Al Rawahi revolutionized the energy sector with his novel approach toward the regeneration of batteries, waste reduction, and extending the life of critical power systems. With over 15 years invested in the energy industry, his foresighted management received appreciation in many ways, including a coveted slot among Forbes Middle East’s list of Inspiring Business Leaders. At Saudi Aramco, Nasser is committed to driving the future energy landscape through innovation, sustainability, and technical excellence for generations to come.

Nasser Al Rawahi founded Hexagon Battery Regeneration with a passion to disrupt the energy industry by bringing back to life batteries that would otherwise be discarded. Since incorporating Hexagon in 2014, Al Rawahi has been at the helm in defining the strategic direction of the company toward ensuring that it meets the rising global demand for alternative energy. Combining his expertise in engineering and sales with a passion for innovation, Hexagon has grown to become among the leading companies in battery regeneration-a company initiative which introduces both economic and environmental benefits to businesses and consumers alike.

It all began with a sound combination of technical and managerial education for Al Rawahi to rise to the pinnacle in the energy industry. With a BSc in Aviation Management from Emirates Aviation College, Dubai, supplemented by a Higher Diploma in Aircraft Technology/Engines and Airframe from the Higher Colleges of Technology, Abu Dhabi, Al Rawahi brought together a rare combination of engineering know-how and business acumen. Later, he earned an Executive MBA from the reputed IE Business School in Spain, further whetting his ability to lead a growing company in a very competitive industry.

Before setting up Hexagon, Al Rawahi spent upwards of 15 years working with international multinationals in the energy sector, during which he shouldered management roles, both in engineering and sales. This position and experience allowed him to develop his skills even more and understand some of the challenges and opportunities within the industry. Al Rawahi realized there was further development required to reach more sustainable solutions and he found a gap in the market regarding battery regeneration-a process which reduces waste and lengthens the life of batteries simultaneously, hence is economically feasible and friendly to the environment.

With Al Rawahi at the helm, Hexagon Battery Regeneration created a splash in quick time-not only within the UAE but beyond. It has assisted businesses in saving costs by offering maximum battery life using state-of-the-art regeneration technologies; hence, it is a very important ingredient in their energy systems. This is how Hexagon has turned out to be the fulcrum in the energy market, especially when industrialists and governments have started thinking about sustainability with environmental stewardship.

Under his leadership, Hexagon has received wide acclaim for its innovative approach and business success. In 2015, a year into founding the company, Al Rawahi was featured among Forbes Middle East’s list of Inspiring Business Leaders in the UAE, a fact that further cemented his status as one of the pioneers in energy-related businesses and the rising importance of battery regeneration both as a tool against waste and for sustainability.

Part of the reason Hexagon has been so successful has to do with Al Rawahi himself and how he views leadership: As founder, he is heavily involved in overseeing the strategic direction of the business, and the main thing he pays most attention to is how Hexagon will maintain its edge above competitors on technology and customer service. His technical background lets him make informed decisions about the company’s products and services, while his business acumen makes sure Hexagon continues to attain growth and success in a very competitive market.

As the world moves into a green future, Al Rawahi and Hexagon lead the process in proving that one doesn’t have to make a choice between innovation and sustainability. With his leadership and determination, Nasser Al Rawahi isn’t just regenerating batteries-he’s regenerating the way we think about energy and sustainability.

Over the past decade, Salem Al-Qassimi has been a resident visionary in the worlds of design and education, commanding respect throughout the UAE. As Founder and Principal of the dynamic platform Fikra, which merges design education, entrepreneurship, and cultural innovation, Al-Qassimi has established himself as one of the most influential voices in the Middle East’s rapidly growing design community. His multidisciplinary practice, which was deeply steeped in keen sensitivity and appreciation of contemporary cultural identity, continues to inspire new generations of designers and thinkers across the world.

Salem Al-Qassimi is not just a graphic designer; he is a front-runner who has been pushing boundaries regarding design education and discourses of culture within the UAE. It is his brainchild, Fikra that brings creative people together, giving them a place to experiment, learn, and interact with design holistically and effectively. Al-Qassimi has thus created a multifaceted platform through the Fikra Design Studio, the Fikra Campus, and the Fikra Graphic Design Biennial-celebrating design both as a profession and as a form of cultural activity.

Fikra: A Platform for Design Innovation

Established in 2006, Fikra Design Studio was initially set up as a boutique design house offering branding, graphic design, and creative consultancy. Along the way, Fikra evolved into a full-fledged platform that supported design education and community. The launch of Fikra Campus in 2017 marked a new chapter for the company-it brought together designers, students, and creative professionals under one roof to share ideas, participate in workshops, and work on projects that have pushed the envelope on traditional design.

Probably the most relevant program that comes under Fikra is the Fikra Graphic Design Biennial, which was started in 2018. The Biennial is the first of its type within the Middle East; it celebrates the role graphic design plays in shaping contemporary culture. It gives a unique platform for designers, artists, and cultural practitioners to present their work, have critical discourses, and discuss the intersection of design with societal issues. It immediately placed the UAE on the map of being in the circle of global design hubs, and the Biennial made its mark as a pioneering event in that respect.

Education has always been part of the core at the heart of Al-Qassimi’s mission. A designer who taught the subject for over a decade at leading institutions like the Rhode Island School of Design and the American University of Sharjah, Al-Qassimi is deeply committed to nurturing the next generation of designers. His teaching philosophy puts great stress on cultural context to design and allows students to investigate their identities through their creative work. Al-Qassimi’s avant-garde approach makes students realize that design is not about creating something for people to look at; rather, it is a medium through which stories could be told, complex problems solved, and culture expressed.

Thought Leader in Design and Culture

Apart from being a great educator and entrepreneur, Salem Al-Qassimi is a thought leader in design. He frequently speaks at conferences, universities, and exhibitions around the world about issues at which design, culture, and society intersect. His work has cropped up in a number of international periodicals, and he has written numerous articles, reviews and essays on topics as diverse as Arabic typography to the development of design education in the Arab world.

Design is deeply rooted in the mind of Al-Qassimi regarding his notion of creativity as an energetic tool in cultural dialogue. To a large extent, through Fikra and his academic work, he has sought to question the design conceptually conceived conventionally by offering nuance, which is necessary for any kind of historical and rich diversity that has characterized the region of Arabs. His efforts have placed him as a leader in the Middle East’s design community, arguing for Arabic design to be much better known worldwide.

Salem Al-Qassimi deploys design to tell stories, build communities, and bridge cultures. In this respect, through Fikra, he has certainly etched his mark into the UAE design landscape, pushing thinking outside of the box into new realms of possibility in design and education.

Right in the heart of the UAE, a flavorful journey was initiated by one man named Abdullah Al Mazrouei, which gained the attention of kitchens across the world. With a passion for Emirati cuisine and a dream to make the food popular and reachable for anyone, Al Mazrouei launched Danat-a line of spices and ready mixes, celebrating the rich UAE culinary heritage. From his mother’s kitchen to the international display of packed goods, Al Mazrouei’s story is one of tradition, innovation, and deep-rooted love for the flavours of his country.

For Abdullah Al Mazrouei, the founder of Danat, this is a mission-one that urgently needs to share with the world what Emirati food actually tastes like. Less than a month since its launch, the maiden array of spices and ready-to-cook food mixes by Danat has sent ripples within the UAE, and now it’s looking up at its global expansion as visions of Al Mazrouei unfold. With a product line-up of 13 spices and ready mixes in the market, and a declared ambition to unleash 40 more products, Danat is all poised to become a household name not only in the UAE but also worldwide.

Placing the flavors of UAE in every kitchen in the world” was a simple yet profound reason for Al Mazrouei to begin the journey with Danat. Al Mazrouei is very proud of his country’s food and had always been determined to show the Emirati flavours in a way that was modern and reachable. His personal aim is to represent the Emirati cuisine in such a manner as to please both locals, expatriates, and food lovers the world over.

Present products from Danat include a variety of spice mixes, such as Arabic, barbecue, and biryani spices, along with Emirati curry and maternal post spice–an herbal mix for new mothers to add to hot drinks and soups. Three ready mixes are also sold by Danat for preparing traditional Emirati foods, including chebab, or pancakes; Arabic bread, with its additions of saffron and cardamom; and kanfrosh, a spongy, doughnut-like cupcake. This blend will not only make cooking easier but also provide the real taste of Emirati cuisine, even for beginners who have less cooking experience. Add to this mix a few staple ingredients like eggs, oil, and milk, and just follow the simple instructions. One can create delicious, mouth-watering, authentic Emirati cuisine within the comfort of one’s kitchen.

What sets Danat apart from all other local spice companies is the fact that it focuses on ready mixes. “There are plenty of companies selling spices in the UAE, but no one caters for the convenience and authenticity of ready mixes like Danat,” says Al Mazrouei, who is particularly proud of this innovation and considers it something that really sets his brand apart from others in the market.

From ingredients to recipes themselves, Al Mazrouei’s commitment to quality and authenticity can be seen in everything Danat does. The recipes for Danat’s products are all based on traditional Emirati cuisine, much of which is directly sourced from Al Mazrouei’s mother. He sometimes complains about how hard it is to take those recipes, passed down through generations, and turn them into something commercial. Traditional Emirati cooking, he says, is more akin to an art than to a science; ingredients are measured intuitively rather than according to precise measure. It has taken Al Mazrouei countless hours in experimentation to develop all the recipes to perfection, such that each product is certain to deliver the authentic taste of Emirati cuisine.

Al Mazrouei has also given much attention to Danat’s branding and packaging. The name “Danat” means “a group of precious black pearls.” Al Mazrouei likes the name because he sees it as perfectly depicting his products. The logo also contains a traditional Emirati burqa, which had been designed by a friend residing in Italy, referencing the enriched cultural heritage of the country. This is attractive, easy to use, and is targeted to appeal to both local consumers and international markets.