Executive Summary
- This is our second women in data centres exclusive interview, and we chat with Melika Azhdari, Commissioning Manager for Global Commissioning.
- The industry needs to increase the visibility of roles within it, as many women in engineering, technology, and even adjacent sectors may not realise the variety of roles that exist within the data centre industry.
- Melika has two golden rules for women wanting to enter the workforce: don’t be afraid of taking the risk of entering an unknown world and always rely on facts and science rather than opinions in your work, because it builds credibility and confidence.
Melika Azhdari, Commissioning Manager for Global Commissioning, is our second Q&A in our women in data centres series, spotlighting phenomenal women working inside the data centre industry.
How did you first get into the data centre industry, was it intentional, or did you fall into it? And what made you realise this was the career for you?
“Like many, I fell into the data centre industry, but I couldn’t be more grateful that I did. I grew up completely obsessed with aeroplanes, which is why I studied aerospace engineering. But when I graduated and couldn’t find a role in the field, I took an internship at a switchgear company in Ireland. That opportunity led to a role as a mechanical design engineer, then project manager – and it was through that work that I first encountered the world of commissioning – and in turn found my role at Global Commissioning.
“What drew me in was that commissioning sits right at the intersection of design and live operations. You’re not just building something – you’re making it work, safely and reliably, in the real world. Once I understood how critical that process is, especially in the data centre industry where reliability and safety are everything, it felt like a natural direction for me. I joined Global Commissioning because of their structured approach and the sheer scale of opportunity they offer – you’re never stuck in one place, you get to work across the world and no two days are ever the same. That variety is what makes it so exciting. I haven’t looked back since.
What is one thing data centre firms could do better to attract women from other sectors?
One of the biggest opportunities is increasing visibility. Many women in engineering, technology, and even adjacent sectors may not realise the variety of roles that exist within the data centre industry – I’m a prime example. I only discovered this sector through a previous role in Project Management that involved designing switchgear for a data centre. It simply wasn’t on my radar until I was already in the room.
By highlighting the breadth of careers available – from engineering and commissioning to sustainability and operations – companies can help women see that their skills are genuinely transferable. Showcasing real career journeys and providing early exposure through internships, graduate programmes, and mentorship can make a significant difference in attracting more women into the industry.
How has mentorship or “paying it forward” played a role in your professional journey?
Mentorship has been central to my development, even when it wasn’t formalised. I’m lucky to have worked alongside and to continue working with inspiring teams, but one of the most important lessons I’ve carried with me came from a previous manager who told me to always rely on facts and science. In an engineering environment, decisions should be grounded in data, evidence and engineering principles – not opinion, not assumption. That clarity has given me confidence in situations where I might otherwise have second-guessed myself.
I’m also fortunate to work alongside people who are genuinely generous with their knowledge – who let me shadow them, ask questions, and then trust me to carry out the same tasks independently. That progression from observation to action is how confidence is built in this industry. I aim to pay that forward as I grow in my own career. The sky is the limit in terms of where that career can go, and part of that ambition includes breaking the stigma, showing that women can and do lead in the data centre commissioning space.
What specific internal programs or women-led initiatives at the place you work are you most proud of, and how are they changing the day-to-day culture for your team?
Global Commissioning is at an exciting stage when it comes to this. We won’t pretend we have all the answers and programmes in place yet – but what we do have is momentum, drive and ambition to change the future landscape for young talent and women alike.
Global is actively working with partnerships like Talent in Tech and engages with local schools to introduce the next generation to the data centre industry – with a specific focus on showing young girls that this is an equal opportunity for them too, not just the boys in the room. A graduate placement scheme is already running, bringing students in for their placement year before they return to finish their degrees and then come back to Global full-time – a pipeline that shows real commitment to developing talent from the ground up. Graduate and apprenticeship schemes are in development and will follow.
What’s also significant is the active effort companies like Global are making to push the narrative forward and collaborate with others in the industry to open up the platform for women. This year’s IWD content series – which included interviews with seven women across the business, from Commissioning Managers to the Group CFO – saw the same themes emerge independently across every conversation: that women aren’t just joining this industry to fill seats, they’re bringing something genuinely different and genuinely needed.
But honestly, the thing that speaks loudest to me is the day-to-day culture. I’m one of very few women on a large site – sometimes one of ten among hundreds of men – and yet I have never once felt unsupported. The team around me actively push me towards opportunities, trust me with responsibility, and back me when I go for things. That doesn’t happen by accident. It comes from leadership that sees people, not just gender. And for a woman entering a male dominated industry, that culture is everything.
What is your “golden rule” for women looking to move into tech?
I have two golden rules that I live by every day.
The first: don’t be afraid of taking the risk of entering an unknown world. You don’t have to feel 100% ready – you just have to put aside the intimidation of stepping into something new. Technical industries can feel daunting from the outside, but confidence almost always grows through experience rather than before it. Take the leap anyway.
The second comes from my previous manager, who taught me to always rely on facts and science. When you focus on facts rather than opinions, it builds credibility and confidence in your work. In any engineering environment, decisions should be grounded in data, evidence and engineering principles – and when you anchor yourself in that, you become someone people trust and listen to.
There is space for women in this industry. It can only benefit from diverse perspectives and ideas. Don’t let anyone, including yourself, convince you otherwise.
