The Executive Skillset for the Next Generation of Infrastructure
What AI infrastructure should really be looking for in their execs
The future of AI infrastructure will not be built by technology alone. It will be built by leaders and savvy subject matter experts who can navigate the complexities of power generation.
For over a decade, shifting policy environments have reshaped power generation, both domestically and internationally. In Ohio, 2014 setback regulations erased billions in planned wind investment. In Mexico, abrupt decentralization followed by re-centralization disrupted market confidence. And in 2025, sudden Federal policy reversals have again upended utility-scale wind and solar overnight.
These dramatic policy shifts have given way to digital infrastructure’s most critical bottleneck: available power. For years, data centers could simply “plug into the grid.” That era is over. Growth increasingly requires co-located generation and battery storage. Developing such assets demands decades of expertise. Which is why digital infrastructure developers must recruit seasoned power generation executives and SMEs to drive expansion.
Data center developers must navigate serious complexities to build power generation assets, all of which are highly technical and market-specific. They must consider questions such as: What is permissible in one market versus another? How and where do you connect to the grid? What are the best technologies to deploy? Furthermore, across all asset classes, EPC execution remains a daunting challenge.
Adding to the challenge, power-gen executives and SMEs were once sought exclusively by IPPs and utilities, a relatively contained field of competition. Today, long-haul transmission developers and Big Tech have entered the hunt, further depleting an already limited supply of talent.
That’s where Joe Amara Executive Search comes in. We specialize in connecting power generation expertise with digital infrastructure ambition, ensuring our clients have the leadership teams and SMEs capable of navigating complexity and driving growth in this new era.
***
Joe Amara Executive Search represents companies in power generation, transmission, and digital infrastructure, with a focus on leadership and niche technical hires.
