Hello Reader,
This week I was quoted in a South China Morning Post (SCMP) article about the data centre landscape in Malaysia - an interesting change. I was also at the topping-out ceremony of Racks Central's first data centre in Johor.
Today, I want to talk about what we can expect with data centres, building a personal brand that survives your current employer, and why the right context can make all the difference.
A higher bar for data centres
When Nicholas Spiro contacted me for an interview on my thoughts about data centres in Johor, I said yes immediately. Having contributed some gadget reviews to the SCMP for eight years previously - I just counted! - I found it somewhat surreal.
Of course, you might ask why I bother, given the global wave of negativity around data centres? For a start, I strongly believe what we are seeing in Malaysia is very different from the backlash seen in New York City and elsewhere.
Ultimately, every media interview is really a chance to influence a human sitting on the other side of the table. And a successful interview isn't one where you get quoted extensively, but one where your opinion and viewpoint get reflected in the news report. And yes, I felt Nicholas covered the topic in a very fair and balanced way.
As for what lies ahead: as governments scramble to update building codes and regulations around data centres, the days of building data centres with scant regard for sustainability or resource availability will soon be a thing of the past. Data centres are still needed and will continue to be built. But expect the bar to be progressively higher.
A brand that outlasts your employer
This week, I had coffee with a fellow senior editor who wanted to learn more about building a personal brand. The unspoken question: what happens after one moves on from a publication? And by extension, what happens to us when we move on from a well-known company?
In a way, I never really grappled with this because my last full-time role was around 2007. This means I've never had the benefit of associating myself with a well-established brand as an employee. And for over a decade, I simply focused on being a "good writer" with no thought at all about marketing my services or branding myself.
Things came to a head around the time of ChatGPT's release and the post-COVID downturn. As work dried up, I found myself posting on LinkedIn every single day. I have slowed down a bit since January but have not stopped. To some, I have built a brand as someone who knows AI and digital infrastructure. So, what are the benefits?
There are several, and I'll highlight two today. The first is influence; a credible personal brand can ensure that people take you far more seriously. And it makes sense, doesn't it, that we take nutrition advice from a nutritionist or exercise tips from a professional gym instructor more seriously?
And no, a strong brand doesn't necessarily materialise in the form of engagements on your LinkedIn posts. On the other hand, I've heard from CEOs and leads about how they often forward some of my content to their employees or team members.
The other is driving opportunities to you. Note that you will still have to be competent. But the reverse is also true: competence is not much use if few know about your existence. As the job market becomes more fluid in the era of AI, I think establishing a good personal brand will matter more than ever.
What a bridge to Jurong Island tells us
A final piece of the data centre puzzle fell into place at the National Day Rally over the weekend when Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong made a quip about building a second land bridge to Jurong Island.
He didn't offer many details, but this seemingly minor detail - part of a broader plan to reclaim land in the west of Singapore - completed the picture for me where Singapore's CFA process to allocate data centres is concerned.
You see, the second bridge to Jurong Island will enable data centres built in the Sustainable Data Centre Park to support diverse (4x) fibre optic pathways. Inadequate fibre optic connectivity was brought up fairly early on in the DC-CFA2 discussion but was considered "resolved" with plans for a couple of additional connectivity routes planned. Now we know how.
Taken on its own, a bridge to Jurong Island is a footnote. Read against the connectivity concerns raised during DC-CFA2, and the entire picture shifts.
Those with the ability to join the dots will spot opportunities earlier, ask sharper questions, and avoid costly mistakes. Much of what I do these days is help teams build that kind of context around the data centre industry, whether through briefings or training workshops. If that sounds useful to you or your team, drop me a note.
As usual, you can reach me by replying to this email. Or drop me a direct message via LinkedIn - you can do that even if we are not connected.
Regards,
Paul Mah
