Vertiv Driving Innovation 2023:
The Prefabricated Modular Revolution

Karsten Winther
President, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Vertiv 

Karsten Winther is President of Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) for Vertiv. He joined the company in 2019 as Vice President of Sales for EMEA and was promoted to his current position in March 2022. Karsten leads the overall EMEA strategy and performance focused on transitioning towards increasing customer-centric go-to-market approach.

Karsten has over 20 years of tech industry experience in management, sales and marketing functions, including a strong focus on channel and vertical markets. He has also led transformation of large-scale sales organisations. Before joining Vertiv, he held regional and country sales roles at Epson and NEC, and Cobham SATCOM, where he led global sales, marketing and service.

Karsten studied Business Economics at Copenhagen Business School and also completed a 2-year Rising Star programme at Esade in Barcelona, with emphasis on Strategy, Finance, Innovation, CSR and Leadership. He is a Danish native and lives in Copenhagen with his family.

Vladimir Galabov
Research Director, Cloud and Data Centre, Omdia

Vlad Galabov is Research Director of Cloud and Data Centre for Omdia. He joined the company in 2016 and was promoted to his current position in March 2021. Vlad is responsible for the cloud and data centre research practice’s expanding roadmap, focused on disruptive trends such as the shift to edge computing, the evolution of compute silicon, and the need for efficiency improvements and sustainability in the data centre industry.

Vlad has over 13 years of tech industry experience and has previously held senior positions at Intel and Ciena, where his data-led insights served as a central input into the companies’ strategies. He has developed key market models including an in-depth analysis of telecommunications network operations costs, a PC inventory tracker, and an actionable IOT market forecast. His work has even facilitated decision-making in the British Parliament.

Vlad holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and Management from Aston University. He currently lives in London.

Viktor Petik

Vice President for Integrated Modular Solutions, Europe Middle East and Africa 

Viktor Petik is Vice President of the Integrated Modular Solutions business for Europe Middle East and Africa at Vertiv, where  promoted to his current position in September 2017. Viktor is in charge of helping Vertiv expand in the fast-growing market of modular data centre technologies, including prefabricated modular data centres and micro data centres. 

Viktor has over 20 years of tech industry experience and has previously held management positions at SAR Elektronic GmbH. He joined Emerson Network Power in 2006 and was appointed as Managing Director for Integrated Modular Solutions in 2011. He was promoted to his current position in September 2017.

Viktor holds a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering in Zagreb and an EMBA degree from Cortrugli Business School. He currently lives in Croatia.

Kresimir Krpan

Senior Director, Solutions Architecture and Presales Engineering EMEA

Kresimir Krpan is EMEA Senior Director of Solutions Architecture and Presales Engineering for Vertiv in Europe, Middle East, and Africa. Kresimir and his team have been designing and delivering complex Datacenter, Telecom, and Oil & Gas solutions to customers across EMEA, as well as the Americas and APAC regions.  

Kresimir has over 17 years of tech industry experience. He joined the company in June 2006 as a Shelter Solutions Engineer and was involved in system design, project engineering, project management, and site supervision. He was appointed as Presales Engineering Manager for Emerson Network Power in March 2012 and since held managing positions in Solutions Architecture and Solution Sales before being promoted to his current position in July 2023.

Kresimir holds a Master’s degree in Power Engineering from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing in Zagreb and an EMBA degree in Business Administration and Management from Cotrugli Business School. He currently lives in Croatia. 

Gareth McElroy

Director of Technical Facilities, MEEZA

Gareth McElroy is Director of Technical Facilities for MEEZA. He joined MEEZA in May 2021 where he is responsible for the operation and management of all its M-Vault facilities, as well as providing technical leadership on MEEZA’s strategic future growth. Gareth was previously engaged as MEEZA’s Data Centre Construction Manager where he oversaw the successful deliver of two new prefabricated modular data centers as well as an internal refurbishment of an existing facility.

Gareth has 20 years of engineering design consultancy experience. In June 2014, Gareth joined Desco as an Associate Director, an established UK Design Consultancy with offices in Doha. In 2016 he led the successful delivery of the first prefabricated modular data center solution in Qatar as part of the new Hamad Port Mega Project.

Gareth holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Technology and Design including Industrial Studies from the University of Ulster. He also attended BIFHE part time for two years to obtain HNC in Building Services Design. He relocated from Belfast in 2014 and now lives in Doha, Qatar.

Mikael Svanfeldt

CTO, EcoDataCenter

Mikael is CTO at EcoDataCenter, a Nordic wholesale colocation operator focused on sustainable HPC and AI customer segments. He joined the company in early 2019 as the second employee and has since then been responsible for the design and supported the execution teams with constructing the data centers. EcoDataCenter do all design, execution and operations inhouse and work directly with manufacturers of capacity components, while employing local entrepreneurs to integrate the systems into operational data centers. The primary focus is sustainable design and operation, throughout the lifespan of the facilities. One example of this is to build entire data centers out of cross laminated timber.

Mikael has more than 10 years of dedicated design and construction experience in the data center industry and another 5 years in mission critical facilities such as hospitals and oil & gas. He joined Schneider Electric in 2009 where he held different positions including project manager and department manager for cross business units, technical presales and execution teams across Nordics, Baltics, UK & Ireland and Middle East.

Mikael holds a Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering and Management, focused on energy systems, from the Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden. He currently lives in Sweden.

Ela Pticek

Architect in Design Engineering, IMS

Ela Pticek is an Architect in Design Engineering, IMS for Vertiv. She joined Vertiv in 2021, where she works on delivering medium and high-complexity projects focused on fire safety, building durability, life cycle, material selection, and architectural and local code compliance in the EMEA region. Ela recently started more detailed research on how to construct according to the ever-growing demand for sustainable building with a main focus on the calculation of life cycle assessment for Vertiv solutions.

Ela has 4 years of architecture industry experience. She holds a Master’s degree in Architecture from the University of Zagreb and became a certified architect in 2021. Ela currently lives in Croatia.

Tea Helman Jukić 

Owner and Principal Architect, Arhitektonski studio Helman & Jukić

Tea Helman Jukić is Owner and Principal Architect for Arhitektonski studio Helman & Jukić. She started the company in January 2000 with Hrvoje Jukić and they have built its professional profile in the direction of digital and green transformation ever since.

Tea has over 25 years of practice in the AEC industry, with vast experience in designing technical buildings of various uses. Her professional experience started with designing car dealerships and workshops but includes wastewater treatment facilities and many more. Tea started using BIM in the design process in 2010 and turned her focus to green and more sustainable designing from 2015. In 2013 she started working for Emerson Network Power, before joining Vertiv in 2016, to work on modular data centers. Tea designed Vertiv’s offices in Zagreb and is currently working on carbon footprint calculations for several projects.

Tea holds a Master’s degree in Architecture from the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Zagreb and is a Licensed Architect. Tea is a Member of Croatian Chamber of Architects, Management Board of Zagreb Architects Association, Expert-Scientific Council of Croation Green Building Council, Croation Employers’ Association (AEC designers’ section) and is an International DGNB Consultant. She currently lives in Zagreb, Croatia.

Lucijana Kasumović 
Marketing Director, Integrated Modular Solutions, Vertiv

Lucijana Kasumović is Marketing Director for Vertiv’s worldwide Integrated Modular Solutions. She joined Vertiv in December 2016 as Marketing Manager EMEA for Integrated Modular Solutions and was promoted to her current position in January 2023. Lucijana is in charge of helping Vertiv’s business leaders for Solutions to best position their products on the market and bring the clear message to the customers of modular data centre technologies, including prefabricated modular data centres and micro data centres.

Lucijana has over 20 years of tech industry marketing experience and has previously held marketing and sales positions at Emerson Network Power. She joined Emerson Network Power in 2003 and was appointed as Sales support & Marketing for CSE Region.

Lucijana holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the Faculty of Economics and Business in Zagreb and is attending MBA program at same Faculty. She currently lives in Croatia.