Energy Solutions Group International (ESGI)

Hatem Saeed Al Amoudi / CEO

@ESGILLC @ESGI_AE www.esgi.ae info@esgi.ae

ESGI provides a platform that allows clients to visualise energy consumption patterns within their buildings, and identify areas of inefficiency and wastage.

Funded 2014 / Staff 20 USP Create intelligent buildings and design bespoke solutions that meet clients’ operational requirements - in partnership with leading technology manufacturers.

Abu Dhabi +971 50 11 47 111

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LEAPFROGGING THE COMPETITION

Hatem Saeed Al Amoudi, CEO, ESGI, has established a powerful reputation as a formidable entrepreneur and an ethically-driven SME champion. We highlight the expert views of this talented business leader.

QUESTIONS

Since completing his degree in Aerospace Engineering, Hatem Saeed Al Amoudi has always had a passion for technology and its impact on the environment and people. He wanted to find a way to use technology systems to make a difference. After doing some ground

work, he concluded that revamping technology systems integrated within buildings could potentially lead to energy saving. He started working on creating a solution to manage energy consumption within iconic buildings. His idea turned out to be brilliant – on one hand he was improving the tenant’s

experience and on the other hand he was reducing costs for the developers. And, on top of it all: he was helping save energy! Here, we speak to the talented entrepreneur and get more details about his revolutionary technology…

What was the value of your initial investment to set the company up? How has your partnership with Khalifa Fund helped you grow?Q1

They have invested one million Dirhams into my business. Right from the start, it was obvious that Khalifa Fund

provided something different to entrepreneurs; their nurturing approach has allowed my business to grow. Not only do

they provide mentorship, but also support ESGI and its core values.

What were some of the major challenges you have faced? How did you get past them?Q2

One of the biggest challenges we are facing in the UAE, and across the region, is educating our clients to invest in technology to reduce operational costs. Many of our clients have assumed that the investments they have made would realise these benefits only to discover that

they are vendor locked with solutions that are proprietary and expensive to maintain or scale. Major technology players are driving Internet of Things (IoT) as a value proposition to merge IT and operational investments to create solutions. However, not all players come to the market with the required

outcomes that clients need, they just use IoT as an opportunity to sell more of their own technologies in a new wrapper. So, the challenge is lack of awareness and to combat this we are continuing to educate customers by demonstrating the benefits of investing in our technology.

How do you stand out in a competitive market?

How is technology reshaping your business?

Q3

Q4

My staff members have extensive experience in all aspects of the business and work hard to achieve the company’s goals. We focus on delivering innovative solutions as opposed to trying to sell

what is already out there. This allows us to broaden our offering and find new solutions to satisfy the expectations of our clients. Moreover, we operate a 24/7 command and control centre that provides

additional support to our clients. Finally, we have created a passionate and flexible workspace to encourage our team to express themselves; this means that employees are driven to deliver their best.

Our entire business concept revolves around technology. We focus and strategize on how best we can deliver new solutions. We are constantly

reviewing our offerings to ensure that we meet the demands of our clients in a fast-changing environment. Our partners have an appetite to

support this expansion, and the support from Khalifa Fund will enable us to keep up with the pace of change.

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What are your long-term plans? Do you have any plans for expansion?

What trends do you foresee in your line of work in 2017?

Q5

Q6

We need to grow and create opportunities to show the world how technology can impact us. We are creating a dynamic roadmap of the future. We will expand regionally and

find other technology partners and solutions from around the world. We are undergoing rapid growth and expansion as we now have the perfect mix of technology and opportunities.

Internationally, we have partnerships in place and are delivering a range of solutions across every technology vertical.

IoT will present some interesting opportunities as more devices are connected to the internet. We see 2017 as a year when a rising number

of technology partners will consolidate their offerings and build eco-systems to support their solutions. This is because they are realising that they can

no longer support traditional business models. We like to think that we have had an impact on these decisions, and are prepared for this trend.

What’s your advice to aspiring entrepreneurs in this sector? Q7

Motivate and inspire the people around you. Don’t be afraid to dream and have the courage to

overcome challenges. Respect the thoughts of your peers and try to learn something

new. Finally, always remember: technology is the opportunity of tomorrow.