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Benjamin Wheeler

Benjamin Wheeler

Partner

London

T: +44 (0) 20 3400 3407

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Biography

Benjamin (Ben) is a specialist technology and commercial lawyer, whose practice focuses on digital transformation, digital infrastructure, outsourcing, business technology and emerging technologies.

He also has considerable experience advising on the commercial and operational aspects of complex corporate divestments and carve-outs, including transition/separation issues and ongoing commercial arrangements.

Ben’s practice includes advising on technology and business processing outsourcing transactions, systems implementation and integration agreements, Software as a Service (SaaS) and other cloud arrangements, software licensing agreements and other IT and technology related transactions.

Ben works with clients across a variety of industries and sectors, with a particular focus on financial services, real estate (data centres and digital infrastructure), transport, utilities and healthcare.

He has also spent time on secondment to Lloyds Banking Group, where he worked in the Group Operations and Commercial Legal Team providing support on a wide range of the Bank’s technology and outsourcing arrangements.

Ben is highlighted as a ‘key lawyer’ in IT and Telecoms in Legal 500 UK 2025.

Areas of Focus

Digital Transformation & Emerging Technology Digital Transformation & Emerging Technology

Software, Cloud Subscription & Systems Integration Software, Cloud Subscription & Systems Integration

Outsourcing Outsourcing

  • Digital Transformation & Emerging Technology

  • Software, Cloud Subscription & Systems Integration

  • Outsourcing

Client Story

Client Story

Getting vertiport pioneer Skyports off the ground in Dubai

London based start-up Skyports Infrastructure has announced its pioneering ‘vertiport’ operations in Dubai in collaboration with Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA) and electric air taxi provider, Joby Aviation.

Read more Read more

Admissions

  • England and Wales

Related Capabilities

  • Real Estate

  • Financial Institutions

  • Digital Transformation & Emerging Technology

  • Payment Systems

  • Software, Cloud Subscription & Systems Integration

  • Healthcare & Life Sciences

  • PropTech

  • Outsourcing

  • Commercial Transactions

  • Technology Transactions

  • Corporate

  • Carve-outs & Transitions

  • Data Centers & Digital Infrastructure

Experience

  • BT Group: advised on:
    • a strategic digital and IT transformation project worth £1 billion, one of the largest IT outsourcing deals in 2022 to migrate the BT Group from its existing technology estate to a new state of the art digital infrastructure;
    • the carve out from BT and sale of non-core division, BT Fleet Solutions to, and a long term outsourcing arrangement to continue management of BT's own fleet for a confidential amount with, Aurelius Group, a pan-European investment group; and
    • the outsourcing of BT Group’s logistics and supply chain division to GXO Logistics in a deal worth up to £1bn over 10 years.
  • A leading global end-to-end IT services company: advised in relation to a highly strategic digitisation project, to migrate data to a public cloud infrastructure as a service solution, working in conjunction with Microsoft and AWS.
  • Retirement Advantage (a leading life insurer and at-retirement specialist): advised on a strategic, complex life and pensions material outsourcing arrangement with Equiniti. Unusually for such projects, this also included the simultaneous outsourcing of Retirement Advantage’s entire IT infrastructure and services and technology project services and activities to Equiniti, in a private cloud computing model.
  • Thames Water: advised on a strategic deal for the provision of all IT services across the whole Thames Water estate worth £600-£800 million, involving a highly innovative “alliance” model to contract with a consortium of top tier suppliers including IBM and Accenture.
  • The Co-operative Bank Plc: advised on the strategic outsourcing of the Bank’s enterprise services to IBM on a significant IT separation programme from the rest of The Co-operative Group.

Related Insights

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Insights
Nov 28, 2025

Regulatory and ESG challenges in the data centre sector: Building a sustainable future

This is the fifth in a ten-part article series on the legal strategies shaping the future of data centre development in the UK. The United Kingdom’s data centre sector is undergoing a profound transformation. Having established itself as a cornerstone of the nation's economy, the industry now faces its most complex challenge: adapting to an increasingly demanding regulatory and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) landscape. The sector's exponential growth, driven by the insatiable demand for data, has placed it under an intense spotlight. Its high power and water consumption, and the physical impact of large-scale facilities, have brought questions of sustainability and community impact to the forefront. Today, a data centre’s success is no longer measured solely by uptime or tenant covenant strength, but by its ability to maintain a social licence to operate. And this is granted not just by regulators, but by investors, tenants and local communities. These issues are central to risk management, value creation and long-term commercial strategy. Neglecting them can jeopardise financing, erode asset value and cause operational and reputational damage. This instalment of our Insight Series looks beyond individual transactions to the frameworks that shape the entire data centre lifecycle. We explore how leading developers and investors can turn regulatory and ESG pressures into opportunities to build more resilient, responsible and valuable assets.
Insights
Nov 24, 2025

Unlocking Value in UK Data Centre M&A Transactions

This is the fourth in a ten-part series exploring the critical legal strategies shaping the future of data centre development in the UK. The United Kingdom’s data centre market is undergoing a profound transformation. A forecast surge in demand for data centre capacity—driven by advancements in AI, cloud computing, and digital services—is expected to outstrip supply, even with recent government initiatives aimed at accelerating development. Key constraints remain, including lengthy grid connection timelines and a complex, often polarised planning system.  At the same time, data centres continue to attract long-term capital—including pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, infrastructure funds, and REITs—thanks to their predictable, inflation-linked returns. Private equity investors have also been highly active, drawn by strong growth prospects and opportunities to consolidate fragmented markets. These dynamics have pushed valuations to record highs and sustained strong demand for UK data centre M&A, defying the slowdown in other real estate sectors post-pandemic. Against this backdrop, data centre M&A transactions are not merely high-value real estate deals; they demand familiarity with operational infrastructure, advanced technology, long-term service contracts, and complex regulatory issues. Executing such transactions successfully requires integrated expertise across M&A, energy, real estate, technology, regulatory, and finance. Understanding the legal and commercial anatomy of these deals is paramount for unlocking maximum value and mitigating inherent risks.
Insights
Nov 03, 2025

Financing data centre developments: Balancing risk and opportunity in a capital-intensive sector

This is the third in a ten-part article series on the legal strategies shaping the future of data centre development in the UK. The United Kingdom’s data centre sector is built on a striking paradox: demand for digital infrastructure seems limitless, but building it requires eye-watering amounts of capital. A hyperscale facility can cost more than £500 million, putting data centres among the most capital-intensive real estate assets in the world. In this high-stakes environment, financing is not just about securing capital. It’s about designing the right capital structure – balancing debt and equity in a way that reduces risk, satisfies lenders, equity partners and tenants, and still delivers long-term returns. In this third instalment of our Insight Series, we look at how sophisticated financing structures are used to balance risk and opportunity in the UK data centre market and share practical advice to help developers navigate complexity with confidence
Insights
Oct 23, 2025

Structuring shell and core data centre developments: Legal strategies for scalability and flexibility

This is the second in a ten-part article series on the legal strategies shaping the future of data centre development in the UK. The UK data centre sector’s expansion is increasingly dominated by the shell and core development model. Hyperscale and major colocation tenants are seeking to deploy capital efficiently, accelerate their time-to-market, and retain maximum control over their proprietary technical environments. In response, developers are delivering powered shells – buildings with foundational power and cooling infrastructure but without tenant-specific fit-out – as the market standard. This approach provides tenants with the freedom to customise their IT architecture. But it also presents developers and investors with complex legal and commercial challenges. The core objective is to create a flexible, scalable asset while ensuring a secure, bankable investment that meets the stringent criteria of institutional finance. The success in shell and core projects depends on the seamless integration of planning, development, construction, leasing and regulatory strategies. A misstep in one area can cascade through the project, affecting finance, tenant relationships and operational performance. This second instalment of our Insight Series examines the legal frameworks underpinning these developments, from the structure of development management agreements and lease contracts to the regulatory considerations shaping the market.
Insights
Oct 14, 2025

Mastering powered land transactions for UK data centres

This is the first in a ten-part article series on the legal strategies shaping the future of data centre development in the UK. The UK’s data centre market is entering a period of rapid expansion, set to grow from $10.7 billion in 2024 to $22.7 billion by 2030. This is being driven by the computational demands of artificial intelligence, the widespread shift to cloud services and the relentless rise of enterprise-level computing. The result is a highly competitive market for powered land. For hyperscale operators, institutional investors and specialist developers, the acquisition of these sites is no longer confined to the parameters of conventional real estate. Instead, it’s now a complex, high-stakes convergence of energy regulation, planning law and strategic commercial negotiation. Successfully navigating this landscape to deliver projects on time and on budget requires commercially astute legal advice to mitigate risk, unlock value and achieve market-leading outcomes. In this article, we explore the legal, regulatory and commercial strategies that underpin successful data centre development, from planning consent and power supply agreements to ESG integration and emerging technological requirements.

Related Insights

Insights
Nov 28, 2025
Regulatory and ESG challenges in the data centre sector: Building a sustainable future
This is the fifth in a ten-part article series on the legal strategies shaping the future of data centre development in the UK. The United Kingdom’s data centre sector is undergoing a profound transformation. Having established itself as a cornerstone of the nation's economy, the industry now faces its most complex challenge: adapting to an increasingly demanding regulatory and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) landscape. The sector's exponential growth, driven by the insatiable demand for data, has placed it under an intense spotlight. Its high power and water consumption, and the physical impact of large-scale facilities, have brought questions of sustainability and community impact to the forefront. Today, a data centre’s success is no longer measured solely by uptime or tenant covenant strength, but by its ability to maintain a social licence to operate. And this is granted not just by regulators, but by investors, tenants and local communities. These issues are central to risk management, value creation and long-term commercial strategy. Neglecting them can jeopardise financing, erode asset value and cause operational and reputational damage. This instalment of our Insight Series looks beyond individual transactions to the frameworks that shape the entire data centre lifecycle. We explore how leading developers and investors can turn regulatory and ESG pressures into opportunities to build more resilient, responsible and valuable assets.
Insights
Nov 24, 2025
Unlocking Value in UK Data Centre M&A Transactions
This is the fourth in a ten-part series exploring the critical legal strategies shaping the future of data centre development in the UK. The United Kingdom’s data centre market is undergoing a profound transformation. A forecast surge in demand for data centre capacity—driven by advancements in AI, cloud computing, and digital services—is expected to outstrip supply, even with recent government initiatives aimed at accelerating development. Key constraints remain, including lengthy grid connection timelines and a complex, often polarised planning system.  At the same time, data centres continue to attract long-term capital—including pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, infrastructure funds, and REITs—thanks to their predictable, inflation-linked returns. Private equity investors have also been highly active, drawn by strong growth prospects and opportunities to consolidate fragmented markets. These dynamics have pushed valuations to record highs and sustained strong demand for UK data centre M&A, defying the slowdown in other real estate sectors post-pandemic. Against this backdrop, data centre M&A transactions are not merely high-value real estate deals; they demand familiarity with operational infrastructure, advanced technology, long-term service contracts, and complex regulatory issues. Executing such transactions successfully requires integrated expertise across M&A, energy, real estate, technology, regulatory, and finance. Understanding the legal and commercial anatomy of these deals is paramount for unlocking maximum value and mitigating inherent risks.
Insights
Nov 03, 2025
Financing data centre developments: Balancing risk and opportunity in a capital-intensive sector
This is the third in a ten-part article series on the legal strategies shaping the future of data centre development in the UK. The United Kingdom’s data centre sector is built on a striking paradox: demand for digital infrastructure seems limitless, but building it requires eye-watering amounts of capital. A hyperscale facility can cost more than £500 million, putting data centres among the most capital-intensive real estate assets in the world. In this high-stakes environment, financing is not just about securing capital. It’s about designing the right capital structure – balancing debt and equity in a way that reduces risk, satisfies lenders, equity partners and tenants, and still delivers long-term returns. In this third instalment of our Insight Series, we look at how sophisticated financing structures are used to balance risk and opportunity in the UK data centre market and share practical advice to help developers navigate complexity with confidence
Insights
Oct 23, 2025
Structuring shell and core data centre developments: Legal strategies for scalability and flexibility
This is the second in a ten-part article series on the legal strategies shaping the future of data centre development in the UK. The UK data centre sector’s expansion is increasingly dominated by the shell and core development model. Hyperscale and major colocation tenants are seeking to deploy capital efficiently, accelerate their time-to-market, and retain maximum control over their proprietary technical environments. In response, developers are delivering powered shells – buildings with foundational power and cooling infrastructure but without tenant-specific fit-out – as the market standard. This approach provides tenants with the freedom to customise their IT architecture. But it also presents developers and investors with complex legal and commercial challenges. The core objective is to create a flexible, scalable asset while ensuring a secure, bankable investment that meets the stringent criteria of institutional finance. The success in shell and core projects depends on the seamless integration of planning, development, construction, leasing and regulatory strategies. A misstep in one area can cascade through the project, affecting finance, tenant relationships and operational performance. This second instalment of our Insight Series examines the legal frameworks underpinning these developments, from the structure of development management agreements and lease contracts to the regulatory considerations shaping the market.
Insights
Oct 14, 2025
Mastering powered land transactions for UK data centres
This is the first in a ten-part article series on the legal strategies shaping the future of data centre development in the UK. The UK’s data centre market is entering a period of rapid expansion, set to grow from $10.7 billion in 2024 to $22.7 billion by 2030. This is being driven by the computational demands of artificial intelligence, the widespread shift to cloud services and the relentless rise of enterprise-level computing. The result is a highly competitive market for powered land. For hyperscale operators, institutional investors and specialist developers, the acquisition of these sites is no longer confined to the parameters of conventional real estate. Instead, it’s now a complex, high-stakes convergence of energy regulation, planning law and strategic commercial negotiation. Successfully navigating this landscape to deliver projects on time and on budget requires commercially astute legal advice to mitigate risk, unlock value and achieve market-leading outcomes. In this article, we explore the legal, regulatory and commercial strategies that underpin successful data centre development, from planning consent and power supply agreements to ESG integration and emerging technological requirements.
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Jul 14, 2025
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