“ I’ VE ALWAYS BELIEVED PEOPLE WANT TO WORK WITH PEOPLE THEY LIKE AND RESPECT. WHETHER IT’ S MY TEAM OR CLIENTS, I INVEST IN GETTING TO KNOW THEM AND FOSTERING TRUST.
D E E P D I V E
WE‘ DEEP DIVE’ WITH
STUART CRUMP, GLOBAL COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR OF LIQUIDSTACK, 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?
My most memorable achievement has to be securing our first large-scale deal at LiquidStack – a project that felt like a real turning point for the company. It was with an AI factory in the Southern US and what made it special wasn’ t just the size of the deal, but how it came about.
“ I’ VE ALWAYS BELIEVED PEOPLE WANT TO WORK WITH PEOPLE THEY LIKE AND RESPECT. WHETHER IT’ S MY TEAM OR CLIENTS, I INVEST IN GETTING TO KNOW THEM AND FOSTERING TRUST.
The client didn’ t have much experience with liquid cooling, but they knew they needed CDUs. What really won them over was our responsiveness and client focussed approach. Within a few weeks of first contact they had already transferred a large deposit for 30MW of equipment. That level of speed and commitment from both sides was incredible.
This deal wasn’ t just about revenue – it was proof that our product and approach resonated with the market. Seeing that shipment head out and knowing that these CDUs were being powered on in a matter of weeks was something to be very proud of. It’ s the kind of project that validates all the late nights, all the effort and most importantly, that what we’ re building truly meets a need.
So, what first made you think of a career in technology / data centres?
I’ m a mechanical engineer by training, and from a young age, I was obsessed with building and fixing things – think endless hours with Lego as a kid. My first proper job was sales-related, but it never scratched that itch for engineering and technology. I knew I wanted to find something that combined the technical with the commercial.
When a recruiter asked if I knew about CFD modelling, I barely did, but that one conversation opened the door to my first real role in the data centre industry. It was a revelation: a sector where cutting-edge technology and business truly converge. Ever since then, I’ ve been hooked.
What style of management or management philosophy do you employ with your current position?
It might sound like a cliché, but for me, it’ s all about honesty and integrity. Our industry is tight-knit – if you make a mistake, word travels fast. So, it’ s essential to own up to mistakes, learn, and move forward.
I’ ve always believed people want to work with people they like and respect. Whether it’ s my team or clients, I invest in getting to know them and fostering trust. I also encourage my team to admit when they don’ t know something; we have experts, so there’ s no shame in deferring to them. In the end, it’ s about building relationships based on genuine trust.
What do you think is the current hot topic / talking point within the data centre space?
Without a doubt, it’ s the intersection of AI and liquid cooling. AI is such a broad term – it can mean anything from ChatGPT on your laptop to massive $ 10 billion clusters of NVIDIA chips. That’ s driven a massive push for liquid cooling, especially direct-to-chip solutions, because that’ s what these high-density workloads demand.
It’ s fascinating to see how rapidly things have evolved. For years, liquid cooling has been seen as a niche. Now, there’ s real
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