Episode #66 of the Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast features an interview with Gregory Ratcliff, Chief Innovation Officer at Vertiv.
- Discover Greg Ratcliff's career journey and his role as Chief Innovation Officer at Vertiv
- Understand Vertiv's innovation process and the typical life cycle of new technologies
- Learn about Greg's collaboration with other innovation leaders and industry organizations
- Gain insights on advising early-career and mid-career professionals in the data center industry
- Explore the major challenges facing the data center industry and Vertiv's approach to addressing them
- Understand how Greg leverages AI tools to improve efficiency and productivity in his work
- Identify potential future podcast guests based on Greg's recommendations
Host:
Joshua Feinberg, CEO
DCSMI
Special Guest:
Gregory Ratcliff, Chief Innovation Officer
Vertiv
Greg Ratcliff, Chief Innovation Officer at Vertiv, discusses his journey to leading innovation at Vertiv.
He highlights the importance of collaboration with university researchers and industry practitioners through organizations like UIDP. Ratcliff emphasizes the role of innovation in preparing for future technologies, citing examples like lithium batteries and liquid cooling for AI.
He also discusses the challenges of rapid data center growth in metro areas and the need for efficient resource use. Ratcliff advises mid-career professionals to leverage their experience and be open to new learning opportunities. He also mentions the impact of AI on efficiency and the importance of STEM education for future talent.
Outline
Greg Ratcliff's Career Journey and Role at Vertiv
- Joshua Feinberg introduces Greg Ratcliff, Chief Innovation Officer at Vertiv, and asks about his career path.
- Greg explains that Vertiv started in central Ohio in the mid-60s as the Liebert Corporation, focusing on precision cooling and clean power for mainframes. Emerson Electric acquired Liebert.
- In 2016, as the company rebranded to Vertiv, Greg was tasked by his chief technology officer, Steve Liang, with leading innovation.
- Greg describes his role as ensuring Vertiv is ready for technological changes and engaging talent with new technologies.
Innovation Process and Technology Life Cycle at Vertiv
- Joshua inquires about the typical life cycle of ideas at Vertiv from concept to commercial product.
- Greg provides examples, such as lithium batteries in data centers taking 10 years from lab to commercial readiness, and liquid cooling for AI taking a few years.
- Vertiv's process involves handing over technology to engineering teams before it's commercially ready to engage talent early.
- Greg mentions a recent event where they turned over some technology to the engineering team, emphasizing the importance of early engagement.
Collaboration with Other Innovation Leaders
- Joshua asks about collaboration with other innovative officers and ecosystems.
- Greg discusses joining organizations like Innov8rs and UIDP (University-Industry Demonstration Partnership) to share best practices and processes.
- UIDP connects university researchers to industry practitioners, helping them work together across various industries.
- Greg highlights the value of learning from other industries and applying best practices to data centers.
Advice for Early Career Professionals
- Joshua asks for advice for students or early career professionals interested in client-facing roles in digital infrastructure.
- Greg emphasizes the importance of service staff roles and mentions that Vertiv's CEO came from the service organization.
- He especially encourages military veteran students for their quality mindset and readiness to work in service roles.
- Greg shares a story about the Navy's focus on fixing issues without causing harm, which is also important in data centers.
Career Advice for Mid-Career Professionals
- Joshua asks for advice for mid-career professionals feeling stuck or burned out in the industry.
- Greg advises mid-career professionals not to fear their experience and to be open to learning new skills.
- He shares an example of coders with a solid foundation in assembly language easily adapting to new languages like Python.
- Greg emphasizes the diverse opportunities in data centers, including operations, service, sustainability, and logistics.
Challenges in the Data Center Industry
- Joshua asks about the biggest challenges facing the industry.
- Greg discusses big players' rapid growth and land grabs in metro areas, leading to power and water constraints.
- He mentions the importance of efficiency and new technologies like liquid cooling and sensible cooling to address these challenges.
- Greg highlights the need for standards to compare different sites based on computing work per kilowatt and renewable resources.
Future of Innovation and AI Impact
- Joshua asks about the future of innovation and the role of AI.
- Greg believes innovation will combine with planning and strategy, becoming more integrated with business outcomes.
- He discusses using AI tools like Grammarly and specialized search tools to improve efficiency and accuracy.
- Greg mentions AI pilots for coding at Vertiv, which aim to increase efficiency and reduce project timelines.
Discovery and Scouting Process at Vertiv
- Joshua inquires about the discovery process for innovation projects at Vertiv.
- Greg explains the role of scouts and liaisons who are actively involved in daily challenges and bringing ideas to the innovation office.
- Vertiv also encourages employees to send in their ideas, connecting them to nine challenges for the business.
- The goal is to fund nearly all ideas in some way, either immediately or later, to ensure a rich discovery process.
AI Tools and Efficiency in the Workplace
- Joshua asks about the impact of AI on Greg's daily routine.
- Greg discusses using AI tools, such as Grammarly, for language improvement and specialized search tools for patents and references.
- He mentions the importance of AI tools that provide sources and references to validate information.
- Greg discusses AI's role in making repetitive tasks like contract reviews more efficient, freeing up time for more complex tasks.
Suggestions for Future Podcast Guests
- Joshua asks for suggestions for future podcast guests.
- Greg recommends interviewing experts from iMasons, an organization focused on workforce development and the future of data centers.
- He offers to connect Joshua with Santiago or Dean Nelson from iMasons for further insights.
- Joshua thanked Greg for his time and insights, and they concluded the podcast episode.
Guest Resources
- Connect with Gregory Ratcliff, Chief Innovation Officer at Vertiv, on LinkedIn
- Follow Vertiv on LinkedIn
- Learn About Vertiv
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