The UAE is one of few countries in the world that has embraced the future by modernising its government systems, a leading strategist and digital transformation expert has said.
Salim Ismail, founding executive director of Singularity University, spoke at the fourth and final lecture of the Majlis Mohamed bin Zayed.
Mr Ismail is also the best-selling author of Exponential Organisations and Exponential Transformation and co-founder and chairman of OpenExO, a global community focused on innovation and digital transformation.
In a lecture titled “How Technology Grows Organisations into the Future”, he said the flexibility shown by the UAE in preparing for a digital future would allow it to quickly embrace new opportunities.
“All of those old business models are completely gone and so we see as we digitise, we need completely new business models to operate in this new world — subscription models, freemium models, advertising models, and so on,” he said.
“There are only two countries in the world that I think do future thinking properly. Singapore does it badly, you [the UAE] do it much better.
“Because almost all public policy globally is created defensively and reactively, and by doing it proactively and saying we know what the future looks like, let's intercept those curves, you create unbelievable possibilities.”
Speaking to an audience of officials, minsters and dignitaries, Mr Ismail said the UAE was able to adapt to the fast pace of changes brought about by technology and the disruptions they may bring.
“We've never had this many technologies move this aggressively, all at the same time,” Mr Ismail said.
“Drones, for example, are doubling every nine months in their price-performance; the speed at which we can image the human brain is doubling every year.
“And so, if you layer a solution on that technology, the solution scales along with the same underlying doubling pattern, which is why we're seeing so much disruption today.”
Mr Ismail presented four key fundamentals for organisations wishing to keep pace with the future.
The first is to embrace transformative technology. The second is to structure an organisation, whether government or private, in such a way that it is able to adapt to major technological transformations. The third is to change the mentality of dealing with new ideas and the fourth is not being afraid of development and change.
Earlier this month, the UAE Cabinet approved a strategy in which the digital economy will contribute 20 per cent to the gross non-oil national economy in the coming years.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, said the Cabinet also approved the formation of a digital economy council.
The strategy aims to double the contribution of the digital economy to the UAE's GDP from 9.7 per cent to 19.4 per cent within the next 10 years.
The plan includes more than 30 initiatives, projects and programmes and five new areas of growth.
Important questions to consider
1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?
There are different types of travel available for pets:
- Manifest cargo
- Excess luggage in the hold
- Excess luggage in the cabin
Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.
2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?
If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.
If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.
3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?
As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.
If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.
4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?
This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.
In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.
5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?
Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.
Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.
Source: Pawsome Pets UAE
The bio
Date of Birth: April 25, 1993
Place of Birth: Dubai, UAE
Marital Status: Single
School: Al Sufouh in Jumeirah, Dubai
University: Emirates Airline National Cadet Programme and Hamdan University
Job Title: Pilot, First Officer
Number of hours flying in a Boeing 777: 1,200
Number of flights: Approximately 300
Hobbies: Exercising
Nicest destination: Milan, New Zealand, Seattle for shopping
Least nice destination: Kabul, but someone has to do it. It’s not scary but at least you can tick the box that you’ve been
Favourite place to visit: Dubai, there’s no place like home
The five pillars of Islam
