Alfa Laval Names UK MD to Target AI and Data Centre Cooling

Alfa Laval UK & Ireland has appointed Alessandro Bracco as its new Managing Director as part of a targeted corporate push for growth across key strategic sectors – including the data centre industry. 

With a 20-year career spanning commercial strategy, business-to-business sales, marketing, finance, renewable energy and building materials, he brings five years of existing experience at the heat transfer, separation and fluid handling company.

“There has never been a more exciting time to take the helm at Alfa Laval,” says Alessandro.

“While challenges persist in the market, there are also opportunities – particularly in the data centres sector.”

Balancing British and Swedish business

Discussing his new role, Alessandro explains how the amalgamation of Swedish and British working cultures has influenced his career and leadership style. 

“Despite being a Scandinavian company, Alfa Laval UK has been established in the UK & Ireland for well over 100 years. 

“I’d like to think this has shaped my style of leadership, which is the product of both British and Swedish approaches to business – empowerment and trust, but above all pragmatism and efficiency!”

Alessandro officially assumed this new role in May. He replaces the company’s previous managing director Rachel Bridges, who has transitioned to the role of portfolio unit president of growth and partnerships for the ocean division.

“Alfa Laval UK has enjoyed a steady trajectory of growth for many years now. In my new role, I aim to build upon the strong foundations that Rachel and her predecessors have put in place – maintaining what’s already being done well, while also targeting areas where we can make new strides.”

Addressing data centre industry expansion

The company's strategy involves addressing national power demands alongside the rapid physical expansion of digital infrastructure.

"The continued development of both cloud computing and AI has resulted in a period of unprecedented growth for the data centre industry,” explains Alessandro.

“However, like all industrial expansion, this growth must be handled responsibly, with careful consideration of environmental impact and the wellbeing of local communities.

“The UK’s decarbonisation journey is one that presents both challenges and opportunities in every sector, with data centres no exception, all while power demand continues to grow. 

“At Alfa Laval, we believe that a kilowatt-hour saved is better than a kilowatt-hour created, and the concept of efficiency – in every sense of the word – will continue to be a driving force behind our business strategy.”

Advanced cooling and heat recovery

Meeting the thermal demands of high-density facilities requires specific engineering applications and hardware interventions.

"Similarly, implementing cutting-edge cooling technologies, such as advanced liquid cooling, will be key to reducing energy use in high-capacity data centres,” Alessandro says. 

“At Alfa Laval, we are uniquely positioned to support this industry transition by delivering such solutions at scale. This will allow data centres to positively contribute towards lowering cost of energy and environmental impact, and will be a key focus of my tenure."

"To achieve truly sustainable growth, capturing and reusing waste heat will be essential – turning data centres into contributors of clean energy for local communities through sector coupling, delivering recovered heating and cooling to homes, schools and businesses."