Eric Fan

2026-02-06 · Source: AI Magazine · Field: Business & Management — Corporate Strategy & Leadership, Operations & Process Management, Entrepreneurship & Start-ups · Depth: Fundamental Awareness, quick

Summary

Eric Fan, CEO of Bridge Data Centres (BDC), is spearheading the expansion of hyperscale data center infrastructure across the Asia-Pacific region. With an engineering background from companies like Honeywell and Dow Chemical, Fan transitioned into data centers four years ago, first as COO of Chindata and then taking the helm at BDC. Under his leadership, BDC's capacity has grown five to sixfold in three years, establishing it as a key player in Malaysia and Thailand. The company was the first to develop hyperscaler-customized campuses in Malaysia and establish a presence in Johor, now a major data center hub. BDC emphasizes vertical integration for speed, and prioritizes sustainability with a 2040 net-zero target, over 50% solar energy use at a Malaysian campus, and municipal wastewater recycling. Its Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) is below 1.2, achieved through aggressive adoption of liquid cooling technologies.

Key takeaway

For CTOs and VPs of Infrastructure planning data center expansion in high-growth regions, consider BDC's model of vertical integration and early market entry. Your teams should evaluate the benefits of in-house capabilities for speed and cost control, alongside aggressive adoption of liquid cooling and renewable energy to meet both performance and sustainability targets in challenging climates.

Key insights

Pioneering vertical integration and sustainable practices drives hyperscale data center growth in APAC.

Principles

• First-mover advantage creates competitive edge.
• Vertical integration accelerates project delivery.
• Sustainability is an operational imperative.

Method

BDC employs an end-to-end vertical integration model encompassing site selection, design, supply chain, and construction to achieve rapid deployment and operational efficiency.

In practice

• Deploy liquid cooling for PUE below 1.2.
• Integrate solar energy for sustainability.
• Explore wastewater recycling for water conservation.

Topics

• Data Centres
• Hyperscale Infrastructure
• Sustainable Data Centres
• Liquid Cooling
• APAC Expansion

Best for: CTO, VP of Engineering/Data, Director of AI/ML, Executive, Investor, Tech Journalist

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by AI Magazine.