We know that leadership is something that's learnt, practised and perfected over time. But effective leadership is something else. It's about translating vision into reality. Dr Fred Moavenzadeh's mission was just that when he became the founding president of Masdar Institute of Science and Technology in 2010.
As The National reports today, Dr Moavenzadeh, who had an illustrious career with institutions including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the World Bank, announced that yesterday's graduation ceremony would be his last as the institute's president. He is leaving, but not before helping realise Sheikh Zayed's vision of Abu Dhabi being part of the solution to preserve the quality of the natural environment, a critical challenge in the 21st century. And he did it by addressing its most vital component – development of the UAE's intellectual capital.
This is the first time that a country outside the western hemisphere has decisively, efficiently and actively engaged in becoming a party to such a solution. But his achievements are not limited to the environment. He has used Masdar as a platform to address a host of other challenges, including diversification of the economy towards a knowledge-based one.
He acknowledges that his time has been “impactful”. Much remains to be done, but Dr Moavenzadeh has shown the way.
