26th November
10:00-19:00
Day 1 of TDME 24 will cover a range of topics that impact the digital infrastructure ecosystem in the Middle East. From future-proofing data centres, sustainability, and connectivity to data regulations and inclusivity within the industry, don’t miss these dynamic discussions on the trends and topics affecting the GCC regional market.
Building A Digital Infrastructure Ecosystem
10:00
DOORS OPEN
10:30-10:50
Opening Speech
Welcome Presentation: Henry Sutton (GDCA) and Stijn Grove (Kickstart Europe)
Henry Sutton
Founder
Gulf Data Centre Association | TDME
Stijn Grove
Managing director
Kickstart Europe | DDA
10:55-11:25
The Middle East expansion: How is digital infrastructure rising in the region and will we cope with demand?
PANEL: The Middle East is poised to become one of the fastest-growing data centre markets globally in the coming years. The experts on this panel will look at the reasons for this rapid growth within the region and how the industry intends to maintain this upward trajectory and cope with the wave of new demand.
Musab Abdullah
Executive Director – Investment Development, ICT
Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB)
CHAIR
Auf Al Bulushi
Executive Director – Subsea Cables Business
Ithca
Amjad Elnayal
Manager of Technology
Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Bahrain (TRA)
Johann Adjovi
Partner
Analyses Mason
Bruce Jennings
Chairman
Qareeb Data Centres
11:30-12:00
Establishing the GCC as a global data centre hub: Unpacking the drivers of demand and investment
PANEL: A look at the opportunities and challenges of developing and investing in data centres in the GCC region? What advantages can the GCC offer in comparison to its global counterparts? How have catalysts such as economic free zones, MoUs, and Sovereign Wealth Funds helped change the GCC data centre footprint? What role do they play in bringing global data centre platforms to the GCC?
Joao Marques Lima
Founder & Managing Editor
The Tech Capital
MODERATOR
Joe Mccaffrey
CEO
DMC Global Partners
John Rippingale
CEO
Sudlows Consulting
Stephen Beard
Head of Data Centres
Knight Frank
Pieter Schaap
Director
Soben
Greg Jasmin
Senior Director
Khazna Data Centres
12:05-12:35
Powering the digital age: Exploring the data centres of tomorrow
PANEL: The future of data centre design, engineering, and infrastructure is changing. With the pressures for higher performance and more energy efficient data centres battling new demands for increased data consumption and AI, how will design and engineering innovation respond?
Simon Young
Director – MEA
RED Engineering Design
Chair
Asim Ansari
Director, General Manager - Edge & Telecoms EMEA & APAC
Alban Hohmann Schauly
Data Center Segment Manager – Africa & Middle East
Ammar Al Horani
Data Center Business Director – Middle East
Eaton
Zahid Saddiq
CEO & CFO
Qcloud
Charbel Aoun
Head of Power Division
Vertiv
12:40-13:10
A data sovereignty and regulations deep-dive: What do we need to know?
PANEL: Data centre owners and operators in the GCC must navigate a complex regulatory landscape. At a time when data sovereignty, regulations, and cyber security have never been more prevalent, representatives from GCC law firms will come together to share their findings and insights into the future of data laws across the GCC.
Kees Verhoeven
Strategic Advisor
Dutch Data Center Association
MODERATOR
Gareth mills
Partner
Charles Russell Speechlys Middle East
Muhammad Anum Saleem
Legal Director
AlDhabaan & Partners
(in association with Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP)
Christopher O'brien
Senior Associate
Charles Russell Speechless Middle East
Marcus bagnall
Partner
Wiggin
Zil Rehman
Associate
Pinsent Masons
13:10-14:30
Lunch Break
14:30-15:00
Connectivity: Linking the Middle East to the Global Network
PANEL: The GCC is one of the best-connected regions globally with new subsea cable investment and a regulated telecoms market. In this panel, industry experts discuss how the GCC is poised to leverage these advantages and will take a look at what changes can be expected in the region’s connectivity in the near future, including what current networks can do to keep up with the influx of data centres and boom in AI development.
Jas Shoker
Supervising Associate
Simmons & Simmons
MODERATOR
Naveen Rajagopalan
Chief Commercial Officer
Kalaam Carrier Solutions
Peter van Burgel
Chief Executive Officer
AMS-IX
Fuad Mohseni
Head of Infrastructure and Projects
Batelco
15:05-15:35
Closing the talent divide: Are we truly bridging the skills gap?
PANEL: The GCC faces a significant talent shortage. Given the anticipated growth in the data centre market, what measures are governments, universities, and industry leaders taking to bridge the skills gap?
Krystyna Litwa
Head of people
MODERATOR
Marynet Bassily
Founder
MissionProcure and NexConnect Hub
Ahmed Al Sharaf
Director of Business Development
Tamkeen
Amal Askar
Head Business Development, ICT
Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB)
15:40-16:10
Navigating the greener path: Are we reaching our sustainability potential?
PANEL: The global data centre industry is under scrutiny over its significant energy usage. As AI, cloud, and data consumption grow, sustainability goals are being challenged, and this expert panel will discuss how the GCC data centre industry is responding, what measures it’s taking to combat it’s environmental impact, and how this compares versus it’s international counterparts.
Gary Watson
Country Manager
Keppel Data Center REIT Ireland
CHAIR
Ammar Al Horani
Data Center Business Director – Middle East
Eaton
Matthew Baynes
Vice President, Strategic Partners, Cloud & Service Provider Segment
Tim Chambers
Director and Founder
Exuvi8
Charbel Lattouf
Strategic Account Manager
Vertiv
16:15-16:45
A roundtable talk: Women shaping the digital infrastructure landscape
ROUNDTABLE: There are more women in the workplace in the Gulf than ever before, but is it enough? This roundtable discussion will dig into how the digital infrastructure community is fairing against this backdrop and what further measures can be taken to reach gender equity.
Krystyna Litwa
Head of people
MODERATOR
Takwa Dawdi
Senior Electrical Engineer
Priyanka Nagpal
Data Center Lead - MEA, Director – Specialist Advisory
Oumkeltoum Loudiyi
Senior Projects Manager
Marwa Aleskafi
Director - Entrepreneurship, Technology & Strategic Initiatives
Tamkeen
Enas Al Fardan
Director of Strategy and Business Excellence
Batelco
