Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA) | Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer honors Bin Shafar for his achievements in Empower over 20 years

His Excellency Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Chairman of Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation PJSC (Empower), honored His Excellency Ahmad bin Shafar, CEO of Empower, in recognition of his outstanding contributions spanning over 20 years in steering the company since its inception. This accolade celebrates his pioneering role in advancing the district cooling industry both regionally and globally, as well as his proficient team leadership that has propelled Empower to its esteemed position as a global leader in the district cooling sector. The ceremony took place during Empower’s annual general assembly.

The Chairman also praised the company’s remarkable progress in technical and production capacities, attributed to its strategic investments in Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies. He also commended Empower’s commitment to enhancing its international standing through innovation. Furthermore, the Chairman acclaimed its continuous improvement in service standards, benefiting thousands of customers across various districts of Dubai. Recognizing Empower's active role in environmental conservation and its establishment of unparalleled benchmarks in production and distribution quality, Al Tayer remarked, "The dedication and professionalism exhibited by Empower's teams, under the leadership of Ahmad bin Shafar, align with the visionary approach outlined by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Empower stands as a testament to the UAE's commitment to sustainable development and economic progress."

“The success of Empower to become number one in the world would not have been possible without the unlimited support and unprecedented backing of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Empower’s vision is to be the world’s leading district cooling service provider by promoting sustainable and optimized use of energy resources to deliver reliable, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly world-class cooling services to achieve customer satisfaction, thereby creating long-term shareholder value. Under the leadership of Ahmad bin Shafar over the past two decades, Empower has achieved unique and outstanding milestones, significantly shaping the district cooling industry locally and elevating Dubai's prominence and leadership globally in this sector," The Chairman added. His Excellency also highlighted historical milestones in the company’s journey, including its ascent as the world’s largest district cooling services provider, its strategic acquisitions of cooling portfolios from major urban projects and iconic landmarks across Dubai such as Palm District Cooling, Nakheel, Meydan, and the operation rights of the district cooling systems of Dubai International Airport, among others. Additionally, he emphasized Empower's groundbreaking partnerships with international companies, resulting in the execution of the largest deals in the history of the international district cooling industry.

The Chairman of Empower also praised the company's successful listing on the Dubai Financial Market, along with its continuous commitment to adopting sustainable and efficient technologies in cooling plants aiming to preserve the environment and reduce energy consumption rates significantly, thereby minimizing CO2 emissions. "Empower has always made us proud through its continuous success, winning many prestigious local and global awards and its strategic collaborations with research and development institutions, global universities, international associations, and establishments aimed at advancing the district cooling industry," His Excellency concluded.

For his part, His Excellency Ahmad bin Shafar, CEO of Empower, emphasized that his efforts over the past two decades have been founded on collaborative endeavors with all relevant departments, institutions, and sectors involved in district cooling services, aligning with the vision of the wise leadership. "I express my sincere gratitude to the early shareholders of Empower, whose unwavering confidence in the organization's potential to achieve global leadership has been instrumental since 2003, when Empower entered the market with just one cooling plant in the Dubai Financial Centre area. True to their expectations, Empower now holds over 80% of the district cooling market of Dubai, with dozens of modern plants and a vast distribution network supplying hundreds of skyscrapers and mixed-use projects across residential, office, education, health, entertainment, shopping, hospitality, hotel, and other sectors. With our high level of professionalism and substantial production capacity, we are fully equipped to serve the majority of Dubai's population with the highest international quality standards."

Bin Shafar thanked Empower's Chairman, members of Board of Directors, and all team members for the warm honor, acknowledging that the recognition places additional responsibilities on his shoulders to take Empower towards even greater achievements and successes.