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In the fourth episode of our series recorded live at Datacloud Global Congress 2026 in Cannes, Andy Davis is once again joined by co-host Rory Flashman from Spa Communications to explore the rapid growth of the Gulf region as a major data centre market.
Joining the conversation:
Simon Young, Google
Stephen Beard, Knight Frank
Together, they discuss why the Middle East has become one of the most talked-about regions in digital infrastructure, and how government ambition, sovereign wealth, power availability and AI demand are helping to accelerate growth across the market.
The conversation explores the role of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Qatar, Kuwait and Oman in the region’s data centre development, as well as the opportunities and challenges that come with building at scale in a fast-moving market.
Simon and Stephen also discuss the importance of leadership and long-term vision across the GCC, the impact of major AI initiatives, and why the region could become an increasingly important bridge between Europe, Asia and Africa.
The episode also looks at how international operators and Middle Eastern developers are approaching expansion, the role of sovereign wealth funds, and what other markets, including the UK, could learn from the region’s ability to move quickly and reduce barriers to development.
Recorded live at Datacloud Global Congress 2026 in Cannes.
Key Topics:
Why the Gulf region has become a major data centre growth market
How government leadership and national AI strategies are driving investment
The role of the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Israel as leading regional hubs
Why power cost and availability are central to the region’s opportunity
The potential for AI infrastructure growth in Kuwait, Oman and other emerging Gulf markets
Why fibre connectivity and international transit remain important challenges
How data centre design in the Middle East compares with Europe
The impact of geopolitical uncertainty on investment decisions
Why international operators are looking more closely at the region
How Middle Eastern developers and sovereign wealth funds are expanding globally
What the UK and other mature markets could learn from the Gulf’s speed of execution
Why talent development and local workforce initiatives will be critical to long-term growth
How AI adoption is changing the wider data centre and digital infrastructure conversation
Tune in for an insightful conversation on how the Gulf region is positioning itself at the centre of the next wave of data centre and AI infrastructure growth, and why speed, capital, power and policy will all play a major role in shaping its future.
Support the show
The Inside Data Centre Podcast is recorded in partnership with DataX Connect, a specialist data centre recruitment company based in the UK. They operate on a global scale to place passionate individuals at the heart of leading data centre companies.
To learn more about Andy Davis and the rest of the DataX team, click here: DataX Connect
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