The deal between Keppel and Dell will initially target projects in Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam
In sum – what to know:
Strategic collaboration expands in Asia – Keppel and Dell will jointly develop efficient data centers and AI platforms, starting in Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam.
Sector-specific AI platforms planned – Investments will focus on healthcare, finance, retail, manufacturing and telecoms to drive digital adoption.
Partnership builds on existing ties – AsiaPac, part of Keppel, will provide cloud integration and services, extending a longstanding collaboration with Dell.
Singaporean asset manager Keppel’s connectivity division has signed a strategic framework agreement with Dell Technologies with the aim of collaborating on building more efficient data centers and developing sector-specific artificial intelligence (AI) platforms across Asia, Keppel said in a release.
The agreement combines Keppel’s expertise in infrastructure, energy and real estate with Dell’s technology capabilities and enterprise reach. Under the terms of the deal, the partners will focus on facilities in strategic data hubs, starting with Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam. These data centers are expected to integrate renewable energy and green technologies from Keppel.
Keppel also plans to invest in AI platforms targeting industries such as healthcare, financial services, manufacturing, retail and telecommunications, with the goal of providing tailored AI solutions that accelerate digital adoption in those sectors.
AsiaPac Technology, part of Keppel’s connectivity division, will also play a role in the collaboration by offering cloud integration, infrastructure management and digital transformation services in the initial markets.
Manjot Singh Mann, CEO of connectivity at Keppel, said: “By combining Dell’s technological expertise, enterprise reach and advanced infrastructure with Keppel’s deep operating capabilities across the digital infrastructure value chain, we will create future-ready, efficient data centers and advanced AI platforms that will support digital transformation across Asia.”
Keppel and Dell have worked together through AsiaPac, which resells Dell infrastructure and supports enterprise AI applications.
Keppel is also working with Amazon Web Services (AWS), with whom Keppel has a global strategic framework agreement to collaborate on data centers, subsea cables, and renewable energy.
The Asia Pacific region is on track to become the world’s largest colocation data center market by 2030, surpassing the United States in both total capacity and rental revenue, according to a previous report by Cushman & Wakefield.
In its Asia Pacific Data Centre Investment Landscape report, the real estate firm projects that the region will reach 23,904 megawatts (MW) of operational data center capacity by the end of the decade, outpacing the 18,256 MW expected in the U.S. This expected surge in APAC will be chiefly driven by rapid growth in cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), digital services and increasing demand for digital infrastructure across Southeast Asia, India and China.
The report also noted that 85% of current operational capacity in Asia Pacific is colocation-based—significantly higher than in the Americas (60%) and EMEA (75%). This trend is expected to continue, with colocation accounting for 86% of the region’s development pipeline.
The report also highlighted that countries like Japan, India, South Korea and Australia—alongside China—are among the region’s major data center hubs and represent 90% of Asia Pacific’s GDP and 73% of its data center development pipeline.
