Henrik Hansen becomes full-time CEO at the Danish Data Center Industry Association

Blog by Henrik Hansen:

Today I start a full-time role as a CEO of the Danish Data Center Industry, moving on after 13 years as a director of Business Viborg.



I founded DDI in 2017, which was an initiative under the Business Viborg umbrella, against the backdrop of the first hyperscale data center investment in Viborg and in Denmark.

DDI’s story started in Viborg, and I am grateful of the local support our association got from its very inception.

Today, DDI has developed into a leading voice for the regional data center industry, representing over 100 members across the entire ecosystem. I am proud of DDI’s achievements over the years, delivering excellent networking opportunities and content, as well as facilitating knowledge-sharing amongst our members. DDI has crafted a unique positioning not just within the industry, but also with other private and public sectors.

As I move to a full-time role as CEO, I am excited about embarking on this journey during a pivotal time for the industry. The proliferation of AI will undoubtedly impact the entire data center industry. This poses new opportunities but does not come without its challenges.

Sustainability and energy efficiency is a key focus area of our association, as the industry prepares to support future high-density AI applications. Whilst AI undoubtedly will use more energy, it can also be part of the solution.

This is why DDI has been a part of establishing the pan-European Net Zero Innovation Hub for Data Centers with key actors in the European data center market. The innovation Hub is a platform for cross-sector collaboration on innovative, ready-to-market solutions for the European data center industry.

DDI looks forward to being part of the net-zero journey, helping companies across Europe collaborate on some of the most pressing issues facing the sector.

Of course, we can never become complacent in our industry.

At DDI we are determined to support initiatives and projects that will truly help decarbonize the data center industry.

This requires a holistic approach, not just from a technology standpoint, but also from a regulatory perspective. This is why DDI will continue to lobby against the price cap on heat reuse legislation which was proposed last year. We believe it is an unproductive legislation, counteracting true sustainability efforts, which enables us to utilize data center excess heat as part of the green transition efforts.

Data center skills and education are also key focus areas for our association. DDI is part of the EU-funded project CEDCE, which aims to support and streamline data center education across the European Union.

In the past year, DDI has strengthened its partnerships with key actors in the industry from across Europe, we have joined the EUDCA, as well as partnered with our Nordic counterparts on a number of initiatives to position the Nordic as a leading data center hub, as well as promote awareness of the industry to the general public and policymakers.

DDI has grown significantly over the years. We have expanded our secretariat significantly this year to support our members and provide them with high quality content, events and opportunities. With the help of our board of directors, I am excited to continue building on the great foundation we have worked on the past seven years.