The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) held its third Business Agility Forum at the One&Only One Za’abeel Hotel in Dubai. The event, themed ‘Shaping Dubai for Tomorrow’, gathered officials from various government departments, business leaders, and experts in innovation and enterprise agility.
Key participants included HE Hessa bint Essa Buhumaid, Director General of the Community Development Authority; HE Abdulla Ali bin Zayed al-Falasi, Director General of the Dubai Government Human Resources Department; HE Saeed Mohamed Harib, Secretary General of the Dubai Sports Council; Dr Hazza Khalfan Al Nuaimi from the Executive Council of Dubai; Saman Darkan of Kitopi; Mohammed AlShamsi of RoboHiTec; Evan Leybourn from the Business Agility Institute; Abdulaziz Al Nuaimi of Huawei UAE; and Rony Sarkis from LinkedIn. Around 400 DEWA employees also took part as part of DEWA’s Business Agility Week.
In his opening remarks, HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA, said that promoting a culture of corporate agility is aligned with the vision for continuous development and building a future-ready government.
“Corporate agility and good governance are essential pillars, both strategically and operationally, to strengthen our ability to respond to rapid changes and transform challenges into opportunities. They also enhance operational efficiency, increase productivity, improve competitiveness and raise employee and customer happiness. Building a culture of agility requires us to anticipate the needs and expectations of employees and customers, enabling us to deliver seamless services and exceptional experiences that achieve the highest levels of happiness for all stakeholders,” said Al Tayer.
He added: “Anticipating what people need before they even ask is the essence of corporate leadership. It reflects our ability to provide innovative and comprehensive solutions that not only meet but also exceed aspirations, thereby achieving sustainable excellence. According to Highspring’s 2025 Agility Index Report, companies with high agility are twice as likely to report revenue growth and four times more likely to align strategy across talent, technology and execution. An impressive 97% of high-agility organisations achieved positive revenue growth in the first quarter of 2025, compared to just 46% of low-agility organisations. This underscores that those who embrace agility secure both sustainability and excellence.”
Al Tayer described how DEWA has shifted towards clean energy since 2011 through projects like the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park—currently recognized as one of the largest single-site solar parks globally—and adopted new models such as independent power production since 2014. He noted DEWA’s transformation into a publicly listed company on the Dubai Financial Market in April 2022 was completed within six months with significant investor interest.
Al Tayer highlighted DEWA’s agile response during major events such as unprecedented storms in 2024. He stated that these efforts led to international recognition: “These efforts culminated in 2024 when DEWA was recognised as the first energy utility worldwide in agility, according to a comprehensive assessment by the international Business Agility Institute. We also won the Agile Business Consortium Award in the Overall Business Agility category, becoming the first utility in the world to receive this recognition. DEWA was classified as the best government entity in Dubai in this field. Moreover, DEWA was benchmarked against 1,800 companies globally, reaffirming its position as a global leader in business agility.”
He continued: “These achievements come at a time when the world is shifting towards a smart economy and automated, highly responsive supply chains. Corporate agility is no longer an option but a fundamental criterion for survival and success. Organisations capable of navigating crises are the most agile, innovative and adaptable. At DEWA, we view change as an opportunity for growth. We believe that agility is not merely about organisational frameworks or administrative structures, but about cultivating a comprehensive culture built on flexible thinking and swift decision-making.”
Al Tayer concluded by emphasizing digital transformation driven by technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and Big Data analytics which support faster decision-making processes at DEWA.
The forum included panel discussions on integrating roles within government entities for better service delivery in Dubai. Speakers discussed how enterprise agility helps organizations adapt quickly through AI-supported systems like those developed by local authorities.
HE Hessa bint Essa Buhumaid spoke about designing resilient public services using real-time data tools supported by AI for organizational readiness.
HE Abdulla Ali bin Zayed al-Falasi stressed empowering employees for greater flexibility amid new challenges while noting AI’s role within an agile infrastructure.
HE Saeed Mohamed Harib related lessons from sports on why flexibility is necessary for success both on-field and within organizations.
Dr Hazza Khalfan Al Nuaimi presented insights into government excellence systems since their launch in 1997 focusing on readiness for innovation—highlighting risk management integration among human/technical resources alongside rapid decision-making.
Waleed bin Salman announced an eight-month training program launched during Business Agility Week aimed at developing enterprise agility leaders across multiple departments at DEWA through collaboration with International Coaching Federation.
Dr Ali AlMuwaijei AlShamsi called attention to corporate agility being everyone’s responsibility within organizations seeking resilience amid change.
Other speakers included Saman Darkan who shared Kitopi’s expansion journey using digital innovations; Mohammed AlShamsi who outlined robotics’ role increasing adaptability; Evan Leybourn discussing how business agility builds organizational freedom/flexibility aided by AI; Abdulaziz Al Nuaimi focusing on cybersecurity integration into agile strategies; Rony Sarkis closing with remarks on why adaptation shapes future outcomes rather than simply keeping pace.
