Siemens marks 20 years as UAE entity, commits to build local talent for knowledge economy

Siemens marked 20 years since its establishment as a local limited liability company (LLC) in the United Arab Emirates on March 20, 2019. After more than 20 years of contributing to the country’s economy, its vital infrastructure and knowledge development among the local population, the company committed to making a bigger impact to support the UAE’s economic diversification targets and building local skills. Siemens operates as an LLC company in the UAE with partners H.E. Sir Easa Saleh Al Gurg, KCVO, CBE, and H.E. Mohamed Rubaya Al Mehairi.

Over the next two years, Siemens will work to train Emirati nationals under a development program that will equip them with the skills of the future and pave the way to bringing them into the Siemens workforce in the UAE. The company has made a commitment that by 2023 five percent of its employees will be UAE nationals. It has also pledged to hold lectures across UAE universities where students can learn about topics including the Internet of Things (IoT), skills of the future, leadership and digitalization. This is in addition to its ongoing efforts with UAE universities to educate and train around 4,000 students to use its Product Lifecycle Management software that will enable them to conceptualize, design and test products in the virtual world by creating a digital twin. The software was granted to four of the largest public UAE universities. 

“In the UAE, for the UAE. That’s what we stand for as an international-local company. Everything we do has to advance human and societal development, contribute positively to the economy and enable the efficient use of natural resources with reduced environmental impact,” said Dietmar Siersdorfer, CEO of Siemens in the Middle East and UAE. “We also want to support the UAE’s digital transformation and innovation in the country. One example of that is the Expo 2020 Dubai, where we’re creating a blueprint for smart cities globally. The future is happening here and we are excited to be shaping it with our partners.” 

In its recent ‘Business to Society’ report for the country, Siemens demonstrated that during financial year 2018 the company’s business goals aligned with the ambitions of the UAE, its government, its people and the broader society. The report found that Siemens is a significant contributor to key sectors of the national economy, and its activities are helping drive economic progress, expand jobs and training, support home-grown innovation, and add value to the country’s many sustainability priorities. 

With 90 percent of the gross value added by Siemens to the UAE economy occurring in the non-oil sector, the company is providing strong support to the country’s ongoing transition towards a diversified, knowledge economy. Siemens’ technologies enable delivery of 75 percent of the UAE’s daily water supply; represent more than 40 percent of overall power generation capacity; and facilitate 50 percent of operations in its aluminum and steel sectors. In other vital industries, Siemens solutions enhance half of the country’s port logistics, 92 percent of its baggage handling and 86 percent of its air cargo operations. 

Siemens across all entities directly employs 2,700 highly skilled workers and enables an additional 16,200 jobs across the UAE economy. Through training and education programs in the UAE and abroad, Siemens has supported more than 150 young Emiratis to gain new skillsets and international experience. 

Sustainability begins at home for Siemens, whose regional headquarters in Masdar City averages 55 percent greater energy savings and 47 percent lower water use, compared to standard UAE office buildings. 

Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a global technology powerhouse that has stood for engineering excellence, innovation, quality, reliability and internationality for more than 170 years. The company is active around the globe, focusing on the areas of electrification, automation and digitalization. One of the largest producers of energy-efficient, resource-saving technologies, Siemens is a leading supplier of efficient power generation and power transmission solutions and a pioneer in infrastructure solutions as well as automation, drive and software solutions for industry. With its publicly listed subsidiary Siemens Healthineers AG, the company is also a leading provider of medical imaging equipment – such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging systems – and a leader in laboratory diagnostics as well as clinical IT. In fiscal 2018, which ended on September 30, 2018, Siemens generated revenue of €83.0 billion and net income of €6.1 billion. At the end of September 2018, the company had around 379,000 employees worldwide. Further information is available on the Internet at www.siemens.com.