The Johor Interconnect Forum 2025 is the premier gathering for industry leaders, policymakers, and technology innovators, dedicated to shaping the future of connectivity and telecommunications in Johor and the broader Southeast Asian region.
As digital transformation accelerates, Johor is rapidly positioning itself as a pivotal hub for interconnectivity, powered by its strategic location, robust infrastructure, and surging investments in data centers, fiber networks, and cross-border digital ecosystems. With the region’s demand for seamless, high-speed, and scalable connectivity at an all-time high, this forum provides an unparalleled platform to explore the latest trends, engage in high-impact discussions, and forge strategic partnerships that will define the next phase of digital infrastructure development.
Attendees will gain exclusive insights from key decision-makers, global tech leaders, and industry disruptors, tackling critical topics such as advanced infrastructure, AI-driven connectivity solutions, sustainability, and the future of cross-border digital trade. Whether you’re looking to stay ahead of emerging industry shifts, connect with influential stakeholders, or explore business opportunities in the evolving interconnectivity landscape, this is the must-attend event of 2025.
This keynote will explore how the Johor Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) is positioned to become a pivotal driver of economic integration and digital connectivity between Malaysia and Singapore. The session will highlight the JS-SEZ’s strategic role in fostering cross-border investments, accelerating infrastructure development, and enabling high-value industries such as digital trade, data centers, logistics, and advanced manufacturing. It will also emphasize the importance of regulatory harmonization, talent mobility, and sustainable development as cornerstones of long-term bilateral success.
Addressing:
• The role of hyperscalers, GPUaaS, and AI infrastructure in Johor’s growth
• Cross-border connectivity with Singapore and its implications for latency and traffic routing
• The Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ): what opportunities will it unlock?
• Risks, regulatory hurdles, and long-term competitiveness in the region
Despite its rapid growth in data center and digital infrastructure investments, Johor still relies heavily on Singapore for core network connectivity. As demand for low-latency, high-capacity links surges—driven by AI, cloud services, and cross-border platforms—this dependency becomes a bottleneck for resilience, autonomy, and growth.
This keynote explores Johor’s path toward digital sovereignty by enhancing its local and regional interconnection fabric. It will address:
• The limitations of current connectivity models and why reliance on Singapore hinders long-term growth
• Strategic priorities for Johor’s own IXs, fiber infrastructure, and cable landing stations
• The case for localizing traffic exchange through public-private collaboration and regional peering
• How to incentivize network providers, hyperscalers, and content platforms to land traffic in Johor
With rising demand for digital infrastructure, Johor stands at the cusp of becoming more than just Singapore’s overflow—it has the opportunity to lead as a regional data center hub. The vision for a next-generation Data Center Park in Johor isn’t just about building facilities; it’s about creating a connected, scalable, and sustainable digital ecosystem that powers ASEAN’s digital transformation.
This keynote will explore:
• Why Johor? Strategic location, FTZ advantages, land availability, and proximity to regional IXs and subsea routes
• From isolated sites to interconnected campus models: creating a park with shared infrastructure, power, cooling, and security
• Sustainable by design: Incorporating renewables, liquid cooling, and green building standards from the ground up
• Building for AI and cloud: Power and network readiness for high-density workloads and hyperscaler demand
• What it takes to attract tenants and partners: Incentives, policies, and cross-border integration with Singapore and Batam
• How a data center park can become a catalyst for job creation, local innovation, and sovereign infrastructure development
The Johor Data Center Park is more than a real estate play—it’s a bold move toward digital leadership in Southeast Asia.
Johor’s strategic rise as a digital infrastructure hub is undeniable—but talent may be its greatest bottleneck. With world-class infrastructure projects underway and surging interest from global investors, the region faces a critical question: Who will run these networks and data centers?
Unlike neighboring Singapore, Johor must contend with challenges in attracting skilled professionals—from quality of life to career development opportunities. This keynote confronts the uncomfortable truths head-on while exploring bold, actionable solutions to turn this challenge into a competitive edge.
Addressing
1. Why the current pace of talent development is insufficient to support Johor’s digital ambitions
2. How government, education, and industry can co-create an attractive, future-ready talent pipeline
3. Opportunities to reposition Johor as a hub for upskilling, cost-efficient operations, and digital career mobility
4. Case studies: How other regions build a thriving digital workforce
This session invites industry leaders to rethink traditional talent strategies—not just to fill jobs, but to build ecosystems where talent chooses to stay and grow.
Johor is rapidly emerging as a key data center hub in Southeast Asia, driven by hyperscaler interest, strategic proximity to Singapore, and major infrastructure investments. This keynote explores the trends fueling Johor’s rise—from power and connectivity demands to talent and sustainability challenges—and what it will take for the region to scale smart and compete globally.
This panel will explore the dual challenge of ensuring sustainable water and power supplies in Johor, focusing on the innovative strategies and technologies needed to address growing demand while minimizing environmental impact. Experts will discuss how Johor can balance the needs of its expanding economy with the imperative for sustainable resource management.
– Overview of Johor’s water and power sustainability challenges
– Optimizing Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE) for Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE)
– Balancing economic growth with sustainable resource usage
– The role of government policies and regulations in sustainability
As Johor emerges as a digital hub, data centers must be designed to handle AI-driven workloads while addressing local challenges like water scarcity, power constraints, and rapid scalability. This keynote explores how modular architecture, flexible space and power planning, and sustainable cooling solutions can future-proof facilities for long-term growth in a resource-constrained environment.
This panel will explore Johor’s evolving connectivity landscape, emphasizing the role of infrastructure development, cross-border partnerships, and emerging technologies. Industry leaders will discuss the challenges and opportunities in building a resilient digital ecosystem to support economic growth, innovation, and global competitiveness.
– Importance of peering ecosystems for enhancing regional connectivity.
– How policies and incentives can attract global telecom and data center investments.
– Leveraging Johor’s strategic location within SIJORI for enhanced digital trade.
– Addressing fiberization, 5G rollout, and interconnectivity hubs.
– Balancing sustainability, security, and scalability in digital infrastructure expansion.
Johor is fast becoming a magnet for data center and digital infrastructure investment, but rapid growth must be balanced with environmental stewardship and inclusive development. This keynote explores how Johor can lead as a model for sustainable economic expansion—where infrastructure, ESG compliance, and long-term impact go hand in hand.
Key Discussion Points:
• What does “green at scale” look like for Johor’s colocation market?
• Energy sourcing, grid limitations, and the future of renewable PPAs
• Cooling and water-use innovation in a high-density, tropical climate
• Building stakeholder confidence: transparency, certifications, and compliance
• How can local and regional partnerships drive meaningful ESG outcomes?
