In this episode, Bernard Borghei, Founder and CEO of Connected Infra Group, shares how he is building the next generation of wireless infrastructure platforms—drawing on more than three decades of experience across telecom, towers, and global network development. From his early days in analog cellular to helping scale industry leaders like Global Tower Partners and Vertical Bridge, Bernard offers a deeply personal and practical perspective on what it takes to build enduring infrastructure businesses.
Today, Bernard is leading Connected Infra Group with a bold vision backed by a $1 billion capital commitment, focused initially on tower acquisitions and build-to-suit opportunities. He explains how the company is positioning itself as a long-term platform—stabilizing in towers while thoughtfully evaluating adjacencies like fiber, edge data centers, and power infrastructure to capture the next wave of digital demand.
Bernard breaks down the evolution of the tower industry—from entrepreneurial, high-conviction dealmaking to a more competitive, capital-intensive landscape with fewer large portfolio opportunities. Despite this maturity, he emphasizes that wireless infrastructure remains mission-critical, with continued densification, data consumption growth, and carrier investment reinforcing its long-term relevance.
The conversation explores what comes next: the convergence of towers, edge computing, data centers, and even satellite networks. Bernard highlights how AI and future 6G standards will further stress networks—unlocking new opportunities across the RAN and edge, and blurring the lines between infrastructure asset classes as platforms evolve into fully integrated ecosystems.
Beyond infrastructure, Bernard delivers a powerful leadership philosophy rooted in culture. He explains why culture and leadership are inseparable, and how building high-performing organizations requires humility, transparency, and hands-on engagement. From hiring for cultural fit to maintaining alignment during rapid growth and leadership transitions, he shares hard-earned lessons on preserving a company’s “soul” as it scales.
He also addresses current industry dynamics, including widespread layoffs, shifting capital priorities, and the impact of outsourcing, spectrum auctions, and AI. Rather than signaling decline, Bernard views these changes as strategic recalibration—positioning carriers and the broader ecosystem for the next investment cycle.
Looking ahead, Bernard’s vision for Connected Infra Group is not tied to a fixed exit—but to building a durable, multi-decade platform that can adapt, grow, and lead through industry transformation. His goal: to create a company strong enough to outlast its founders and continue shaping the future of connectivity.
From billion-dollar bets to leadership at scale, this episode is a masterclass in conviction, culture, and building infrastructure platforms that power the digital economy.
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About
Bernard Borghei is the Founder, President & CEO of Connected Infrastructure Group. In this role he is responsible for the company’s strategic plan and execution at all levels including financial management, client relationships, budgets and forecasting, overseeing the operations of the company’s various departments and groups under each executive such as finance/accounting, sales, M&A, business development, marketing, strategic initiatives and activities, operations, legal, asset development, compliance, and HR.
Prior to this role, Mr. Borghei was the CEO of Symphony Towers Infrastructure and prior to that role he co-founded Vertical Bridge REIT, the largest privately held telecom tower company in the US valued at over $10 billion, and also served as the company’s Executive Vice President of Operations, responsible for Vertical Bridge’s daily operations, regulatory compliance, vendor management, engineering services, human resources and emerging technologies.
Mr. Borghei has over 32 years of experience in wireless and infrastructure industries and before co-founding Vertical Bridge, he served as Senior Vice President and Partner at Global Tower Partners (GTP) which was sold for $5.5 billion in 2013, where he oversaw domestic and international market operations, including a portfolio of more than 6,500 towers and 12,000 managed properties.
Mr. Borghei has also held executive and senior management positions in operations, engineering, sales, supply chain, site development, and customer care at several wireless operators and service providers including Comcast, Omnipoint, TruePosition, SkyBitz, Wireless Facilities, Inc. Western Wireless International, and Triton PCS, where he successfully ran operations across 24 different countries in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, North and South America.
Mr. Borghei has a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Villanova University and an MBA in global management from the University of Phoenix. He serves on the Advisory Board for the Villanova University School of Engineering and is a board member for the UK based company, Freshwave. He also serves on the advisory board of TATE and previously was the Chairman of the endowment committee for the Tower Family Foundation
