SPECIALREPORT NOVEMBER24,2015 FRANCE · Fifty UAE companies have established businessesin...

SPECIAL REPORT | NOVEMBER 24, 2015

FRANCE

Partnersin Progress

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KHALEEJ TIMES | SPECIAL REPORT | NOVEMBER 24, 2015 3

FRANCE

Michel Miraillet, Ambassador of France tothe UAE, has held several diplomatic postsin different parts of the world. His lastposting was as the Director General forStrategic Affairs at the Ministry of Defence.As the French Ambassador to the UAE,

Miraillet confesses that he sees himselfmore like a coach of the French team in theUAE than a diplomat. “Since theestablishment of the UAE Federation in1971, our relationship has been based ontrust and friendship. The relationshipbetween France and the UAE hasprogressed exceptionally. Due to theprosperity and stability in this country, moreandmore French citizens come and live inthe UAE,” says the ambassador in aninterviewwith Khaleej Times.Today, the French population in the UAE

is estimated to be around 28,000. “Besidesthe human dimension of our relationship,our bilateral cooperation is very rich anddiversified. It has materialised in the fields ofculture and education as ‘Le Louvre AbuDhabi’, which will soon be inaugurated, or‘La Sorbonne Abu Dhabi’, which willcelebrate its 10th anniversary in January2016. We are also partners in a number ofprojects and initiatives in various sectorssuch as economy, investment, military,space, training or healthcare,” he informs.“Soon we will launch a campaign aimed at

promoting our country’s dynamism, whichwill be called ‘Creative France’. I recommendKhaleej Times’ readers to stay tuned in thecomingmonths as they will definitely hearabout France in the UAE,” he adds.Many joint initiatives between the two

countries have already become a reality.Miraillet gives three examples that reflectthe exceptional dimension of bilateralrelations.Firstly, Total was chosen in early 2015 for

the ADCO concession, reinforcing a75-year-old strategic partnership for thenext 40 years. This decision attests the

trust in oil and gas technology developed bythe French company.Secondly, the French Space Agency was

among the first to sign an agreement thisyear with the UAE Space Agency tosupport UAE’s ambition to send its firstunmanned mission to Mars by 2021. ThePresident of CNES, Jean-Yves Le Gall, metwith his counterparts to assessopportunities for cooperation.Thirdly, the UAE supports COP 21,

which will take place in Paris fromNovember 30. It has been supportive of itscontinuous commitment to sustainabledevelopment. Besides UAE’s investmentsin the field of renewable energy, of whichMasdar is the symbol, have beeninstrumental in spreading the message ofAgenda 21 to the world.

High-level visitsHis Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin

Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of AbuDhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander ofthe UAE Armed Forces, was in Paris inFebruary 2014 where he had a fruitfulmeeting with the President of FranceFrançois Hollande.UAE's Minister of Foreign Affairs Shaikh

Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan participatedin themarch against terrorism in Paris inJanuary 2014. “His presence in traditionalEmirati attire in the forefront of the crowd ofworld leaders was very important for us as asymbol of solidarity with our country againstterrorism,” recollects the ambassador.This solidarity has also materialised

France and the UAE continueto build lasting relationships,working together in several fieldsincluding space

Multi-layeredcooperationthrough regular visits of the FrenchMinisterof Defence, Jean-Yves Le Drian, who is afrequent flyer to the UAE, he adds.For the last 15 years, France has been

Europe’s leading destination for foreigninvestment. “I therefore encourage UAEbusinesses to invest further in France,”points out the ambassador.As a diversified economy, France offers

plenty of opportunities in services andindustrial sectors. This includes aerospace,agri-food, chemicals, luxury, hospitality,logistics, communication technologies,healthcare and also digital innovativeproducts. Fifty UAE companies haveestablished businesses in France withleading players such as DPWorld, IPIC,Mubadala, GEMS, etc. “I strongly believe inthe UAE’s potential to strengthen itsbusiness in France and would like toreiterate to all investors to ‘try France andyou will adopt it!’” he adds.Total is the first foreign investor in the oil

and gas sector and the main French investorin the UAE. In January 2015, it became thefirst IOC to be awarded a stake in AbuDhabi’s largest onshore oil fields by ADNOC.Technip chose Abu Dhabi as its MENAheadquarters, while GDF Suez, now knownas Engie, owns around 45 per cent of theoverall electricity production in the UAE.French companies are also investing in manydifferent sectors such as transportation,hospitality, aerospace, defence, health andpharmaceuticals.The Embassy of France and Business

France help build bridges betweenbusinesses from the two countries. “Ourteammeets potential investors, listens totheir requirements and provides themwithup-to-date information on businessopportunities. A customised welcome forinvestors with investment projects isprovided whenever the investors are inFrance,” he says.“We consider our Emirati experience as

exceptional, despite our daily hectic life. Weparticularly appreciate the values ofopenness and tolerance held by the UAEleadership and society. Let’s say that thedynamism and vitality of this country is adaily incentive to develop a wonderfulrelationship,” Miraillet concludes.

— [email protected]

Michel MirailletAmbassador of France to the UAE

by SUchitrA StEvEn SAmUEl


EDITORIAL Editor: rohit Saran Supplements Editor: Suchitra Steven Samuel Sub-Editor: Sadiq Shaban reporters: Farhana chowdhury, Suneeti Ahuja-KohliPRODUCTION Designers: mohammad Ejaz Khan, Sidharthan imaging:venugopal PrabhuADVERTISING Director Advertising: haroonQureshi Senior Advertisingmanager (Supplements): Philip Smith

dubai Headoffice: P.O. box 11243, tel: +971 4 3383535, Fax: +971 4 3383345/46, E-mail: [email protected]: P.O. box 3082, tel: +971 2 6337666, Fax: +971 2 6351122, E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.khaleejtimes.com

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KHALEEJ TIMES | SPECIAL REPORT | NOVEMBER 24, 20154

FRANCE

France remains anattractiveinvestment locationin a difficult global

economic climate. “Foreigninvestors acknowledgeFrance’s attractiveness asan investment location.After three years ofrelative stability, thenumber of investments in2014 rose to 1,197, whichcreated or maintained29,822 jobs (20,308 jobscreated and 9,514maintained),” says SalimSaifi, Investment Director— Business France MiddleEast, in an e-mail interviewwith Khaleej Times.

“France is the fourth largestrecipient of FDI stocks in theworld and continues to attractinvestments in strategicbusiness activities such asmanufacturing and research.France is perceived to beincreasingly attractive in anumber of emerging economiessuch as India, China, Russia andthe GCC,” he adds.With other countries wooing

investors, France still has offersthat make it stand apart.“France is at the heart of theEuropean single market and agateway to the MENA region.France offers several structuraladvantages, such as efficientpublic services, world-classinfrastructure, a diversifiedtechnological base, a skilled and

productive workforce and oneof Europe’s most dynamicdemographics. France is alsorecognised for its quality of life,”Saifi points out.Adding to its attractiveness,

France is focusing on keyreforms to foster its economiccompetitiveness, set uptax-friendly rules and improvethe welcome afforded to GCCinvestors.“Today, France is home to

more than 20,000 foreigncompanies employing aroundtwomillion people. On anaverage, France welcomes 19foreign investment decisionsper week,” he points out.Saifi gives us a peek into the

various investmentopportunities in differentsectors. “As long-terminvestors, funds are mostlyinvesting in infrastructure,selecting trophy assets andsecurities. Meanwhile, small andmedium businesses that havethe potential for expansionglobally are typically setting upthrough industrial acquisitionsor technological partnershipdeals. UAE companies in Franceare concentrated in chemicalsand plastics, engineering andconstruction, hospitality,fashion, logistics and retail. Alarge number of individuals havetraditionally invested in realestate,” he says.In principle, there are no

administrative restrictions onforeign investment in France.Whatever the businessdevelopment strategy be,prospective businesses will find

an appropriate legal structure inFrance. Investors can set up apermanent or temporarystructure and enjoy full legalpeace of mind; they are thenfree to drive their projectforward in an inexpensiveenvironment. For instance,foreign investors account for46.7 per cent of holdings in themarket capitalisation of theFrench stock exchange index(CAC 40 companies).Business France is

encouraging Emirati businessesto invest in France. “Ourstrategy is to drive investors toput France in their scope ofinvestment. In the UAE, ourinvestment teammeetspotential investors on aday-to-day basis to listen totheir requirements and needs.We inform them on theregulations in France and selectthe best investment offersavailable for their operations inthe several French regions. Weorganise meetings in France atthe highest level and arrangesite visits. As soon as they havesettled, we pursue our service tomake sure that their operationscontinue smoothly. We havevery good relations based on abilateral trust with investors.”France has appeal and

creativity. To promote itsattractiveness and support itsexport, the French governmenthas launched a new campaign inOctober 2015 called 'CréativeFrance'. “It is the story of acreative, unconventionalcampaign that highlights ourcountry’s full range of strengths,skills and savoir-faire. And forgood reason, France is at theforefront of sectors such astechnology, design, industryand education, to name a few,”Saifi notes.“France bucks convention

while reaching for the top. TryFrance and you will adopt it! Iinvite you for furtherinformation to visit ‘CreativeFrance’ dedicated websitehttp://creative.businessfrance.fr,” Saifi concludes.


New campaign called‘Créative France’highlights the nation’srange of strengths— at the forefront oftechnology, design,industry and education

Tap into creativity

Salim Saifi, Investment Director— Business France Middle East

By SuChItra StEvEN SaMuElWewould like to expressour heartfelt gratitude tothe Emirati authorities andin particular to ThePresident, His HighnessShaikh Khalifa bin ZayedAl Nahyan, His HighnessShaikh Mohammed binRashid Al Maktoum,Vice-President and PrimeMinister of the UAE andRuler of Dubai, HisHighness ShaikhMohammed bin Zayed AlNahyan, Crown Prince ofAbu Dhabi and DeputySupreme Commander ofthe UAE Armed Forcesand Shaikh Abdullah binZayed Al Nahyan, UAEForeign Minister for theirprompt response ofsupport and solidarityfrom the earliest momentsof these cowardly andbarbaric attacks.We, French residents in

Dubai and otherEmirates, have beendeeply moved andtouched by seeing thecolours of the French flagdisplayed on the iconicplaces in the UAE,particularly Burj Khalifaand Burj Dubai.The savage attacks have

shocked and outragedevery Frenchman in Dubaiand the Emirates. Warmfeelings of comfort,sympathy and friendlysupport are welcome insuch dire times and livingproof of the great supportwe have always come toexpect fromDubai andthe Emirati people.”

Majdi AbedConsul General of Francein Dubai

ThAnkyou,uAE

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FRANCE

ENGIE is a leading global energycompany active in Power,Natural Gas and EnergyServices, headquartered inFrance (Paris).Formerly known as GDF

SUEZ, the company hasenjoyed a long presence in theUAE developing and operatingIndependent Water & PowerProjects (IWPP), providingFacility Management servicesas well as Consultancy andEngineering services. Early

2015, a Research andDevelopment activity wasadded to the list.

Regional pioneer inIndependentWater & Powerprojects (IWPP)

ENGIE began its Middle Eastventure in the IWPP sector inOman in 1996, and later movedto the UAE in 2000 to strike itsfirst energy deal in Abu Dhabi,acquiring a stake in the AlTaweelah A1 power and waterdesalination project, in a jointventure with Total.Since then, five more

projects have been successfullydeveloped under the UAE’swell-established Public PrivatePartnership (PPP) regime. Fiveare already operational and thesixth, Mirfa Independent Waterand Power Project, startedconstruction recently. MirfaIWPP is a vital project for AbuDhabi; once completed, it will

have a total power capacity of1,600 MW and a seawaterdesalination capacity of 52.5MIGD (238,665 m3/day).ADWEA holds an 80 per centequity interest in the projectwith the remaining 20 per centheld by ENGIE.

Leading Facilities ManagementProvider

Through its subsidiary COFELYBESIX Facility Management(CBFM), formed in 2008 in jointventure with Belgianconstruction group BESIX,ENGIE is a leading facilitiesmanager in the UAE.With 700staff in the Emirates and around1,600 across the Gulf countries,CBFM supports a number ofhigh profile customers such asthe Abu Dhabi Ports Company,Emirates airline, AldarProperties, Emaar Properties,RTA Tram, Gulf Data Hub, etc.In addition to technical facilitymanagement, the company alsoprovides an extensive range ofoutsourced services in theenergy, infrastructure andairport sectors.

Consultancy and EngineeringServices for the UAE’s keyinfrastructure

ENGIE’s engineering arm,Tractebel Engineering, hasbeen providing consultancy andengineering services in energy,

Strong foundations for abetter tomorrow

water and infrastructure in theUAE and GCC for many years. Itrecently merged with LahmeyerInternational, creating acombination with globalleadership in services to theenergy industry sector.With about 140 experts out

of 4,400 specialists worldwide,its Middle East branch office inDubai and regional offices inAbu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, Oman,Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain arewell positioned to serve theneeds of local clients.

Research & Development insupport of pioneering projects

Early 2015, ENGIE’s R&Ddivision — ENGIE Labs —opened an office in Masdar Cityand signed a memorandum ofunderstanding (MoU) for asolar desalination pilot project,together with Degremont, aFrench sister companyspecialising in water treatment.

© ENGIE/Everett LNG USA

© Ruwais Power Company

ENGIE (formerly GDFSuez) has a rich globaland regional experiencethat it can leverage tobuild the energy worldof tomorrow jointly withits local customers


FRANCE

Looking at the UAE’s strategyof economic diversification,downstream industries arespringing up in ports andindustrial zones as well as abooming services industry.These, combined withdemographic growth andurbanisation, are highlypromising factors for thecountry’s economic future.These factors call for smartsolutions in energy security andefficiency, fuel diversity andrenewable power, smartsolutions for cities, etc.Armed with global and

regional experience, ENGIE canoffer practical solutions to themultiple energy challenges thatthe region faces such asdiversifying its fuel mix, whilecontinuing to advance thehydrocarbon market in asustainable way.“To support the UAE in

taking on these challenges,ENGIE can extensively leverageboth the know-how andsignificant experience that theGroup has gained fromworkingin power, natural gas, andenergy services, with varioustechnologies and in various

markets worldwide,” saysWillem Van Twembeke, CEOof ENGIE's InternationalEnergy activities.Formerly known as GDF

SUEZ, ENGIE adopted itscurrent brand name tohighlight its resolution towardsa carbon-light, moredecentralised, efficient anddigitalised energy environment.“ Our new global brand

comes with an optimistic visionand the drive to be an architectof this energy transition,” addsVan Twembeke.

Green and smart solutions

With abundant solar resources,the Gulf region is harnessingsolar energy through variousprogrammes. Abu Dhabi hasset a renewable energy targetof 7 per cent by 2020, which itaims to achieve throughprojects such as Shams,Masdar’s 100MWConcentratedSolar Power project and first ofits kind in the Middle East.Dubai, on the other hand, istargeting 15 per cent of solarenergy in its electricity mixby 2030.ENGIE holds international

solar experience. Its recent

merger with Solairedirect, aleader in competitive solar,bolstered its position, whichmade it a market leader inFrance and strengthened itsglobal position with presence inmore than 15 countries.ENGIE has also been

developing decentralisedrooftop solar offers worldwideincluding the US, Australia, India,Chile and Europe, and servicingthousands of customers.In that perspective, the

Apartnerof choice to takeon thechallengeof theenergy transition

group particularly welcomesthe new DEWA Shams initiativeprogramme to support theGreen Economy for SustainableDevelopment initiativelaunched by His HighnessShaikh Mohammed bin RashidAl Maktoum, Vice-Presidentand Prime Minister of the UAEand Ruler of Dubai.It encourages household and

building owners (residential,commercial and industrialcustomers) to installphotovoltaic panels on rooftopsto generate solar power. Theelectricity generated by therooftop solar is used on site andthe surplus is exported toDEWA’s network with adiscount on the user’s bill.The initiative gives the

opportunity, especially tocommercial and industrialcustomers to reduce theirenergy costs and take a hugestep toward meeting their ownsustainability goals. ENGIE seesa great potential in the UAE totransform the energy landscapewith decentralised energy andhas the experience to guide andsupport its local customers byproposing them an innovativeone-stop solution, including thetechnical and financial aspects.

ENGIE, our new globalbrand, comes withan optimistic visionand the drive to bean architect of theenergy transition.”

—WillemVan TwembekeCEO of ENGIE – Energy

International.

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ENGIE’s ambition forthe UAE is to providedependable, carbon-light power, flexible andcompetitive natural gassolutions and smart andefficient services


FRANCE

As leading globalmanagementconsultants, SiaPartners has

teams of experts in theGCC, devoted to offeringfirst-class and innovativesolutions to a slew of firms.Talking exclusively toKhaleej Times in Dubai,Pierre-Louis Brenac,Managing Partner & Headof Middle East at SiaPartners noted that thecompany believes in raisingefficiency andperformance levels of itsclients to internationalstandards of excellence.

“We are a French firm thatstarted operations in 1999.Delivering superior value andtangible results to its clients, SiaPartners is broadly intomanagement consulting, whichencompasses both strategy andoperational support or advisoryto very large corporationsincluding blue-chip companies.We work closely with the CEOsand top hierarchy in trying toalign their work and vision withthe changing strategies of theirbusinesses,” Brenac said.For clients wanting to enter a

newmarket or territory, SiaPartners facilitates newregulations (e.g., in sectors thatare subject to heavy regulatoryinstructions viz banking,insurance, energy) and helpsthem prepare new strategies orimplement those strategies.“This requires us to spend timewith the entire hierarchy fromtop to bottom— at all levels toachieve either the samebusiness with less resources orto launch into new profitableactivities,” the ManagingPartner added.As a group Sia Partners has

more than 600 consultantsaround the world.Headquartered in France, thecompany works closely withbehemoths such as Engie

(formerly known as GDF Suez),which operates in the fields ofelectricity generation,distribution, natural gas; andÉlectricité de France (EDF), aFrench major in electric utilitywith a diverse portfolio. In theMiddle East, Sia Partners hasexcellent business developmentwork in Saudi Arabia, especiallywith firms dealing withelectricity and water-desalination. It has recentlyestablished its base in Qatar aswell, and is also keen to tap themarket in Oman.In the UAE, the company is

already active in a host of areas— from financial services onone end of the spectrum to oiland gas on the other. “Ourpresence in Dubai and AbuDhabi has been largely becauseof these two vital sectors.Notwithstanding thefluctuating oil prices, it isimportant that banks and otherkey institutions in the countrycontinue to have greatperformance with excellentinternal managementreporting. The market contextwill always evolve and that iswhere Sia Partners plays a role,”Brenac said.“Since the beginning, we have

been active in energy andfinancial sectors in the region.We have experience of workingwith companies consuming oilor gas in Europe, so it is onlynatural that we are nowworking with firms that areextracting hydrocarbons (in thisregion). It is the other end ofthe value chain. This has moreor less been the case in sectorslike electricity and water wherewe bring value addition andexpertise,” he adds.A strong proponent of

out-of-box thinking when itcomes to providing services,the company believes that itcan differentiate its servicesfrom the typical American-Anglo-Saxon consultants. “Weendeavour to bring somethingdifferent to the table. Ourclients have liked our work

since we offer a very differentapproach to their problems. Insome of the key areas liketraining and coaching managersand engineers, our serviceshave been much appreciated.We have been successful inexplaining to companymanagements how to be moreautonomous and independentin future.”With strong roots in Europe

and a fairly establishedpresence in Middle East, SiaPartners has expanded to theUS and Asia too. Currently, thecompany is growing fast inAsia-Pacific (Hong Kong,Singapore and Tokyo). Cateringto areas like market bankingand investment banking inthese geographies, Sia Partnerscontinues to elevatemanagement excellencewherever it operates.


Pierre-Louis BrenacManaging Partner & Head ofMiddle East at Sia Partners

Through unparalleledindustry expertise,global managementconsultants Sia Partnersdelivers superior valueand tangible results forits vast clientele

Driving business changes

by Sadiq SHaban

For clients wanting toenter a newmarket orterritory, Sia Partnersfacilitates newregulations (e.g., insectors that are subjectto heavy regulatoryinstructions viz banking,insurance, energy) andhelps them prepare newstrategies or implementthose strategies.

—Pierre-Louis Brenac

Our presence in dubaiand abu dhabi hasbeen largely becauseof two vital sectors.notwithstanding thefluctuating oil prices,it is important thatbanks and other keyinstitutions in thecountry continue tohave great performancewith excellent internalmanagement reporting.

As global leaders of management consulting, our GCC teams of experts are devoted to offeringfirst-class, innovative solutions for practical results on the ground. By raising efficiency andperformance levels to international standards of excellence, your company can confidentlyachieve your ultimate vision.

GCC OfficesRiyadh | Dubai | Abu Dhabi | Doha

www.sia-partners.com

Driving Excellence@SiaPartners

Your vision requires management excellence.our mission makes it possible.


FRANCE

Withmore than 187 years ofexperience, Bureau Veritas is aglobal leader in testing,inspection and certification. Inan interviewwith Khaleej Times,Didier Michaud-Daniel, ChiefExecutive Officer, and TonyMouawad, Chief OperatingOfficer, Africa Middle East Asiaand Pacific, talk about theirpresence in the Middle East, andmore. Excerpts:

Tell us about your operations.DidierMichaud-Daniel: BureauVeritas was created in 1828 toprovide expert and independentinformation on the state ofships and equipment. The grouphas dramatically expanded itsservices to address a widerrange of industries and itprogressively expanded itsoperations worldwide. Today,Bureau Veritas is a global leaderin Testing, Inspection andCertification (TIC) and has over400, 000 clients. The group ispresent all across the world witha vast network of around 1,400offices and laboratories andmore than 66,500 staff. Wenow have a large portfolio ofservices structured in eightglobal businesses, ranging fromthe Marine & Offshore business,through Construction, Industry,Commodities and ConsumerProducts.Reducing risk, improving

performance and promotingsustainable development arethe common threads of these

different businesses andmajorchallenges for our clients. Weprovide essential services thatrespond to critical societalconcerns worldwide.

Whatwere the growth driversbehind your strongH1 results.DidierMichaud-Daniel:Thisperformance was principallydriven by the rebound of ouractivities in Europe and theexcellent performance of theMarine & Offshore business.External growth was also a keydriver, notably thanks totargeted acquisitions in China.The group further implementeda global key account strategy toreinforce its penetration withlarge corporations. In H1 2015,we began to benefit from thiscommercial initiative,particularly in Europe. Inparallel, we have pursueddiversification of our businessportfolio and the deployment ofLeanManagement, andreinforced our sales andmarketing organisation. Theseinitiatives aim at acceleratinggrowth and drive operationalexcellence within the group.

How can companies benefit bypartneringwith you?DidierMichaud-Daniel:Ourrole is to help companies meettheir challenges of quality,health and safety,environmental protection andsocial responsibility and operatewith confidence. We createvalue for clients in four ways:provide a licence to operate,reduce risks, improve supplychain performance and helpcompanies enter globalmarkets. We develop a growingnumber of innovative solutionsthat go beyond simplecompliance with regulations andstandards.

When companies chooseBureau Veritas, they know theyare partnering with a group thathas strong technical expertise, aworldwide footprint andresources they will not findanywhere else.

BureauVeritas has beenpresent in theMiddle East foralmost 40 years. Tell us aboutyour interests in the region.TonyMouawad:TheMiddleEast is one of our key marketsoffering constant growthopportunities. We have a strongpresence in all countries of theregion, particularly in the GCC.This region is traditionallyreliant on hydrocarbons and wehave accompanied all majorinternational and national oilcompanies in their capacitybuilding while helping themreduce risks through complianceassessment services. Heavyinvestments are beingundertaken in infrastructure,rail, green power, utilities andthe petrochemical sectors,among others. Bureau Veritashas a solid experience in thosefields and we are playing a keyrole in sharing our know-howand expertise with majorstakeholders to improve thequality, health safety andenvironmental performances.

Oil and gas sector isundergoing challenging times.Howhas this impacted BureauVeritas’regional performance?TonyMouawad:The oil testingbusiness is benefitting from thecurrent environment forrefining and trade-relatedactivities, and only drill corerelated testing activities arenegatively impacted.Bureau Veritas is obviously

With a legacy spanning nearly two centuries,BureauVeritas is working with businesses to exploretheir potential to the fullest and aim higher

Globalleaders inTIC

impacted by the slowdown incapex projects, and launchedinitiatives to reduce costs on theoil companies. But on the otherhand, it has strengthened ourrelations with these companiesas it showed that Bureau Veritasis a reliable partner.

What are your future plans?TonyMouawad:Wewill pursuereinforcing our local presenceand diversifying our serviceportfolio. We will focus on assetintegrity management servicesthat will bring value to dutyholders and clients. In parallel,we will deploy innovativesolutions for the safedevelopment of new offshoreand onshore fields.Bureau Veritas is also closely

collaboratingwith localauthorities to enhance consumerprotection by establishingtailored programmes aimed atverifying that the importedproducts and goodsmeetnational and internationalstandards for quality healthsafety and environmentalaspects. Several countries in theMiddle East have alreadyadopted these programmes andentrusted Bureau Veritas in theirimplementation.

By Suneeti AhujA-Kohli

Didier Michaud-DanielChief executive officer

TonyMouawadChief operating officer, AfricaMiddle east Asia & Pacific

BureauVeritas S.AAbuDhabi BranchP.o. Box 26264,tel: +971 (2) 64 44 920Fax: +971 (2) 64 44 921e-mail: [email protected]

BureauVeritas S.ADubai BranchP.o. Box 9110tel: +971 (4) 3074400Fax: +971 (4) 34 52 391e-mail: [email protected]

Web:www.bureauveritas.com


FRANCE

Veolia, a leading global resourcemanagement company, isbuilding a legacy by helpingcustomers worldwide manage,optimise, and make the most oftheir resources. By offering anarray of solutions related towater, energy andmaterials, thecompany focuses on wasterecovery and promotestransition toward a circulareconomy.Its presence in the Gulf is

invaluable for many suchreasons. In the Middle East,Veolia is working withindustries, governments andcommunities as well as retailand commercial businesses todeliver innovative andsustainable solutions. “Veoliaaims at providing publicauthorities and industries with arange of water, energy andwaste management servicesthat are vital to humandevelopment and sustainablegrowth. We continue to focusour efforts on continuouslyadapting and innovating intandemwith the economicgrowth and humandevelopment by designing andimplementing solutions that willhave a positive impact on theenvironment and resources inthe Middle East,” says XavierJoseph, CEO, Veolia GulfCountries, Veolia.The French company has

been present here for threedecades and employs 3,000people. It has a strong localnetwork with 10 offices acrossthe Gulf countries.“Our vision is to become a

key ‘glocal’ environmentalpartner in the Gulf and ourmission is to deliver innovative,cost effective and sustainablewaste, energy and water

solutions to our clients, toenhance their performancewhile contributing to resourcingthe world,” he says.Veolia has been actively

contributing to the developmentof the cities through public-private partnerships andcontractual schemes. Itsexpertise has led to optimisationof industrial cycles through themanagement of theenvironmental resources cycle.“We develop solutions that

enable customers to focus onmaximising the performance oftheir core business, i.e. help citiesto enhance customer experienceand improve the knowledge oftheir needswith a citydashboard, while we address thewater, waste and energyoperations andmanagementneeds,” adds the CEO.One of the prime examples of

its innovative approach is theEnergy Saving Centre. Througha complete review of existingbuildings energy infrastructureVeolia implements a specificplan to upgrade, manage andmaintain energy systems.Combined with constantmonitoring either on-site orthrough Veolia’s Energy SavingCentre, it keeps energyequipment operating at peakefficiency, delivers secureenergy supply and adds the

strongest guarantee on energysavings, paying the difference ifthe targets are not achieved.“Our Energy Saving Centre hasrecently been recognised as aCOP21 solution by VeoliaGroup. Through our subsidiaryEnova— a joint venture createdin 2002 betweenMajid AlFuttaim Ventures and Veolia—wewill deliver savings in thefirst Energy SavingsPerformance Contract forDEWA buildings. Following ouraccreditation as an ESCO andthe launch of our Energy SavingCentre in April 2014, thisappointment reaffirms ourcommitment to sustainabilityand energymanagement in theMiddle East,” says Joseph.Veolia’s ingenious approach is

also reducing the cost and pricefor desalination of seawater. Inthe future town of Masdar, AbuDhabi, Veolia is promoting theuse of newHiprodeTMtechnology for the reverseosmosis seawater desalinationprogramme and the renewableenergy programme. This allowsdesalination through smallerunits, and hence reduces costs.“The results obtained using this300m3/day demonstrator willconfirm plans to construct alarge-scale reverse osmosisdesalination plant. HiprodeTMtechnology had already been

Veolia, a global leader in resourcemanagement, has been helping companiestomake themost of their resources

Yourglocalenvironmentpartner

tested and confirmed using aprototype installed at Veolia’sseawater desalination plant inGibraltar.”The global leader has

completed work on twowastewater treatment plants inAbu Dhabi (Al Ain and AlWathba) in collaboration withits partner Besix.In the coming years, it has

defined three pillars of growthand development for the region:

Support infrastructure•needs:Develop wastetreatment capabilities andgenerate leads on districtcooling with relevantpartnership.Circular economy and smart•models: Promote waste toenergy and recovery of wastematerials; Smart citiesoffering in water, waste andenergy efficiency; Focus onbuilding energy services.Oil & Gas services:• Hazardouswaste andmulti-utilitiesoffers.

“We put a lot of effort inbuilding a more efficient andagile organisation that enablesour team to tackle complexenvironmental challenges withthe most pragmatic approach.In the Gulf, we have definedthree focus areas, which includebeing closer to thecommunities; engageemployees; and raise awarenesson environmental protectionand biodiversity. We take ourrole in the local communityseriously,” says Joseph,concluding that the company’sachievements are a result of itscommitment to developing,preserving and replenishingresources, across the region.

Xavier Joseph, CEO, Veolia Gulf Countries

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FRANCE

F rance was recentlyranked by theUnited Nations asthe number one

country in Europe andnumber four globally forits e-government services,telecommunicationsinfrastructure andeducation levels. Morethan half 53 per cent ofthe French population nowpay their taxes online,while 86 per cent offarmers apply for aid underthe Common AgriculturalPolicy (CAP) online.

Since the early days, Frenchinventors have played afundamental role ininnovations such as thedevelopment of photographyand the internal combustionengine. They were pioneers ofthe first mechanical addingmachine, electric generatorand the refrigerator, amongothers. French industry hasalso been at the forefront ofthe development of high-speed transportation systemssuch as the Concorde and theTGV high-speed train. Frenchsubway companies have builtas well as provided equipmentfor mass-transit systems incountries such as Canada,Mexico, and Brazil.France was the third nation,

after the former Soviet Unionand the US, to launch its ownspace satellite, in 1965.Presently the country focuseson contributing to thedifferent missions of theEuropean Space Agency.Pertinently the US and Francehave signed an agreement forthe Mars Insight missionplanned for launch in 2016and are continuing to

negotiate an agreement onsolar activity and spaceweather, which will push theboundaries of scientificexploration.Currently, digital technology

represents 5.5 per cent ofFrench GDP. According to arecent study from McKinsey,France may increase the sharerepresented by digitaltechnology in its GDP byalmost €100 billion by 2020.Also, statistics show that 83

per cent of the French use theInternet as compared to theEuropean average of 75 percent according to the FrenchNational Institute for Statisticsand Economic Research(Insee) in 2012. They are alsovery active on social networks;

France has built a vibranttech culture over the lastfew decades

Aheadof the curve

by Deepa NarwaNi

France is also at thecutting edge of big Data,and recent studies havefound that three out offive French companiesuse advanced analyticalprocessing to improvetheir efficiency andsave time.

a study found that Facebookhas 28 million active users inthe country.What is more, France is also

at the cutting edge of Big Dataand recent studies have foundthat three out of five Frenchcompanies use advancedanalytical processing to improvetheir efficiency and save time.The country is also known forthe number of online courses itoffers making education indiverse fields more accessiblethrough the French DigitalUniversity (FUN - FranceUniversité Numérique).Further, statistics from

Maravedis Rethink, a leadingwireless infrastructure analystfirm, found France to be wellahead of many countries,including the US, with morethan 13 million public Wi-Fiterminals and the country is allset to increase the numberof terminals by 80 per centby 2018.France is also aiming to

make it possible to sendpaperless invoices to all statesuppliers by 2017, which willresult in estimated savings of€700 million per year forbusinesses and the publicsector, making sure it offershigh-tech across the board inthe future.


FRANCE

One of the leadingindependentconstructiongroups, Spie

Batignolles, encompassesall sectors of the industry.The group has beenoperational for more than150 years and operates inFrance (136 locations) andglobally (eightinternational sites).Headquartered in Neuilly-sur-Seine near Paris, SpieBatignolles employs morethan 6,700 people andgenerated an overallturnover of Dh7.1 billion(€1.8 billion) in 2014, with18 per cent of its revenuesfrom civil engineering andfoundation works.

“Spie Batignolles is driven bya desire to create and sharesustainable value. Our deep-rooted commitment topartnership is reflected in theculture and performance ofour innovative trading brands.The group is equallycommitted to ensuring thehealth and safety of itsemployees, the quality of theirworking lives and professionaldevelopment,” Jean-BaptisteLe Gall, Managing Director,Spie Batignolles International,told Khaleej Times.With its long international

experience started at the lastcentury, Spie Batignollesdecided to turn to otherhorizons a few years ago,particularly in regard to civilengineering and foundationactivities. Le Gall adds, “In2008, we created a civilengineering and specialfoundations division in theUnited Arab Emirates coupledby a similar entity in Qatar in2011. The projects carried outby these two entities are mainlyrelated to piling and specialfoundation works but we hopeto start our civil engineeringactivity in the coming years.”

Operating regionally from itsmain office located in AbuDhabi near the NationalPetroleum ConstructionCompany, Spie Batignolles hashigh expectations from variousprojects announced in theMiddle East. “The constructionsector in the Middle Eastappears all set to return tonear-full capacity with thereactivation or launch of anumber of major projectsrelated to infrastructure,transport and even buildingdevelopments especially inQatar,” he noted.With a number of previously

stalled projects racing towardscompletion or continuing toforge ahead on fresh impetusprovided by Expo 2020, thecoming years are going to beexciting for Spie Batignolles.“The group is working on

several complex and prestigiousprojects. Spie Batignolles isdriven by its ability to design andbuild complex special foundationworks, tomobilise qualifiedpersonnel, large fleet ofspecialised equipment and lastlyby our culture of acceptingchallenges and honouringthem,” Le Gall elaborated.Since 2009, Spie Batignolles

has carried out several iconicand complex projects like theGate Towers on Reem Island inAbu Dhabi, The GuggenheimAbu Dhabi museum on SaadiyatIsland, the deep pumpingstation for the STEPprogramme atWathba, theGolden Line Metro project in

Doha, Qatar, to name a few.In terms of international

expansion, Spie Batignolles isexploring potentialopportunities, particularly in theMiddle East where it is alreadyoperating. “Our main goal is tobe an effective partner topublic, private and industrialclients wishing to expandglobally. A strong focus onbuilding solid relationships withour clients and partners basedonmutual trust is our key assetfor growth,” the managingdirector concluded.

—[email protected]

For more information:P.O. Box 109933Abu Dhabi, UAE

Tel : +971 (0)2 55 16 333Fax : +971 (0)2 55 14 933

Website: www.spiebatignolles.fr/en

Jean-Baptiste Le GallManaging DirectorSpie Batignolles International

Spie Batignolles is aleading French playerin construction and civilengineering globally

Apreferred construction partner

By SaDIq ShaBan

The construction sectorin theMiddle Eastappears all set to returnto near-full capacitywith the reactivation orlaunch of a number ofmajor projects relatedto infrastructure,transport and evenbuilding developments.

— Jean-Baptiste Le Gall

Core areas of expertise

Civil engineering andhfoundationsConstructionhPublic workshEnergyhProperty developmenthand concessions

STEP, Abu DhabiGate Tower, Reem Island


FRANCE

Beginning with the Mirage V,Dassault Aviation is honouredto support the UAE Air Forceand Air Defence (UAE AF &AD) in its mission to ensure theUAE sovereignty and secure itsstrategic position in the region,and has been doing so for over40 years.The historical partnership,

which led to the acquisition ofthe Mirage 2000 and morerecently to the commendableMirage 2000-9 programme, isbased on Dassault Aviation’scommitment to the UAE andthe UAE AF & AD’s confidenceon the reliability of the aircraftand the loyalty of the company.The Mirage 2000 contract

has been an occasion to trainthe first Emirati officers atDassault Aviation’s Flight TestCentre in France as part of thestrategy adopted by the UAE toimprove its air force.The Mirage 2000-9

programme, one of the mostimportant agreements signedby Dassault Aviation, has calledfor an unparalleled industrialaction plan with a largeparticipation of UAE partners.The remarkable participation

of the Mirage 2000-9 ininternational coalitionoperations since 2011illustrates the success of thisprogramme and the strengthof the long-standing andtrustful cooperation betweenDassault Aviation and the UAE.In addition to reaching

excellence in supporting theMirage 2000-9 fleet with aclose partnership withAMMROC and sustain anaerospace capabilitydevelopment policy in the UAE,Dassault Aviation hasestablished partnerships in theindustrial fields in 2011. Oneexample is the TawazunPrecision Industries for themanufacturing of machined

parts for Dassault AviationFalcon 7X and 8X programme,the latest generation of FalconAircraft and TawazunDynamics.Furthermore, Dassault

Aviation has also reinforcedpartnerships with the intentionto transfer knowledge andtechnologies alongsideindustrial know-how that areperfectly aligned with theobjectives of Abu Dhabi Vision2030. Among thesepartnerships are UAEUniversity, Khalifa Universityfor Sciences Technology and

Dassault Aviationreinforces partnershipswith UAE organisationsto transfer knowledgeand industrial know-how aligned with the

objectives ofAbu Dhabi Vision 2030

Unparalleled dedication toUAEAF visionApplied Research (KUSTAR),and Institute of AppliedTechnology (IAT).The scope of cooperation

with UAE University in Al Ainencompasses scientific lecturesand research projects. Theyaim to develop UAE’s scientificresearch and innovationcapacities in world-leadingtechniques in aeronautics andaerospace engineering.In this frame, Dassault

Aviation welcomes Emiratistudents every year to leadingFrench aerospace industries forinternships as well as practicaland hands-on training in itsfactories.These programmes express

their value in many strategicsectors of the UAE economy,providing students with thehighest education standardsand preparing them forexciting technical careerswithin the ambitious projectsdeveloped by the UAE industry.Present in the past and

preparing for the future,Dassault Aviation has been aproud and reliable partner ofthe UAE for over four decadesand is fully committed to meetthe operational requirementsand support the strategicchallenges of the UAE AF & ADin the coming decades.

©Dassault Aviation - V. Almansa

©Dassault Aviation - S. Randé

©Dassault Aviation - S. Randé

FRANCE

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