Utility CEOs from throughout the Middle East and Africa (MEA) will meet in Dubai next month for a dedicated, first-of-its-kind roundtable which will thrash out implementation strategies to realise the region’s Net Zero decarbonisation ambitions.
The MEA Utility CEO Roundtable, which will gather up to 30 sector leaders, will be held as part of Middle East Energy, the 48th edition of the region’s most reputable and comprehensive event for the energy sector, which will run at the Dubai World Trade Centre from March 7-9

The exclusive peer-to-peer closed-door symposium will be held on March 8 under Chatham House Rule. It has been carefully curated to focus on high-level pressing issues and evolving opportunities to exchange open conversations, strengthen relationships and propel the industry to new heights.
“This will be the meeting place for advanced strategic engagement, experience, and testimony sharing, allowing leaders to reflect and propose concrete recommendations and unlock new ideas that will accelerate the industry’s growth,” explained Azzan Mohammed, Exhibition Director, Energy portfolio – MEA of Informa Markets, the organiser of Middle East Energy.

The symposium agenda will focus on driving the industry’s rapid transformation through cutting-edge technology, energy-efficient solutions, smart cities, electric transportation, renewable and sustainable energy sources, and smart grids.
“The positive news is, encouraging trends in innovation and investment, supported by enabling policies, can aid the industry in achieving its goal of providing power that is more secure, dependable, clean, and affordable. Companies in the power and utilities sectors are leaning more towards investing in developing technology and adapting to new business models. An era of transformation is here, and the industry needs to make the best use of technology to remain agile, efficient, and competitive,” added Mohammed.

Grid infrastructure and modernisation through advanced technological capabilities will be high on the agenda. The CEOs will look to recalibrate legacy grid infrastructure with new solutions, examine ways to strengthen grid capacities through technology and see how they can diversify energy resources through investment in large-scale renewables capacity additions and increased investment in transmission and distribution networks.
The use of advanced, game-changing technology will feature largely, with digital and automated solutions, including smart meters, smart grids and digital grid infrastructure being explored to improve efficiency and reliability.

“The CEOs will also look to orchestrate collaboration between governments and the industry to develop enabling grid-specific policies that further accelerate the energy transition agenda,” added Mohammed. “They will also re-examine regional initiatives to assess their potential in enhancing in-country technological capabilities and driving economic development.”

Technology for infrastructure and efficient operations is not being seen as the single silver bullet enabling transformation - the CEOs will also seek new business models for operation in a changing era. On the cards is a major rethink of operations and the convergence of intelligent solutions development and emerging business models.

“With evolving customer-centric preferences inclined more toward greener solutions, the CEOs face the challenge of diversifying their offerings and shifting to pro-consumer centre models, which will disrupt the current status quo. This symposium is likely to be a watershed in the transformation of the industry which will focus on designing business models that attract private sector investment and involvement in distributed power,” explained Azzan Mohammed.  
During their Middle East Energy visit, the CEOs will also tour the mega-show where they will discover ground-breaking technology and innovations being promoted by over 800 international providers exhibiting throughout five dedicated sectors devoted to smart solutions, renewables and clean energy, backup generators and critical power, transmission, and distribution as well as energy consumption and management.

“Transformation is impacting the entire end-to-end industry value chain,” said Mohammed. “With the industry being a key focus of the region’s net zero and decarbonisation journey, this 2023 event will likely be remembered as a catalyst for paradigm shifts across the wider energy sector’s infrastructure and operational development.”

Middle East Energy 2023 will be the 48th edition of the exhibition and conference formerly known as Middle East Electricity.