· Experienced technology leader appointed to drive Honeywell’s localization, sustainability, digital transformation and smart infrastructure initiatives
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Honeywell (NASDAQ: HON) has today announced the appointment of Abdullah Abdulrahman Al-juffali as Honeywell country president of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.
As the country leader, Al-juffali will spearhead Honeywell’s regional strategy for Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, focused on the Company’s growth pillars of shaping a diversified portfolio of products and solutions tailored for the local market, driving key customer engagements, and building the talent and leadership pipeline.
Al-juffali’s appointment marks the latest milestone in Honeywell’s long-term commitment to advance the localization, sustainability, digital transformation and smart infrastructure objectives of strategic markets across the Middle East and North Africa region.
“This is an exciting time for our businesses in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain as they to support the economic diversification and growth objectives of the countries’ national visions,” commented Mohammed Mohaisen, president and CEO of Honeywell Middle East and North Africa. “With a vast technology portfolio that acts as the backbone of critical infrastructure projects – from smart cities, to sustainability, safety, security and logistics – Honeywell remains perfectly positioned to help customers meet their growth objectives.”
“Abdullah brings a proven track record of delivering such initiatives for fast-growth companies in this region, and I am delighted to add his experience in technology and innovation leadership across our business in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain,” added Mohaisen.
Al-juffali will be responsible for the continued growth of Honeywell’s operations across the Company’s four strategic business groups: Aerospace, Performance Materials & Technologies (PMT), Honeywell Building Technologies (HBT), and Safety & Productivity Solutions (SPS), along with the Honeywell Connected Enterprise (HCE).
He will also oversee the local design and manufacturing of Honeywell technologies that can drive economic diversification and growth, in-line with the localization and diversification commitments of Saudi Arabia’s National Transformation Plan, Vision 2030 and In-Kingdom Total Value Add (IKTVA) programs. This includes identifying new technology collaboration and development opportunities with Honeywell’s many valued partners.
“Honeywell has been an important partner to Saudi Arabia and Bahrain for more than 70 years. I am proud to lead our businesses to help our customers accelerate the exciting transformation we are witnessing in the kingdom and beyond,” said Al-juffali.
Al-juffali joined Honeywell in March 2020 as Saudi Arabia country leader for Honeywell Building Technologies, based in Riyadh. Prior to Honeywell he spent more than 10 years at ABB in a variety of roles and brings more than 15 years of international experience in sales, marketing, strategy, finance, and manufacturing in Saudi Arabia and the United States.
Commitment to Localization
Honeywell has been present in Saudi Arabia for more than 70 years, and today operates from nine locations across Saudi Arabia and Bahrain with activities spanning advanced research and development, manufacturing, sales, and administration. Approximately 50% of Honeywell’s Saudi-led local workforce are Saudi nationals.
Honeywell’s close ties with academic institutions such as King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals play a critical role in the development of world class Saudi engineering talent, which the company also supports through its Automation Colleges in Dhahran and Jubail and training academy in Riyadh.
The company also hosts a Customer Solutions Center in Dhahran, which enables in-country manufacturing and integration for advanced automation technologies, along with training academies there and in Riyadh.
Honeywell recently announced several significant investments in its in-kingdom manufacturing and technology development capabilities. This includes a new gas detector facility in Dammam, which makes Honeywell the first international company to produce gas detectors in Saudi Arabia that support workers operating in hazardous environments.
In addition, Honeywell launched two new sites in Jubail in 2021, including a state-of-the-art facility for the manufacturing and assembly of natural gas and liquid fuel solutions, opened in partnership with Gas Arabian Services, and a new production facility for its Callidus® flare technology to provide ultra-low steam consumption flares that can help reduce the carbon footprint of the Jubail petrochemical complex.
Also in 2021, Honeywell signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Aramco to explore the commercialization of next-generation digital technology solutions designed to improve productivity, sustainability and operational excellence of industrial firms on a global scale. The fully digital technology collaboration is expected to create more than 500 jobs in Saudi Arabia within five years.