TECH
EXPLOSIVE GROWTH
Senior appointment – Durata director Alison McGee welcomes new commercial director Ashaan Ayoub to the firm ’ s Middlesbrough offices .
IN 2025
WORDS : PAUL FRASER PICTURES : TOM BANKS
Durata leading the charge in AI-powered data centres
Durata , the Middlesbrough-based innovator in modular data centre solutions , is set to experience its most significant year yet , driven by groundbreaking developments in the data centre space and the growing demands of artificial intelligence ( AI ).
With a strategic focus on cutting-edge modular data centre technology , Durata is positioned at the forefront of a global technological revolution which has led to an expanding team .
This ambitious growth trajectory is fuelled by a partnership with a leading provider of high-performance computing solutions and infrastructure for AI applications .
This collaboration will see Durata design , build and deploy next-generation modular data centres specifically engineered to handle the intense workloads and evolving requirements of AI technologies .
“ AI is here to stay and is only going to get more advanced ,” said John McGee , managing director of Durata .
“ We are at the forefront of building more factory data centres . Think of it this way : the first drones being used for delivery by Amazon are coming out of Darlington , highlighting the impact AI will have going forward in this country and around the world .
“ The UK tends to follow the US in many ways , but we are working concurrently with other developments across the Atlantic because Durata is building one of the first AI-focused data centres in Europe , right here in the North-East .”
Durata ’ s modular data centres offer a solution to the challenges posed by AI ’ s rapid advancement .
Their state-of-the-art designs prioritise energy efficiency and provide scalable infrastructure that can adapt to technological progress .
This agility is crucial in a field where innovation is relentless .
“ We are going global ,” said John .
“ With the levels and rate at which we are growing and the level where we want to be , we need a bigger team that handles the commercial side across a wider offer and works closer to maintain communication with our clients .”
This expansion of the workforce has already translated into five new hires for Durata .
Ashaan Ayoub has joined as commercial director , bringing a decade of experience in quantity surveying and a proven ability to build high-performing teams .
Claire Allport has arrived as compliance assistant , Kieran Fawcett takes on the role of building information management specialist and Mitch Brady has joined as mechanical project manager , while the accounts department is strengthened with the appointments of Louise Pearson as finance associate and Alison Robson as head of finance .
“ These appointments are part of a huge growth spurt ,” said John . “ We now
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