UAE, ABU DHABI - Industry
former CEO, United Kingdom Trade & Investment (UKTI)
Bio
Nick Baird was CEO of UKTI from September 2011 to December 2013. He was HM Ambassador to Turkey from 2006-2009, leading projects on Turkey’s EU process and regional conflicts. He has also worked on immigration policy at the British Home Office, and as head of the EU Department at the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO).
The UAE is a major purchaser of defense and security products and services. It is also committed to diversifying its economy away from a dependence on oil revenues. As a result, it has used offset funding to develop an aerospace hub, as well as precision engineering and munitions facilities. The UAE is now a manufacturer of both composite and precision-engineered metal parts for Boeing and Airbus airframes.
I think the biggest driver for the UAE is its desire to increase capacity and capability amongst the Emirati population. Security cooperation has inevitably contributed to this via knowledge transfer and joint ventures, but profitability and Emiratization are the biggest drivers.
The UK punches above its weight when it comes to aerospace, advanced engineering, and manufacturing. The Airbus A380 is iconic. The Eurofighter Typhoon is quite simply the best aircraft of its type. When you couple this with the niche technologies developed by both large companies and SMEs, it is no surprise that the UK is second only to the US when it comes to defense sales.
UK companies are global leaders in aerospace research. For example, Bombardier’s C-Series aircraft has been designed to reduce fuel consumption. The UAE is seeking to grow an aerospace industry and has achieved an enormous amount in a short time. Collaboration would allow UAE companies to invest alongside their UK counterparts in order to develop the next generation of aerospace technologies.
The UAE military already engages in joint exercises with NATO members, including the UK. Exposure to UK expertise, products, and services could lead to commercial opportunities, and would only serve to enhance our bilateral relationship.
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UAE, UAE, ABU DHABI - Economy
Interview
Chairperson, Canadian Business Council Abu Dhabi (CBCAD)