Key Takeaway
The Nordic data centre market is poised for significant growth as European businesses increase AI investments, driven by the region’s cooler climate, affordable renewable energy, and availability compared to FLAP-D markets. atNorth, a leading Nordic data centre operator, emphasizes sustainability in its expansion strategy under Chief Development Officer Anna Kristín Pálsdóttir. Since joining, Anna has focused on site selection and development, overseeing expansions in Iceland, Finland, Sweden, and Denmark. With plans for a megasite in Sweden and additional sites in Norway, Anna advocates for learning from mistakes to foster innovation in scaling operations.
The Nordic data centre market is poised for significant growth over the next five years, as businesses throughout Europe ramp up their AI investments. The region’s cooler climate, lower renewable energy costs, and greater availability compared to the constrained FLAP-D markets are driving this investment surge.
Leading this innovation is atNorth, a Nordic data centre operator that prioritizes sustainability in its growth strategy. At the helm of this initiative is Anna Kristín Pálsdóttir, the company’s Chief Development Officer. Since joining just over a year ago, Anna has been instrumental in expanding the operator’s footprint across the Nordic countries.
“I joined the company with the goal of expanding its footprint – focusing on site selection, design, technology, innovation, and delivery in alignment with customer expectations,” she explains. “We are developing new data centres to ensure they meet atNorth’s standards as well as industry and client requirements.”
Presenting a clear expansion strategy
“We have extensive expansion plans,” Anna states. The business is enhancing two of its three operational facilities in Iceland, where it began its operations in 2009. Alongside its four other operational sites in Finland and Sweden, it is set to open its first Danish site, with a second in development, and additional facilities planned in Finland and Sweden. “We have also secured extra land in Sweden designated for a future megasite and are evaluating numerous sites in Norway as well.”
Anna’s engineering background shapes her methodical approach to scaling operations. She highlights the necessity of quickly learning from mistakes and systematically applying those lessons to future projects, stating, “we only make a mistake once and learn from it – it is essential for innovation.”
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