My conversation with Khaled Al Huraimel encapsulates a vision that transcends the present and leaps into a realm of sustainability and innovation. The backdrop is BEEAH Group’s headquarters in Sharjah, UAE, a masterpiece designed by the late Zaha Hadid, embodying the future Khaled envisions where technology, sustainability, and culture intertwine seamlessly.
As the BEEAH Group’s CEO and Vice Chairman, Khaled has redefined the organization into a leading international holding company, extending its footprint from the UAE to KSA, Egypt, Southeast Asia, and beyond. His innovative blend of sustainability and digitalization has spurred exponential growth, setting regional benchmarks and significantly enhancing life quality. He’s spearheaded the UAE’s first integrated waste management and waste-toenergy projects. His vision materialized BEEAH’s AI-integrated headquarters, setting a precedent for future smart, sustainable cities.
He’s expanded BEEAH into digital realms, establishing ventures like EVOTEQ and a Tier 3 data center in Sharjah, alongside global partnerships. His leadership extends across various sectors as chairman and co-founder of numerous companies, including a web3 and blockchain solutions leader. A UAE Circular Economy Council member and coauthor of a book on AI, ‘Reimagining Business with AI,’ Khaled’s pursuits exemplify his commitment to sustainability, technology, and a future-oriented mindset. He is indeed a voice of the future.
Our conversation begins by delving into Khaled’s journey. His childhood, shaped by his father’s diplomatic career as one of the first ambassadors for the then-nascent UAE, instilled in him a global mindset and the essence of being a global citizen. He reveals:
“Living in various countries from a young age shaped my perspective, especially in the 1980s; I often felt like an ambassador for my homeland, especially when many were unfamiliar with the UAE. This responsibility taught me the duty to act as a role model, representing my country’s values and culture wherever we were.”
As the world undergoes significant changes, there’s a question of whether global diplomatic services truly grasp the technological advancements driving societal and human transformations. This raises concerns about our collective understanding of these shifts and their implications. Khaled responds: “Certainly, there’s a significant transformation globally, and the UAE has made remarkable advancements, pioneering in many aspects. The UAE has consistently demonstrated foresight, fostering partnerships worldwide and prioritizing collective well-being. This approach is mirrored in the nation’s diversity, with individuals from diverse cultures and religions coexisting peacefully. This underscores the UAE’s understanding and respected global leadership, which illustrates a model of harmony and forward-thinking governance.” Indeed, the UAE has managed a delicate balance of art and science exceptionally well, and I’m also proud to call it home.
Our dialogue drifts to Khaled’s education and his path to becoming Group CEO and Vice Chairman of the BEEAH Group. He shares: “I pursued my bachelor’s degree in marketing in Saudi Arabia during my father’s tenure as the UAE ambassador there. Then, I earned my MBA from the University of Bradford, UK. My career began at ENOC (Emirates National Oil Company), where I spearheaded a new international business unit, launching our first operations in Yemen by selling automotive oils. Over seven years, we expanded its reach to 21 countries. Before joining the BEEAH Group, I contributed to Nakheel’s Dubai Waterfront project. My journey has been fueled by a passion for initiating businesses and addressing climate change challenges through innovative public-private partnerships, starting in my hometown, Sharjah. In Sharjah, like in many places, waste management was primarily a municipal responsibility, facing challenges in service improvement amidst global trends toward privatization. Sharjah chose a public-private partnership model instead of full privatization. Given my enthusiasm for founding new ventures, as demonstrated at ENOC and Nakheel, and recognizing the critical importance of addressing climate change, I seized the opportunity to join BEEAH and contribute to this vital area, starting from my hometown of Sharjah.”
Khaled’s vision for sustainability has transformed BEEAH Group from a simple waste collection service in Sharjah to a leader in waste management and sustainability in the UAE. Starting in 2009, BEEAH aimed for zero waste and became the region’s top waste management company, achieving a 90% waste diversion rate and establishing the first waste-to-energy plant. Khaled’s strategy involved expanding geographically into Saudi Arabia and Egypt. These efforts underscored a commitment to leveraging technology to do things faster and better, leading to the formation of three technology ventures, such as EVOTEQ, the sustainable transport company ION, and re.life, an online marketplace for trading recyclable commodities, further evidencing BEEAH Group’s transformative impact on the sector and its visionary approach towards environmental sustainability. Furthermore, it looks to diversify yet more for the future, expanding into healthcare and real estate.
I emphasize two critical shifts in sustainability and climate change discussions, especially in boardrooms. First, we must integrate green considerations into every decision, much like digital transformation transcended IT to become ubiquitous. Sustainability efforts are often sidelined as CSR or net-zero initiatives rather than core to business operations. Second, making sustainable practices more profitable than traditional methods is essential. Despite initial resistance from boards concerned about deviating from the norm and shareholder interests, overcoming this obstacle is crucial for genuine change. How does Khaled navigate such resistance and champion sustainability effectively?
He states: “In the UAE, we’re fortunate to have leadership that prioritizes sustainability, not just locally but globally, demonstrated by events like COP28 and the significant shift in both the private and public sectors towards prioritizing sustainability over the past decade. We believe that to achieve our sustainability goals, we must embrace digitalization and other technologies.”
That raises another question: What must we do to change every board’s perception? Khaled’s answer is illuminating: “Waste’s value is increasingly recognized, sparking a booming recycling and resource recovery industry. BEEAH’s success lies in harnessing this shift through strategic waste segregation, recycling collaborations, and launching re.life, turning waste into wealth. People, communities, and organizations realize waste as a resource, making value extraction simpler and more efficient.
During COP28, Dr. Stier from Amazon made a poignant gesture by giving a globe to a 13-year-old, symbolizing the transfer of Earth’s stewardship to younger generations. This act ignited discussions on our environmental legacy and the urgent need for systemic changes to prevent passing on a “burning planet.” It emphasizes a collective call to action for policy shifts, responsible business practices, and a mindset geared towards sustainability, aiming to secure a cleaner, healthier world for future adults.
“In the UAE, we’re fortunate to have leadership that prioritizes sustainability, not just locally but globally.”
Khaled emphasizes the importance of patience, strategic long-term planning, and the power of collaboration. “You have to be patient, you have to play the long game, and you cannot do everything yourself,” he notes. He advocates for sticking to one’s values and being open to partnerships, attributing significant achievements like the first waste-toenergy plant in the Middle East – a joint venture with Masdar – to these principles.
What’s the single most powerful word, concept, or idea you believe will shape the future? According to Khaled, BEEAH has been pioneering the use of AI for over a decade, as highlighted by its proactive integration of AI technologies in various operations, from its groundbreaking building in collaboration with Johnson Controls and Microsoft to advanced waste management practices.
“We’ve been exploring how we can utilize AI for many years,” he notes.
This forward-thinking approach is exemplified by BEEAH’s investment in digital infrastructure, such as a unique data center powered by waste-toenergy, underscoring its leadership in sustainable technological advancements. “AI will change a lot of how we live and work,” Khaled states, emphasizing the exponential rise of AI’s application in the near future.
For me, the future hinges on trust, truth, and ethics. Unchecked, AI can pose significant risks. Beyond technological advancement, it’s argued that attributes immune to digitization – love, compassion, creativity, and critical thinking – will exponentially increase in value. The crux of this philosophy is integrating humanity with technology, ensuring that AI serves us, enhancing our work and lives with a focus on human values, and building a future led by heart and spirit.
BEEAH, through Khaled, believes in cultivating strong future leaders to ensure the company’s growth, emphasizing that success isn’t olely about technology but also about fostering sustainable quality of life. “Without people, you cannot get any of this done,” he reflects. For him, preparing leaders goes beyond teaching them about AI; it involves integrating values of sustainability into their development. For instance, BEEAH’s venture into healthcare aims to transform it for the future, highlighting its commitment to eliminating counterfeit medicine to save lives and investing in a cleaner environment for safer, better living.
The conversation turns to the topic of education. I don’t think education adequately prepares our youth for today’s world, let alone tomorrow. Echoing the sentiment that education truly needs a transformative approach to prepare for the future, Khaled agrees that the UAE is at the forefront of this evolution. With initiatives like the establishment of the Ministry of AI and the Ministry of Youth, the UAE is continuously adapting to meet emerging needs and elevate its educational system to new heights. Confidence is high in the UAE’s leadership to innovate and lead in redefining education, ensuring it aligns with future demands and opportunities.
Khaled articulates: “In the UAE, significant work is being done with schools, notably through the BEEAH School of Environment, established over 12 years ago and has educated over 250,000 students. This education shift is visible when comparing past student generations to the current, where today’s youth in the UAE exhibit remarkable drive and ambition. The optimism for the future stems from witnessing these young, motivated individuals raised in a country celebrated for its achievements like leading airlines, architectural marvels, and advancements in space exploration. This environment of excellence and national pride is believed to propel the next generation to elevate the UAE further.”
Imagine stepping into a time capsule to your 100th birthday, marking only the halfway point of your life. What would Khaled be celebrating at this centennial celebration? “Envisioning a future where environmental challenges are conquered, we might enjoy coffee on a moon resort, courtesy of technological advancements,” he muses. “This era brings cleaner air and transforms deserts into lush, green landscapes, altering our lifestyle profoundly and marking a significant leap in how we interact with our planet.”
His message in a bottle is simple yet profound: “Be patient and optimistic.” Those are words of true wisdom for the younger generations.
In this dialogue with Khaled, the message for the future is unequivocal: embrace change, champion sustainability, and remember that the collective voice of innovation is not just a whisper but a roar that can shape our destiny.
