Attracting large-scale investment in artificial intelligence and data centers has become a pressing priority for Romania, as global capital flows rapidly toward countries that can move fast and offer a stable, competitive environment, highlights Liviu Manole, Head of the CCIB Office in London.

“From what I’ve seen in my business background in Romania, in recent years we have had an acute need for investment. The money is outside Romania, and we can see the scale of investment that big companies, big AI developers and major IT powers are putting into this area”, Manole said at the “International Approach London” conference, organized by Energynomics in London.

“This is a race. It’s a race against time. Whoever deploys faster will probably win. It’s about who builds the footprint first. If you are not able to make a plan for the next six months and you are looking at a two-year timeline, forget about it. Nobody will be interested in something like that,” he added.

Romania is facing an urgent need for fresh investment, particularly in high-growth sectors such as artificial intelligence and data centers. While major global players are pouring billions into AI infrastructure and advanced technologies, Romania risks missing out if it fails to act quickly. According to Manole, much of the available capital is currently deployed outside Romania, even though the country has strong potential.

Energy infrastructure is central to this effort and data centers are currently among the hottest topics globally, closely linked to the rapid expansion of AI technologies. Attracting such investments should become a constant and strategic objective, shared by both the private sector and the government, while the public authorities need to send stronger and clearer signals to international investors.

“We have to be able to attract more. It should be a real focus and a continuous topic for both business and, of course, the government. I personally wish the government would do more. My focus has been to connect the two worlds: business and government. I think we can improve our legislation and our economic environment so that big players look more seriously at our country,” he said.

The conference “International Approach London” was organized by Energynomics, with the support of the Embassy of Romania to the UK and the British Embassy in Romania, together with our partners: AJ BRAND, Electrica, Monsson, MyEnerji, Nofar Energy, Waldevar.