Closing expected around the end of 2026.

• Announced: October 20, 2026
• Upfront cash: £460 million (about $610 million)
• Earnout: Up to £300 million (about $400 million) over several years
• Expected 2027 revenue: About £370 million
• Expected 2027 core EBITDA: More than £50 million
• Employees: About 800 full-time
• Closing: Around end of 2026, subject to approvals

Why is CBRE buying Onnec?

CBRE chief operating officer Vikram Kohli described an explicit strategy to build a global infrastructure services business alongside CBRE's real estate services. Onnec will join CBRE's Critical Infrastructure Services line of business and extends into the UK, Continental Europe and Asia Pacific the data center infrastructure work CBRE already does in the US. Onnec was founded in 1986 and is chaired by Barry Horgan.

What the deal says about data center talent

Data center demand is running ahead of the skilled workforce. Indeed reported on October 22 that US data center job postings rose 20% in the 3 months through September and are 147% above June 2024 (Outsource Accelerator). Acquiring about 800 trained specialists gives CBRE delivery capacity at once, instead of hiring and training crews one by one in a tight market.

• Founded: 1986
• Headquarters: London
• Services: Design, deployment and maintenance of network, fiber and data center infrastructure
• Main customers: Hyperscalers
• Regions: UK, Continental Europe, Asia Pacific, plus US presence
• New home inside CBRE: Critical Infrastructure Services

What leaders should watch

1. Retention through the earnout. The earnout runs over several years, which makes keeping key managers and field leaders central to the deal's value.
2. Integration of leadership. Onnec's leaders will need to work inside a much larger organization without losing hyperscaler relationships.
3. More consolidation. Expect other services firms to buy specialist crews in power, cooling and commissioning.

Related: data center talent shortage data and data center executive appointments in 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is CBRE paying for Onnec?

An initial £460 million (about $610 million) in cash plus an earnout of up to £300 million (about $400 million) paid over several years if Onnec meets growth targets.

What does Onnec do?

Onnec designs, deploys and maintains network, fiber and data center infrastructure, including structured cabling, managed services and networking, mainly for hyperscalers in the UK, Europe and Asia Pacific.

How many people work at Onnec?

About 800 full-time employees across EMEA, the US and APAC.

When will the CBRE Onnec deal close?

Around the end of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals.