Trane Air Con Systems (China) Ltd
Position Summary
The Data Center Segment Lead will be responsible for developing and driving the growth strategy for the Data Center segment in China, with particular focus on AI data centers, hyperscale, colocation and high-density computing infrastructure.
This role will connect market and customer insights, segment strategy, product portfolio planning, solution development and go-to-market execution, translating evolving customer requirements and technology trends into business opportunities and product/solution roadmaps.
The position will work closely with Sales, Product Management, Engineering, Application, Marketing and regional/global teams to strengthen the company's position in the fast-growing data center cooling and thermal management market.
Key Responsibilities
1. Segment Strategy & Business Planning
Develop short-, medium- and long-term strategies for the China Data Center segment.
Identify key market opportunities driven by AI, HPC, cloud computing and increasing rack power density.
Define target customer segments, market priorities and growth initiatives.
Develop segment business plans and support investment decisions for new products, solutions and technologies.
Monitor competitive landscape, technology evolution and changes in customer infrastructure architecture.
2. Market & Customer Insights
Build deep understanding of the Data Center ecosystem, including hyperscalers, internet/cloud companies, colocation/IDC operators, AI computing centers, OEM/ODM partners, EPCs and system integrators.
Engage strategic customers to understand current and future infrastructure requirements.
Track customer technology roadmaps and translate emerging requirements into product and solution opportunities.
Conduct market segmentation, competitor analysis and technology trend assessment.
Identify unmet customer needs and potential white-space opportunities.
3. Product & Solution Portfolio Strategy
Work closely with Product Management and Engineering teams to develop and continuously optimize the Data Center product and solution portfolio.
Translate market requirements into product roadmap and localization priorities.
Identify portfolio gaps and recommend new product development, localization or partnership opportunities.
Support product positioning, business cases and new product commercialization.
Key solution areas may include:
Chillers and Cooling Plants
Precision / Air Cooling
Liquid Cooling
CDU
Direct-to-Chip Cooling
Hybrid Air + Liquid Cooling
Controls and Monitoring
Energy Management
Integrated Thermal Management Solutions
4. Go-to-Market & Commercialization
Develop and execute go-to-market strategies for the Data Center segment.
Define customer-specific value propositions and solution positioning.
Support pricing strategy, competitive positioning and commercialization plans.
Partner with Sales teams on strategic opportunities and key account development.
Develop sales enablement tools, solution packages and industry-specific propositions.
Support successful introduction and scaling of new technologies and solutions.
5. Strategic Customer Engagement
Build and maintain relationships with strategic Data Center customers and key ecosystem partners.
Participate in executive-level and technical discussions with key customers.
Engage customers during early-stage planning to understand future cooling and infrastructure requirements.
Support major projects from concept development and solution positioning through commercial engagement.
Create a structured customer feedback loop into Product and Engineering teams.
6. Data Center Ecosystem Development
Build strategic relationships across the Data Center ecosystem.
Identify potential technology and solution partners.
Develop cooperation opportunities with:
Hyperscalers / Cloud providers
Colocation / IDC operators
Server and AI infrastructure players
Rack / infrastructure providers
Liquid cooling ecosystem partners
EPCs and design institutes
System integrators
Develop integrated propositions combining internal products with partner capabilities where appropriate.
7. Cross-functional & Global Collaboration
Act as the bridge between China market requirements and regional/global organizations.
Work closely with Sales, Product Management, Engineering, Application Engineering, Marketing and Service teams.
Translate local market and customer requirements into product and technology priorities.
Support localization and commercialization of global products in China.
Share China market insights and emerging technology requirements with APAC and global stakeholders.
Candidate Requirements
Experience
15+ years of experience in Data Center infrastructure, HVAC, cooling, thermal management, power infrastructure or related industries.
Strong experience in one or more of the following areas:
Segment Management
Product Management
Product Strategy
Business Development
Solution Management
Industry Marketing
Proven experience developing business/product strategies based on customer and market insights.
Experience working with large Data Center customers and complex solution-based businesses preferred.
Experience within multinational and matrix organizations preferred.
Industry & Technical Knowledge
Strong understanding of the Data Center ecosystem and infrastructure architecture, ideally with exposure to several of the following areas:
Data Center Cooling
Chiller / Cooling Plant
Precision Cooling
Liquid Cooling
CDU
Direct-to-Chip Cooling
High-density AI/HPC infrastructure
Modular Data Center
Power & Cooling integration
Controls / Energy Management
The position does not necessarily require a pure R&D background, but the candidate should have sufficient technical understanding to engage effectively with customers, Product Management and Engineering teams.
Business & Leadership Capabilities
Strong strategic thinking and market insight.
Ability to translate technology and customer trends into actionable business and product strategies.
Strong commercial mindset with understanding of GTM, pricing, portfolio management and business cases.
Experience driving new products, solutions or new businesses from concept through commercialization.
Strong cross-functional leadership and stakeholder management.
Ability to influence teams without relying solely on direct reporting relationships.
Strong communication and customer engagement skills.
Comfortable working with regional/global teams in a matrix environment.
Strong English and Chinese communication skills.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience with AI Data Center / HPC infrastructure.
Experience with liquid cooling, CDU or Direct-to-Chip solutions.
Experience working with Hyperscalers, Internet/Cloud customers or large Colocation operators.
Experience developing new businesses or product lines from 0 to 1.
Experience in China-for-China localization and product strategy.
Portfolio management and/or P&L experience.
Strong understanding of the broader Data Center infrastructure ecosystem beyond a single product category.
