It was just two weeks ago when Joe McCaffrey and the Duke McCaffrey team attended the inaugural Touchdown Middle East 2023 conference, led by the Gulf Data Centre Association (GDCA). Without exception, this event, which was held in the Kingdom of Bahrain, hosted pre-eminent global industry experts, coming from far and wide to offer guidance to this emerging market and to understand what the UAE holds for the future of the data centre industry.

Honoured to be invited onto two panels around investment and the sustainability of this market, Joe took the opportunity to share his own experiences and insights with expert peers. Together they reviewed the complexities the UAE may face but also in the context of lessons learned from more mature markets such as the US and Europe.

There was a real sense of excitement for investors, developers and operators on the possibilities whilst maintaining a handle on core issues such as the provision of skilled professionals. This is one area that will need to evolve quickly to meet ambitious targets.

All in all, Touchdown Middle East 2023 has carved a space in the conference calendar, and one we are eagerly anticipating for next year. Henry Sutton, founder of the Gulf Data Centre Association and his team have clearly invested in offering a platform for global leaders to steer this industry towards sustained growth.

Joe McCaffrey adds, “Touchdown Middle East 2023 was a world-class data centre event. I would like to take this opportunity to praise the fantastic work that Henry Sutton and his incredible team have done to create what did not feel like an inaugural event. The calibre of delegates, the topics and the well-run logistics created an environment for people to discuss the real challenges and opportunities facing this emerging market. As one of the founding members of the GDCA, I for one was incredibly proud to be part of such a professional set up!”

Congratulations to Henry and the team once again!