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Inside Data Centre Podcast
Who are the people powering the world’s data centers?
Inside Data Centre Podcast is a podcast about the global data center industry, focused on the careers, companies, and conversations shaping modern digital infrastructure. Hosted by Andy Davis, the podcast features interviews with data center professionals, investors, operators, vendors, and industry leaders from around the world. Each episode explores how people enter the data center sector, how their careers develop, and the challenges facing data centers as demand for cloud, AI, and connectivity continues to accelerate. Covering hyperscale, colocation, operations, sustainability, and skills, Inside Data Centre Podcast is essential listening for anyone working in, or looking to work in, the data center industry.
Inside Data Centre Podcast
The Data Centre Industry's Biggest Problem Isn't Innovation | Tom Babington, Adaptive MDC
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In this episode of the Inside Data Centre Podcast, Andy Davis is joined by Tom Babbington, Founder and CEO of Adaptive MDC. With a career spanning 42 countries, including delivering hyperscale in Finland, Tom explains how his approach to modular data centre design was shaped by solving problems on the ground, and why execution, not innovation, is now the industry's biggest bottleneck.
Key Topics:
- How a career across 42 countries shaped Tom's approach to modular delivery
- Why modular doesn't mean small: reference designs now scale past 100MW
- Execution, not ideas, is the industry's real barrier to faster delivery
- Cross-vendor collaboration could unlock timelines vendors say are fixed
- Public perception of data centres is shifting from ignored to scrutinised
- Tom's advice for newcomers: stay curious, don't fear not knowing
Tune in for a grounded take on where modular data centres are headed, and what it will actually take to keep pace with demand.
The Inside Data Centre Podcast is recorded in partnership with DataX Connect, a specialist data centre recruitment company based in the UK. They operate on a global scale to place passionate individuals at the heart of leading data centre companies.
To learn more about Andy Davis and the rest of the DataX team, click here: DataX Connect
The data centre industry is moving faster than ever, and behind the scenes some seriously smart people are making it all happen. Welcome to the Inside Data Centre Podcast, where we dive into the stories, insights and innovations driving real change across the industry. From hyperscale campuses to game-changing technologies, we're talking to the people shaping the future of digital infrastructure. Whether you live in breathed data centres or just want to understand what's powering our connected world, you're in the right place. Welcome to the Inside Data Centre Podcast. On this episode, I'm joined by Tom Babbington, founder and CEO of Adaptive MDC. Good afternoon, Tom. Hey Ali, how are you going, mate? I'm good. Second time on the podcast. I had to look back before we uh started this conversation to see when it was, two years ago, 2024. But that time we were talking about a very different subject. We were talking about Data Centre Cycling Club. So I think uh we're we're in a slightly different area remit now for this conversation.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I I happily uh talk about cycling, but it it it it might not get the same uh same traction. Yeah, it was. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And I think um data center cycling club's still going as well, obviously. We're still good?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so we did we did the ride in CAN this year. Um we were less ambitious, more inclusive, which has been the feedback. So we did I think the the the we did four days and we did 150, 120, 150k average each day. So there's 20 riders, so it was bigger. Um we raised um plenty of money, which which goes to Action Medical. Um yeah, it was it was a good crack.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, well done. And obviously, if anyone wants to get involved in the future, I'm sure they'll be able to find it. Data center cycling club has a website and everything, so it should be easy to find. But we'll put it in the show notes as well. You know, you never know.
SPEAKER_00There's always some, always some lurking. You can't you can't hide for them.
SPEAKER_01Definitely. And back to the the world of um work and and data centers, not that cycling is not work, it's hard work, not that I cycle. But um, you've recently launched Adaptive MDC. So, say we're in a very different position to where we were a couple of years ago when we had a conversation from a from a work perspective. Do you want to give a bit of an overview and just explain how you've arrived at this point?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, um absolutely, thank you. Yeah, so so adaptive uh MDC is uh a modulat business where we take the traditional data center problem and turn them into modular solutions. So everything from design, manufacturing, construction, integration through to commissioning. Um, so like the full life cycle um where we try and drive through efficiency throughout the whole process. Um lots of things, so uh you know, AI has changed, the density sort of uh the the these facilities having smaller footprints lends itself to modular. Um, and we're we're looking sort of just just improving sort of the execution of the data center delivery um or optimizing it as best we can.
SPEAKER_01And your background in the industry, how did it kind of lead you to this point? Because I guess I think a lot of the time we learn from experience, don't we? We see these challenges, and then some people create a solution which becomes an organization, which is obviously what you've done. But what how is your experience sort of in the world of data centers led you to this point?
SPEAKER_00Uh so I I've been thinking about this a lot as sort of my route to the data center market is probably quite traditional in that I never planned on it happening. Um, I just sort of evolved into it. My construction career started in Afghanistan um in 2006, and we were building uh facilities for the vulnerable in the community. Um then I came back and had my one and only construction project in the UK. So six years then six years after that, I I'm on the hyperscale uh job in Finland um looking after uh uh elements of delivery for that. So I've I've spent the majority of my career working overseas, I think about 42 countries and counting in in different locations that I've worked. Um I am happiest when I'm in a room of of people from different cultures trying to understand what their problems are, how to solve them, um, rather than just sort of sticking to what the book says, the traditions of this is how it's done. It's like the the world isn't made up of that. It's made up of of problems that that need to be solved, and and and ultimately people people create them, so you've got to understand what it is that they they need solving.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and I think from the culture perspective, it's quite an interesting point as well, because this industry is full of different cultures, diverse, you know, like different people on these projects. Is that you'll say you've got probably more experience than most working and operating in that environment? But do you think that it's important for people to be successful in this industry if they have that ability to kind of flex and mould to all these different cultures?
SPEAKER_00Well, I think uh inevitably the greatest thing about our industry is the people that are in it, right? You know, that's that's how it's been able to grow and be so successful around the innovation. But where we're struggling now is finding enough good people to execute. So, you know, for years we've talked about a resourcing problem, there's a capacity problem. So, yeah, you've got to you've got to sort of see what opportunities lay ahead in terms of the people and the capacity and what they can do and find out how they can solve it. So, yeah, um, you know, there's there's been times where I've been in we had a I was working on a hotel uh construction project in Tunisia and we couldn't get the guys to uh work any later. So we were like paying them in advance and getting them to work later because the the job was running late and they would take the money and not turn up for another week. So we decided not to pay them, then they didn't turn up. So we just said, Well, what are they missing? We we cook them dinner. So it's simple as that. Every night there was dinner for all the staff. They ended up bringing all their families, but they stayed until the the day was done, and it it improved productivity, and and it's a it's a it's a small part of of how we how we do it. Um so I think this industry has to has to find a different way rather than just going out and recruiting straight from university or straight from primary school now, because it's like you've got to get the good people in, you've got to find a different way.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, 100% interesting. And on the modular point, which is obviously why we're here, I think it feels like I've been talking about modular data centers for the whole time of since I started this podcast, which is coming up to six years. But I think now the the conversations are becoming more kind of detailed and and people it's a real focus now for companies, and it's a solution that the industry has to you utilize in order to kind of deliver at the scale that that it is. But you've do you think sort of from your perspective that now is the time where the industry's really pushing towards this new sort of this model of working?
SPEAKER_00Uh yes, um, of course. Uh, but I don't think fundamentally anything's really changed in the industry. I think the demands are still high, it's still great, like there's still an expectation to deliver something in a in as quickly as possible. I think it's the biggest change is the amount of people asking for it to be delivered in this unachievable time. So customers have always said we need this online in 12 months, but now it's the number of customers is exponential, so we have to find alternatives. So and you know, innovation has always happened, and we're an industry full of great engineers who are coming up with solutions to solve these problems. It's finding the um the way of putting them into practice. I keep saying it's like the execution. How can we how can we standardize a certain design to be able to solve to to to deliver that? Um and and that's where modular lends itself. Plenty of companies are doing different elements of modular, whether it's their their sort of the productizing, their components, and it's bringing them together to make sure you can just control as much as possible. Now I'm not saying it's standard, you have to design a solution to meet the customer's requirements. That's not going to change. They will never buy a data center just off the shelf because the nuance of what they want to go in it or how they want it to operate will change, and and that's part of what what our approach is is making sure the design is is sort of scope-specific, but optimising what's already available.
SPEAKER_01You touched on innovation as well, and I I guess what we've seen a lot in the industry over the last um say two years is a lot of new innovative organizations enter the industry. And I think what that's brought is a different perspective and looking for different ways of working rather than the legacy data center market that kind of had a way of doing things and that was just how how we did things. Do you think that is also impacting on execution or how we build and how we deliver data centers?
SPEAKER_00Well, yeah, I think I think they both they both there is a place for both, right? So it's it's quite a broad market. There's you know the the location of the data centers will dictate the sort of how they're gonna build it, but the speed and scale is is the alternative. So um some of the biggest jobs, construction jobs happening at the moment are going to be modular in in the Middle East, and that's just because they can control so much so many elements of it. But the smaller market where concrete is king and they've got workforces in place, of course, they can go and and use the traditional method. So it doesn't solve every problem, it just provides an alternative that allows us to be to be much more efficient with the resources that are available. And there is there is plenty of manufacturing capabilities across the across the world that can help provide modular solutions, is just having the expertise around the the data center side of it to make sure the quality and the standardizations within it are suitable for our very demanding but uh but lovely customers.
SPEAKER_01Very lovely customers. And has geo geography impacted as well? Because again, I if I if I think back over the conversations I've had over the years, a lot of the conversation when we were talking about modular or similar type solutions was the ability to build in more remote regions where there, like you said, there isn't a workforce or there isn't the access that they need. Is that again, is that impacted the the sort of the move further towards modular?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, absolutely, right. Uh it it you know, you you want to get a thousand people to work up in the north of Finland, uh, or you build it in a in a controlled environment somewhere else in Europe and ship it to play so you're only on the ground for for a short period of time. You can get testing done, or majority of the testing done in a facility off site and then shift it to site so there's less time on the ground. It controls health and safety aspects, it controls um the movement of materials in and out of of the same area. So it's not it's not the same as um you know we've seen in the past of pick a random location where land and power is cheap and try and get a thousand people over there for 18 months. That that's that's gonna have to change.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, they are there are still some trying it though, I will I will say that. Um from a and and customer, so when you're in your conversations with customers, again, is this is is it now this is a solution they're looking for? This is not a solution that they may you know proceed with at some point. This is something they need now in order to achieve their sort of unbelievable delivery schedules.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, look, it's it's where we're spending a lot of our time is developing reference designs for customers. So they have a standard go-to-market solution where depending on the location and depending on slight variances in terms of what what what deployment they want, we can we can change our design. So reference designs from everything from five kilowatt racks up to 130 at the moment, but can go up all the way to 300, 600 when that comes about. It's about configuring the design to be fully modular, so it's not just a kit of parts, it's it's looking at it from a construction commissioning standpoint and how you bring everything in together so your your shipping is as efficient as possible, um, and not just not just boxes of air and putting everything in.
SPEAKER_01What scale can we are we talking from a modular perspective now? Because again, I I I think the perception to the outside world, or I might it might just be people like myself, the uneducated, that you know, modular they assume smaller, you know, like our smaller facilities, you know, let's say we can do a one megawatt haul and a modular perspective build. What scale are we talking now when you're when you're working with these customers for their designs?
SPEAKER_00So uh uh limitless uh is it because it is. Um how big do you want to go? It it we of course there's the one megawatt. There's the containerized solution, which is a data center in a container. Um, our solution is a modular approach where it's a series of containers that make up a sort of a modular um solution. So there's plenty of jobs over 200 megawatts that are modular at the moment that that I know of. Um some of the sizes that we're working on are over 100 megawatts. Um, but then there is a repeatable two and a half, a repeatable one. Um there's a deployment in a in a powered shell of different configurations. So it is truly it's limitless.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and I and I think that again is it's sort of busting that perception that I've I always think people think modular is small, like it's strange, it's just the word, I think the terminology leads people to that to that route. So again, as as the industry scales, it needs these solutions in order to scale because it can't keep up with the demand and deliver quick enough.
SPEAKER_00And we we so we always open our our introductory presentation with uh this is what module data center means to us, and that is it's not containerized. There was an example of uh a containerized data center in the footsteps of of the conference at Cannes year. That for us is containerized, not modularised, that's just a container that that sir solves a problem, but scaling that to a level where you're trying to get uh you know a huge sort of a gigawatt deployment or 250 megawatt deployment, you have to do a design that is more efficient because that would not be.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, definitely. And I think if and if you talk about CAN, I think a lot of the outside of the uh the drinks and everything, a lot of the the conversations were around execution. And I I genuinely think execution's now become one of the key challenges in this market. I think execution and community, you know, we've had power and people for years, but I really think now the conversations I'm having anyway, with with whether it's with funds, investors, CAs, whatever they might be, is around execution and also the community and managing that challenge. But do you think the industry is doing enough to really sort of solve this execution problem?
SPEAKER_00Um uh no, probably not, uh if I'm honest. I think uh talking about it a lot, um, but we all get very excited about the next shiny object, the next big project that's gonna take up all the the power in the land and how we're gonna deliver it um is is sort of secondary to it. So I think I think we can certainly do much more. I think there can be plenty of collaboration within the industry around how we how we combine forces to to to make sure that execution is paramount. Um everyone if everyone stays in their lane, then then nothing changes, right? That the execution doesn't change, everyone's just trying to sell their their product because that's obviously how their businesses are stacked up. But but you combine that and you bring that all together and you're sort of agnostic in your delivery, or you um have a design that integrates different components from different people because they have capacity online or they have sorry capacity within their their production lines when it's needed. So rather than sticking to one that's saying it's 52 weeks, you can't have a generator of 52 weeks, or your switch gear is you know it's it's 18 months. It's like, okay, well, if we can now get a customer the same specification in nine months, why would we not do that to get their GPU online? Like it still it still serves the same same uh or solves the same problem. And I think we we have to um we have to sort of look beyond the next three years. Capacity's tied up for the next three years, you know. Look at production lines. You you you you can't now go to uh many vendors and say, what's your timeline without them saying it's a year. How do you how do you get certainty around a any timeline with a vendor? It's you go to them with an order. That's the only way. Um or you've got a deep enough pocket that you can just pay over the odds, which which isn't healthy, which isn't which isn't healthy for the market. So I think if you if you go with that collaborative mindset of of trying to solve the industry problem, you'll solve your customer's problem.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and I agree. And you have seen, I guess, more flexibility in customer supply chain, haven't you? You've seen them have to increase their supply chain in certain areas, not not broadly across everything, but in certain areas they've had to increase their supply chain in order to achieve part of their their targets. They're still not there where they need to be, but there is a bit more flexibility now than there was going back two or three years.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I think so. There's less rigidity for sure. Uh look, there's plenty more alternatives, and you know, the the quality's in general, the quality is improving. Um so yeah, I I think I think that's been a real positive is is just the breadth of what's available. Um but still it still needs to be delivered uh and and and uh sort of the the execution still needs to be focused on.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, definitely. And when you look to the future, which is it always seems impossible in this industry because the future seems to arrive pretty much every day. Um what what does a data centre look like in you know, one, two, five, pick a pick a number of years? Um I think again, like we've seen that evolution, haven't we? And data centres are very different uh buildings or facilities to what they were, but you how do you see it progressing over the next few years?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, uh so I I thought all data centers are going to go to space, isn't that what Space SpaceX is hoping for?
SPEAKER_01Um I think I I read I read most weeks that they are going to space, and then two articles later on my search, it says they're not going to space. So I think we're still a bit unknown on that one. Depends who you are. So what depends if you own if you own a space company, then you say they are.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so so once you've got your telescope out, you can see what the space, the data sensor of the future look like. No, look, I I uh it's it's it's an impossible question. I think you know about 100 kilowatt racks happening now, 150 are happening now, 600 are just around the corner, um direct to chip cooling is gonna happen. All the technologies there, the innovations happening. I think what we'll see differently in the future is um the public perception, or I hope. I but uh you know the public perception of data centers is gonna have to change, right? They're gonna have data centers are gonna have to become part of economic ecosystems. It just has to happen. It's not they're not a drain on power, they're not a drain on water, not a drain on all the the resources, taking it away from municipalities and and and the people. They will will be part of those. It allows people to work from home, allows them to work more efficiently, it it gives jobs, it adds uh value to to those environments. And I think that'll be the change. So what they'll look like from the outside, I don't know, but hopefully people's perception of what they look like and what they are will shift massively.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and I think it's a really important point. And and I guess in your career, you you've been in the industry for a let's say for a while compared to a lot of people, even though it's not that long. The the the perception of the industry, kind of what I feel is that we've gone from no one really knowing, no one really caring, to all of a sudden it feels like everybody really caring for different reasons. It's not related to a lot of it's related to energy or land or what and I completely understand that that viewpoint as well. But have you do you feel the same? Do you feel like there's just been this sudden shift from not in the news to front page news?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, uh I just so yesterday I was talking to to uh a friend in our office and just talking through sort of a an investor deck around uh a funds development for day centers. And I was talking through just just basic rule of thumb metrics for day center construction, and he was like, How expensive? How much? I'm like, yeah, but and I explained why it was that much, explain why the and it's become it's come every day people asking questions about day centers. And that was you know, we we met people um actually it was in Cannes, they came over, they have a they have a power station and they're like, I've got power, I've got land, how do I build a day center? And I'm like, great. You know, it's become ever present in everyone's mind. It sort of it's not I I I I think that's that's the biggest shift is it's no longer just explaining that they are the power stations of the future in in that sense, it's it's driving economic change that that has been ignored so far. Um so yeah. And you end up doing their job by finding the off taker at the end because you you know, fifteen years of experience. In the sector, you get to know a lot of people. Um, so I mean, I'm guessing you're pretty much the same space. It's like how many people come to you and say, 'I've got some power and some land, Andy.' Who do I need to talk to?
SPEAKER_01Exactly that. Yeah, it's um farmers very often in the UK. I speak to a lot of farmers. I had a lot of messages yesterday. I posted about the new the new data centre in Devon, and I had a lot of messages from residents of Devon asking me why I'm building my data centre sat down there, and I had to explain it's not my data centre. I'll just I'll just sharing the news. That's that's all I had. But yeah, no, it's fascinating, though. I do agree, and I think it's all nice to educate, it's it's totally our our challenge to solve solve the perception piece. But it's um it's a very, very interesting journey to go from, as I say, like I felt I had to kind of tell everybody about what I did and really explain it. You get to a point where you're like, oh, I can't, yeah, I just can't be bothered to go into this detail anymore. You don't really care, do you? To now everyone's saying, you work in data centres, don't you? Like, what what do you do? What what are they? They're gonna build one near our house. You know, it's it's fascinating, but a lot of work to do for the industry. Um before we close up, just a couple of quick fire questions, which I ask everyone on the pod. If you could ask everyone in the sector to start or stop doing one thing, what would it be?
SPEAKER_00Oh, stop doing something. Uh trying to think of what people do that that bothers me. No, I think I think uh uh I think just stop accepting that that's how it's always been done, right? We're trying to move at a speed that we have to find alternatives. So uh you know that goes to what I was saying about collaborating, you know, across disciplines and companies and borders. I think there's much more we can do if you just if you just sort of stop accepting sort of the normal way of doing things. Uh is that a good enough answer?
SPEAKER_01That is a good answer.
SPEAKER_00I'd be more brutal.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, exactly. It's different. Where's the line? But it's uh no, it's a fascinating, it's an interesting point as well, because I feel like the industry is going through that shift now. I I do I remember when I first joined, well not joined, but first started where it's not as I make it out like it's a club. When I first entered the industry, um similar time period to yourself, you you was you did feel like you were kind of treading on people's toes coming into coming into this world. Uh I do think it's much more collaborative now, but there's still so much, so much work that we can do. And final question: if you could give one piece of advice to anyone looking to work in the sector, what would it be?
SPEAKER_00To work in the sector, I think uh just just to be inquisitive. Um there's there's so much to learn um it all different aspects. So I guess don't be afraid to not know something. Um walk in with the questions, and then and then from that you'll figure out where you add the most value, and then just go towards that because we we need great people, we always need great people. Um, and those are the ones that come with with a willingness to learn and and and help and lean in.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I'll say I think the the most uh give and answer is is inquisitive curiosity. I this industry is the perfect place for people with that curious mind. You can go far in this game if if you ask the right questions.
SPEAKER_00Or take up cycling. That's the take up cycling and come join me and can every year. That's the other bit of advice I'd give.
SPEAKER_01I was gonna say my advice is join Data Centre Cycling Club, uh, link in the comments, go find it. Join Tom and Cann. Don't join me and can. I'll I'll um I'll I'll wave you in when you arrive and buy you a drink. But you certainly won't catch me on a on my BMX heading uh heading around Cairn. Um thanks for your time. Good luck with Adapt for MDC. Again, like you know, congratulations on the on the launch. Obviously, looking forward to see your success over the coming years. We'll put the link in the show notes if anyone wants to learn anything more about the company, about Tom and about the team, that'll be there. And we'll also put the link in for the cycling club so that if anyone is a keen rider out there, they can uh come and talk to you on a bike somewhere.
SPEAKER_00Awesome. Thanks, and I appreciate your time, mate.
SPEAKER_01Pleasure, good to catch up. That's it for this episode of the Inside Data Centre Podcast. Thanks for tuning in. This show is brought to you by DataX and Data Exec, the recruitment partners powering global talent across the data centre and digital infrastructure world. If you enjoyed today's conversations, don't forget to follow, like, and subscribe. It really helps us grow the podcast community. Stay tuned for more stories, insights, and conversations with the people shaping the future of our industry.