São Paulo, August 2026 - In a scenario where artificial intelligence, cloud computing and digital services elevate the criticality of technological infrastructure, choosing a data center is no longer an exclusively technical decision but has become a strategic business matter. Issues such as latency, operational continuity, vendor dependency, connectivity, location and infrastructure flexibility now directly influence companies' competitiveness.

These challenges will be at the center of the "End Users Panel: How large companies choose data centers in practice," one of the highlights of the Data Center World Brasil 2026 program, which Informa Markets is promoting from October 6-8 at São Paulo Expo. The debate will take place on Monday (6th) at 2 PM, moderated by Cristiano Valério Ribeiro, Director of Strategy, Innovation and New Business at ELV Group, and will bring together executives who lead technology operations at some of the country's largest companies.

Participating in the discussion are Elio Nazareth, Head of IT Infrastructure at Riachuelo; Bruno Tiburcio, Head of Technology at Rappi; and Carlos Mesquita, former Technology & Media Operations Lead at Netflix. The proposal is to present concrete experiences from companies that face daily decisions about critical infrastructure, sharing factors that go beyond price or installed capacity.

Among the topics to be debated are the criteria that motivate the choice or change of a data center, real cases where latency problems impacted operations and customer experience, as well as challenges related to dependency on cloud providers and infrastructure suppliers.

The panel will also discuss how connectivity, operational flexibility and strategies to reduce risks have come to influence long-term decisions. "The decision to invest in high availability usually seems expensive at first, but when you factor in the impact of interruptions, operational losses and contractual reimbursements, it stops being a cost and becomes an investment. In our case, the gain in stability, scalability and growth capacity quickly compensated for this move," says Bruno Tiburcio, Head of Technology at Rappi.

For many years, discussions about data centers were conducted mainly by technology suppliers. "In this panel, we want to reverse this logic and listen to those on the other side of the table, making decisions that directly impact the operations of large companies. These are real experiences that help the entire market understand which factors really matter in choosing critical infrastructure," highlights Leonardo Benedicto, director of Data Center World Brasil.

Another highlight will be the evolution of services expected by corporate users. Beyond the traditional colocation model, companies seek partners capable of offering integrated solutions, specialized support, scalability, security and services that contribute to business continuity. The physical location of infrastructure has also gained relevance given the requirements for availability, redundancy, performance and operational expansion.

"Colocation by itself is no longer sufficient. The differentiator lies in the quality of support, response capacity and predictability that the supplier delivers. Additionally, location is no longer just a geographic issue: it involves energy availability, connectivity and conditions to sustain operational growth," emphasizes Tiburcio.

By bringing together leaders who work directly in data management, the panel aims to bring suppliers and end users closer together, offering a practical view of how large organizations evaluate risks, performance and return on investments in digital infrastructure. The proposal is to transform real experiences into a reference for companies facing similar challenges in a market increasingly driven by data and artificial intelligence applications.

The debate is part of the Data Center World Brasil 2026 congress program. Over three days, the event will bring together specialists, operators, manufacturers, providers and executives responsible for the largest data center projects in Latin America to discuss artificial intelligence, cloud computing, connectivity, energy efficiency, cybersecurity, ESG, automation and expansion of installed capacity in Brazil.

DCW will be held simultaneously with Futurecom, the main event dedicated to the digital economy and innovation in Latin America.

Event Details

Data Center World Brazil 2026

• Date: October 6–8, 2026
• Location: São Paulo Expo – São Paulo (SP)
• Exhibition: 10 AM – 8 PM | Congress: 10:30 AM – 5:30 PM
• Information and registration: https://datacenterworldbrasil.com.br/en/

About Data Center World Brazil

Data Center World Brazil is the national version of one of the most important global platforms for content, networking, and business in the data center and digital infrastructure sector. Organized by Informa Markets, the event connects industry leaders, experts, and technology suppliers to discuss trends, innovation, sustainability, and the future of the digital economy.

About Informa Markets

Informa connects people and markets through digital solutions, specialized content, trade shows, hybrid events, and market intelligence, building a relationship and business journey between companies and markets 365 days a year. Present in more than 30 countries, it has operated in Latin America for 30 years, delivering annually more than 40 hybrid events in Brazil and Mexico, dozens of digital events, news portals, and digital connection and business platforms.

DCW Press Office

DFREIRE Comunicação e Negócios - Tel.: (11) 97399-0031 WhatsApp 
Debora Freire – debora@dfreire.com.br – (11) 99976-1165 
Luciana Abritta – lucianaabritta@dfreire.com.br – (11) 99299-0411 
Bete Leandro – beteleandro@dfreire.com.br – (11) 99616-2885