AI and ESG are reshaping the design and demand of data centers, as Chinese Enterprises set their sights on global expansion

Industry leaders at NTT’s recent Executive Session reaffirms that
Hong Kong continues to serve as a strategical springboard
and key data center hub in the region

HONG KONG SAR – 10 January 2024 – At the recent China Cloud and Datacenter Convention held in Shenzhen, C-suite executives from Chinese and multinational enterprises, alongside tech leaders, convened at the Executive Roundtable, co-organized by the convention’s host and NTT Com Asia Limited (“NTT”), to exchange thoughts and insights on trends driving the revolutionary reshaping of the cloud and data center industries. 

Key Highlight:

• Challenges and opportunities have arisen from the escalating digitalization, as AI has fundamentally transformed the design and management of data centers.
• Deployment of AI in digital operation in data centers can drastically enhance the overall operational performance including reliability, energy efficiency and optimization of human resources etc.
• Hong Kong continues to be the top choice for IT and connectivity hubs in the region among Chinese enterprises, as part of their global business expansion strategy.
• Other Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam are gaining popularity as these enterprises consider expanding their business footprints.

Hong Kong’s unique role as springboard for global expansion

The discussions at the roundtable were found to be in concordance with the key findings from a recent survey, which revealed that almost 90% of respondents from China’s Greater Bay Area and Yangtze River Delta regions plan to expand beyond traditional overseas markets in the coming three years. Additionally, over 60% intend to leverage the professional services of Hong Kong for marketing, financing, compliance and ESG [1]

“As a global digital infrastructure service provider with a solid business foundation in Hong Kong for 25 years, we see a surge in demand from Chinese enterprises seeking a partner whose extensive international reach aligns with their business expansion plans. To cater to the robust business needs, we have been investing heavily in our data centers in Hong Kong, leveraging its position as a key strategic hub and springboard in the region for Chinese enterprises to propel their global aspirations.” Stephen Tsang, Chief Revenue Officer, NTT Com Asia, said.

NTT offers comprehensive full-stack digital infrastructure services through an expansive network of global data centers spanning across continents, including enterprises’ key priority locations such as Southeast Asia. With a continuous global expansion plan of data centers, NTT plays an instrumental role in enterprises’ global ventures and shapes the digital landscape worldwide.

Significance of AI in data center’s management

During the Executive Roundtable, tech leaders also exchanged insights on how AI is increasingly taking center stage, redefining the design and operational paradigms of data centers. Power consumption and energy efficiency have emerged as paramount concerns within the industry. Enterprises are rethinking the facility design, cooling technologies, and the adoption of digital operations to enable comprehensive visibility over the lifecycle management of data centers, with the ultimate goal of achieving enhanced energy efficiency, ensuring reliability and maintaining always-on uptime to best meet the evolving digital needs of today.

“Our customer-centric data centers are constantly innovating the operation and overall facility designs to meet the evolving colocation and ESG needs during the digital era. As a technology-driven company, we have been constantly looking for ways to digitize our operations with the latest technologies. We have introduced an IoT and AI-driven building management platform within our Financial Data Center in Hong Kong, fundamentally transforming traditional human operations into automated and predictive maintenance – all backed with the power of data. This has placed us in the best position to be the trusted digital infrastructure partner to further enhance operational efficiency, security and achievement of sustainability objectives throughout our customers’ transformation journey.” Steven So, Vice President, Data Center Hong Kong, NTT, said.

NTT is committed to continuing to strengthen its capabilities and digital infrastructure in Hong Kong. With continuous investment in AI and data centers in the future, NTT will further enhance the digital operation of data centers to improve efficiency, enhance the customer experience and meet net-zero emissions targets.

[1] HKTDC: Hong Kong: The Premier Platform for Mainland Companies to Expand into the BRI and RCEP Markets (11 Sept., 2023)