January 28, 2026: College of Business invited Mr. Mohamad ElBakri, the Head of Real Estate & Infrastructure Advisor in JLL, to be part of CoB’s Executive Lecture Series.
The lecture titled “Digital Infrastructure” was presented to the audience and College of Business students. It took place on Wednesday, 28/01/2026, from 12:00 to 12:50 PM.
The lecture provided a comprehensive overview of data centers and their growing significance in today’s digital economy. It began with a brief discussion related to a Microsoft invitation that initiated engagement among the participants. The main focus of the lecture was an in-depth explanation of data centers, their evolution over time, and their critical role in storing and processing the massive volumes of data generated by individuals, organizations, and advanced technologies.
Special attention was given to the challenges facing data centers, particularly high energy consumption and the need for advanced cooling systems to manage the heat produced by powerful artificial intelligence chips. The lecturer highlighted how these challenges are driving innovation in infrastructure design and energy management.
The lecture also emphasized the strategic efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to develop its data center infrastructure as part of its broader digital transformation goals. These efforts aim to attract global investors, strengthen digital infrastructure, and position the Kingdom as a regional and global leader in artificial intelligence and advanced technologies.
Finally, the lecture explored career and investment opportunities within the data center industry. It stressed the growing demand for engineers, software developers, and telecommunications specialists, as well as investment opportunities through organizations such as the Public Investment Fund and partnerships with major global technology companies.
