Working with UAE ministers to advance technological and social development

Just days after the historic UAE Hope probe returned its first images of Mars, I had the honor of participating in an interactive virtual dialogue with Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, and Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Technology, along with other regional executives in the technology and industry sectors, to discuss how we can increase the advanced technology sector’s contribution to the UAE’s economic growth.

The Hope Probe highlights the UAE’s dedication to advancing technology and its ability to do so, by becoming the first Arab nation, and the fifth in the world, to reach the Red Planet. But the country’s aspirations reach much further than even Mars. It is extremely encouraging to see the UAE’s leadership so willing to engage with industry and the private sector to listen and to work together on advancing technology and creating vital new industries and jobs for future generations.

As a leading energy technology company, Siemens Energy is driving forward the transformation to decarbonized energy systems, developing innovative new technologies and reshaping the energy and industrial landscapes. The UAE’s wise and visionary leadership realizes the need to develop these future technologies and the benefits that they will bring in the years to come. Together we will continue to accomplish great things. 

Let me know your thoughts on my speech:

Thank you very much Your Excellency for inviting Siemens Energy to participate in this esteemed panel.

Evolving changes like the Industrial Revolution 4.0, Digitalization, Decarbonization are enablers that can create huge rewards for those that are willing and able to grasp this opportunities. But realizing the potential is not straightforward.

The scope, scale and complexity of this technological leap is unlike anything humankind has experienced before. The rewards may be great, but will have huge impact on societies, industries, and individuals.

Implementing new advanced technology, requires us to embrace new ways of thinking. It requires a paradigm shift in mindset.

At the core, we must focus on Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) to ensure sustainability and societal impact, whilst 3 pillars partnership, innovation, and digitalization will be essential for the success.

A strong partner ecosystem provides resilience, differing experience, and knowhow. No one company or country can be successful alone. We need to draw on the skills and cooperation with each other. We also want to create markets and ecosystems which are beyond one country or region.

But we do need to align, particularly on ESG. This will be an area where government regulation and enablement will be important.

Through collaboration and learning transfer, we are also better placed to solve problems, and develop new ways of working, by taking what we learn in one context and applying it to another.

We started this journey in UAE, for example by partnering with DEWA on joint R&D to create innovative new AI-based technologies -  or by  forging innovative new hydrogen-based industries with Mubadala, Masdar, Etihad, Khalifa University, and our other international partners to demonstrate P2X.

The UAE, guided by the wise and visionary leadership, has always been a technological pioneer, willing to take considered risks, and reap the rewards. A strong focus on developing a vibrant partnership ecosystem has been, and will continue to be, central to success.

The UAE is already a world-leader in low cost and low carbon oil and gas production. We need to extend this success downstream, to ensure the lasting success of the industry and to meet the decarbonized demands of the future.

Digitalization will enable and accelerate this progress. Utilization of cloud computing, big data, machine learning, remote operations, remote monitoring and additive manufacturing, are already providing huge efficiency gains and accelerating development, but we are only now glimpsing the potential. But we must also be wary of the threats posed by malicious actors, and create cyber security defenses, that turn the risks of these highly complex, interconnected, integrated systems, into benefits.

Digitalization is also crucial to the energy transition and a vital component of the shift to renewable sources of energy, which the UAE has pioneered across the region, through the UAE Energy Strategy 2050.

Renewables are the only energy source likely to experience demand growth across the remainder of 2021, regardless of the length of lockdown or strength of recovery. The UAE is in a prime position, with abundant resources and low costs, to take full advantage of this booming industry, and to leverage the experience into new fields, new applications, and new industries, like Green Hydrogen.

We have made a positive start with the strong partnerships that have been formed to develop the Green Hydrogen economy in the UAE. But we need to go further if we are to lead the development of this new, potential-filled industry, and seize a firm advantage.

There are many challenges to overcome; On the technological front, and on the market front.

Partnership will be the key enabler for growth, and we in Siemens Energy believe in true partnership, like we have in UAE, where vision and effort are aligned to achieve a common goal – to build a better, cleaner, future for society.