Abu Dhabi, UAE. 31 May 2023: The Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) today announced the winners of the inaugural Make in the Emirates Awards. The ceremony was held on the first day of the Make it in the Emirates Forum, which takes place from 31 May to 1 June and convenes key leaders, officials, and experts from manufacturing companies and financial institutions. 

The awards recognize excellence and innovation in the industrial sector, celebrating the pioneers, visionaries, national talents, and sustainability champions who are helping to drive the UAE’s transformation towards becoming a global manufacturing hub. The event provides a unique opportunity for the manufacturing industry to come together and acknowledge the impact of its leaders on the UAE’s growth and development. 

The ceremony was held in the presence of His Excellency Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, His Excellency Mohamed bin Hadi Al Husseini, Minister of State for Financial Affairs, His Excellency Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, His Excellency Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy, Her Excellency Mariam bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb AlMheiri, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, Her Excellency Sarah bint Yousef Al Amiri, Minister of State for Public Education and Advanced Technology, His Excellency Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, Minister of State, His Excellency Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, and His Excellency Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic.

Government and executive leaders, private sector partners, financing bodies, investors, experts, and industry specialists also attended the awards, which comprised categories under four main umbrellas: Factories of the Future, Contribution to In-Country Value, Industrial Enablers, and Leadership & Talent. 
The awards are open to all industrial companies in the country, including manufacturers, suppliers, and service providers. There are 10 categories including ICV Champion, ICV Excellence, Best Emiratization Level in Manufacturing, Sustainable Manufacturing, Smart Manufacturer, Excellence in Innovation, Industrial Strategic Partner, Quality Standards, Young Talent of The Year Award, and Inspirational Leader. 

The Make it in the Emirates Awards support transformational projects and companies that contribute to raising the competitiveness of the industrial sector and promoting the adoption of advanced technologies and sustainable practices. By acknowledging and encouraging sustainability efforts among industrial companies, the awards also align with the objectives of Operation 300 billion and the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 strategic initiative. 

Winners
ADNOC won the ICV Champion Award. ADNOC operates in various sectors and has grown continually over the years, venturing into new areas such as maritime transportation, chemical industries, and petrochemicals.

Baker Hughes Middle East won the ICV Excellence Award. Baker Hughes is a global industrial services company headquartered in Texas, USA, with its regional headquarters located in Dubai. It is one of the world's largest oilfield services companies, providing products and services for oil well drilling, production, and reservoir consulting. 

Emirates Steel Arkan, one of the largest steel producers in the Middle East, won the Best Emiratization Level in Manufacturing Award. Established in 1998 and commencing production in 2001, Emirates Steel Arkan operates the largest integrated steel plant in the UAE.

Emirates Global Aluminium, a leading global producer of premium aluminium, and the largest industrial company in the UAE outside the oil and gas sector, won the Sustainable Manufacturing Award. The company operates aluminium smelters in Jebel Ali and Al Taweelah, as well as an alumina refinery in Al Taweelah. The locally developed technologies deployed within the company are considered among the most efficient and competitive in the global aluminium industry.

Lipton Jebel Ali, one of the world's largest tea factories, won the Smart Manufacturer Award. Benefiting from the UAE's strategic location and its proximity to major tea-producing countries, the factory has become one of the most successful industrial models, expanding its operations to become a global center for tea production.
EDGE Group, a holding company for defense industries in the UAE, won the Excellence in Innovation Award. Edge Group produces armored vehicles, missiles, drones, weapons, and ammunition, utilizing advanced technologies such as autonomous capabilities, Internet of Things (IoT), robotics, and artificial intelligence.
Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development won the Industrial Strategic Partner Award. The department is dedicated to following best practices and adopting well-researched strategic policies based on the latest local, regional, and global research and data. Its efforts aim to drive the progress and development of various sectors, aligning with Abu Dhabi's economic vision for 2030.

Al Ain Food & Beverages, a member of the Agthia Group, won the Quality Standards Award. Since its establishment in 1986, Al Ain Food & Beverages has been known as a leading national brand, delivering fresh F&B products of the highest quality.
Maryam Hamad Hilal Al Kuwaiti, an engineer at Strata Manufacturing, won the Young Talent of the Year Award. She has been working as a Manufacturing Engineer at Strata since 2014. She holds a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the United Arab Emirates University, obtained in 2020, and a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the same university. Maryam also completed an eight-month training program at Boeing Aircraft Manufacturing in Utah, USA, specializing in manufacturing vertical wing sections for the Boeing 787.

Ismail Ali Abdulla, CEO of Strata, won the Inspirational Leader Award. Previously serving as the Executive Vice President of Strata, he holds a Master's degree in Project Management and a Bachelor's degree in Information Technology and Communications from Queen Mary University in London, UK. Strata has played a pivotal role in establishing the aerospace industry as one of the country’s most successful sectors. The company has also achieved an exemplary model for women empowerment in industry, with female citizens representing approximately 90 percent of the national workforce in Strata.

The Make it in the Emirates Awards supports excellence and innovation alongside other projects and initiatives such as the National ICV Program and Make it in the Emirates initiative, among others. 

Winners and finalists were evaluated based a set of criteria specific to each category. Nominations are judged by a panel of representatives from MoIAT, the University of Cambridge, IfM Engage, as well as industry experts and leaders.