E85: The Next Power Shift: How Asia Is Building the AI Era
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- The transition to 800VDC power architecture is revolutionizing AI data centers offering significant efficiency gains and freeing up critical data center space by eliminating traditional backup power systems
- This shift is strategically vital for hyperscalers committed to carbon neutrality as 800VDC is compatible with DC-power-native renewable energy, supporting sustainability goals and reducing operational costs
- Global adoption of 800VDC is projected to rapidly accelerate, with new data center capacity expected to reach 25 gigawatts annually by 2030 presenting substantial growth opportunities in the power equipment supply chain
Kyna Wong and Pierre Lau join Erica Poon Werkun to discuss the shift to 800VDC power architecture in AI data centers. This seemingly arcane technological change will have profound impacts on a number of AI-related sectors, and investment implications across Asia.
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Erica Poon Werkun, Head of Research for JANA & Asia South
Erica joined Citi during June 2025 as JANA and Asia South Deputy Head of Research and became the Interim Head of Research for JANA & Asia South in September 2025. She was Managing Director and Head of Asia Pacific Research at Credit Suisse from 2019 to 2024 and previously worked at UBS for 15 years, as Head of Research in China, and before that as Head of Asian Consumer & Internet Research. Before joining UBS, she was at Goldman Sachs covering the Consumer and Technology sectors in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Erica also worked in technology investment banking for CSFB in Palo Alto and Hong Kong, and Cowen in New York and San Francisco. Erica holds a BS in Economics from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, is a board member of the Wharton Executive Board for Asia and is a recipient of the Individual Achievement Award for Women in Finance Asia.
Kyna Wong, China Technology and Telecom Research
Kyna Wong joined Citi Research as the Head of China Technology and Telecom Research in July 2023. She has 13 years of experience in Asia/Greater China technology equities research in several global banks and seven years of experience in the tech industry. Before joining Citi, Ms. Wong was the Head of China Technology and Telecom Research at Credit Suisse. Prior to this, Kyna worked in the equities research teams at Bank of America Merrill Lynch and BNP Paribas, with a focus on Asia semiconductor and China solar research, respectively.
Pierre Lau, Asia Utilities Research
Pierre Lau, a Managing Director, is the China Equity Strategist and Head of Pan-Asia Utilities Research. Based in Hong Kong, Pierre joined Citi Research in 2006 from ABN Amro, where he was Head of Asia Utilities and Infrastructure Research from 2003. Pierre has 26 years of experience in utilities research, including six in project financing and 20 in equity research, and has been covering China stocks since 2000.
