Manufacturing and Industrialisation Strategic Conference Programme

Investing in the future of industry: charting the course to sustainable economic development

Opening Keynote

Session Location: Conference Hall A

As the world navigates the economic implications of a new world trade order, government leaders are faced with the challenge to maintain a steady growth in GDP whilst striking a balance with sustainability goals. Harnessing intelligent technology, strengthening national self-reliance and supporting economic innovation whilst managing natural resources in a way that meets the needs of future generations, will be crucial for building knowledge-based economies. The opening keynote will focus on the pathways to establishing a sustainable economic ecosystem, the importance of building an attractive investment climate for business and the future outlook of diversifying economies.

Session Panelist:

His Excellency
Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi

Chairman

Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED)

Make it in the Emirates: a local blueprint for empowering global economies

Strategic panel

Session Location: Conference Hall A

In times of economic uncertainty and shifting trade agreements, manufacturers are seeking to establish business operations in nations with a supportive government that offers attractive incentives to stimulate the development in advanced industries. The UAE’s ‘Make it in the Emirates’ campaign is an unparalleled example of a modern industrial incubator, demonstrating how capitalising on local resources is enhancing job creation, safeguarding supply chains and shaping a competitive, knowledge-based national economy. With access to international free trade agreements, a strategic geographic position, a highly skilled workforce and an advanced communication and logistics infrastructure, the UAE provides a unique value proposition for manufacturers to gain global competitiveness across all sectors.

Session Panelists:

His Excellency
Omar Ahmed Suwaina Al Suwaidi

Undersecretary

Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT)

His Excellency
Rashed Abdulkarim Al Blooshi

Undersecretary

Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED)

Mashal Saoud Al-Kindi

Acting CEO

TA'ZIZ

Dr. Saleh AlHashmi

Director, Group Commercial & ICV

ADNOC

Session Moderator:

Mustafa Alrawi

Acting Managing Director

CNN Business Arabic

Building advanced industries: the synergy between public and private sector fostering innovation in manufacturing

Leadership perspectives on industrial policy

Session Location: Conference Hall A

Industry 4.0 has further emphasised the role governments hold in diversifying national economies and developing knowledge-based industrial ecosystems. Advanced manufacturing - the key driver of today’s industrial transformation – will require governments to develop an enabling environment for businesses to thrive, easing the deployment of intelligent technologies that support a digital infrastructure. The future of industrial success will belong to governments that prioritise the development of a digital ecosystem, removing barriers for the private sector to adopt innovative solutions and key technologies.

Session Panelists:

His Excellency
Abdulla Al Shamsi

Assistant Undersecretary For Industrial Growth

Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT)

Eng. Arafat Al Yafei

Executive Director of Industrial Development Bureau

Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED)

His Excellency
Saud Abu Al Shawareb

EVP

Dubai Industrial City

Hatem Dowidar

Group CEO

e&

Amer Kakish

CEO

Ittihad International Investment

Abdullah Jarwan

CEO

CNTXT

Session Moderator:

Richard Dean

Presenter

Business Breakfast

Enhancing transparency and collaboration to build resilience in manufacturing supply chains

Leadership perspectives

Session Location: Conference Hall A

Industrial supply chains are the cornerstones of economies, enabling manufacturers to meet demand with supply and keep global trade moving. Geopolitical uncertainty and climate concerns have revealed the fragility of modern supply chains, expanding the spectrum of possible disruptions and forcing manufacturers to constantly adapt strategies to remain resilient. How can enabling greater transparency through data-driven business models, increasing areas of collaboration across the industrial value chain and leveraging smart technologies to redefine manufacturing, lay the groundwork for building agile, resilient and sustainable supply chains?

Session Panelists:

Amadou Diallo

CEO

DHL Global Forwarding Middle East & Africa

Vladimir Arshinov

Group CTO

Emirates Steel Arkan

Koji Nakaoka

SVP

Yokogawa Electric Corporation

Sebastien Grau

Global Industry VP for Process Industries

Rockwell Automation

Belgacem Merad

Geozone VP MENA

Weatherford

Session Moderator:

Eithne Treanor

Founder & CEO

ETreanor Media

Unlocking the full potential of AI for industrial transformation

Expert dialogue

Session Location: Conference Hall A

Artificial intelligence has prompted a quantum leap in manufacturing innovation, blurring the boundaries of what is possible for future industries. From supply chain optimisation and predictive maintenance to increased automation and customisation at scale, AI equips business leaders with endless opportunities to redefine the capabilities of the manufacturing and industrial sectors. How will the industry reconfigure its operations and business models in an era of artificial intelligence and which areas of industry will see the biggest changes?

Session Panelists:

Helmut von Struve

CEO

Siemens Middle East

Rashesh Mody

EVP Business Strategy & Realisation

AVEVA

Session Moderator:

David Sayah

Managing Director and Partner

BCG

Gearing up the next-generation manufacturing workforce

Leadership interview

Session Location: Conference Hall A

The future of work will be vastly impacted by advanced digital technologies and the shifting trends of today's workforce. On the one hand, the manufacturing sector will face unique challenges, requiring people with more advanced technical skills as they integrate the Industrial Internet of Things, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence - skills which may not be readily available in the labour market. Conversely, advanced technologies will significantly augment the manufacturing sector, replacing repetitive and menial tasks with more problem-solving while reducing human error, enhancing safety and enabling increased productivity. Manufacturers need to take stock of the challenges appearing on the horizon and anticipate the requirement to invest in training and reskilling programs, to ensure their future workforces can fulfil their potential.

Session Panelist:

Ibraheem Al Zaabi

SVP

ADNOC Technical Academy

Session Moderator:

Dr. Carole Nakhle

CEO

Crystol Energy

Made in the Emirates Mark & Environmental Label

Ministerial Talk

Session Location: Conference Hall A

Presented by the UAE Ministry of Industry & Advanced Technology

Offtake Prosperity: Unlocking Investment Opportunities

Ministerial Talk

Session Location: Conference Hall A

Presented by the UAE Ministry of Industry & Advanced Technology

Securing industrial resilience and sustainable growth

Keynote address

Session Location: Conference Hall A

The global manufacturing sector will play a key role in developing resilient economies that rely on sustainable industrial activity. The UAE has taken significant strides in redefining manufacturing to fortify industrial supply chains and grow in-country value. Looking ahead to the next decade of industrial transformation, ensuring material availability, technology readiness and access to a tech-savvy workforce will be the key challenges to building industrial resilience. The keynote address will highlight the global trends shaping the manufacturing sector, and the importance of creating an enabling environment for sustainable industrial development.

Session Panelist:

His Excellency
Omar Ahmed Suwaina Al Suwaidi

Undersecretary

Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT)

Accelerating sustainable industrialisation: the critical role of energy efficiency in manufacturing

Leadership perspectives on sustainability

Session Location: Conference Hall A

Mitigating the impacts of climate change and reaching net-zero targets requires a substantial reduction in emissions from industrial sectors. The challenge for industry leaders lies in lowering existing energy demand while accurately tracking emissions across the manufacturing cycle and adopting cleaner fuel systems. Considering the high temperatures essential for heavy industry operations, this is no easy task – gradually replacing fossil fuels with alternative technologies will require industry leaders to come together and seek out innovative, actionable and climate-conscious solutions.

Session Panelists:

Thierry Conti

President, Surface Technologies

TechnipFMC

Manish Pant

EVP International Operations

Schneider Electric

Benjamin Beberness

VP, Industry Business Unit General Manager

AspenTech

Session Moderator:

Dr.-Ing. Wilderich Heising

Partner and Associate Director
Manufacturing & Supply Chain

BCG

Networking Lunch

Session Location: Conference Hall A

Financing industries of the future: the role of SMEs in driving economic progress

Strategic panel

Session Location: Conference Hall A

For businesses to survive and thrive in today’s industrial ecosystem, adopting a cost-conscious mindset while also implementing intelligent technologies is no longer an option, but an essential requirement for success. Investing in advanced digital technologies to capture the promised benefits is a challenge for SMEs, requiring significant upfront costs for the latest equipment. The role of financiers in supporting local businesses cannot be understated, as banks and investors are the ultimate enabler to revolutionise manufacturing amidst a digital transformation. The path to unlocking Industry 4.0 benefits starts with capital; is now the opportune time to invest in tomorrow’s industries?

Session Panelists:

Her Excellency
Raja Al Mazrouei

CEO

Etihad Credit Insurance (ECI)

Ahmed Mohamed Al Naqbi

CEO

Emirates Development Bank (EDB)

Dr. Palat Menon

Founder and CEO

AstraGene

Fahmi Al Shawwa

CEO

IMMENSA

Haitham Al Subaihi

Acting Executive Director of Business Development & Promotion

Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO)

Session Moderator:

Richard Dean

Presenter

Business Breakfast

Lighthouse factories championing innovation in manufacturing

Strategic panel

Session Location: Conference Hall A

The future of manufacturing will rely on a range of cutting-edge industrial technologies such as AI, Machine Learning, Digital Twin Engineering and Additive Manufacturing - the benefits of which can already be seen in smart factories. Beyond immediate gains in efficiency and productivity, adopting Industry 4.0 technologies lay the foundation for sustainable industrial growth while lowering harmful emissions. Mechanisms to measure a successful digital transformation, such as the recently launched Industrial Technology Transformation Index (ITTI), are vital tools for factories to achieve sustainable manufacturing operations. By establishing a quantifiable standard for manufacturers to aspire to while providing actionable guidelines to accelerate their technological transformation, the index can support in developing sustainable, intelligent factories of the future and revamping a national industrial ecosystem.

Session Panelists:

Dr. Cori Stewart

CEO

Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Hub

Sverre Brandsberg-Dahl

CTO

Microsoft Energy Engineering

Mathias Schinzel

President, MEA

Emerson

Kemal Koeksal

CTO EMEA

C3 ai

Tariq Al Hashmi

Director of Technology Adoption and Development

Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT)

Session Moderator:

Hala Gorani

Anchor & Correspondent

Circular transformation of industries: a systemic approach

Leadership perspectives

Session Location: Conference Hall A

The traditional perspective on sustainable manufacturing is commonly associated with waste management and recycling. However, addressing only the last part of the manufacturing cycle ignores an integrated approach to sustainability. For true circular transformation to take effect, systemic changes will need to be put in place that consider the entire manufacturing spectrum: from demand optimisation, sourcing raw materials, to sustainable production and repurposing. What can manufacturers do better, and what are the supporting pillars needed from the public and private sectors to ensure a sustainable, circular transformation of the global manufacturing sector?

Session Panelist:

Her Excellency
Dr. Farah Ali Al Zarooni

Assistant Undersecretary for the Standards and Regulations Sector

Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT)

Yousif Bin Saeed Al Lootah

CEO

Lootah Biofuels

Rich Morin

COO

Celeros Flow Technology

Session Moderator:

Abhay Bhargava

VP & Regional Leader Energy & Environment

Frost & Sullivan