Ahmed Salmeen Al Obthani, Chief Executive, Government Affairs, Al Masaood Group for «Al Jundi»: We have strong strategic relations with the Ministry of Defence

Al Masaood Group is one of the most prominent family corporations in the UAE, earning a place on Forbes magazine’s list of “top 100 Arab Family businesses” for 2 years in a row. Founded in 1970, Al Masaood group was the first company registered with the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry with Commercial Registration No. 1, today it employs more than 3000 employees from 54 countries. Al Masaood is the exclusive authorized agent for many international brands; in addition, it owns an assortment of local companies and affiliated brands.

To know more about Al Masaood Group, Al-Jundi interviewed Mr. Ahmed Salmeen Al-Obthani, CEO of Government Affairs, in Al Masaood Group, and had the following dialogue with him:

After celebrating Al Masaood Group’s 50th anniversary, what are the Group’s upcoming local and international strategies?
At Al Masaood Group, we are dedicated to supporting national development initiatives and establishing effective collaborations with key organisations in both the public and commercial sectors in line with the UAE Sustainability Agenda and Abu Dhabi Vision 2030. We are forging strategic partnerships as we understand the significance of unifying efforts to achieve national goals, including supporting the momentum of industries and the competitiveness of the UAE economy.
At the national level, we have joined the Ta’ziz project – a system of industrial and logistics services that leads, supports, and facilitates the growth of the Ruwais Industrial Complex and advanced industries and petrochemicals sectors in Abu Dhabi. By participating in this project, we aim to drive forward with our Emiratisation agenda and the support of Emirati talents within our Group to contribute to the In-Country Value (ICV) program.
We will explore various avenues in providing light industry services – including support and maintenance, industrial operations, along with facilities management services in various fields within the service industry sector. We are also exploring opportunities to provide services to industries based in Al Ruwais, and the UAE in general, and are looking at prospects of launching a new facility in the Ta’ziz Industrial Zone.


The Group has achieved many notable accomplishments since its establishment in Abu Dhabi in 1970. What are the main accomplishments that you seek to develop and expand in the upcoming period?
Since the establishment of
Al Masaood Group over five decades ago, we have supported the development of the Abu Dhabi economy. The Group has formed partnerships with global brands to bring products, services, and expertise to serve the nation. Our objectives and strategies are in line with the wise leadership’s vision of building a diverse and sustainable economy, which is based on knowledge and innovation. The vision and guidelines of our wise leadership have fortified the UAE’s global position as one of the most advanced countries in numerous sectors.
Over 50 years ago, Al Masaood was the first company to be registered in the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and through our engineering division, we introduced the first gas turbine to the Middle East. By forging partnerships with prominent companies, such as Nissan, INFINITI, Renault, MTU, Volvo Penta, Bridgestone, and many others, Al Masaood brought home global products and services. On many occasions, our efforts were recognised by our global principals through various certificates and accolades such as the Nissan Global Award, highlighting our commitment to providing holistic customer service at all touch points.

What are the new solutions and products offered by Al Masaood in the field of defence?
Al Masaood Group has an old and strong strategic relationship with the UAE Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces, which entails providing technology and logistics support in the land, maritime, and aerial sectors. The Group also provides the Armed Forces with support in commerce and logistics services.
The partnership between Al Masaood Group and the UAE Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces involves enhancing the specialised industries that fall under the Tawazun Council and Edge Group; developing the deserted areas that belong to UAE military entities, located inside the country and in other Gulf countries. It also includes performing general maintenance to light and heavy vehicles and military equipment that belong to the Ministry of Defence and require quick support within a period of no more than 24 hours. We also provide general maintenance services to Naval and Land forces, as the Group is the official representative of MTU and Volvo Penta, in addition to training some military personnel and technicians operating the equipment.

Based on the significance of the partnership between the private and public sectors as key pillars of the UAE’s development strategy, what is Al Masaood’s approach to promoting this partnership?
We believe that the key factor for the nation’s economic development is a solid partnership between the public and private sectors, and in this light, we have been constantly exploring prospects of expanding our collaboration with the public sector. We have been funnelling our efforts and expertise to support national projects, such as the Ta’ziz project, and we are the first private Emirati company to be a part of this strategic initiative. Additionally, we have been exploring various partnership opportunities with relevant entities and institutions in the public and private sectors, further highlighting the need for joint efforts to realise the goals of sustainable development.


The UAE continues to support and enable national talents and enhance their contributions to the development of the country and its economic advancement. Tell us more about the Group’s initiatives and strategies in this context…
One of our key priorities at Al Masaood Group is to empower national talent, and we have provided constant support to foster the participation of national competencies in the country’s development journey. The Group focuses on offering job opportunities for national talent, and organising training programs to enhance their skills such as vocational training sessions that aim at combating workforce challenges in the energy sector. We are working to upskill engineering cadres, both Emirati men and women. We are also a part of the Ta’ziz project, which promotes Emiratisation, and we have been committed to contributing to the nation’s development by increasing Emirati participation in the private sector. Additionally, we employ, train, develop, integrate Emiratis across our operations, and enable them to reach leadership positions in all our operational sectors.

The ESG practices are playing a significant role in the continuity and advancement of companies. How does Al Masaood deploy these practices in its strategies and operations?
Given its rising significance, ensuring optimum ESG practices is at the top of our priorities to ensure a sustainable future in line with the vision and ambitions of the government. We are committed to devising strategies that adhere to international standards of ESG practices and are aware of their role in business success. With an aim to integrate these practices into our business strategies, we have established an effective framework for ESG requirements that ensures synchronicity with our vision and businesses. In line with the concept of environmental responsibility in Abu Dhabi, we have deployed new innovative technological solutions across our operations to limit our carbon footprint and ensure energy efficiency.

Profile

Ahmed AlObthani

– Ahmed Salmeen Al Obthani.
– Currently holds the position of Chief Executive of Government Affairs at Al Masaood Group, working closely with the Board of Directors and overseeing the department of Government Affairs’ strategic operations.
– He has over 20 years of international experience building strategic relationships.
– He has overseen company operations across seven countries.
– His career includes senior positions in the biggest companies in the UAE.
– Ahmed holds an MBA from the USA, and a BS in Business Planning, Economy, and Science Administration, in addition to Diplomas in Strategic Business Information Technology, Chemical Engineering Process, and Operational Process of Maritime sectors.
– He has achieved many technical and ISO certifications and training on how to upgrade nuclear power plants.

» Interviewed by: «Al Jundi »

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