Prometheus Hyperscale: New CEO Leads AI Data Centre Growth

Former bp exec Bernard Looney has stepped into the role of Chairman and CEO at Prometheus Hyperscale, as the company accelerates plans to build large-scale data centre campuses in Wyoming.

The appointment has come at a time of high demand for compute capacity, driven by AI workloads and high-density infrastructure requirements.

Bernard is replacing founder Trenton Thornock from his CEO position, who still remains involved as an Advisor and Board member.

The leadership change aligns with Prometheus’ focus on scaling its data centre developments, including two hyperscale facilities designed to support advanced computing environments.

Trenton Thornock, Founder of Prometheus Hyperscale, says: “With the wealth of knowledge and operational experience gained from his three decades at one of the world's largest energy companies and the invaluable role he has played advising the company from its earliest days, there is truly no one better qualified than Bernard to take us into our next chapter.”

Leadership and data centre strategy

Bernard is bringing more than 30 years of experience from bp, where he began his career as an engineer and later led global energy projects before serving as the CEO from 2020 to 2023.

He joined Prometheus in 2024 as non-executive Chairman, positioning himself within the company’s long-term infrastructure strategy.

His background in energy links directly to data centre operations, where power availability and efficiency define performance.

“Data centres often add to the local community’s power needs and can drive up electricity costs,” Bernard said on LinkedIn when he joined as non-executive Chairman.

“People worry that instead of helping, AI may slow the transition and move us backwards.

“The opportunity to address these challenges is why I’ve joined Prometheus Hyperscale as Chairman.”

Following his appointment as CEO, Bernard outlined the importance of AI infrastructure in shaping demand for data centre capacity.

“Trenton's vision that Wyoming would become a centre of AI infrastructure positioned Prometheus at the forefront of next-generation data centre development," he said.

“I am honoured to be in a position to continue to benefit from Trenton's wisdom and counsel, and to work alongside the Prometheus team to lead the company through its next stage of growth.”

Hyperscale campus development in Wyoming

Prometheus is focusing on two major data centre campuses in Evanston and Casper, Wyoming.

Together, the sites total approximately 2.5GW of capacity and more than US$30bn in capital expenditure. 

The Casper campus forms a central part of the company’s plans, with a multi-phase buildout designed to deliver up to 1.5GW of IT load. 

To support high-density workloads, Prometheus plans to design and finance compute halls that accommodate advanced processing infrastructure. 

Cooling also remains a critical factor in hyperscale design. The company plans on using non-consumptive water cooling systems for the Casper campus. These systems circulate water without significant loss through evaporation, reducing overall water usage while maintaining thermal performance.

At the Evanston campus, Prometheus is integrating low-carbon technologies to support power delivery, which reduce emissions associated with electricity generatio. This aligns data centre operations with sustainability targets while maintaining reliability.

Infrastructure delivery and project execution

Trevor Neilson, President of Prometheus Hyperscale, says: “As Prometheus' projects advance, Bernard is exactly the right person to lead the company as we work to develop some of largest data center projects in the US.

“I am grateful to Trenton for his visionary leadership to date and am looking forward to working alongside Bernard to bring the vision to life.”

The Casper project stands as one of the largest digital infrastructure developments in Wyoming, with construction expected to create hundreds of jobs alongside long-term technical roles. These positions will support ongoing operations, including facility management and system monitoring.

Prometheus is advancing its projects with a focus on integrating power, cooling and compute capacity into a unified design. The hyperscale company is supporting high-density data centre environments while addressing the operational requirements of customers.