ADDED aligns with SAP to nurture UAE talent

The Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) has signed an agreement with SAP, a provider of enterprise business software. As part of the agreement, ADDED and SAP will look into collaboration opportunities to boost industry innovation and digital transformation, develop advanced business models, develop Emirati talent, and foster local digital competencies, particularly by assisting startups and small businesses (SMEs).

According to the MOU, ADDED intends to leverage SAP’s UAE cloud offering while also enabling SAP to accelerate its regional expansion as an authorized cloud services provider. Both parties also intend to collaborate to develop emerging talent by training UAE nationals in technology, business, and behavioral skills through in-country, global, and virtual programs. Furthermore, ADDED and SAP intend to assist job seekers and freelancers through a new SAP-designed platform that will bridge the supply-demand gap for full-time and freelance opportunities.

As part of the MoU, ADDED and SAP will provide assistance to SMEs and startups through the “SAP.io” and “Grow by SAP” initiatives. Furthermore, both parties are investigating the viability of establishing a regional innovation center in Abu Dhabi to provide assistance to both public and private sector entities and services.

ADDED and SAP have also stated their intent to investigate and launch Industry 4.0 initiatives in Abu Dhabi, with SAP aiming to develop a Point of View (POV) document to propose mutually beneficial strategic initiatives. The POV document will concentrate on the key pillars of Abu Dhabi’s strategy, such as healthcare, education, economy, defense, security, and government efficiency. Furthermore, SAP intends to train individuals in the manufacturing sector in digital skills to help them succeed in Industry 4.0, while also developing an emirate-wide framework to implement consistent manufacturing standards.

H.E. Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of ADDED, and Sergio Maccotta, Senior Vice President, Middle East South, SAP, attended an event to commemorate the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which was signed by H.E. Rashed Abdulkareem Al Blooshi, ADDED’s Undersecretary, and Zakaria Haltout, Managing Director of SAP-UAE.  

Commenting on the signing, H.E. Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of ADDED, said: “This is a large-scale partnership covering various sectors and fields we focus on, and it will see ADDED and SAP bringing together the best they can offer.  Abu Dhabi has nurtured a supportive ecosystem that presents growth opportunities to all; we believe this collaboration will help us in accelerating success journey and achieving our objectives”. 

“Innovation and talent development are among our top priorities as we are focusing on knowledge and innovation-based economic sectors. We believe that training and upskilling our talents will support in finding innovative solutions to current and future challenges. To this end, our collaboration with SAP is focusing on training UAE youth to equip them with soft and hard skills that are necessary for future”. “We look forward to collaborating closely with joint strategic initiatives and having SAP power our digital transformation. With SAP’s experience in the field and Abu Dhabi’s record in digital transformation, we are confident that we have the right formula for a project of this magnitude.” H.E. Al Shorafa added .

Sergio Maccotta, Senior Vice President, Middle East South, SAP, concurred: “Our partnership with ADDED is a key enabler of SAP’s wider support for Abu Dhabi’s public sector and economy. By being an authorized provider, we aim to equip Abu Dhabi entities with the integrated strategy, solutions, and services to accelerate their digitalization through the cloud, innovation, and wider adoption of Industry 4.0.”

Looking toward the future benefits, Maccotta added, “Through the development of the UAE’s national talents, SAP will enhance the strategic vision of ADDED and Abu Dhabi, empowering both our customers and partners. Furthermore, SAP’s solutions and services are designed to support the establishment of a highly skilled and knowledge-based economy, creating significant alignment with the vision and goals of ADDED and the wider Abu Dhabi government.”