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Regional Focus

The UAE

What next? The art of

the possible

By Peter Machado, COO, Business
Development & Innovation at Middle East Fuji
P
ermit me to start with what I call ‘not a provocative
statement’. It goes like this: The UAE is the centre of

the world!
Yes, absolutely. No kidding. Just look at the success of Dubai’s

Emirates Airlines and Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airlines. Plot and

track their light routes on a global map. From the number of
airplanes that make up their very modern leet, number

of destinations, number of personnel, not forgetting
humungous ground infrastructure and support

services - I have deliberately abstained from listing
numbers as they are rendered obsolete and outdated

in weeks if not days. Fascinating? Yes! True? Yes!
With Southern Europe in the business

doldrums and most of the developed world
struggling to create jobs and growth, how does

the UAE buck the trend? The most appropriate

words include limitless imagination, innovation,
optimisation, creativity, quality, eficiency,

effectiveness, the conversion of
dreams into reality and using

technology to best advantage
– creating and recognising

opportunities but most
importantly being prepared

for the next waves that
follow. Yes, luck does

favour the bold and a more
accurate statement is luck

favours the prepared.

Successful countries like
the UAE and Singapore

don’t sit around waiting
for ‘Lady Luck’ to smile.

They are innovative and
creative, from identifying

need to the creation of
jobs; providing a safe,

secure, healthy living
environment; building

the infrastructure

necessary to
ensure long-term

sustainment; bigom
investments ink.c
toc
technology andters
hut
/ S
10 The SHIP Supplier Issue 66 2015ant
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