With just two months to go until DCR Live 2026, Data Centre Review is preparing to bring the industry together for a day full of insight, debate, networking and celebration.
Data Centre Review has long been known for delivering the Critical Insight conference, which has been a breakout with more than 100 speakers having taken part in the series since its launch in 2022. But with DCR Live, we wanted to boldly go where we haven’t gone before – to the real world.
Built around the theme Data Centres: The Next Generation, DCR Live 2026 will gather some of the biggest names in the industry for a day of discussion, debate and networking. There’s already a jam-packed schedule of events taking place throughout the day, while it’ll all be topped off with the announcement of the winners of the 2026 DCR Excellence Awards.
So, what can you expect from DCR Live 2026?
Exploring the next frontier of digital infrastructure
The data centre sector is entering a new era. In just the past year, the demand for digital infrastructure has grown to all-new heights, as vacancy rates hit all-time lows as AI demand outpaces supply. At the same time, delivering infrastructure that can accommodate AI loads is throwing up all sorts of challenges around power and cooling.
If that wasn’t enough, the industry is having to contend with two opposing sides – a Government that is eager to have the UK as a world leader in AI development, and a section of society opposed to the burdens that data centres have on local power grids. That’s led to all sorts of awkward situations, such as a Government in Scotland supportive of data centres, while its capital city backs a moratorium on building them.
These are some of the challenges that will be explored at DCR Live 2026.
What’s on the agenda?
The DCR Live 2026 agenda is jam-packed, with the day opening with a panel asking what is standing in the way of the UK’s next generation of data centres. With grid capacity, planning approvals, local opposition and public perception all continuing to challenge development, this session will examine how the industry can collectively move from gridlock to growth. Joining us for this panel will be Tilly Gilbert, Managing Director, Consulting at STL Partners; Mark Pestridge, EVP & General Manager at Telehouse; and Alan Stewart Brown, VP EMEA at Opengear.
Following that session, we’ll hear from James Tyler, Managing Director UK at Equinix, as he explores what has changed since data centres were designated as Critical National Infrastructure. After all, this is not just about keeping the lights on. It is about ensuring the infrastructure behind the UK’s digital economy is ready for whatever comes next.
While those two sessions will look at more the general challenges that the data centre sector currently faces, the next two sessions will hone in on one of the biggest – power.
As workloads become more power-hungry and rack densities continue to rise, DCR Live 2026 will explore how power strategies must evolve to support the facilities of the future. The first of the two sessions will examine how UPS technology is adapting to changing requirements, with Platinum Sponsor Riello UPS giving us the low-down, while the second will focus on the debate around AC and DC power strategies for AI data centres.
Cooling will also take centre stage at DCR Live 2026, with a panel asking who will win the cooling wars while still retaining public approval. Joining us for that panel will be Venessa Moffat, Managing Director at the Data Centre Alliance; Richard Collar, Technical Director at Kao Data; Chris Woosnam-Savage, Principal Engineer – Advanced Engineering Group at Digital Realty; and Colin Partridge, Key Account Manager – Data Centre at Carrier
Later in the day, the agenda will turn to sustainability and community engagement, asking how data centre developers and operators can prove their environmental credentials and build trust with the communities in which they operate.
For an industry whose mission is increasingly critical, public confidence may prove just as important as technical capability.
The final panel of the day will explore whether the UK’s planning reforms go far enough to support the next generation of data centre development. That session will feature Conor Molloy, Sr. Project Manager, Europe & Nordics at Bureau Veritas; and Emma Fryer, Director Public Policy Europe at CyrusOne.
But while that will be the final panel of the day, it won’t be the final session. That’s because we’ll also be joined by Nienke Ris, Data Centre Community Affairs Director at Microsoft, who will help detail the ways data centre operators can better work with local communities to showcase their sustainability commitments.
In-person networking with the industry
While the agenda is designed to deliver insight from the stage, DCR Live 2026 will also provide a valuable opportunity for the data centre community to connect in person.
The event is designed for data centre end-users and operators, with qualified attendees including owners, operators, engineers, consultants and enterprise IT leaders. Taking place at a central London venue, the day will include dedicated networking breaks, lunch, refreshments and breakout areas, giving attendees the chance to continue the conversation away from the conference sessions.
The 2026 DCR Excellence Awards
Capping off a day of discussion will be the DCR Excellence Awards 2026. This year’s awards were completely revamped to be more transparent and easier to enter, and the response we’ve received from the industry has been astounding.
The shortlist for the awards will be announced on May 27, giving the industry a first look at the organisations, projects and individuals in contention before the winners are revealed live at DCR Live 2026 in June.
With two months to go, DCR Live 2026 is shaping up to be a key date in the calendar for anyone involved in the future of the data centre sector.
From high-level debate and practical insight to in-person networking and industry recognition, attendees can expect a day focused not only on where the sector is today, but where it goes next.
The next generation of data centres is coming. At DCR Live 2026, the industry will come together to chart the course.
