London, United Kingdom, Thursday 21st May, 2026 – Kao Data, the specialist developer and operator of data centres engineered for AI and advanced computing, has announced the promotion of Richard Collar to Vice President of Customer Solutions.
In his expanded role, Richard will lead customer-facing technical consultancy and strategy as Kao Data continues to scale its data centre platform across the UK. Working with commercial teams, his remit covers how data centres are conceived, designed, engineered and operated, ensuring they meet customer workload requirements.
Supporting early-stage engagement with new and existing customers, Richard will bring his 25 years of engineering expertise into commercial conversations at the outset, with his role designed to shape propositions that balance performance, scalability and sustainability, giving customers confidence that their long-term growth ambitions can be supported on a resilient and efficient platform.
The promotion also comes at a time of significant change within the industry, driven largely by the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence (AI). The pace at which GPU-accelerated infrastructure is advancing is increasing the technical demands placed on data centres, particularly in relation to power density and cooling strategies. Richard and his team are responding by building greater flexibility into Kao Data’s infrastructure and applying detailed modelling earlier in the design process to optimise both performance and efficiency.
A chartered engineer, Richard has been instrumental in shaping the technical foundations of Kao Data’s campuses to date. His expanded role recognises both that contribution and the increasingly strategic importance of bridging engineering, commercial and operational priorities as customer requirements continue to evolve.
Richard Collar, Vice President of Customer Solutions at Kao Data, said: “I’m delighted to take on this new role at such a pivotal moment for the industry. Data centres are long-term assets, and the decisions made early in any project, particularly around efficiency, resilience and adaptability, have lasting consequences for both operational performance and environmental impact.”
Spencer Lamb, MD and CCO at Kao Data, commented: “Richard has been a trusted technical leader within our business for many years, and his depth of engineering knowledge has shaped the way we design and operate our facilities. As the industry enters its next phase of growth, with AI and HPC workloads placing new demands on power, cooling and design philosophy, his ability to translate complex customer requirements into practical, scalable solutions is more valuable than ever.
This promotion reflects both Richard’s individual contribution and the central role customer solutions now play in how we deliver for the market.”
Richard begins his new position with immediate effect and will continue to work closely with Kao Data’s design, delivery, operations and commercial teams.