Abu Dhabi – A distinguished gathering of global leaders, innovators, and policymakers convened at this year’s AIM Congress, where they explored the transformative role of technology in advancing sustainable and human-centric urban development. The event brought together trailblazers from the public and private sectors, multilateral organizations, and academia, offering strategic insights into building the smart, resilient cities of tomorrow.
A major highlight of the conference was the “Sm art Cities and Human-Centric Innovation” session, which featured powerful insights on urban transformation:
- Akram Awad, Managing Director & Partner at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), shared his expertise as BCG’s Global Lead for Smart Cities, emphasizing the importance of people-centered strategies in the Middle East’s urban evolution.
- Amy Marie Hochadel, Vice President of Urban Lab at Expo City Dubai, highlighted innovative governance models that place local authorities at the heart of urban innovation.
- Dr. Ahmad Alnafessah, Smart City Advisor at the Saudi Data & AI Authority (SDAIA), presented cutting-edge use cases of AI, big data, and digital twins in powering Saudi Arabia’s smart city agenda.
- Edlam Yemeru, Acting Director of External Relations, Strategy, Knowledge & Innovation at UN-Habitat, reflected on two decades of shaping sustainable urban policies across Africa and beyond.
- Eunbyul Cho, Head of Program Department at the WeGO Secretariat, showcased global smart city programs and the impact of initiatives such as the Seoul Smart City Prize.
- Hazem Galal, Partner and Global Leader for Cities & Local Government at PwC, offered a strategic overview of smart mobility, sustainability, and competitiveness across 40+ urban markets.
- Isabel Shirin Enyonam Wetzel, Programme Management Officer at UN-Habitat’s Innovation Unit, spoke on leveraging climate-smart technologies and innovation to drive inclusive economic growth.
- Safder Nazir, SVP Public Sector at Huawei Technologies, discussed digital infrastructure’s role in enabling city-wide innovation, with a focus on Huawei’s Net Zero Campus initiative.
- Francesco La Camera, Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), emphasized the central role of renewables in creating future-ready, sustainable urban environments.
Presentation Highlight: Visionary Architects of Sustainable Investment
Dmitry Kaminskiy, General Partner at Deep Knowledge Group, led a thought-provoking session on frontier technologies—including Longevity, DeepTech, and AI—and their impact on reshaping infrastructure and urban investment in the era of the 5th Industrial Revolution.
Fireside Chat: The Game-Changing Impact of 5G on Next-Gen Cities
A dynamic fireside chat explored how 5G is redefining urban connectivity, governance, and service delivery:
- Jawad Abbassi, Head of MENA at GSMA, shared insights on regional 5G readiness and the evolution of mobile infrastructure.
- Omar Radaideh, Head of Government Projects at KQTel, discussed regulatory alignment and policy support for advanced digital technologies in the UAE.
- Pritam Goyal, Principal Program Manager – Data Center Infrastructure Strategy, APAC at Microsoft, outlined Microsoft’s data infrastructure strategies that support smart city scalability and sustainability.
Leadership in Action: Government and Industry Perspectives
The event also spotlighted influential leaders shaping national and regional development:
- Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State, Nigeria, presented his administration’s urban renewal agenda, which focuses on youth empowerment and grassroots-led economic revitalization.
- Hakan Ozdemir, CEO of Smart Infrastructure Middle East at Siemens, demonstrated how AI, automation, and cybersecurity are transforming digital cities.
- Khaled Hashim, President of Honeywell International Middle East Ltd., emphasized infrastructure modernization and energy transition strategies, sharing insights from his cross-sector leadership experience.
