Her Excellency Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, the UAE’s Minister of Climate Change and Environment, led the inauguration of the e& enterprise Innovation Centre. The centre aims to showcase the most recent and significant innovative digital solutions across various sectors, reinforcing the company’s visionary approach towards leveraging technology and fostering innovation to support environmental conservation and climate improvement.
The launch of the new Innovation Centre aims to establish a more attractive environment for customers and the technological system and demonstrates its commitment to strengthening the role of technology in supporting sustainability efforts, in line with the efforts of the United Arab Emirates in enhancing commitment to sustainability and declaring 2023 as ‘Year of Sustainability’.
The opening ceremony took place in the presence of His Excellency Mohammad Saeed Al Nuaimi, Acting Undersecretary of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, and other dignitaries from the ministry, along with Hatem Dowidar, Group CEO, e&, Masood M. Sharif Mahmood, CEO, etisalat by e&, Khalifa Al Shamsi, CEO, e& life, Salvador Anglada, CEO, e& enterprise, Obaid Bokisha, Group COO, e&, Dena Almansoori, Group CHRO, e&, Sabri Ali Yehya, Chief Technology Officer, e& international, and other members of the e& delegation.
For her part, Her Excellency Mariam Almheiri praised the new Innovation Centre following its completion and its ability to offer technical and sustainable solutions for various operations of e& enterprise.
She said: “The new Innovation Centre represents a pioneering step in enhancing digital transformation in various entities in the state, supporting the technological development system which is one of the most important strategic trends to push sustainability efforts and streamline many traditional operational processes, contributing to environmental conservation and rationalising resource consumption.”
Her Excellency added: “e& enterprise’s efforts reflect their leadership in harnessing modern technology and digital solutions in enhancing sustainability, which is highlighted in the company’s commitment to achieving climate neutrality across its operations in the UAE by 2030. During the Year of Sustainability in the UAE and as we look forward to hosting the COP28 Conference in November, we encourage more institutions to adopt the same approach and work from now on to employ technology and digital techniques in developing their business while at the same time reducing the carbon footprint of their operations to cooperate in achieving climate neutrality in the UAE by 2050.”
Her Excellency affirmed that achieving this goal requires the concerted efforts of government, the private sector, and all members of society for a more sustainable future for the UAE.
The Innovation Centre has attracted over 1,000 visits since its inception from notable institutions and organisations. With 90 per cent of visitors being C-level executives, the centre has demonstrated its broad appeal and influence in driving digital transformation across government, enterprise, and SMB sectors.
Hatem Dowidar, Group CEO, e&, said: “As innovation has become a way of life in the UAE, today’s inauguration marks a remarkable milestone in our journey to embrace the power of digital transformation and revolutionise the way we serve our valued customers and partners. In recognition of the UAE’s visionary leadership, we have always strived to contribute to shaping the future while being at the forefront of sustainability, innovation and technology. This has also helped foster collaboration in seeking innovative solutions to challenges such as energy, climate change, and other pressing issues related to sustainability.
“The Innovation Centre will be a dynamic hub that showcases how digital can really come to life while at the same time having the extraordinary opportunity to experience the transformative power of e& solutions applied to real-world scenarios. Through collaboration, creativity, and curiosity, we will create new possibilities together, pushing the boundaries to usher in a new era of prosperity.”
With a steadfast commitment to driving sustainable transformation, the company leverages its expertise to ensure that the Innovation Centre continues to serve as a premier destination for showcasing the latest digital solutions and state-of-the-art technologies.
Salvador Anglada, CEO, e& enterprise, said: “The Innovation Centre represents a significant milestone as it revolutionises our approach to serving customers and technology ecosystem partners using cutting-edge technologies. We invite everyone to witness the realisation of digital solutions and explore endless possibilities. Our goal is to establish a new industry benchmark by prioritising solutions that drive growth for governments and enterprises. We achieve this through seamlessly integrating digital technologies in the digital era.”
e& has pledged its commitment to achieving net zero within its Group’s operations in the UAE for Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030, and it also distinguished itself as the first private sector entity in the UAE to join the UAE Independent Climate Change Accelerators (UICCA), demonstrating its unwavering commitment to active engagement in global climate action.
e& is dedicated to global climate action and the advancement of sustainable development goals, actively engaging and persistently striving to improve the lives of individuals within its reach while continuously innovating sustainable solutions that contribute to the nation’s development objectives and enhance the well-being of the communities it serves.
In 2019, the Innovation Centre was launched under the “Etisalat Digital” brand, now known as e& enterprise.