Sam Garetano is Senior Vice President at Brookfield Asset Management, where he works in the infrastructure area with a particular focus on data centers. He has spent his entire career in various roles in finance including at Blackrock and Adams Street Partners.

Our conversation starts with Sam’s somewhat unconventional path into finance. He initially thought he would pursue a career in sports broadcasting, after pursuing a degree in broadcast journalism. While that career path was not to be, we reflect on how a love of statistics and an eye for detail can align with a flair for financial analysis. We move then to his move to Brookfield and into the infrastructure area and speak about the opportunity set in the burgeoning field of data centers.

In this dynamic area, staying up to date is key and Sam mentions the evolution of data centers from small, single-purpose structures to large, power-consuming facilities. This naturally has led to a surge in demand for power which is a further source of infrastructure investment opportunity.

Our discussion spans the importance of global reach, local investment and the evolving financial ecosystem around infrastructure and data centers.

With thanks to Baillie Gifford for sponsoring Series 4 of 2025. Baillie Gifford is a long-term investment manager, dedicated to discovering the innovations and changemakers that deliver exceptional growth opportunities for its clients.

Episode 331: Sam Garetano of Brookfield Asset Management: The Promise of Data Centers, the Power of AI