How the APAC Region is Paving the Path Toward Economic Recovery Post COVID-19
While cases of COVID-19 are still rising in areas of the world, like parts of South America, some countries in the Asia Pacific region have moved past the worst of it and are reopening their economies after the pandemic forced many businesses to close. Countries still reeling from the effects of the virus are looking to the APAC region as an example of how to thrive in the face of a global pandemic.
With data centers in China, where the outbreak began, and across Hong Kong and Singapore, BDx has had a front-row seat as COVID-19 progressed. In May, BDx leaders from various parts of the APAC region came together for a virtual executive roundtable to discuss how economies can move through a pandemic and succeed in its wake. A Look Into Asia: Paving thePath Ahead can be viewed in its entirety at the bottom of this page. Below, we’ve outlined some highlights.
The Ramp Up
David Kim, COO of BDx, explained how datacenter companies in the APAC region, like BDx, have stayed ahead. During the roundtable, Kim said, “We were close to the pandemic in China and we implemented precautionary measures early. We’re somewhat fortunate to be close to the epicenter and have had early clues.”
Because of those early warning signs, BDx ran business continuity planning for clients and implemented safety precautions for staff early, like limiting access to facilities and stepping up cleaning and safety measures.
Kim shared a personal story on proceeding with a planned trip to Nanjing, China, where a BDx data center is under construction, when travel restrictions within the country were imminent. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an already tight construction schedule to be condensed even further. Kim wanted to ensure that things would move forward since data center services are even more crucial now due to increased demand for bandwidth and connectivity.
“I wanted to make sure I could be on the ground locally for a few months to ensure a successful build of the datacenter,” said Kim. “Knowing there would be travel restrictions, I chose to station myself in Nanjing.”
Moving Through the Crisis
Kim said companies have adapted how they work, with more clients utilizing remote hands service instead of physically accessing their infrastructure within facilities. The BDx team has shifted as well, conducting virtual meetings and tours instead of in-person meetings, all of which helps clients move forward with plans instead of being forced to cancel projects.
Mayank Srivastava, Head of M&A Strategy for BDx, said business trends happening during the pandemic have implications on future investments. IT timelines that used to take months or even years are now being completed in a matter of weeks as demand for service soars. He’s keeping an especially keen eye on Singapore. Between the time BDx acquired the site in early April and the end of this year, Srivastava expects capacity to be at approximately 80%, an increase of 30%.
Post Pandemic
Braham Singh, CEO for BDx, closed out the session by saying 2020 is a year that won’t easily be forgotten. He commented that the pandemic has changed the fundamentals of our lives, including the way we do business and connect with friends and family.
“I see the travel industry being halted to the extent that corporations will look back at what happened and realize they didn’t do badly through virtual connections,” said Singh. “This is going to alter business, but it’s not going to be bad for us. We connect virtual infrastructure, which will become more mainstream. Data centers will remain essential and you have to ensure your country’s IT infrastructure is housed securely.”
More Musings
The 60-minute executive roundtable also addresses BDx’s core services and offers a look at business development plans, like their strategy for bringing new locations into the network. Moderator Evan Kirstel, B2B thought leader and tech influencer, made some clever references, comparing the BDx team to what it may be like to team up with the crew of the Starship Enterprise, the ship famously navigated by Capt. James T. Kirk and the rest of the Star Trek cast, and commented that BDx offers the Rolls Royce of on-boarding services for new clients.
If you’d like to learn more about BDx’s services and how we can connect your business to more parts of the world, please contact us!