Keynote Panel: Beyond the Cloud: Building AI-Ready Infrastructure in the Middle East and beyond

10 Feb 2026
Datacloud stage
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:  

  • How are regional energy strategies and sustainability goals influencing the design and operation of HPC environments?  
  • 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?
  • How can stakeholders ensure long-term ROI while navigating rapid technological change, regulatory pressures, and geopolitical uncertainty? 
Chairperson
Nicholas  Collins
Nicholas Collins, Senior Industry Advisor - Eight Advisory
Speakers
Kamel Tawil
Kamel Tawil, Managing Director, Middle East & North Africa - EQUINIX
Mehdi  Paryavi
Mehdi Paryavi, CEO - International Data Center Authority (IDCA)
Reem  El Khatib
Reem El Khatib, Risk Management Executive, Assistant Vice President - LOCKTON
Johan  Nilerud
Johan Nilerud, Chief Strategy Officer - Khazna Data Centres
Majid AlNaqbi
Majid AlNaqbi, Head of Data Centre Business - DU
Mohammed  Alqhtani
Mohammed Alqhtani, CTO - CENTER3