Second 'Make it in the Emirates Forum' to begin 31 May in Abu Dhabi 

Make it in the Emirates, launched under the National Strategy for Industry and Advanced Technology, Operation 300 billion, will take place from 31st May to 1st June at the Abu Dhabi Energy Centre.

The forum invites senior decision-makers, industry and technology leaders, experts, innovators, entrepreneurs, financial institutions, investors, startups, and major industrial institutions to discover opportunities, announce new partnerships and present procurement plans.

Make it in the Emirates acts as a platform for corporations and the government to discuss opportunities, address challenges, and explore the competitive advantages available in the UAE, such as incentives, enablers, infrastructure, financing, and partnerships.

One of the region’s key industrial events, the forum will focus on sustainable industrial development, carbon reduction, and increasing the industrial sector’s contribution to climate action.

Comprising three main sessions, the first day of the forum will kick off with a panel on enhancing industrial competitiveness through R&D and technology in the presence of Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of State for Public Education and Advanced Technology; Malek Al Malek, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Holding Asset Management (DHAM); and Anna-Karin Rosén, Managing Director at Saab.

The second panel, held in the presence of Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade; Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of ADDED, and Omar Al Suwaidi, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, will address strengthening value chains and product competitiveness.

Industrial Sustainability & Roadmap to COP28, the third panel, will address ways to enhance sustainability practices and standards in the industrial sector and accelerate decarbonisation. It will be held in the presence of Majid Al Suwaidi, Director-General and Special Representative of COP28; Yaser Saeed Al Mazrouei, Executive Director, Upstream Directorate, ADNOC; Abdulnasser bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Global Aluminum; Saeed Ghumran Al Remeithi, Group Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Steel Arkan; Saif Al Qubaisi, Vice President at Mubadala Investment Company; and Alan Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Agthia Group.

Set to take place on the first day of the forum, the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology has launched the Make it in the Emirates Awards to recognise excellence and innovation in the industrial sector.

The awards will celebrate the pioneers, visionaries, national talents, and sustainability champions of the industrial sector, helping drive the UAE’s transformation to becoming a global manufacturing hub.

The awards aim to demonstrate the competitive advantages and incentives that Make it in the Emirates provides to boost industrial investment in the UAE, enhancing the contribution of the national sector towards achieving the goals of the National Strategy for Industry and Advanced Technology in line with the UAE’s decarbonisation and sustainability targets.

The second day of the forum comprises four sessions; the first, titled “Growth Through In-Country Value”, will be held in the presence of Saleh Al Hashemi, Head of the Department of Commercial Affairs and In-Country Value at ADNOC; Abdullah Al Shamsi, Assistant Under-Secretary for the Industrial Development Sector at the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology; Arafat Al Yafei, Executive Director of ADDED's Industrial Development Bureau (IDB); and Ahmed Rahma Al Masaood, Vice Chairman of Al Masaood Group.

The second session, “The Role of Industrial Zones”, will be held in the presence of Mohamed Al Khadar Al Ahmed, CEO of the Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi (KEZAD) Group; Saud Abu Al-Shawareb, Executive Vice President – Industrial Leasing at TECOM Group PJSC,; Ramy Jallad, Group CEO of RAKEZ; and Sharief Habib Al Awadhi, Director-General of Fujairah Free Zone Authority.

“Competitive Financing as a Key Enabler”, the third panel, will discuss the importance of innovative financing solutions in driving growth, promoting entrepreneurship, and supporting companies. The session will be held in the presence of Ahmed Al Naqbi, Chief Executive Officer at Emirates Development Bank (EDB); Hana Al Rostamani, Group Chief Executive Officer at First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB); Khalil Al Mansoori, Acting Director-General of Abu Dhabi Exports Office (ADEX); Raja Al Mazrouei, Managing Director at Etihad Credit Insurance (ECI); and Mohamed Al Marzooqi, Chief Executive Officer at HSBC Middle East.

The second day of Make it in the Emirates concludes with an overview of the UAE as an investment destination with a panel titled “Why Make it in The Emirates, The Investor Perspective”, held in the presence of Mohamed Al Musharrakh, Chief Executive Officer of Sharjah FDI Office; Abdulla Abdul Aziz Al Shamsi, Acting Director-General of the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO); and Amer Kakish, Chief Executive Officer at Ittihad International Investment.

The final session, “Local Talent in the Private Sector”, will be held in the presence of Omar Al Suwaidi, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology; Ghannam Al Mazrouei, Secretary-General of the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council; and Yaser Saeed Al Mazrouei, Executive Director, Upstream Directorate, ADNOC.

The forum will also host sessions highlighting advanced technologies, industrial investment opportunities in the UAE as well as incentives and enablers designed to boost entrepreneurship and business growth. The Make it in the Emirates Forum is a crucial platform for industry experts and leaders to share their insights on key topics shaping the sector, including industrial automation, the role of technology in advancing the industrial sector, and the importance of sustainability.

The second Make it in the Emirates Forum will build on the success of the inaugural event in 2022, which resulted in procurement opportunities worth AED 110 billion, comprising 300 products across 11 sectors.

The first forum witnessed the participation of more than 1,800 delegates.

For more information visit the Make it in the Emirates website