THE DATA CENTRE INDUSTRY ALLOWED ME TO WORK WITH COMPLEX MODELS AND SYSTEMS , CRITICALLY ANALYSE MULTIFACETED PROBLEMS AND FIND THE MOST ADVANTAGEOUS SOLUTIONS .
D E E P D I V E
WE ‘ DEEP DIVE ’ WITH
EYJÓLFUR MAGNÚS KRISTINSSON , CEO , ATNORTH ,
WHO TELLS US ABOUT LIFE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE OFFICE . w
What would you describe as your most memorable achievement in the data centre industry ?
The creation of our SWE01 data centre is my most memorable achievement in the data centre industry . It ’ s truly innovative design allows for highly efficient infrastructure in addition to the most cutting-edge cooling and heat re-use technologies . The site can support high-density workloads at speed and scale still with the lowest carbon footprint possible – it is a true blueprint for future data centres .
What first made you think of a career in technology / data centres ?
I trained as an engineer , having gained a Bachelor ’ s in Mechanical Engineering and a Master ’ s in Industrial engineering , so I had many options available to me . The data centre industry allowed me to work with complex models and systems , critically analyse multifaceted problems and find the most advantageous solutions .
What style of management philosophy do you employ with your current position ?
Our people are at the forefront of our business success , so I practice a very transparent leadership style so that everyone is aware of our vision and pathway to success . I foster a supportive and collaborative working culture where employees are inspired by each other and the journey we are on together .
What do you think is the current hot talking point within the data centre space ?
AI is undoubtedly the hottest topic in many industries right now and in the data centre industry this is especially true . What was high density infrastructure in 2011 is not even medium density today and the sheer quantity of data centre capacity required to meet the needs of the AI boom is colossal .
This trend has obliged another talking point in the industry – sustainability . This huge demand for power hungry data centres is not sustainable long term if the environmental and financial impact is not addressed . Sustainability is not a tick-box exercise for atNorth , it is at the very core of our ethos and inspires the location and innovative design of our sites .
How do you deal with stress and unwind outside the office ?
Outside the office , I find solace and rejuvenation through a combination of my diverse hobbies . Fly fishing is not just a
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THE DATA CENTRE INDUSTRY ALLOWED ME TO WORK WITH COMPLEX MODELS AND SYSTEMS , CRITICALLY ANALYSE MULTIFACETED PROBLEMS AND FIND THE MOST ADVANTAGEOUS SOLUTIONS .
passion ; it ' s a way for me to connect with nature and experience tranquillity . In addition , my love for running has led me to participate in the Copenhagen half-marathon for the past three years , and I am eagerly preparing for this year ' s event . As I am a frequent traveller , I find running one of the best ways to allow training in my daily routine .
What do you currently identify as the major areas of investment in your industry ?
An obvious major area of investment is the building of more sustainable data centres to meet the increased demand for our services . We have three sites currently under construction and are actively sourcing additional land .
Another huge area of investment for us is in our Gompute HPCaaS Platform offering . As the demand for larger and ever
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