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Connecting senior investors & finance teams driving the economic evolution of the digital infrastructure sector

The world depends on digital infrastructure, and there’s never been more pressure on the industry to scale at speed. The DCD>Connect | Investment series helps the investors & finance teams behind this growth to make informed decisions faster, through tailored networking, technology-discovery and best-practice sharing.

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  • 3 Co-located events covering the entire digital infrastructure ecosystem
  • Hear from 130+ leading experts from across the data center industry
  • Network with 800+ Senior Data Center Professionals
  • 3 Co-located events
  • 60+ Exhibitors showcasing the latest tech
  • 130+ Expert speakers
  • 800+ Senior Data Center Professionals
  • 2025 Speakers Include

    Kamel Al Tawil

    Managing Director, MENA, Equinix

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    Kamel Al Tawil

    Managing Director, MENA, Equinix

    Kamel Tawil joined Equinix in September 2020 as Managing Director MENA (Middle East and North Africa) and he is responsible for developing MENA markets to deliver world class digital infrastructure solutions, building a network dense ecosystem. Prior, Mr. Tawil spent 18 years at Oracle in various leadership roles across ECEMEA (East Central Europe, Middle East and Africa) where he led major digital transformation projects.

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    Panel: AI-driven growth - How is it reshaping data center investment in MENA?

    • Investment main stage
    • Open Session
    More details
    Greg Jasmin

    Head of International Client Development, Khazna Data Centres

    Gregory Jasmin

    Greg Jasmin

    Head of International Client Development, Khazna Data Centres

    Panel: MENA’s data center gold rush - How can investors capitalize on this rapidly growing market?

    • Investment main stage
    • Open Session
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    Fireside chat: Is North Africa the next big opportunity for data center investors?

    • Investment main stage
    • Open Session
    More details
    Sreekanth Pisharody

    Director - Investments and Financing, DataVolt

    Screenshot 2025-03-17 104939

    Sreekanth Pisharody

    Director - Investments and Financing, DataVolt

    Sreekanth is a seasoned investment and infrastructure advisory professional with over 15 years of experience across leading global firms, including DataVolt, Boston Consulting Group, KPMG, and Morgan Stanley – with ~ 12 years of experience in GCC’s infrastructure transformation. As a Director in DataVolt’s Investments and Financing team, he focuses on capitalizing on the rapid growth of digital infrastructure, including data centers within GCC and beyond.

    His expertise spans infrastructure investment, PPPs, project finance, M&A, and large-scale privatizations, with a strong track record in structuring and executing complex transactions across the GCC and South Asia. Previously, he played a pivotal role in advising government entities and private investors on multi-billion-dollar infrastructure projects across transport, utilities, and real estate.

    With a Post Graduate Diploma in Management from the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta, and a Bachelor of Engineering from Mumbai University, he is able to provide a unique perspective on the investment opportunities and challenges within the rapidly evolving MENA data center market."

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    Panel: MENA’s data center gold rush - How can investors capitalize on this rapidly growing market?

    • Investment main stage
    • Open Session
    More details
    Ras Scollay

    Director, Data Center Business, Du

    Ras Scollay

    Ras Scollay

    Director, Data Center Business, Du

    Panel: MENA’s data center gold rush - How can investors capitalize on this rapidly growing market?

    • Investment main stage
    • Open Session
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    Luke Hanson

    Executive Director, Telecom Sector Lead / Global Structured Finance, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation

    Luke Hanson

    Luke Hanson

    Executive Director, Telecom Sector Lead / Global Structured Finance, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation

    Luke Hanson is the Sector Lead for Telecoms Structured Finance in EMEA at SMBC Group, based in London. He joined the firm in 2014, bringing experience from KPMG's Infrastructure Corporate Finance group.

    Luke has played a pivotal role in SMBC Group’s involvement in data center financings across EMEA, leading transactions totaling more than €5.3 billion in 2024 and €3 billion in 2023. His expertise spans both lending and advisory mandates across digital infrastructure, transport, and social infrastructure sectors.

    He holds a Master of Engineering degree from Oxford University and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales.

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    Panel: Who’s backing MENA’s data center boom? Trends in financing and M&A

    • Investment main stage
    • Open Session
    More details
    Gulfraz Qayyum

    Managing Director, Head of Communications Investment Banking, Citigroup

    Gulfraz Qayyum

    Gulfraz Qayyum

    Managing Director, Head of Communications Investment Banking, Citigroup

    Gulfraz has a distinguished track record advising communications operators and infrastructure providers on strategy, mergers and acquisitions, capital raising and other investment banking business. Over a career spanning 24 years, he has accumulated deep and diverse experience across markets, sub sectors and with a multitude of clients and capital providers. He has advised on hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of advisory deals and successfully executed over $100 billion of strategic capital raising for large corporates and investors. Today, Gulfraz’s major clients are global, Western European and emerging markets large-cap telecom operators. Gulfraz has held offices in London, New York, Singapore and Dubai.

    Gulfraz holds a Masters in Finance from London Business School and a BSc with first class honours in Mathematics with Computer Science from University College London.

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    Panel: Who’s backing MENA’s data center boom? Trends in financing and M&A

    • Investment main stage
    • Open Session
    More details
    Hicham Agouzzal

    Associate Investment Officer, International Finance Corporation

    Hicham Agouzzal

    Hicham Agouzzal

    Associate Investment Officer, International Finance Corporation

    Panel: Who’s backing MENA’s data center boom? Trends in financing and M&A

    • Investment main stage
    • Open Session
    More details
    Jonathan Briggs

    Senior Director, CBRE

    Jonathan Briggs CBRE profile

    Jonathan Briggs

    Senior Director, CBRE

    Jonathan Briggs is a seasoned real estate professional with a proven track record of successfully leading expansion programs across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific regions. Recognized for delivering portfolio transformations while ensuring compliance and governance, optimizing resources, and bringing efficiency to diverse property portfolios.

    With over 20 years’ experience in the real estate industry, Jonathan is an expert in advising Fortune 500 companies on various real estate matters, including acquiring land for tailor-made headquarter offices and research and development facilities and is also skilled in assisting clients with acquiring existing headquarter offices and identifying suitable properties for office and industrial/logistics use, with a particular focus on distribution, manufacturing, and data centers.

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    Fireside chat: Is North Africa the next big opportunity for data center investors?

    • Investment main stage
    • Open Session
    More details

    Panel: AI-driven growth - How is it reshaping data center investment in MENA?

    • Investment main stage
    • Open Session
    More details
    Raahem Mahmood

    Manager - Infrastructure Finance and Portfolio Management, Tamasuk Investments

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    Raahem Mahmood

    Manager - Infrastructure Finance and Portfolio Management, Tamasuk Investments

    Raahem is a Riyadh-based finance professional overseeing Infrastructure Finance and Portfolio Management at Tamasuk Investments (Quantum Switch Tamasuk), focusing on data center investments across the MENA region. An alumnus of PricewaterhouseCoopers, his background spans private equity, B2B tech, and public companies, with a strong emphasis on operational efficiency, risk management, and strategic expansion. He has extensive experience in financial planning, IFRS compliance, and cross-border transaction management.

    Raahem holds a specialization in Private Markets Investments from the University of Oxford, Saïd Business School, and is currently pursuing a specialization in Global Finance and Banking at King’s College London.

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    Panel: MENA’s data center gold rush - How can investors capitalize on this rapidly growing market?

    • Investment main stage
    • Open Session
    More details
    Ross McKenzie

    CEO, RMA Advisory

    Ross McKenzie Profile Photo

    Ross McKenzie

    CEO, RMA Advisory

    Panel: Who’s backing MENA’s data center boom? Trends in financing and M&A

    • Investment main stage
    • Open Session
    More details
    Anisha Walia

    Engagement Manager, Analysys Mason

    Anisha

    Anisha Walia

    Engagement Manager, Analysys Mason

    Anisha is a Manager with Analysys Mason, bringing over 8 years of experience in the TMT (Telecom, Media, and Technology) consulting space. Based in Dubai, she has led multiple high-impact projects, including advising on several data centre transactions and developing go-to-market strategies for new entrants in the data centre space. Notably, she advised on the recent strategic partnership between KKR and Gulf Data Hub, aimed at scaling GDH's data centre platform across the region. Anisha’s expertise lies in delivering strategic insights and driving transformative outcomes in the rapidly evolving data centre industry.

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    Panel: AI-driven growth - How is it reshaping data center investment in MENA?

    • Investment main stage
    • Open Session
    More details
    Scott Roots

    Sales Director EMEA, DC Byte

    Scott Roots (1)

    Scott Roots

    Sales Director EMEA, DC Byte

    Scott is responsible for all DC Byte commercial activity in the EMEA region. Scott has vast experience in the data centre industry with nearly twenty years of experience having worked across the region offering equipment, software and consultancy services. 

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    Presentation: MENA data center market insights: Where is growth happening?

    • Investment main stage
    • Open Session
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    Matthew Humphreys

    Manager, Kearney

    Matthew Humphreys

    Matthew Humphreys

    Manager, Kearney

    Matthew Humphreys is a strategy consultant focusing on data center strategies for DC operators & growth strategies for telecom operators. His past experience was in a top tier global law firm. Matthew is a atrong entrepreneurship professional with a Master of Laws (LLM) from University of Pennsylvania as well as a Business Certificate from the Wharton School of Business.

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    Panel: AI-driven growth - How is it reshaping data center investment in MENA?

    • Investment main stage
    • Open Session
    More details

    Secure your pass

    • End-User/Specifier

      April 15-16 Free

      Includes access to

      Connect | MENA

      Compute | MENA

      Investment Forum | MENA

      For end-users within the digital infrastructure industry

      Who qualifies?

      ✅ End-users within the data center industry from Enterprise and Hyperscale

      ✅ End-users specializing in IT, Compute, Storage or Networking

      ✅ Technical roles from Colocation Operators

      ✅ Specifiers of data center technology & services (technical roles) from AECs (Architects, Consulting Engineers, Contractors), Systems Integrators and Energy Utilities

      ✅ Procurement teams

      ✅ Digital Infrastructure Investors/Analysts

      Who does not qualify?

      ❌ Sales & Marketing Professionals

      ❌ Technology or Service Vendors

      ❌ Resellers

      ❌ Recruitment Firms

      Extra details

      This pass provides complete access to all three co-located events taking place at the JW Marriott Marquis, Dubai on April 15-16:

      • DCD>Connect | MENA
        Connecting data center design, build, operations & strategy teams
      • DCD>Connect | Compute
        Connecting the hyperscale & enterprise IT community to deploy scalable, efficient IT hardware for AI-driven workloads
      • DCD>Connect | Investment
        Connecting senior investors & finance teams driving the economic evolution of the digital infrastructure sector

      Your End-User/Specifier Pass also includes:

      ✅ Invitations to private activities including hosted lunches, cocktail hours and tech exchange sessions (subject to availability)

      ✅ Ability to book meetings through the event app

      ✅ Complimentary food & beverages throughout the event

      Get your pass

    • Show Floor Pass

      April 16 only Free

      Includes access to

      Connect | MENA

      Compute | MENA

      Investment Forum | MENA

      For sales & marketing professionals from colocation, cloud & advisory firms

      Who qualifies?

      ✅ Sales & Marketing Professionals from: Colocation & Cloud Providers, AECs (Architects, Consulting Engineers, Contractors), Systems Integrators and Energy Utilities

      ✅ Law Firms & Professional Advisory Services

      Who does not qualify?

      ❌ Technology or Service Vendors

      ❌ Resellers

      ❌ Recruitment Firms

      Extra details

      This pass gives you access to both co-located events taking place at the JW Marriott Marquis, Dubai on April 15 only:

      • DCD>Connect | MENA
        Connecting data center design, build, operations & strategy teams
      • DCD>Connect | Compute
        Connecting the hyperscale & enterprise IT community to deploy scalable, efficient IT hardware for AI-driven workloads

      Your Show Floor Pass also includes:

      ✅ Ability to book meetings through the event app

      ✅ Complimentary food & beverages throughout the event

      Get your pass

    • Vendor Pass

      April 15-16 $2,295

      Includes access to

      Connect | MENA

      Compute | MENA

      Investment Forum | MENA

      For technology vendors, service vendors, resellers and recruiters

      Who qualifies?

      ✅ Technology or Service Vendors

      ✅ Resellers

      ✅ Recruitment Firms

      Extra details

      ✅ Access to all 3 co-located events on April 15-16: DCD>Connect | MENA - Dubai, DCD>Connect | Compute, and DCD>Connect | Investment

      ✅ Complimentary two-night stay at the JW Marriott Marquis on the nights of April 14 & 15

      ✅ Ability to book meetings through the event app

      ✅ Complimentary food & beverages throughout the event

      Purchasing multiple Vendor Passes
      If you wish to purchase multiple passes for your team, event sponsorship could provide you more value. All of our sponsorship packages include Vendor Passes. Please get in touch with our team at [email protected] for the best rates.

      Get your pass

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