Head of Public Policy & Government Affairs (Data Center)

Head of Public Policy & Government Affairs

(Regional - Southeast Asia)

Location
Malaysia, Thailand, or Indonesia (in-country)

Employment Type
Full-time, Permanent

Function
Public Policy, Government Affairs & Regulatory

Role Overview

This is a senior, high-impact leadership role operating at the intersection of government, policy, and large-scale digital infrastructure development. The role will lead public policy and government engagement strategy across three of Southeast Asia's fastest-growing data center markets: Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia.

As the first dedicated leader for public policy and government affairs in the region, you will be responsible for shaping the external operating environment, navigating complex regulatory landscapes, and positioning the organization as a trusted partner to governments and regulators. Your work will be critical to enabling site acquisition, power access, permitting, and long-term operational scalability.

Success in this role requires a balance of deep policy expertise and strong commercial judgment, with the ability to align national priorities-such as digital transformation, AI readiness, energy transition, and economic development-with long-term business objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Government Relations & Stakeholder Engagement

• Build and sustain senior-level relationships with government officials, regulators, ministers, and civil servants at national and sub-national levels across Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia.
• Act as the primary government-facing representative in-country, leading proactive engagement with ministries responsible for digital economy, investment, energy, trade, land, and infrastructure.
• Position the organization as a credible and responsible infrastructure partner aligned with national development and digital economy agendas.
• Represent the organization at official forums, ministerial briefings, bilateral discussions, and public-private dialogues.

Regulatory & Public Policy Strategy

• Track, analyze, and interpret regulatory and policy developments affecting data center development, including power and energy policy, land use, foreign investment rules, environmental regulation, data governance, and tax or investment incentives.
• Develop country-specific policy and regulatory strategies that anticipate change and support development pipelines and operational goals.
• Translate complex regulatory developments into clear, actionable insights for senior leadership, including risks, opportunities, and recommended actions.
• Proactively identify and mitigate regulatory and policy risks throughout the project lifecycle.

Licensing, Permits & Government Approvals

• Coordinate and support government approval processes related to data center developments, including investment licences, environmental approvals, building permits, power supply arrangements, and operating approvals.
• Work closely with development, legal, and country teams to embed regulatory requirements into project planning and execution timelines.
• Engage with investment promotion agencies and relevant authorities to secure incentives, tax benefits, and streamlined approval pathways.

Industry Advocacy & External Engagement

• Represent the organization in relevant industry associations, trade bodies, and policy coalitions focused on data centers, digital infrastructure, and energy.
• Lead or contribute to policy submissions, consultation responses, and advocacy materials on issues such as energy pricing, sustainability, digital sovereignty, and infrastructure investment frameworks.
• Build alliances with industry peers and stakeholders to advance shared policy objectives that support sector growth.
• Partner with communications and marketing teams to support thought leadership and external positioning on policy-related topics.

Sustainability, Energy & ESG Policy

• Provide guidance on renewable energy policy, decarbonization commitments, and sustainability reporting requirements across regional markets.
• Engage with energy regulators and policymakers on grid access, power reliability, green tariffs, and renewable procurement mechanisms.
• Align government engagement efforts with broader ESG commitments and responsible development practices.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Reporting

• Work closely with legal, development, power, commercial, and country leadership teams to ensure policy considerations are integrated into core business decisions.
• Provide structured reporting to senior leadership and, where required, the board, covering policy developments, government engagement activities, and regulatory risk.
• Manage relationships with external government affairs consultants, lobbyists, and local advisors across all markets.

Required Experience

• Minimum of 12 years' experience in public policy, government affairs, regulatory strategy, or government relations, with a strong focus on infrastructure, energy, technology, or real estate sectors.
• Established relationships with government stakeholders in at least one of the target markets, with the ability to build credible networks across the region.
• Demonstrated success in securing government approvals, investment incentives, or favorable regulatory outcomes for large-scale infrastructure or technology projects.
• Hands-on experience navigating regulatory and permitting frameworks for data centers, power infrastructure, industrial developments, or other critical infrastructure in Southeast Asia.
• Experience representing organizations in policy consultations, government-industry forums, and formal stakeholder engagements.
• Proven ability to manage external advisors and consultants across multiple jurisdictions.

Skills & Competencies

• Exceptional relationship-building and diplomatic skills, with confidence engaging at ministerial and senior official levels.
• Strong analytical capability to assess policy trends, anticipate regulatory shifts, and translate complexity into business-relevant strategy.
• Sound commercial judgment and understanding of how policy decisions affect project economics, timelines, and competitive positioning.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, including the ability to produce executive-level policy briefs and advisory materials.
• High integrity, political sensitivity, and sound judgment in complex stakeholder environments.
• Comfortable operating independently across countries while collaborating with a lean regional headquarters.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Public Policy, Political Science, Law, Economics, International Relations, or a related field.
• Postgraduate qualification (e.g., MPP, MPA, MBA, or equivalent) is advantageous.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience in a senior public policy or government affairs role within a hyperscale data center platform, cloud infrastructure provider, or major infrastructure or energy developer.
• Previous experience within government or a regulatory authority in Malaysia, Thailand, or Indonesia.
• Working proficiency in Bahasa Malaysia/Indonesia and/or Thai; Mandarin is an advantage.
• Familiarity with energy market regulation, renewable energy frameworks, data sovereignty, data governance, and cybersecurity policy in Southeast Asia.
• Active network within relevant regional or national industry associations.

What the Role Offers

• Opportunity to build and lead a regional government affairs function from the ground up, with strong executive support.
• Direct strategic impact on the development, powering, and operation of large-scale digital infrastructure assets.
• Exposure to one of the most critical policy intersections in the region: AI, digital transformation, energy, and sustainability.
• Engagement across three of the world's fastest-growing data center markets.
• Competitive and performance-linked compensation.

If you are interested in this opportunity, please submit an application along with an updated CV detailing your relevant experience to this job ad.

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.