Gamechangers: AI | Khazna Data Centers' Hassan Alnaqbi Says AI Is Transforming Digital Infrastructure Into A Strategic Economic Layer
Alnaqbi was one of the innovators celebrated in the 2026 edition of Gamechangers: AI, an annual Inc. Arabia showcase of the business leaders driving the AI revolution in the MENA.
Having been the CEO of Khazna Data Centers since 2014, Hassan Alnaqbi has overseen the UAE-based wholescale data center provider’s expansion from having just two facilities to 23 operational data centers now, with an additional seven now in development. And that vantage point has afforded Alnaqbi a front-row view into how the sector at large is being redefined.
“Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming digital infrastructure from a support function into a strategic economic layer,” Alnaqbi says. “In this new landscape, ‘good’ infrastructure means sovereign-ready environments that combine high-density compute capability with operational maturity, energy discipline, and resilience. Regions that treat AI infrastructure as critical national capability rather than commercial real estate will shape the next phase of global competitiveness. The MENA region has a structural advantage. Much of its AI infrastructure is being developed in parallel with AI adoption, allowing sovereignty, sustainability, and global standards to be embedded from inception, rather than retrofitted later.”
Within this context, Alnaqbi says that the conversation on AI is shifting from capacity to execution. “Khazna’s transition to a fully insourced operations capability, supported by standardized operating models and AI-enabled monitoring systems, reflects this evolution,” Alnaqbi notes. “Embedding intelligence into energy management, cooling optimization, and predictive maintenance transforms infrastructure into adaptive, continuously optimized environments. In high-temperature regions such as the Gulf, operational precision directly affects efficiency, reliability, and sustainability outcomes. The next competitive edge in AI will not come solely from hardware access. It will come from the ability to operate critical AI infrastructure with discipline, repeatability, and measurable performance.”
Pictured in the lead image is Hassan Alnaqbi, CEO of Khazna Data Centers. Image courtesy Khazna Data Centers.
Alnaqbi was one of the innovators celebrated in the 2026 edition of Gamechangers: AI, an annual Inc. Arabia showcase of the business leaders driving the AI revolution in the MENA. Check out the full list by clicking here.
