OVHcloud CEO Octave Klaba returns to lead company past €1B revenue mark

Octave Klaba Returns to Lead OVHcloud as CEO After Breaking Through €1 B Revenue Barrier

We are pleased to report a major milestone for the European cloud-computing player OVHcloud. Founder Octave Klaba has returned to the helm as Chief Executive Officer, at the same time that the company announced it crossed the symbolic €1 billion revenue mark for the fiscal year ending August 2025. This development signals an important turning point for OVHcloud and offers insights for investors, cloud customers, and observers of AI stocks and the broader stock market.

Background: Klaba’s Return and Governance Shift

Octave Klaba founded OVHcloud in 1999 and served as CEO until 2018, after which he became Chairman of the Board. On 20 October 2025, OVHcloud’s Board of Directors voted to end the separation of the Chairman and CEO roles and unanimously appointed Klaba as both Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. The move is part of a broader governance realignment designed to align vision, strategy, and execution under one leadership umbrella. 

For the keyword “Octave Klaba”, this return to day-to-day leadership is significant; he is not simply a founder figurehead, but now once more the operational leader with full control of strategy and execution for OVHcloud.

Revenue Milestone: €1 B Achieved

In the fiscal year ended 31 August 2025, OVHcloud achieved consolidated revenue of approximately €1.08 billion, representing a 9.3 % year-on-year like-for-like growth. This marks the first time the company has reached the €1 billion revenue threshold. The adjusted EBITDA margin rose to about 40.4 % in that same period.

The revenue distribution shows mature growth across various segments:

  • Private Cloud segment: ~62 % of revenue, strong growth. 
  • Public Cloud segment: ~20 % of revenue, growing faster than other segments. 
  • Web Cloud (hosting/web services): ~18 % of revenue.

Strategic Implications: Why This Matters

A European Cloud Champion Rising

In a cloud-computing ecosystem largely dominated by U.S. giants such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud, OVHcloud presents a strong European alternative. Klaba has long championed European data sovereignty, transparency and openness. With the company crossing €1 billion in revenue and consolidating leadership, this alternative is gaining credibility.

A Focus on AI and Cloud Growth Markets

As demand for artificial-intelligence infrastructure surges, cloud providers are under pressure to scale, innovate, and offer differentiated services. OVHcloud is well-positioned to capture more of the “AI stack” market. This is relevant for broader investors tracking AI stocks or conducting stock research in the cloud and infrastructure domain.

Governance & Execution Aligned

By returning Klaba to the CEO chair, the company signals a desire for sharper execution. The unification of roles suggests that long-term vision and day-to-day decisions will derive from one leader. This may reassure investors and customers that strategic momentum will be sustained and accelerated.

Financial Health & Growth Outlook

OVHcloud’s margin improvement and revenue milestone suggest operational discipline and scalability. The company expects organic revenue growth of 5 % to 7 % in FY 2026, along with an adjusted EBITDA margin above FY 2025 levels. For stock market watchers and cloud infrastructure investors, this forward guidance introduces a clearer path for growth and profitability.

What to Watch Going Forward

  • Geographic expansion: OVHcloud is growing its presence in Canada, Singapore, and India to capture global demand.
  • Public Cloud acceleration: While still a smaller part of revenue, the Public Cloud segment is growing fastest and could be a key driver for scale.
  • Capex and debt: Net debt rose to ~€1.1 billion in FY2025, primarily due to a share buy-back and infrastructure investments. Capital expenditure is projected at around 30 %–32 % of revenue in FY2026.
  • AI infrastructure & services: As cloud providers vie for AI workloads, OVHcloud must continue developing its offerings, partnerships, and hardware (e.g., GPUs, Kubernetes, specialised services) to stay competitive.

Investors’ Perspective: Stock Market Context

For investors in cloud infrastructure and technology, the return of Octave Klaba brings fresh interest to OVHcloud. The milestone revenue mark also adds confidence to its long-term potential. OVHcloud is publicly listed as OVH Groupe on Euronext Paris. These developments signal improved governance, a clear growth path, and strong margin control. That said, cloud markets remain competitive, and investors should balance growth potential with risk (capex, debt, macro headwinds). 

Still, in the broader domain of AI stocks, infrastructure providers like OVHcloud could benefit from tailwinds tied to the expansion of generative AI, enterprise cloud, and digital sovereignty demands.

Conclusion: A New Chapter for Klaba and OVHcloud

In returning as CEO, Octave Klaba steps back into the operational driver’s seat. His return comes just as OVHcloud crosses a major revenue milestone. He brings deep knowledge of the company and a long-standing vision for a strong European cloud alternative. With his renewed mandate, the company appears ready to enter a phase of accelerated execution. 

For customers seeking a trusted cloud partner, for investors monitoring AI and infrastructure stocks, and for industry watchers charting the cloud wars, this is a development worthy of attention.

As we keep an eye on how OVHcloud executes its 2026-2030 strategic plan, with Klaba back in charge, the company appears well-aligned to scale, innovate, and capture growing demand in the cloud and AI era.

FAQs

Who is Octave Klaba, and why is his return significant?

Octave Klaba is the founder of OVHcloud and previously served as CEO until 2018 before becoming Chairman. His return as both Chairman and CEO signals that the company wants to unify strategic vision and execution under his leadership. 

What does crossing the €1 billion revenue mark mean for OVHcloud?

Reaching approximately €1.08 billion in revenue for FY 2025 indicates that OVHcloud has achieved a significant scale milestone, growing ~9.3 % year-on-year and improving its adjusted EBITDA margin above 40 %. It strengthens the company’s positioning in the cloud market.

How does this impact investors tracking cloud or AI-related stocks?

For investors, the developments suggest that OVHcloud is now in a stronger position. The company shows improved governance and clear growth targets. Its margins are expanding, supported by a solid play in the cloud and AI infrastructure market. Although competition remains intense, OVHcloud stands out as an infrastructure player to watch in the age of AI and cloud expansion.

Disclaimer:

This content is made for learning only. It is not meant to give financial advice. Always check the facts yourself. Financial decisions need detailed research.

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