Datacloud Middle East is driving the discussions shaping the data centre industry across the region and beyond. Join us for dynamic discussions across AI, power, cooling, design and construction. This is your opportunity to unlock the business intelligence vital to staying ahead of the competition and capitalising on the data centre boom across the Middle East.
Thought-leadership that will drive your business forward
The 2026 Agenda
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14:00
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Al Manzil Suite150 mins
- Capacity Middle East
- Datacloud Middle East
An exclusive, half-day, invitation-only workshop designed for senior executives in the digital infrastructure space.
Limited to just 40 participants, the summit ensures an intimate and interactive environment, held under Chatham House Rule to foster open and candid discussion.
Bringing together digital infra CXOs alongside select investors, hyperscalers, and industry VIPs, the summit provides a platform for sharing common challenges, exploring collaboration opportunities, and gaining peer insights that can inform conversations with investors, partners, and customers.
Now in its third year, the Digital Infra Leaders Summit offers C-suite executives a rare opportunity to connect, strategise, and prepare for the busy days ahead.
Agenda
- The Middle East as a global AI infrastructure hub vs transit zone
- How to create a true region – what needs to change?
- What do future collaboration models look like?
- What are the impacts on infrastructure design (eg Edge and the shift to inference)
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Financing Models for AI Infrastructure
If you would like to request an invitation to join, please contact James Netherwood or Fran White: James.Netherwood@capacityglobal.com or fran.white@techoraco.com
15:00
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Registration area180 mins
- Capacity Middle East
- Datacloud Middle East
- Capacity Iraq Connect
Registration for the main event opens. Please note there is no access to the exhibition hall on the 9th of February.
17:30
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Peacock garden90 mins
- Networking
- Capacity Middle East
- Datacloud Middle East
Kick off Capacity and Datacloud Middle East in style, with a bit of winter sun at our event welcome reception.
08:00
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Registration area90 mins
- Networking
- Capacity Middle East
- Datacloud Middle East
Registration and Exhibition are open from 08:00 - 17:30
09:15
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Datacloud stage15 mins
- Datacloud Middle East
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09:30
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Datacloud stage20 mins
- Datacloud Middle East
Join us for an exclusive fireside chat featuring the leading figures behind two of the region's largest digital projects - Oman Digital Triangle and the King Hussein Business Park in Jordan
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09:50
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Datacloud stage20 mins
- Datacloud Middle East
This opening address provides a strategic overview of the Middle East’s rapidly evolving data centre ecosystem. As the region experiences unprecedented growth driven by AI, hyperscaler investment, and ...
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10:10
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Datacloud stage50 mins
- Datacloud Middle East
As AI adoption accelerates across the Middle East, the demand for high-performance computing (HPC) is reshaping the data centre landscape. This panel explores how operators, governments, and hyperscalers are responding to the infrastructure, energy, and strategic challenges of building AI-ready facilities at scale. The panel discusses:
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How are regional energy strategies and sustainability goals influencing the design and operation of HPC environments?
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What role do partnerships between hyperscalers, governments, and local operators play in scaling AI infrastructure across the region?
- How can the Middle East position itself as a global hub for AI and HPC innovation, and how can we manage the risks in these large scale projects?
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How can stakeholders ensure long-term ROI while navigating rapid technological change, regulatory pressures, and geopolitical uncertainty?
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11:00
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Coffee and refreshments served30 mins
- Networking
- Capacity Middle East
- Datacloud Middle East
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Datacloud stage30 mins
- Datacloud Middle East
Explore how prefabricated, high‑density, liquid‑cooled modular designs are transforming the way AI‑ready data centers are built. This session reveals how standardized power and IT modules, factory‑integrated quality, and scalable architectures enable faster deployment, higher efficiency, and the resilience required for next‑generation AI workloads.
11:30
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Capacity Stage45 mins
- Capacity Middle East
- Datacloud Middle East
With a spate of recent announcements of new data centre hubs and rapid expansion of existing sites, such as Damman or Sharjah, providing diverse high-capacity connectivity is essential to unlocking the value of these sites.- How are the connectivity requirements of hyperscalers and other data centre tenants evolving?
- Do permitting and survey requirements for new subsea projects risk creating delays in connecting emerging data hubs? And how can we overcome these challenges?
- As the scale of data centres and their power densities expands is current fibre technology adequate to meet capacity demands?
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Datacloud stage45 mins
- Datacloud Middle East
Stargate UAE is the first international deployment of the AI infrastructure Stargate program, with the first 200MW of 1GW due to come online in 2026. While Stargate UAE will continue to enable domestic AI consumption it also has the potential to provide connectivity to almost half the world’s population, located within 2,000 miles.
- What are the demand drivers behind such a large data centre deployment?
- The role of nuclear power in providing sustainable, reliable power to the site
- How are we ensuring adequate connectivity to enable Stargate UAE to serve users beyond the UAE?
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12:15
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Datacloud stage45 mins
- Datacloud Middle East
As MENA accelerates its transition to a data-driven economy, the region’s energy strategy must evolve to meet the demands of AI infrastructure. With hyperscale campuses and GPU clusters requiring gigawatts of reliable power, outdated contracting models and grid limitations risk slowing progress—unless bold reforms and private innovation step in. The session covers:
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Financing the Future of Compute: Can long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) align with hyperscaler timelines and stabilise costs for operators and investors?
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Unlocking Utility Partnerships: What incentives and reforms are needed to enable multi-decade capacity commitments from national utilities?
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Private Generation at Scale: How are operators deploying onsite energy—from solar-plus-storage to modular gas microgrids—to ensure resilience and control?
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Case Study: NEOM & HumAIn: What lessons can be drawn from Saudi Arabia’s sovereign AI strategy and its integrated approach to digital infrastructure and energy planning?
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13:00
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Laylati tent60 mins
- Networking
- Capacity Middle East
- Datacloud Middle East
14:00
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Datacloud stage45 mins
- Datacloud Middle East
The demands of AI are pushing the traditional model of data centre design. Flexibility and scalability are vital to meeting the increasing demands from advanced workloads and the unprecedented demand for compute power.
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How are operators adapting cooling strategies—liquid cooling, rear-door heat exchangers, and AI-driven airflow management—to meet rack densities exceeding 30kW in hot climate zones like the GCC?
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How are proximity to IXPs, submarine cable landings, and grid reliability shaping site selection and architectural decisions?
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How are engineering teams designing for GPU clusters, liquid immersion cooling, and dynamic load balancing to support generative AI
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14:45
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Datacloud stage45 mins
- Datacloud Middle East
As the global demand for data centres surges—driven by AI, cloud expansion, and digital transformation—the Middle East is emerging as a key growth market. Yet, delivering capacity at speed is increasingly challenged by supply chain constraints and labour shortages.
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What strategies are attracting and upskilling the next generation of talent to meet the scale and complexity of data centre builds?
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How are modern construction techniques and prefabrication models reducing timelines and improving ROI?
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Partnerships and technologies are helping mitigate delays—from generators to semiconductors—and ensuring reliable go-live dates?
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The management of risk in the process of designing ,financing and delivery can create significant bottlenecks in terms of speed to market and quality of delivery. What are the issues on this topic that the industry should be most focussed upon as they embark upon the development of these assets?
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15:00
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Networking & Coffee BreakNetworking Oasis30 mins
- Networking
- Capacity Middle East
- Datacloud Middle East
With a pause on the content, join us for the networking break with coffee and snacks being served throughout the venue. Check out our smoothie bikes or experience our calligraphy artists.
16:00
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Datacloud stage15 mins
- Datacloud Middle East
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16:15
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Datacloud stage45 mins
- Datacloud Middle East
With leading data centre operators in the Middle East eyeing international expansion into Europe, Africa and the US, they will require new sources of capital to make these plans a reality.
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Will traditional sources of capital, from sovereign wealth funds and national investment banks, finance expansions beyond their home nations?
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What role can global investment banks and private equity firms play in supporting international expansion plans?
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Do operators positioned within broader portfolios have an advantage when expanding, such as those within groups including power generation companies?
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17:30
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Networking receptionPeacock garden90 mins
- Networking
- Capacity Middle East
- Datacloud Middle East
Join us to celebrate a day of deal-making in the beautiful event gardens, the perfect space to unwind after day one of Capacity and Datacloud Middle East.
08:30
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Registration area60 mins
- Networking
- Capacity Middle East
- Datacloud Middle East
Registration and exhibition are open from 08:30 - 17:30
09:45
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Capacity Stage45 mins
- Keynotes
- Capacity Middle East
- Datacloud Middle East
Across the region, we are seeing huge investment into digital infrastructure, driven by ambitious government-led initiatives to diversify oil-dominated economies. Even as sovereign wealth funds continue to drive investment, we are seeing an increase in international investment in the region, including KKR and Gulf Data Hub, as well as I Squared and PIF’s joint investment fund.- Which verticals are most attractive to investors?
- How is international investment impacting digital infrastructure deployment?
- How do returns in the region compare to those available elsewhere in digital infrastructure, like the US?
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Datacloud stage45 mins
- Datacloud Middle East
The region's higher temperatures and requirements for additional cooling drive up PUEs, making sustainability an additional challenge. Despite pushback on sustainability, it remains crucial to many leading customers and operators of data centres.
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Is liquid cooling the inevitable future—or are hybrid and passive systems viable alternatives?
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How are operators managing the energy-water-carbon trade-offs in cooling strategy?
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How are suppliers addressing water scarcity and regulatory constraints?
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What role do heat reuse, smart materials, and predictive maintenance play?
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10:30
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30 mins
- Networking
- Capacity Middle East
- Datacloud Middle East
With a pause on the content, join us for the networking break with coffee and snacks being served throughout the venue. Check out our smoothie bikes or experience our calligraphy artists.
11:00
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Datacloud stage45 mins
- Datacloud Middle East
Even as the AI boom continues full throttle, questions are emerging about who controls the data and potential conflicts with national security, economic goals, and local values. Sovereign AI, trained on local data, offers a solution to these growing concerns.- How can developing sovereign AI address concerns and meet data sovereignty regulations?
- Is it feasible for each nation to develop the infrastructure and generate the required investment to deploy sovereign AI?
- What can we learn from current projects, such as Saudi Arabia’s HumAIn and the country’s digital embassies approach?
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11:45
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Datacloud stage45 mins
- Datacloud Middle East
As rack densities are driven ever higher by HPC and AI demands, reliance on air cooling is becoming a constraint for further growth. Liquid cooling is emerging as the best option to meet the demand of ever-growing cooling requirements of the increasingly power-hungry chips needed for AI.
- Is Liquid cooling becoming the only viable option for AI data centres, or do hybrid solutions still have a place?
- How does fluid selection impact your cooling options and overall performance?
- What challenges have operators faced in adopting liquid cooling? And how can we overcome them?
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12:00
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Networking LunchLaylati tent120 mins
- Networking
- Capacity Middle East
- Datacloud Middle East
14:00
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Datacloud stage45 mins
- Capacity Middle East
- Datacloud Middle East
The role of internet exchanges and peering are often overlooked in the region’s digital transformation. The local exchange of traffic will be essential in the shift to inference and other latency-dependent use cases.
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What is the status of the region’s leading exchanges?
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How is content localisation unlocking the value of AI?
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The role of neutral internet exchanges in attracting international players to growing hubs
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14:45
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Datacloud stage15 mins
- Datacloud Middle East
This keynote explores how Schneider Electric is accelerating the shift toward high‑density, AI‑ready data centers designed for speed, sustainability, and scale—supported by market insights from across MEA and global infrastructure trends. It highlights the critical role of ecosystem collaboration, together with breakthroughs in power architecture, liquid cooling, and automation, in enabling the next generation of hyperscale, AI‑driven data centers in the region.
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15:30
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Networking & Coffee Break30 mins
- Capacity Middle East
- Datacloud Middle East
With a pause on the content, join us for the networking break with coffee and snacks being served throughout the venue. Check out our smoothie bikes or experience our calligraphy artists. -
Datacloud stage45 mins
- Datacloud Middle East
India’s digital infrastructure sector is undergoing rapid transformation and growth, driven by enhanced international connectivity and demand for AI.
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What are the opportunities and challenges for India's digital economy?
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How is the data centre market evolving, and what impact are hyperscaler investments like Google’s $15 billion AI Hub in Andhra Pradesh having?
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How critical are new subsea landing stations in ensuring resilient connectivity and attracting new systems?
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16:20
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Datacloud Networking Meetup60 mins
- Datacloud Middle East
17:30
-
Networking receptionPeacock garden90 mins
- Networking
- Capacity Middle East
- Datacloud Middle East
Join us to celebrate a day of deal-making in the beautiful event gardens, the perfect space to unwind after day two of Capacity and Datacloud Middle East.
08:30
-
Registration area60 mins
- Networking
- Capacity Middle East
- Datacloud Middle East
Registration and exhibition are open from 08:00 - 17:30
09:15
-
Datacloud stage15 mins
- Capacity Middle East
- Datacloud Middle East
09:30
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Datacloud stage45 mins
- Capacity Middle East
- Datacloud Middle East
As AI, machine learning, and SaaS reshape the digital infrastructure landscape at unprecedented speed, the capabilities needed to succeed in this industry are undergoing a fundamental transformation. This panel explores how organisations can evolve their workforce strategies to stay competitive and future-ready.
- How are companies addressing the growing talent gap?
- What effective reskilling and upskilling pathways are emerging to prepare teams for AI-driven operations?
- How can mentorship effectively attract and integrate new talent into the industry?
- What strategies are successfully incentivising new talent to join the digital infrastructure workforce?
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10:00
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Capacity Stage120 mins
- Datacloud Middle East
10:00 – 10:10 AM | Welcome & Introduction
10:10 – 10:25 AM | Market Overview by Henry Sutton
10:25 – 11:40 AM | Panel Discussion – Investor, hyperscaler & operator
11:40 – 11:55 AM | Audience Q&A
11:55 – 12:00 PM | Closing Remarks
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10:15
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Datacloud stage45 mins
- Capacity Middle East
- Datacloud Middle East
Diversity is more than a buzzword in the digital infrastructure industry—it’s essential for building a truly representative workforce. As skills gaps widen, inclusive workforce strategies are becoming essential to attracting, retaining, and developing talent across the industry.
In this session, we will explore:
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What are the current barriers to entry for diverse talent and career advancement, including early-career professionals, parents returning to work, and non-traditional candidates?
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With the rise of RTO (return-to-office) mandates, how can companies create policies and cultures that support diversity through flexible, remote, and hybrid working models, and drive long-term retention?
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How are diverse talent pools and new pathways into the workforce helping to address critical skills gaps in the industry?
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11:00
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Datacloud stage30 mins
- Capacity Middle East
- Datacloud Middle East
An informal, unscripted conversation with leading digital infrastructure CEOs. Hear how they built their careers, overcome challenges, and gain candid advice on career advancement, talent development, and navigating the industry. A unique opportunity for Q&A and in-person mentoring insights.
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11:30
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Datacloud stage60 mins
- Networking
- Capacity Middle East
- Datacloud Middle East
Join us for brunch alongside our sparking discussion roundtables.
Discussion topics:
- How are we fostering belonging?
- How to get the most out of mentorship?
- How to inspire the next generation of talent?
- How to retain new talent?
- How to AI proof your career?
12:00
-
Networking LunchLaylati tent120 mins
- Networking
- Capacity Middle East
- Datacloud Middle East
14:00
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30 mins
- Networking
- Capacity Middle East
- Datacloud Middle East