1 00:00:02,520 --> 00:00:09,319 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Audio Studios, podcasts, radio news. The Dubai property group 2 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:12,719 Speaker 1: DAMAK will be investing twenty billion dollars in new US 3 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:16,560 Speaker 1: data centers. The President's elect unveiled the deal alongside DAMAK 4 00:00:16,640 --> 00:00:19,960 Speaker 1: founder an Cha Hussein Sejuani from mar Lago. 5 00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:28,240 Speaker 2: The first phase of the project will be in Texas, Arizona, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Ohio, Illinois, 6 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:33,279 Speaker 2: Michigan and Indiana. Those places, and who's saying, I'd love 7 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:34,960 Speaker 2: you to come up and say a few words. Thank 8 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:37,320 Speaker 2: you very much, thank you, thank. 9 00:00:37,159 --> 00:00:42,600 Speaker 3: You, thank you, miss our president. It's been amazing news 10 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:47,200 Speaker 3: for me and my family when he was elected in November. 11 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:53,240 Speaker 1: Sejjuani, mar a Lago earlier on this week. Now back 12 00:00:53,280 --> 00:00:57,480 Speaker 1: in Dubai and joining us from there, Good morning, Thank 13 00:00:57,480 --> 00:01:00,320 Speaker 1: you very much, indeed for your time. Let's talk about 14 00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:02,480 Speaker 1: the deal that was announced earlier on this week. A 15 00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:05,400 Speaker 1: lot of details obviously still need to be ironed out. 16 00:01:05,480 --> 00:01:09,679 Speaker 1: I suspect, but when are we going to see ground 17 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:13,000 Speaker 1: being broken? When are these data centers gonna be built? 18 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:18,880 Speaker 3: As you appreciate, the announcement is only last less than 19 00:01:18,959 --> 00:01:21,839 Speaker 3: forty eight hours, where me and my team are working 20 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:25,440 Speaker 3: very hard. We had already some discussions with a number 21 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:29,280 Speaker 3: of land owners in different parts of the States. The 22 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:32,920 Speaker 3: team is working and we hope sometime this year we'll 23 00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:36,399 Speaker 3: be announcing some oppositions of lands and then of course 24 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:40,080 Speaker 3: we'll follow that design and construction. So there is a 25 00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 3: lot of work that we have to do to invest 26 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:43,480 Speaker 3: the twenty billion dollar. 27 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:47,960 Speaker 1: Twenty billion dollars, that's a substantial amount of money. How 28 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:51,920 Speaker 1: are you funding this deal? Can you provide specific details 29 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:55,600 Speaker 1: on where that twenty billion is coming from? 30 00:01:56,240 --> 00:02:00,840 Speaker 4: As you appreciate, this is an acid base business infrastructure. 31 00:02:01,320 --> 00:02:04,480 Speaker 4: Normally sixty to seventy percent you borrow from the banks 32 00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:09,720 Speaker 4: or promise financial institutions or bonds leverage. Dem at Property 33 00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:13,560 Speaker 4: will be able to put the equity which will be 34 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:17,079 Speaker 4: in the range of the other thirty percent, which will 35 00:02:17,120 --> 00:02:20,600 Speaker 4: be a bound five to six billion dollar. Demat Property 36 00:02:20,639 --> 00:02:23,800 Speaker 4: is balanceship today is capable of producing that money in 37 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:26,200 Speaker 4: the coming four years for its own resources. 38 00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:29,560 Speaker 3: Having said that, if the opportunity increases and we get 39 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:32,760 Speaker 3: more opportunity, will be more than happy to bring their 40 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:34,240 Speaker 3: party partners with us. 41 00:02:36,040 --> 00:02:38,359 Speaker 5: Who's saying it's creedy in London when you talk about 42 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:40,840 Speaker 5: those third party partners who are you talking about specifically? 43 00:02:40,880 --> 00:02:43,440 Speaker 5: Are there banks, for example, that you have in mind. 44 00:02:44,639 --> 00:02:48,079 Speaker 3: Were already talking first our first line is to talk 45 00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:52,200 Speaker 3: to partners in US who will bring added value. If 46 00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:55,919 Speaker 3: they are in the construction business, they are in the 47 00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:59,200 Speaker 3: land business, they're in the power business. So first we're 48 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:02,680 Speaker 3: looking at added value partner not just to bring money, 49 00:03:02,680 --> 00:03:05,919 Speaker 3: but to bring to help us to execute in this business. 50 00:03:06,080 --> 00:03:07,640 Speaker 3: That will be the first choice. 51 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:11,959 Speaker 5: So who's saying part of this announcement with certain states 52 00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:16,400 Speaker 5: that your investments are targeting lights of Michigan, Illinois among 53 00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:19,400 Speaker 5: others Texas for example, are there specific players within those 54 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:22,640 Speaker 5: states that might help you get to those investment plans? 55 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:26,040 Speaker 3: Indeed, indeed, I mean we are open to all the 56 00:03:26,080 --> 00:03:31,320 Speaker 3: options to execute the business plan from partners who are 57 00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:34,240 Speaker 3: in their business or who will help grow their business. 58 00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:39,120 Speaker 5: When it comes to those kind of partnerships, though, is 59 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:41,440 Speaker 5: state funding something that we're talking about. We know that 60 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:44,200 Speaker 5: Donald Trump, for example, has already asked you to double 61 00:03:44,240 --> 00:03:46,320 Speaker 5: the investment, not just keep it at twenty billion, and 62 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:49,440 Speaker 5: go further. If you're talking about further investment in the 63 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:52,320 Speaker 5: United States, how much further do you have a number 64 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:52,640 Speaker 5: on that. 65 00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:55,960 Speaker 3: I don't have a number on that. But as you know, 66 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:59,000 Speaker 3: it's a market and it's an opportunity today with AI 67 00:03:59,120 --> 00:04:03,280 Speaker 3: data centers. Appreciate the business data center is growing in 68 00:04:03,360 --> 00:04:06,280 Speaker 3: more than double digit and there is a huge growth there. 69 00:04:06,480 --> 00:04:09,760 Speaker 3: So if we find the right opportunity, the right partners, 70 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:13,240 Speaker 3: I think we have the capability to take their business 71 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:14,720 Speaker 3: further beyond the twenty. 72 00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:18,119 Speaker 6: Billion for saying good morning, it's Lizzie here in London 73 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:21,280 Speaker 6: as well. I know that the UKAE has gone big 74 00:04:21,400 --> 00:04:24,240 Speaker 6: on AI investments over the past couple of years. Will 75 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:28,800 Speaker 6: the government be helping in any way or backing this project? 76 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:32,760 Speaker 3: No, we're not talking at the moment to any government backing. 77 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:36,279 Speaker 3: We're talking, as I said, to landowners and then to 78 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:37,960 Speaker 3: potential partners. 79 00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:41,480 Speaker 6: But is the WW government supporting you? 80 00:04:43,320 --> 00:04:45,640 Speaker 3: By the moment, We're not looking at any support from 81 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:48,440 Speaker 3: any government things. It's going to be very much commercial 82 00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:49,920 Speaker 3: business plan. 83 00:04:51,560 --> 00:04:52,360 Speaker 6: Sorry to clarify. 84 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:53,000 Speaker 1: Are they aware? 85 00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:58,039 Speaker 3: Of course, everybody knows about it, and they were aware 86 00:04:58,040 --> 00:05:01,320 Speaker 3: of our intention to invest globally. As you appreciate, we 87 00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:05,240 Speaker 3: have already a data center under construction in three countries 88 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:08,680 Speaker 3: in Asia, three countries in Europe, Middle East. We are 89 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:13,560 Speaker 3: in more than ten countries around the world, covering Indonesia, Jaka, Indonesia, 90 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:21,120 Speaker 3: Thailand and Malaysia, Greece, Spain, and Italy coming next, Hussain. 91 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:25,360 Speaker 5: In your press conference with Donald Trump, you specifically made 92 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:28,000 Speaker 5: the comment that you've been waiting for years to invest 93 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:30,240 Speaker 5: in the AI space in the United States. You specifically 94 00:05:30,320 --> 00:05:32,960 Speaker 5: said you've been waiting for four years to invest in 95 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:36,599 Speaker 5: the AI space between the election of Donald Trump and 96 00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:39,480 Speaker 5: the administration of Joe Biden. Several of your other counterparts 97 00:05:39,520 --> 00:05:41,960 Speaker 5: around the world have already been investing in AI in 98 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:45,680 Speaker 5: a big way. What has changed fundamentally to incentivize this 99 00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:46,240 Speaker 5: move from you? 100 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:51,400 Speaker 3: In the last four years, we have invested more than 101 00:05:51,760 --> 00:05:55,120 Speaker 3: and committed about two billion dollars in the private equity 102 00:05:55,680 --> 00:05:59,400 Speaker 3: and in some direct deals like we are investor in XAI, 103 00:05:59,480 --> 00:06:03,520 Speaker 3: in open Ai, you know, in the space x and 104 00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:06,120 Speaker 3: we are more than sixty funds in the US. So 105 00:06:06,160 --> 00:06:09,200 Speaker 3: we're not to stop investing, but we were investing through funds, 106 00:06:09,560 --> 00:06:13,640 Speaker 3: investing directly. We wanted to see more friendly government who 107 00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:17,360 Speaker 3: encourages the foreign investments, and we feel is the right time. 108 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:21,360 Speaker 1: Now there saying just coming there's kind of quick kind 109 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:23,799 Speaker 1: of quick questions just returning to the issue of funding. 110 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:27,080 Speaker 1: The funding is you are one hundred percent guaranteeing that 111 00:06:27,120 --> 00:06:30,400 Speaker 1: the funding exists for this deal, that it's already in place, 112 00:06:30,520 --> 00:06:32,640 Speaker 1: that you secure that funding, that you are ready to go. 113 00:06:32,720 --> 00:06:35,679 Speaker 1: That's my first question is that a yes or no answer. 114 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:37,039 Speaker 1: Is the funding in place? 115 00:06:38,640 --> 00:06:42,159 Speaker 3: The funding, our equity is in place. That debt will 116 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:44,839 Speaker 3: come as we go and as we build those data centers. 117 00:06:47,480 --> 00:06:49,200 Speaker 1: That brings me on to the second point. You say 118 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:51,600 Speaker 1: you're going to build them. Are you going to build 119 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:53,799 Speaker 1: them or are you going to do the land deals 120 00:06:53,880 --> 00:06:55,880 Speaker 1: and then let somebody else build them? Is that the 121 00:06:55,880 --> 00:06:57,039 Speaker 1: way the model is going to work. 122 00:06:57,960 --> 00:07:00,799 Speaker 3: No, the model is we buy the land, we hire 123 00:07:00,839 --> 00:07:04,000 Speaker 3: a designer, and then we hire a contractor who will 124 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:06,960 Speaker 3: build it, and then we lease it to the hyper scalers. 125 00:07:09,560 --> 00:07:12,480 Speaker 5: Whosaying, speaking of the hyperscalers, are there customers that you 126 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:14,760 Speaker 5: have in mind when it comes to who may, at 127 00:07:14,760 --> 00:07:16,280 Speaker 5: the end of the day be some of the buyers 128 00:07:16,520 --> 00:07:17,600 Speaker 5: of these data centers? 129 00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:21,680 Speaker 3: You mean, you mean they're lazy. We're not going to 130 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:24,160 Speaker 3: sell at the center, but we're going to lease them. 131 00:07:24,440 --> 00:07:26,520 Speaker 3: We're gonna we're gonna lead them to the hyper scaler, 132 00:07:26,560 --> 00:07:30,160 Speaker 3: which are non Amazon, Microsoft, Google or a kill you 133 00:07:30,760 --> 00:07:34,600 Speaker 3: and some large fourteen five hundred companies IBM and adults. 134 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:38,600 Speaker 5: Have you started having those conversations with them. 135 00:07:39,080 --> 00:07:42,160 Speaker 3: We were having conversation with them about Asia and Europe 136 00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:45,720 Speaker 3: for the last twelve months, and we have quite advanced 137 00:07:45,720 --> 00:07:49,040 Speaker 3: in negotiation with some of them to finalize a deal 138 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:52,480 Speaker 3: and part of where we have data centers already. 139 00:07:54,120 --> 00:07:56,960 Speaker 5: But when it comes to some of those negotiations, why 140 00:07:57,000 --> 00:07:59,800 Speaker 5: not already have those investments in the United States again 141 00:07:59,840 --> 00:08:02,520 Speaker 5: with the same players that you're working with in Asia 142 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:04,440 Speaker 5: and Europe as well. You made the comment of now 143 00:08:04,480 --> 00:08:08,040 Speaker 5: having a friendlier government in place in the United States 144 00:08:08,160 --> 00:08:11,840 Speaker 5: that is friendlier to foreign investment. Someone argued, that's the 145 00:08:11,840 --> 00:08:15,480 Speaker 5: exact opposite message that Donald Trump is giving. Why not 146 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:18,480 Speaker 5: invest in the US earlier? Aren't you coming a little 147 00:08:18,480 --> 00:08:19,400 Speaker 5: bit late to the game here? 148 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:22,920 Speaker 3: No, we're not late in the game because this AI 149 00:08:23,080 --> 00:08:27,040 Speaker 3: business already started only last eighteen or twenty four months, 150 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:30,280 Speaker 3: and we've been quite focused on Asia and Europe in 151 00:08:30,360 --> 00:08:33,480 Speaker 3: the year twenty three twenty four and now our focus 152 00:08:33,520 --> 00:08:35,520 Speaker 3: is going to be heavily on us. 153 00:08:36,960 --> 00:08:39,199 Speaker 6: Saying in terms of those potential customers, have you spoken 154 00:08:39,280 --> 00:08:42,080 Speaker 6: to or met with Samuel Man and Elon Musk. 155 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:46,559 Speaker 3: Yeah, we were together there at the New Year on 156 00:08:46,679 --> 00:08:49,360 Speaker 3: the same you know in Marie Lago and is an 157 00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:52,280 Speaker 3: amazing gentleman with a vision and of course you know 158 00:08:52,360 --> 00:08:56,480 Speaker 3: his accomplishments. We are already investor in these companies face 159 00:08:56,760 --> 00:08:58,240 Speaker 3: X and XI. 160 00:09:00,640 --> 00:09:05,160 Speaker 6: It's about Selon Musk. Have you met sam Oltman? Ad 161 00:09:06,880 --> 00:09:07,559 Speaker 6: sam Oltman? 162 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:10,760 Speaker 3: No, I don't remember anybody like that. 163 00:09:13,440 --> 00:09:16,360 Speaker 5: All right, Damax founder and chairman, who's say Delajuani. We 164 00:09:16,400 --> 00:09:18,600 Speaker 5: will leave the conversation there. We thank you so much 165 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:20,439 Speaker 5: for your time and of course look forward to getting 166 00:09:20,440 --> 00:09:23,080 Speaker 5: the updates on what that data center investment actually looks like.