Steven Sonnenstein

Driven by a comprehensive, technology-forward approach that leverages scale, expertise and innovative thinking across multiple asset classes, DigitalBridge has ownership and managerial oversight of more than 600,000 telecom antenna sites worldwide.

The global alternative digital infrastructure asset manager has also ventured into emerging sectors like outdoor media infrastructure, uniquely positioning it to navigate the rapid evolution of connectivity and data needs.

As its Senior Managing Director at DigitalBridge Investment Management, Steven Sonnenstein not only leads the firm’s global tower practice and specific adjacent infrastructure initiatives but is also a key driver of the firm's forward-looking and integrated strategy.

“We own and operate 11 tower companies globally which gives us a clear view of the market – we see what’s coming, how it’s evolving and the dynamics across valuation, operations and financing,” he says. “It means we can anticipate rather than react.”

For Steven, that perspective proves why diversification matters – across geographies and verticals. DigitalBridge’s edge is that its leaders aren’t just investors, they’ve spent decades running and building infrastructure globally, bringing real operating know-how to every asset.

Pairing industry knowledge and capital

DigitalBridge’s origins as both operator and investor uniquely position the company to take advantage of shifts in technology and market behaviour. Its combination of scale and operational insight has enabled the firm to play a leading role in digital infrastructure’s transition to the cloud, next-generation telecom and the rise of AI.

Steven says: “We’re the largest private owner of towers in the world, according to TowerXchange. Our networks handle tremendous amounts of data traffic – and none of this works without towers. Right now, investors are focused on data centres, but cloud and AI compute ultimately have to connect back to smartphones. To make that work, networks need to densify exponentially from where they are today.” 

For Steven, AI marks a once-in-a-generation inflection point – bigger than the leap from 4G to 5G. Delivering on its promise, AI will demand unprecedented levels of investment in towers, rooftops, and edge infra to enable near-instant communication.

But the surge in demand brings a stark challenge. “The biggest issue we face globally is power,” Steven cautions. “The availability of energy to supply AI and data centre compute, on top of growing communication networks, is going to be the defining constraint.”