In this edition of our Deep Dive series, Mark Pestridge, Senior Director Customer Experience at Telehouse Europe talks about starting out in the industry, his style of management philosophy and the current hot talking points within the data centre space.
What would you describe as your most memorable achievement in the data centre industry?
For me, one of the biggest achievements is playing a part in the continuous progression in the data centre sector, both in terms of industry itself and my growth in my own career.
In the few years since I have been at Telehouse, we have already seen significant expansion across Europe, with the launch of our newest London data centre, Telehouse South planned for early next year. I have also recently taken a new role at Telehouse as a Senior Customer Experience Director after 30 years in sales and business development. This transition has been a hugely challenging, but enriching experience. I am a true believer in the power of putting customers at the heart and driving business success with a customer-first mindset. From the discovery phase through the entire sales cycle and operational phase, customers value personalised and joined-up experiences.
What first made you think of a career in technology/data centres?
When I left university, I joined a recruitment company that specialised in recruiting salespeople for the IT and technology sectors. It was then when I first became really interested in the solutions these companies offered and often envied the candidates I personally placed. I suppose it was a natural progression for me.
What style of management philosophy do you employ with your current position?
I aim to employ people who are better skilled than I am in their particular area of expertise. My goal is to create an environment where different personalities can flourish and where different motivators for individuals – whether intrinsic or extrinsic – can be realised.
What do you think is the current hot talking point within the data centre space?
I believe there are two. The first is sustainability which is only growing importance as data centres are pressed to become climate neutral and the increased demand for power driven by the pandemic adds extra pressure.
Data centre providers have been evolving their facilities, switching to renewable energy sources and adopting greener practices to protect the environment. A lot of debate and emphasis is also placed on joint efforts, hence the industry coming together and pledging commitments to achieve carbon neutrality by signing up to the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact or the Climate Ambition Alliance.
The second is how Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation are revolutionising the data centre industry. Over the next year or so, AI will play a bigger role in automating the real-time movement of IT workloads, which will have significant and positive, implications on server efficiency, electricity costs and sustainability. Data centre control systems with in-built AI capabilities can already turn off redundant modules and put them into hibernation or standby, saving energy as a result, but we look forward to achieving more progress and reliability when it comes to AI predicting the lifecycle of equipment and server parts.
In the future, AI will be irreplaceable in the fight against cyberattacks as it continues to learn the usual patterns of data inflow and outflow and flag suspicious activities. However, more conversations need to happen around speeding up detection and response processes and achieving greater network visibility through AI integration.
How do you deal with stress and unwind outside the office?
I exercise before work every day. Whether it’s running, cycling or working out at the gym, I consider it my thinking time and an opportunity to gain perspective on various issues. When I exercise, I like to assess whether something is a challenge or a problem and how I can overcome it. Taking that step back is important as it allows me to think logically. The truth is nothing ever gets fixed or resolved under stressful conditions.
What do you currently identify as the major areas of investment in your industry?
As the digital landscape is rapidly changing, the industry has been heavily investing in upgrading aging data centres to ensure they’re fit-for-purpose and ready to support the needs of tomorrow’s computing power. The upgrades include investments in smarter cooling solutions and the adoption of latest technologies, such as AI, Machine Learning and automation, which have the power to turn us into a more energy efficient, sustainable and cyber-resilient industry.
As well as modernising older data centre infrastructure, we will also see greater investment in new sites to satisfy growing customer demand and accommodate the ever-increasing volumes of data. The launch of Telehouse South in our Docklands campus is a prime example of this, with the expansion driven by demand from our customers who want to be able to grow in the existing campus.
What changes to your job role have you seen in the last year and how do you see these developing in the coming months?
The pandemic has forced us all to learn how to create an environment where people can work and be managed remotely. Greater emphasis has been placed on the importance of remaining productive when working from home and maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
As we are currently moving to a new hybrid working model, we’re faced with the challenge of getting the most out of our hours, both in terms of productivity and enjoyment. As we phase into our hybrid approach, I would like to get to know people on an individual level, particularly our new hires who joined us during the pandemic. It’s important for me to understand how different people operate, what motivates them and what struggles they face as a result of going back to the office environment.
