Siemens names new Qatar CEO
DOHA, August 31, 2016
Global technology powerhouse Siemens has appointed Adrian Wood (50) as the new chief executive officer (CEO) of the company’s operations in Qatar.
Wood assumes his new role from tomorrow (September 1) after almost four years as CEO of Siemens in Kuwait. He takes over from Fatih Sakiz, who will pursue new opportunities, said a statement from the company.
Wood’s career at Siemens started in 1990 as a marketing analyst within Siemens Environmental Systems in the UK. After working in both sales and project management functions in Germany, he pursued different senior managerial roles within the company in the UAE, Bahrain, Philippines and Kuwait.
During his tenure in Kuwait, Wood was instrumental in driving growth across the company’s divisions, leading to a 10 per cent increase in the number of employees to around 300 and more than doubling Siemens’ business in the country, said the statement.
On the appointment, Dietmar Siersdorfer, CEO of Siemens (Middle East and UAE), said: "Wood brings to Qatar a wealth of regional and international experience from his successful career at Siemens. I am confident he will make valuable contributions to our growth story in Qatar."
In his new role, Wood will focus on strengthening key growth areas and contributing to local value creation in line with Qatar’s National Vision 2030.
Siemens has been operating in the country since 1970 and currently employs around 500 people there. Some of its key projects include the Qatar Foundation Tram System, which will be the Middle East’s most energy-efficient rail system when completed; and the €470-million ($524.7 million) contract with the Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation for 18 turnkey substations.
A key focus for Siemens in Qatar is interconnecting the virtual and physical worlds in industry, urban infrastructure and energy, driving the digital transformation.
"After four years in Kuwait, I am delighted to take on this new challenge during an exciting time for Siemens in Qatar," said an elated Woods.
"The country continues to present sizeable growth opportunities across different sectors, and we look forward to contributing innovative Siemens technologies that can meet its long-term development goals sustainably and add value to society," he added.
Meanwhile, Herbert Klausner (52) has been appointed as CEO of Siemens in Kuwait, effective October 1, said the company statement.
Klausner joins the regional management team from the Power Generation Division at Siemens in Germany, where he headed Large Gas Turbine Berlin Operations.
His career at Siemens spans 33 years, including positions in Kuwait, Indonesia, Austria and Germany, it added.-TradeArabia News Service