Al Bastaki has not only left a dent in the corporate world but also played a vital role in nurturing the next generation of Emirati entrepreneurs. However, his contribution to the industry goes much further beyond his own ventures, thus making him a beacon of inspiration and an important player in the newly arising UAE entrepreneurial ecosystem. Indeed, it is nothing short of impressive that Jassim Al Bastaki has demonstrated such commitment to developing entrepreneurship in the UAE. Much of his career has been given over to persuading and encouraging young Emiratis to venture into the world of business and innovation. He has shared his Valuable Advice and insight via engaging lectures, conferences, and television programs that made entrepreneurs take a decisive step into the business world. And as such, he has inspired many, and the UAE is gaining recognition as one of the global hotspots when it pertains to Entrepreneurship.

Al Bastaki does not stop at being a motivator. He is an active member in several governmental and international associations, actively advocating for the interests of entrepreneurs and small businesses. He is a member of the Board for the Emirati Entrepreneurs Association and a member of the Advisory Council of the Federation of Gulf Entrepreneurship, which shapes policies and initiatives to foster the entrepreneurial community. To this end, he has engaged himself actively with the Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for the Development of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and the Khalifa bin Zayed Fund to support small and medium projects, showing full involvement in fostering a healthy business environment in the UAE.

Jassim Al Bastaki’s drive as an entrepreneur is not confined to just being an advocate or mentor but extends to making long strides within the corporate world, particularly in the aviation industry. During his leadership as MD and GM at MIDEX Airlines, Al Bastaki has driven the company to firmly place itself as a leading player in the Middle Eastern aviation sector. MIDEX Airlines, of which he is a cofounder, stands out as the fourth airline registered in the UAE and the largest private airline in the region that concentrates on air cargo transportation. It has grown under his lead into an important link in the chain, connecting the Middle East to various other markets across the world.

None of Al Bastaki’s ventures stops at aviation. His entrepreneurship also travels to the food and beverage industry, where he has introduced innovative concepts that match those by international competitors. He is the founder and owner of the “Cafe2go” series and the commercial brand “Camellos,” which have gained impressive traction within the UAE and beyond. Their unique selling point for these cafes comes through using camel milk in their coffee products, offering something a little different and culturally relevant compared to the normal ubiquitous coffee shops. This is innovation that captures the edge for his brands over their international competitors and celebrates the rich heritage of the UAE.

The results achieved by Jassim Al Bastaki are testaments to his enterprising mind and an unstoppable drive for perfection. From the various different roles which he has taken on to the businesses that he sets up, he has never stopped pushing the bar higher and setting standards for young entrepreneurs in the UAE. The knack for grabbing new opportunities has made him a front-runner across sectors, from aviation to food and beverage.

The more Jassim Al Bastaki continues to lead and inspire, the more his impact upon the entrepreneurial landscape of the UAE will go from strength to strength. His current and future ventures will continue to shape the very fabric of the industries in which they operate, setting new benchmarks with regard to success and innovation. Furthermore, his work to continuously mentor and support young entrepreneurs means the next generation of Emirati business leaders is equally well-placed to meet whatever challenges tomorrow throws up.

Hatem Saeed Al Amoudi shines forth as the fine, bold architect of change that the UAE wants to alter its course in the future regarding building performance and sustainability. At Dubai Future Foundation- DFF-where he serves as Head of Labs, Al Amoudi is on the helm in this revolution of energy management and smart building solutions which the world so desperately needs. With high energy prices and environmental sustainability a rapidly central theme among GCC states, there is now increasing impetus to adopt energy-efficient practices. This has gathered further pace in recent times with the COP21 summit in Paris, but the UAE has taken serious steps toward green building and sustainability in the most recent past. Dubai, for one, has been at the forefront of such initiatives through its regulations and incentives targeted at ensuring eco-friendly construction.

This also includes the Dubai Municipality-devised Al Sa’fat green rating system, which works towards making Dubai’s buildings more sustainable to fall in line with the Dubai Plan 2021 vision of a smart and sustainable city. In fact, the system may even link rental prices to green building ratings, which in a way forces developers and property owners to take up the mantle of energy efficiency.

This is where Energy Solutions Group International, founded by Al Amoudi in 2013, comes into the fore. ESGI has rapidly established itself at the head in optimizing energy usage of both commercial and residential buildings. In a nutshell, the mission of the company is to take the mystery out of energy efficiency and make effective and affordable solutions. First and foremost, Al Amoudi began his journey with a focus on energy automation systems for smart homes. This, in turn, evolved into integrated building management systems and then into the development of ESGI itself. Its largest early client, Etihad Airways, had approached ESGI initially to develop global standards for environmental controls in its luxury lounges. It was that collaboration which would set the stage for what innovations ESGI would provide for the future.

At the heart of ESGI’s operations is a state-of-the-art 24/7 command center in Dubai. From this facility, it allows for real-time monitoring of client energy performance to provide actionable insights into how buildings are consuming their energy. The dashboards within the command center present an elaborative review of the energy use, allowing clients to identify inefficiencies and enable them to make informed decisions.

Al Amoudi speaks of how vital the visual display of energy consumption is:. Instead of promising savings, ESGI provides efficiency for its clients through actual data review. This typically tends to drive more change, since their energy usage patterns are right in front of them. One of the major milestones for ESGI was working with Dell on the Dell Edge Gateways for IoT. This allows seamless communications between various building systems and provides valuable data to optimize. In fact, with the addition of this technology, ESGI can further enhance their building management systems to provide clients with the maximum levels of control and efficiency.

This potential with the Gateway was showcased with a test project recently completed at a Dubai shopping mall. This is a highly inefficient mall with an extremely sophisticated BMS, but several redundancies as well as recommendations for improvements derived from the integration done by ESGI could have the potential of saving 2.45 million dollars per annum. This will go to prove that cutting-edge technology plays an important role in energy management today.

With more and more green initiatives being embraced by the UAE, greater is the requirement for effective regulation and enforcement. Al Amoudi, along with ESGI’s COO Andrew Ward and Director Paul Warren, called for a regulatory framework that comprises independent measurement and verification bodies. They believed financial incentives that are directly related to energy performance, such as not only rebates but adjustments in rents or municipality fees, would accelerate the energy efficiency mechanism.

Al Amoudi said that ESGI had indeed set up a good platform for energy efficiency in the UAE but that further accomplishment in terms of industry-wide change needed to be dictated and shaped by government action. His ultimate vision is one where energy efficiency is not an option but part of how buildings are designed and operated.

Hamad Khoory has managed to fashion a niche that not only coexists but also combines these two tensions. As the principal of LOCI-a design studio based in Dubai he founded in 2012-Khoory has gained major recognition in the fields of contemporary architecture, urban planning, interior architecture, and product design. His works mirror how context shapes architectural undertakings, and his philosophy is typically marinated in respect for culture and the environment.

When Hamad Khoory entered the architecture field, the beginning was indeed impassioned and well-appreciated from an art point of view. Grown up, he was fascinated with the world of art and sculpture, which actually laid the base for a future career in architecture. He supplemented this interest by taking two visual arts courses that furthered his artistic perception. In fact, these early artistic exposures proved to be some of the most important influences to occur in the development of his philosophy of design, which strongly advocates the marriage between art and architecture. Khoory received both his undergraduate and postgraduate training as an architect from the Wentworth Institute of Technology. An academic career that traversed continents: from Boston, USA, to Berlin, Germany; both great tolerance cities and assimilations of varied architectural styles and influences. This wide exposure gave the definition to his design philosophy, introducing a great respect toward the cultural and environmental contexts in which architecture exists.

Hamad Khoory founded LOCI-the design studio that would come to redefine contemporary architecture in Dubai and beyond in 2012 . The name LOCI itself is derived from the Latin word for “place,” reflecting the studio’s commitment to designing spaces that are inextricably linked to their cultural and environmental contexts. It is LOCI’s belief that a design philosophy should be responding to the unique characteristics of a site rather than imposing one singular notion on it.

LOCI works within a wide spectrum of design disciplines, ranging from contemporary architecture to urban planning, interior architecture, and product design. Studio projects express deep respect for the environment and commitment to sustainability. LOCI marries traditional notions of architecture with a sensitivity to contemporary design, bringing function to culturally relevant space. Prior to the founding of LOCI, Hamad Khoory developed valuable experience working with some of the most prestigious multinational companies in the field of architecture, having started his career with British multinational engineering and design firm W.S. Atkins, where he honed his skills in large-scale projects. He then moved to RMJM, another international architectural firm, where he furthered his experience in urban planning and design.

Khoory’s professional sojourn started from the UAE to Brazil, having also worked with Ruy Ohtake Arquitetura e Urbanismo in Sao Paulo. This experience allowed him to be immersed in Brazilian culture and architecture, thus further enriching his approach to design. The multifarious projects and environments in which Khoory has practiced give him a globally unique yet deeply culturally contextual view of architecture. What, then, sets LOCI apart from other design studios is a steadfast commitment to contextual design, sensitive to culture. In every project, Khoory and his team are extensively aware of the immediate environment, culture, and history. This approach makes every LOCI project a beauty to behold, connected with the local landscape.

One of the highlight projects by LOCI is that of urban planning, whereby the studio has engaged in the design of sustainable and culturally sensitive space both in Dubai and other regions. Such projects reflect Khoory’s inclination toward urban development as a blend of tradition and modernity in respect to space.

Hamad Khoory is highly enthusiastic about promoting sustainable architecture and town planning. He quite often delivers lectures and conducts workshops on his insights to infect the next generation of architects with appreciation for context-sensitive design practices. At LOCI, his commitment to sustainability reflects upon everything: from the materials used to the design processes applied. Coupled with his passion for architecture to be the leading force in community building and life improvement, he cannot stop pushing the limits of what is possible in today’s design.