Digital Realty Names Mark T. Stephenson Vice President of Sales

SAN FRANCISCO, April 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Digital Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:DLR, news, filings), a leading global wholesale datacenter provider, has named Mark T. Stephenson Vice President, Sales. Mr. Stephenson will be responsible for overseeing Digital Realty’s sales and leasing efforts in the Western United States.

Mr. Stephenson joins Digital Realty from Hewlett Packard Corporation where he was Vice President, Sales in the HP Networking Division.  At Hewlett Packard, he was responsible for building its networking sales force and grew its core routing and switching business, personally driving sales with major U.S.-based corporate enterprise customers.  Before joining Hewlett Packard, Mr. Stephenson was with Cisco Systems as Regional Operation Director, Northern California Enterprise/Global Accounts. Throughout his 20+ year career, he has focused on driving exceptional results by developing IT sales solutions for the enterprise customer.

“We are very pleased to welcome Mark to the Digital Realty team,” said Michael F. Foust, Chief Executive Officer of Digital Realty.  “Mark is an accomplished sales leader with enterprise solution selling experience and C-level partnering expertise. He is a great addition to our organization and will play a key role as we continue to build out our sales organization.”

Mr. Stephenson is assuming the position of Vice President, Sales for the Western U.S. that was previously held by Joe Goldsmith, who was recently appointed as Vice President and General Manager for Digital Realty’s Colocation business unit.

About Digital Realty

Digital Realty Trust, Inc. focuses on delivering customer driven data center solutions by providing secure, reliable and cost effective facilities that meet each customer’s unique data center needs. Digital Realty’s customers include domestic and international companies across multiple industry verticals ranging from information technology and Internet enterprises, to manufacturing and financial services. Digital Realty’s 102 properties, excluding three properties held as investments in unconsolidated joint ventures, comprise approximately 19.1 million square feet as of February 27, 2012, including 2.4 million square feet of space held for redevelopment. Digital Realty’s portfolio is located in 31 markets throughout Europe, North America, Singapore and Australia. Additional information about Digital Realty is included in the Company Overview, which is available on the Investors page of Digital Realty’s website at http://www.digitalrealty.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements which are based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially, including statements related to the Company’s efforts to build out its sales organization. These risks and uncertainties include, among others, the following: the impact of the recent deterioration in global economic, credit and market conditions, including the downgrade of the U.S. government’s credit rating; current local economic conditions in our geographic markets; decreases in information technology spending, including as a result of economic slowdowns or recession; adverse economic or real estate developments in our industry or the industry sectors that we sell to (including risks relating to decreasing real estate valuations and impairment charges); our dependence upon significant tenants; bankruptcy or insolvency of a major tenant or a significant number of smaller tenants; defaults on or non-renewal of leases by tenants; our failure to obtain necessary debt and equity financing; increased interest rates and operating costs; risks associated with using debt to fund our business activities, including re-financing and interest rate risks, our failure to repay debt when due, adverse changes in our credit ratings or our breach of covenants or other terms contained in our loan facilities and agreements; financial market fluctuations; changes in foreign currency exchange rates; our inability to manage our growth effectively; difficulty acquiring or operating properties in foreign jurisdictions; our failure to successfully integrate and operate acquired or redeveloped properties or businesses; risks related to joint venture investments, including as a result of our lack of control of such investments; delays or unexpected costs in development or redevelopment of properties; decreased rental rates or increased vacancy rates; increased competition or available supply of data center space; our inability to successfully develop and lease new properties and space held for redevelopment; difficulties in identifying properties to acquire and completing acquisitions; our inability to acquire off-market properties; our inability to comply with the rules and regulations applicable to reporting companies; our failure to maintain our status as a REIT; possible adverse changes to tax laws; restrictions on our ability to engage in certain business activities; environmental uncertainties and risks related to natural disasters; losses in excess of our insurance coverage; changes in foreign laws and regulations, including those related to taxation and real estate ownership and operation; and changes in local, state and federal regulatory requirements, including changes in real estate and zoning laws and increases in real property tax rates.  For a further list and description of such risks and uncertainties, see the reports and other filings by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011.  The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE Digital Realty Trust, Inc.