Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber

Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber is minister of state in the United Arab Emirates and the chairman of Masdar, a company located in Abu Dhabi specializing in clean technology, renewable energy, and sustainable development. He also serves as the chairman of Abu Dhabi Ports, CEO of Energy for the Mubadala Development Company, and the UAE's special envoy for energy and climate change.

Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber

Education

Al Jaber holds a PhD in business and economics from Coventry University in the United Kingdom and an MBA from the California State University at Los Angeles and a BSc in Chemical Engineering from the University of Southern California the United States.[1]

Career

Masdar

Main article: Masdar

In addition to currently serving as its head, Al Jaber was instrumental in the founding of Masdar in 2006. In 2009, he led Masdar’s participation in the successful bid by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to host the headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency(IRENA) in Abu Dhabi. IRENA's headquarters will eventually move to Masdar City.[1]

Masdar city is designed to be a hub for environmentally responsible businesses and a model for carbon-neutral development. In the words of Dr. Al Jaber, "Masdar City is a low-carbon, low-waste urban development that will be one of the most sustainable cities in the world. It not only embodies Abu Dhabi’s commitment to a sustainable future, but also pioneers best practises in sustainable urban planning, design and construction." [2] [3][4]

Mubadala

Before his work with Masdar, Al Jaber worked on projects in energy, utilities, and other industries at the Mubadala Development Company. Masdar is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mubadala, where as of 2015 Al Jaber serves as CEO for Energy.[1]

Public service, non-profit work, and advocacy

In 2009, Al Jaber was appointed by United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon to his Advisory Group on Energy and Climate Change (AGECC), which published its final report in 2010.[1][5] The recommendations from this report form the basis of the Sustainable Energy for All initiative launched in 2011.

Al Jaber’s work to advance renewable energy and clean technology led to his appointment in 2010 as the UAE 's special envoy for energy and climate change. As special envoy, Al Jaber was responsible for helping to formulate and advocate for the UAE's diplomatic positions and public policy with respect to energy and climate change.[1] In the Huffington Post[6] he wrote:

In the UAE, we have embarked on a program to transform our economy from one based on resource depletion to one based on resource enrichment. By focusing on education and developing our tremendous human capital, we are working to empower our most important resource -- our people -- with the knowledge, skills and abilities to lead in the new energy economy. To do so, we are investing in the full value chain of a renewable energy industry. And as a result, the UAE is responsible for 68 percent of the Gulf's renewable energy capacity.

In 2008, Dr. Al Jaber spearheaded the establishment of The Zayed Future Energy Prize. The Zayed Future Energy Prize is an annual US$4 million dollar award funded by the United Arab Emirates to recognize excellence in renewable energy and sustainability.[7]

In 2011, Al Jaber was selected to serve on the United Nations Secretary General’s high level group on sustainable energy for all.[1] It is an effort initiated by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to ensure universal access to modern utilities, double the rate of improvement in energy efficiency, and double the global market share of renewable energy by 2030.[8]

In 2012, Al Jaber was named one of the Champions of the Earth by the United Nations.[1] Al Jaber received his award in the category of "Entrepreneurial Vision."[1]

On 12 March 2013, Al Jaber was named minister of state and joined the UAE cabinet. Al Jaber's appointment was approved by Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE's president. Speaking of the appointment of Al Jaber and other ministers, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the UAE’s vice president and prime minister and ruler of Dubai, said the new cabinet has “young faces with new ideas and energy to keep up with the rapid changes and to deal with our people’s top priorities."[9]

Al Jaber's comments on the energy and climate change have been frequently featured in numerous media outlets such as Time Magazine, The Financial Times, Le Monde, The Guardian, The Sunday Times, CNN, Sky News, CNBC and the BBC.

Board positions

Al Jaber serves on numerous corporate and non-profit boards where he provides advice on issues related to economics, infrastructure, sustainability and energy. He is chairman of the board for the Abu Dhabi Ports, Sky News Arabia. He also serves on the boards of ALDAR Sorouh, and ZonesCorp.[10]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 "Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber". Huffington Post. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  2. ↑ "Fast Facts". Masdar Institute of Science and Technology. Retrieved 20 March 2012.
  3. ↑ "MIT, Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company sign cooperative agreement". MIT.com News Office. 26 February 2007. Retrieved 10 May 2008.
  4. ↑ "Masdar is a role model for the world". Khaleej Times. 23 June 2012. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
  5. ↑ Energy for a Sustainable Future: Summary Report and Recommendation
  6. ↑ Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber (6 December 2012). "From Oil to Renewables". Huffington Post. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
  7. ↑ "His Excellency Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber". Aldar. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  8. ↑ "Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber". Global Green Growth Institute. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  9. ↑ "'New young faces' for UAE Cabinet as Sheikh Mohammed unveils reshuffle". The National. 12 March 2013. Retrieved 15 April 2013.
  10. ↑ "His Excellency Dr Sultan Al Jaber Gets Cabinet Seat". Masdar.ac.ae. Masdar. Retrieved 18 March 2015.