The iMasons Innovation Podcast Thought Leadership

Originally streamed live on February 3rd, 2026.  To participate in future sessions, live—and ask questions in real time—visit the Events – Infrastructure Masons page and register.   ------------  In this episode of the iMasons Innovation Committee series, we introduce a brand‑new format: ten‑minute spotlight presentations from cutting‑edge innovators shaping the future of digital infrastructure.  Hosted by Romain Trunchant, Chair of the Innovation Committee, this session features two start‑ups from the iMasons Incubator program—each tackling critical challenges facing data centers as the industry scales rapidly to meet AI-driven demand.  🔋 First, we hear from Dr. Hector Lancaster, co‑founder and CEO of SuperSix, who shares how next‑generation supercapacitors could transform short‑duration energy storage, improve power quality, reduce fire risk, and unlock new efficiencies across compute, grid interface, and backup power systems.  Hector breaks down why traditional batteries struggle with high‑power needs, how supercapacitors differ fundamentally, and how SuperSix’s breakthroughs in advanced materials could reshape data center power architectures.  💧 Next, Priyanka from Water From Air presents a radical rethinking of industrial cooling and water generation. Her team of mechanical engineers has developed a low‑energy atmospheric water extraction system powered by data center waste heat—producing ultra‑pure water for adiabatic cooling, reducing peak power demand, and offering new ways to manage water scarcity in hot and arid regions.  Following both presentations, Romain brings Hector and Priyanka back for a rich conversation on entrepreneurship, product‑market fit, working with the iMasons community, and the guidance and partnerships they’re seeking as they move toward pilots and real‑world deployments.  Whether you're passionate about energy innovation, sustainability, or the future of digital infrastructure, this episode offers fresh perspectives from two emerging technology leaders shaping what comes next.  Guests:  Hector Lancaster, CEO & Co-Founder at Super6 Ltd  Priyanka Kompella, Chief Operating Officer at Water From Air  Moderator:  Romain Tranchant, iMasons Innovation Committee Chair 

Originally streamed live on Oct 8, 2025. To participate in future sessions, live—and ask questions in real time—visit the Events – Infrastructure Masons page and register.  ------------ This panel brings together leaders in AI optimisation, power management, and infrastructure innovation to examine how data centre operators can enhance efficiency while maintaining resilience. The conversation covers the critical balance between energy efficiency and operational risk, the adoption of predictive analytics and real-time monitoring, and the role of AI-driven cooling strategies.  The panel also discusses low-capex efficiency measures, the risks of introducing advanced technologies into existing sites, and how modular, scalable infrastructure can support fluctuating demand while enabling more sustainable operations. Guests: Danel Turk , Global Portfolio Manager, ABB Data Centers.  Eric Topham, CEO and Co-Founder, OctaiPipe. Joshua (JP)Buzzell, Vice President, Data Center Chief Architect, Eaton.  Dr. Parag Mehresh, Director of Technical Sales, Vertiv. Moderator: Romain Tranchant, iMasons Innovation Committee Chair

Originally streamed live on November 12th , 2025.  To participate in future sessions, live—and ask questions in real time—visit the Events – Infrastructure Masons page and register.   ------------  The digital infrastructure industry is entering a new era of accountability. Regulations such as the SEC’s climate disclosure rule and the EU’s CSRD and CSDDD demand detailed reporting on environmental and social impacts — far beyond traditional metrics like power usage effectiveness (PUE).  At the same time, the challenge is intensifying. Forecasts from Goldman Sachs forecasts that data centre emissions could more than double by 2030, putting many operators off track for their net-zero commitments. Customers and investors are watching closely, increasingly basing decisions on credible, transparent reporting. Weak or inconsistent data is no longer just a compliance risk — it threatens contracts, investment, and trust.  This panel brings together leaders from Iron Mountain Data Center, CBRE and Clear Decisions.to explore how operators can keep pace with fast-evolving regulations, close reporting gaps, and turn compliance from a burden into a differentiator in the eyes of customers, regulators, and society.  Guest Speakers: Chris Pennington, Energy & Sustainability Director at Iron Mountain Centers  Martin Reed, Global Energy& Sustainability Director, CBRE  Maximilian Weidl, CEO & Co-Founder, Clear Decisions  Moderator:  Romain Tranchant, iMasons Innovation Committee Chair 

Joel Farrington, UK Sales Manager for Legrand’s Critical Power Division, shares his expertise in navigating complex power infrastructure decisions. In this conversation, we delve into the evolving relationships between clients, operators, and suppliers—and examine what it takes to design accountable, future-ready systems.  Moderator:   Romain Tranchant, Chair of the Innovation Committee  Guest:  Joel Farrington, UK Sales Manager for the Critical Power Division, Legrand Data Center Solutions  ***  Infrastructure Masons (iMasons) is a global, non-profit, professional association of individuals connected and empowered to build a greater digital future for all.  #iMasons #InfrastructureMasons #Innovation #ThoughtLeadership 

Originally streamed live on September 18, 2025. To participate in future sessions, live—and ask questions in real time—visit the Events – Infrastructure Masons page and register.  -------------------------------------------------- This panel brings together leaders from Southwire , Enchanted Rock and RE24 to explore how next-generation data centres can secure power that is reliable, cost-effective, and sustainable.  The discussion explores the evolving balance between grid-delivered electricity and on‑site generation, the practical feasibility of hourly‑matched renewable energy, and how hydrogen‑ready and advanced gas generation technologies are shaping modern resilience strategies. The panel also delves into innovations in transmission, distribution, and cabling that are accelerating renewable integration, as well as the growing influence of community engagement and ESG priorities on infrastructure investment decisions. Guests: Joel E. Wynn, VP of Data Center Solutions Sale, Southwire Pete DiSanto, Executive Vice President, Data Centers, Enchanted Rock. (Recorded during Pete’s tenure at Enchanted Rock.) Dan Tennakoon – Founder & CEO, RE24 Moderator: Romain Tranchant, iMasons Innovation Committee Chair – Youtube link - https://youtu.be/ERoY9XpmVH4 

In this episode, Romain Tranchant, Chair of the iMasons Innovation Committee, reveals how innovation will operate at iMasons in 2026: as a structured, predictable, and participative system. You’ll hear how the committee has moved to a 12-month operating model, introduced working groups, expanded global timezone coverage, and created clearer pathways for members, partners, and innovators to get involved.  The episode features two fireside chats that anchor both vision and execution.  First, Cyre Quinones, CEO of iMasons, shares her perspective on the unique position iMasons holds in the digital infrastructure industry. She explains what makes the community credible, why innovation at iMasons is different from traditional industry approaches, and where she sees the greatest opportunity for iMasons to create influence and value.  Then, Rudolf Gordon-Seymour, EMEA Regional Director, brings the regional and operational perspective. He explores how this vision translates into real engagement on the ground, how members and partners can activate locally, and why the Innovation Committee model creates momentum that goes beyond individual events or initiatives.  Together, these conversations show how iMasons connects leadership vision with practical execution. From working groups and open meetings, to thought leadership sessions, the startup incubator, and pitch competitions, this episode makes it clear how innovation is no longer something to observe, but something to step into.  By the end of the episode, you’ll understand:  How innovation at iMasons is structured in 2026  Why leadership is fully behind this model  How global vision connects with regional action  Exactly where and how you can get involved  Innovation at iMasons is now a system. This episode shows you how to use it.  🔗Engage with the Innovation Committee All the ways to get involved are available in one place:  working groups, open meetings, thought leadership, the startup incubator, pitch competitions, and content.  *** Access the Engagement Hub here:  👉 https://forms.gle/nPuU8rq8N8Cq8UhTA  This is your single entry point to participate in iMasons Innovation.  ***  Guests:   Cyre Quinones, CEO of iMasons  Rudolf Gordon-Seymour, EMEA Regional Director of iMasons  Moderator: Romain Tranchant, iMasons Innovation Committee Chair  *** Infrastructure Masons (iMasons) is a global, non-profit, professional association of individuals connected and empowered to build a greater digital future for all.  #iMasons #InfrastructureMasons #Innovation #ThoughtLeadership   

Innovation Unwrapped is a fast-paced overview of what’s ahead for iMasons Innovation in 2026 and beyond. In this recorded session, iMasons Innovation Committee leaders share highlights from the committee’s roadmap, upcoming initiatives, and opportunities for members and partners to get involved — from new working groups to future events and collaborations. This session covers: Innovation Committee priorities and roadmap Current projects and incubator updates Upcoming events and opportunities to engage How members and partners can participate Whether you’re an active iMasons member or exploring ways to collaborate, this session offers a clear look at how innovation is being shaped across the iMasons community. 🔗 Learn more about iMasons Innovation: https://imasons.org/initiatives/innov... 🔔 Subscribe for more Innovation sessions and committee updates.

What if everything we know about data centres — from power and cooling to management — needed to be reinvented from scratch? In this episode of the iMasons Podcast, Romain Tranchant sits down with Yuval Bachar, Founder & CEO of ECL, to explore how he’s redefining what a sustainable, modular, and energy-conscious data centre can be.  Yuval shares how innovation now moves in 12-month cycles instead of four-year ones, and why leaders must create space for teams to take risks, fail fast, and learn faster. They talk about the shift from competition to collaboration, the coming energy crunch, and how data-centre operators might soon play a direct role in power generation.  It’s a conversation about technology, leadership, and mindset — from lessons borrowed from NASA to the optimism and curiosity that fuel every breakthrough. If you want to hear how true innovation happens when we dare to start from zero, this episode is for you.  Guest: Yuval Bachar, Founder and CEO of Edge Cloud Link  Moderator: Romain Tranchant, iMasons Innovation Committee Chair  ***  Infrastructure Masons (iMasons) is a global, non-profit, professional association of individuals connected and empowered to build a greater digital future for all.  #iMasons #InfrastructureMasons #Innovation #ThoughtLeadership 

What happens when a century-old manufacturer decides that sustainability isn’t a department — it’s the business itself?  In this episode of the iMasons Podcast, I sit down with Burt Fealing, Executive Vice President, General Counsel, Corporate Secretary, and Chief Sustainability Officer at Southwire, to explore how one of America’s largest wire and cable companies is rewiring its operations for a carbon-neutral future.  We talk about what it really takes to align five ESG pillars with commercial reality, how to trace embedded carbon all the way back to the mine, and what happens when transparency meets tough internal resistance. Burt shares lessons from Southwire’s journey to carbon neutrality by 2025, the breakthroughs that worked, and the strategies that didn’t.  It’s a conversation about leadership under pressure, the courage to publish real data, and how sustainability becomes transformative only when it stops being convenient. If you want to hear what ESG looks like when it’s lived, not just written — this episode is for you.  Guest:   Burt Fealing, Executive Vice President, General Counsel, Corporate Secretary and Chief Sustainability Officer at Southwire  Moderator: Romain Tranchant, iMasons Innovation Committee Chair  ***  Infrastructure Masons (iMasons) is a global, non-profit, professional association of individuals connected and empowered to build a greater digital future for all.  #iMasons #InfrastructureMasons #Innovation #ThoughtLeadership     

In this episode of the iMasons Podcast, host Romain Tranchant sits down with Nabeel Mahmood, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Nomad Futurist, to explore how education, talent, and innovation come together to shape the future of digital infrastructure. From his global career to his work inspiring the next generation, Nabeel shares what drives his mission to make our industry more visible, accessible, and purposeful.  Together, they dive into powerful questions — why does innovation start with learning? What makes real talent stand out in a world of AI and automation? And how can education spark a movement that transforms not just technology, but people?  If you're invested in shaping the future of digital infrastructure leadership — and want to discover how to ignite passion in the next generation — this is a conversation you won’t want to miss."  Guest: Nabeel Mahmood, co-founder and managing director of Nomad futurist, board member for both private and public company  Moderator:  Romain Tranchant, iMasons Innovation Committee Chair  ***  Infrastructure Masons (iMasons) is a global, non-profit, professional association of individuals connected and empowered to build a greater digital future for all.  #iMasons #InfrastructureMasons #Innovation #ThoughtLeadership