Speakers

Khalid M. Al Qubaisi was appointed to the position of Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Energy Services in August of 2021. He has more than 15 years of experience in business development, operations and asset management across multiple sectors including ICT, Investments, Real Estate, Commodity Trading and Ship Building. In his current role, Khalid plays an integral part in helping grow the energy services marketplace. As a market maker for Energy Services, ADES is mandated to ramp-up project development and execution to reduce energy consumption by providing demand side solutions targeted at efficient use of water and electricity in the Emirate and beyond. Khalid’s most recent assignment was at Mubadala Investment Company as Vice President of Information Communication and Technology. Prior to this, Khalid served in several leadership positions across many key entities. Khalid holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in the field of Financial Administration and Financial Institutions.

Alex is a energy expert with over 15 years of experience in the energy efficiency and renewable energy industry, primarily in the GCC region. He is currently the Head of Energy Efficiency at Engie Solutions in Dubai, where he leads a team of 30+ experts in energy applications ranging from commercial building retrofits, to on-site energy production. He has previously held the position of Head of Industrial Applications at Engie Solutions, where he pioneered the concept of the application of ESCO models in the industrial sector. With a background in change management and merger integration, Alex is a skilled leader with strengths in building strategic relationships to support key business initiatives. He is known for his excellent interpersonal and communication skills and experience managing matrixed organizations.

Yamin Shihab serves as the Vice President of Colliers Project Leaders in the Middle East, bringing with him more than 20 years of international project and program management experience in the construction, consultancy, and real estate sectors. Throughout his career, Yamin has successfully delivered projects valued at over AED 10 billion, and he strongly believes in implementing world-class project management practices to protect the best interests of project owners. Yamin also builds trusting and collaborative environments while working with clients from both the public and private sectors.

In addition to his expertise in project management, Yamin is also passionate about speaking on collaboration techniques, leadership, and emotional intelligence. He believes in the importance of these skills for achieving success in any project, regardless of its size or complexity. With his exceptional problem-solving abilities and positive outlook, Yamin leads large, multi-disciplinary teams of stakeholders and resolves challenges on projects while incorporating the principles of collaboration, leadership, and emotional intelligence.

Andy has over 30 years of experience in Building and Construction, ranging from structural testing within the nuclear industry to fire testing.

Having established a Dubai façade laboratory, and operated it for 10 years, he has particular knowledge of building envelope systems and materials testing. He has carried out many consultancy projects as a third-party specialist; particularly updating the facades of existing buildings.

Andy is a fellow of the CIOB and SFE.

He continues to provide input into regional code and is a regular speaker at industry technical seminars such as this one.

Ahmed Al Najjar has over 16 years of professional experience offering advisory and management consulting for the energy sector. He’s been supporting federal, local governments’ agencies, and NGO’s across the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia developing strategies and business models. He’s also managed implementation of programs that address regulatory reforms, business transformation, and demand management. Ahmed has decade of experience establishing business units, capacity building and management, business planning, corporate communications and social responsibility, and customer service. He also leverages his in-depth knowledge gained through working with world leading organizations and combined with profound understanding of the middle-eastern culture and living environment, key stakeholders and markets. 

Tariq Najar is a demand-side management engineer at TAQA group with more than nine years of experience in the energy sector; Tariq has a Bachelor of Electrical power engineering, a Master of Science in Professional Studies from RIT Dubai: Data Analytics focusing area on climate change with a graduation project: Net Zero Insight: The Role of Data Analytics and Machine Learning, aiming that the policymakers can use the project insights and dashboards to assess better the impacts and implementation of their climate change mitigation policies and action.

Tariq is active in DSM working groups, the recent one with the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy (DOE), to conduct a DSM strategy review. Tariq is doing a Master of ceremonies (MC) and focal points for youth circles and panel discussions, leads debate teams, and delivers public speaking at conferences.

Tariq is a climate activist and was selected as a youth ambassador at the TAQA youth council for World Utilities Congress 2023 at the first of its-kind Youth Energy Forum, Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalid Al Nahyan Cultural Centre, The Arab Youth Council for Climate Change (AYCCC), and YOUNGO energy working group – COP28 UAE team.

Tariq has gained worldwide certificates, such as Certified Expert in Climate & Renewable Energy Finance, certified Demand Side Manger, Business Energy Professional, Energy Manager, Measurement& Verification Professional, Project Manager, and LEED GA. Tariq has graduated from leadership programs such as we are the social leaders in Jordan. one of his recent volunteering experiences was at Expo Dubai 2020.

Eng. Husam is the Head of Asset and Facilities Management at Emirates National School – Central Admin Department since 2015 with responsibility for planning, strategy and to ensure efficient management of assets and general services of ENS campuses across UAE. Manage, maintain and support the reliability of the systems, equipment, properties and assists in the facility management operation and cross functional departments

Eng. Husam also is a member of projects management committee at Ministry of Presidential Affairs (MOPA), which managing all schools projects belongs to MOPA across UAE from design stage till completion of the projects.

Prior to joining ENS, Mr. Husam worked as Project Manager in Secure Engineering which belongs to Abu Dhabi Police – Projects administration department , as well as FM Engineer in Genint for Etihad Airways Engineering facilities, Abu Dhabi, and before as Junior Electrical Engineer at National Electrical Power Company – Amman Jordan in the past decade before joining ENS in 2015.

Eng. Husam received Bachelors Degree in the field of Electrical Engineering from Yarmouk University in Jordan at 2011.

Eng. Husam has professional interests focus on improving the FM operations in alignment with Energy optimization and smoothen the processes, and his current projects include regulating energy and sustainable practices across all ENS campuses. In addition, Eng. Husam is a PMP certified professional from Sep 2021 and passionate towards improving the energy footprint of the entities of ENS across the UAE.