We are representing a global hyperscale data centre operator with a significant and growing development pipeline across the Asia-Pacific region. As the organisation continues to scale its regional data centre platform, they are seeking an accomplished Vice President of M&E Design to lead the delivery of mechanical and electrical design across its APAC portfolio.

The Vice President will provide both strategic and operational leadership across the design function, ensuring complex, mission-critical data centre projects are delivered to the required standards of reliability, resilience, quality, cost and programme.

Beyond technical expertise, the successful candidate must be a proven people leader who has demonstrated the ability to build, lead and develop large engineering teams while delivering multiple critical infrastructure projects concurrently across different markets.

The Role
Reporting into the senior regional leadership team, the Vice President will take ownership of M&E design delivery across the APAC data centre portfolio.

The role will oversee the complete design delivery process, from early-stage design development and technical strategy through detailed design, construction support, commissioning interface and project handover.

A major component of the position will be leadership. With close to 50 professionals within the wider team and seven direct reports, the Vice President will establish the structure, governance, technical standards and accountability required for the design organisation to operate effectively at scale.

The individual will also act as a senior technical authority for the business, providing leadership on complex design decisions and ensuring that technical solutions remain commercially viable, constructible and aligned with the operational requirements of mission-critical data centre environments.


Key Responsibilities:
- Lead the APAC M&E design function comprising close to 50 Design Managers and Engineers, with seven direct reports across the regional organisation.
- Provide leadership, direction and accountability across multiple design teams and projects operating concurrently throughout APAC.
- Take overall responsibility for M&E design delivery across the regional data centre development portfolio, ensuring projects meet required technical, programme, cost, quality and operational objectives.
- Establish clear design governance, review processes, technical standards and decision-making frameworks across the regional portfolio.
- Lead the development and implementation of mechanical and electrical design strategies for large-scale, mission-critical data centre facilities.
- Drive consistency and standardisation of design across projects while accommodating local regulatory requirements, site conditions and project-specific requirements.
- Provide senior technical oversight across critical electrical and mechanical infrastructure, ensuring designs achieve the required levels of reliability, resilience, maintainability and operational performance.
- Oversee multiple projects at different stages of development, identifying design risks, technical constraints and potential programme impacts early in the project lifecycle.
- Lead critical design reviews and provide direction on complex engineering issues, design deviations and major technical decisions.
- Ensure effective coordination between mechanical, electrical and other engineering disciplines throughout design and project delivery.
- Work closely with Development, Construction, Project Management, Procurement, Commercial, Operations and Commissioning teams to ensure design solutions translate effectively into construction and operation.
- Manage and challenge external engineering consultants, designers, contractors, equipment vendors and other technical partners to ensure design intent and project requirements are achieved.
- Drive value engineering and design optimisation without compromising the reliability or operational integrity of critical infrastructure.
- Support the evaluation and adoption of new technologies, engineering solutions and design methodologies that can improve performance, efficiency, scalability and speed-to-market.
- Build organisational capability by mentoring and developing senior Design Managers and engineering leaders, strengthening succession planning and creating a high-performance technical culture.
- Establish appropriate resource planning across the portfolio, ensuring design capability is deployed effectively against regional development priorities.
- Represent the design function with senior internal and external stakeholders and provide clear technical recommendations to executive leadership.
- Champion continuous improvement by capturing lessons learned across projects and translating them into stronger design standards and future project delivery.

Leadership Mandate
This role requires more than an accomplished technical designer.

The successful candidate will have demonstrated experience leading substantial engineering organisations and creating the structure necessary for teams to deliver consistently across multiple projects and geographies.

The ability to delegate effectively, establish clear ownership, manage performance, develop talent and make decisive technical calls will therefore be central to success.

Key Requirements:
- Extensive experience in mechanical and electrical design and engineering within data centres, mission-critical facilities or similarly complex critical infrastructure environments.
- A strong demonstrable track record leading sizeable multidisciplinary engineering or design teams, including managing senior-level direct reports.
Proven experience delivering large-scale critical infrastructure projects from design development through construction and project completion.
- Significant experience managing multiple complex projects concurrently, ideally across different countries or markets.
- Deep understanding of M&E systems associated with mission-critical infrastructure and the principles of redundancy, resilience, reliability and maintainability.
- Strong understanding of the relationship between design, construction, commissioning and ongoing operations within mission-critical environments.
- Demonstrated ability to establish design governance, technical standards and consistent engineering practices across a large project portfolio.
- Strong commercial and programme awareness, with the ability to balance engineering excellence against cost, schedule, constructability and speed-to-market.
- Experience managing engineering consultants, contractors, suppliers and other external technical stakeholders.
- Strong stakeholder management and influencing capabilities, with the credibility to engage senior executives as well as highly technical engineering teams.
- Proven ability to recruit, mentor, develop and retain high-performing engineering professionals and future leaders.
- Experience working across APAC or within a similarly complex multi-market environment would be highly advantageous.
- A relevant degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering or a related engineering discipline. Professional engineering qualifications would be advantageous.


If you are interested to find out more, apply now!