JLL has appointed Mikhail Jaura Head of Data Centre Research for Asia Pacific. He will be based in Hong Kong.
Jaura joins the property and investment services firm from IDC, where he led the Asia Pacific data centre research practice as Senior Research Analyst. In his new role, he will oversee research strategy across mature and emerging data centre markets in the region and work with operators, cloud providers, telecommunications groups, investors, government bodies and industry associations.
The appointment comes as data centre investment continues to expand across Asia Pacific, driven by broader digital adoption, cloud computing growth and rising artificial intelligence workloads. JLL describes the global sector as being in the middle of a USD $3 trillion infrastructure investment cycle.
According to JLL's market outlook and mid-year updates, global data centre capacity is projected to rise from 103 GW to 200 GW by 2030. That would represent a compound annual growth rate of 14% over the period, as hyperscale cloud services and AI deployment increase demand for new capacity.
Jaura's remit includes developing research initiatives across the region and leading analysts and associates across business lines and markets. He will also help deepen JLL's data centre market intelligence offering as competition for capital and sites intensifies across Asia Pacific.
Before joining JLL, Jaura worked on custom consulting assignments, advisory services and regional business development at IDC. He also launched IDC's Worldwide Semiannual Datacenter Facilities Tracker, which benchmarks hyperscale, colocation and enterprise footprints globally across capacity, emissions and non-IT capital expenditure.
He has also authored white papers, case studies and market reports focused on deployment strategies for hyperscalers, colocation operators and original equipment manufacturers. JLL said that experience would support its research work with clients navigating a market shaped by rapid infrastructure expansion and shifting technical requirements.
Regional focus
Asia Pacific has become one of the most closely watched regions for data centre development, with activity spanning established hubs and newer markets competing for investment. Market participants are balancing demand growth against land constraints, power availability, planning hurdles and sustainability requirements.
That has made research and advisory work more important for investors, developers and occupiers deciding where to deploy capital. The region includes some of the world's busiest cloud and colocation markets, while also offering newer locations where operators are seeking room to expand.
Andrew Batson, Global Head of Data Centre Research & Strategy at JLL, linked the hire to that backdrop. "The Asia Pacific region continues to attract significant investment in data center infrastructure, driven by robust digital adoption, expanding cloud services, and growing AI workloads," he said.
"In this diverse region, our clients demand world-class research to navigate this complex and rapidly evolving space. Mikhail brings deep sector expertise and a proven track record of delivering actionable intelligence to the industry's leading players."
JLL is one of several real estate and advisory firms building specialist data centre teams as the asset class attracts more institutional capital. Data centres have moved further into the mainstream of commercial property and infrastructure investment as cloud providers and AI-related demand reshape requirements for scale, location and energy access.
Jaura will also help build and maintain relationships with a broad set of industry stakeholders while guiding research teams across geographies. That cross-regional role reflects the fragmented nature of the Asia Pacific market, where regulatory structures, utility systems and customer demand differ widely by country.
Market pressure
Operators across the region are also under pressure to address emissions, efficiency and power sourcing as they add new facilities. Those issues have become more prominent as customers seek larger deployments and governments sharpen scrutiny of energy-intensive digital infrastructure.
Jaura pointed to those changes in comments on his appointment. "The data center sector in Asia Pacific is at an inflection point, with AI workloads and sustainability imperatives reshaping infrastructure requirements across the region," he said.
"I'm excited to join JLL at this pivotal moment and look forward to building on the firm's strong foundation to deliver the insights and analysis that will help clients make informed decisions in this dynamic market."