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November Issue 2019
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4IR for a Better Future
Revolutionising connectivity
Style is circular
A Real Solution To Our Biggest Problem
4IR,
how we got here
Meet Spain's
Food Waste Warriors
Fashion Revival
The Road
Most Traveled
Pushing Boundaries, Driving Change
Saving the world from plastic waste can be stylish - just ask Chanel
Water and What the Fourth Industrial Revolution can do
Seven ways the 4IR can benefit the planet
Kuwait, Solid Foundations for a prosperous future
Click to hear the article,
voiced by author Javier Minguez
While the exact year is open for debate, it is clear that the First Industrial Revolution began in Great Britain during the latter half of the 18th century. Manufacturing, steam power and water wheel power mark the beginning of the era of mechanisation. We all seem to have the idea of the First Industrial Revolution involving assembly lines and people in overall uniforms. This would actually be a more accurate depiction of the Second Industrial Revolution. During the initial revolution, with the emergence of mechanisation, the most impacted sectors were textiles. Through the invention of new looms, iron production, the burning of coke – much more energy-efficient than charcoal – the usage of steam power and the invention of new machines that started substituting manual production. The steam engine led to new manufacturing processes, factories and a booming textiles industry.
The Second Industrial Revolution saw the appearance of electricity and railroads. Mechanisation rates rose meteorically and communication began to make the world a smaller place through the invention of the telegraph, followed fifty years later (1876) by the telephone’s patent. Transport improvements and greater development of railways and steamboats not only made travelling easier, they also marked a before and after point in history whereby areas were able to avoid starvation in the event of crops failure, thanks to improved communication. This revolution was marked by mass production and new industries like steel, oil and electricity. Key inventions from this era included the light bulb and telephone. History had never seen such economic growth in such a short space of time.
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T his was to be surpassed, of course, by the Third Industrial Revolution, also known as the Digital Revolution. With most of the technology behind it already developed during the latter half of the 19th century and beginnings of the 20th, the year 1947 proved to be a turning point with the appearance of the first transistor. Suddenly, the concept of digital was a possibility, and the analog formats for storing information were rapidly replaced by their digital versions like compact discs. This era gave rise to semi-conductors and the personal computer.
The Internet came along, as did personal home computers. By 1980, both the Internet and computers had made their way into schools, homes, companies and public sectors. With the World Wide Web available to the public by 1991, the Internet continued to expand and easier to explore. Digitalization was full-on and by 2010, over one-third of the world’s population was already fully connected to the Internet.
So, where does the Fourth Industrial Revolution fit in? It is not the appearance of the Internet, and thankfully it is not the rise of the machines as depicted in popular films. It has actually, very subtly come along, with the natural development of the web into the cloud, with Artificial Intelligence (AI) starting to predict customer behaviours and with our decisions in the real world, being interpreted by machines, thus impacting us directly. These Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) are what truly define the Fourth Industrial Revolution – when something as unthinkable just a decade ago such as your home domestics memorising your habits becomes a part of your life is when a bit of retrospection is necessary. If only to realise, that it may have been quite subtle, but the Fourth Industrial Revolution has already got us in its grasp. Technology is merging increasingly with humans’ lives and technological changes are happening faster than ever. To illustrate, US television channel CNBC detailed how it took the telephone 75 years to reach 100 million users while it took Instagram and Pokemon Go two years and one month respectively to achieve the same number of users.
success stories about countries and leaders that we meet every day, the readers and leaders that we featured and follow us are the same that are contributing to society when is needed most. It is crucial and imperative that they innovate and, keep being creative. They are undertaking bold, innovative projects, turning daring ideas into real solutions which will help make the world a better place. These are the people who deserve the spotlight.
From small, to medium and especially large companies, the time to make a real impact and to ensure a sustainable future for all is now. We are in constant search and in contact with those that mean what they do and are committed to doing good.
Their solutions to complex, yet very real problems, are a survival tool because many of the problems facing us as a planet are staring right at us; we cannot wait another generation to act.
And thus, dear reader, I bring you our new focus; our new piece in the puzzle and our new role to play in this never-ending process of change. A new issue, numbered 001. A first of our new line, one we hope you will embark on alongside us and that you too engage in the collective effort of creating a brighter global future.
Yours truly,
Dear Readers,
Voices of Leaders has come a long, long way since 2002.
We, along with the media partners we produced content used to elaborate country reports that had their essence in Marketing of Nations, when sensationalism was an enemy for the emerging countries that we were covering.
Since then, and throughout these years, macroeconomics in the news has taught us that, in a global perspective, emerging economies seemed like a black hole of corruption, disasters and bad news. However, analysing on a microeconomic level after visiting those countries ourselves, we found a plethora of success stories; countries undergoing constant change, adaptation, overcoming huge obstacles and prejudices, and active competition with the rest of the world.
The leaders we have met across the world over the last nearly 20 years have shared with us endless insights and lessons that were by far some of the most enriching, both professionally and in our personal lives, which we have encountered.
This new issue we are daring to produce and have eagerly been building towards for some time now, is the reflection of many years of interviewing and elaborating our own pieces, gearing our style towards constructive journalism.
Focusing on negative and conflict-based stories is not our thing, it is not what we are.
We believe in more than journalism and constructiveness. In today’s world many people are tired of bad news and sensationalism, and we are getting to a point where readers feel completely overwhelmed and helpless.
Every day, we have embraced and pursued clear communication. Now is the time to make a difference, and to continue covering and unveiling
Mayte & Luca
The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is radically changing how we live, work and operate as a society. ‘Business-as-usual’ models no longer suffice and emerging technologies and new innovations continue to push boundaries and cause industries to evolve at a breathtaking speed. London-based innovation foundation, Nesta, is one such company who strives to make bold, innovative ideas a reality in order to make the world a better place.
Voices of Leaders: Nesta strives to “bring bold ideas to life to change the world for good.” Can you give our readers a brief overview of what exactly Nesta does?
Geoff Mulgan: We’re an independent innovation foundation, based in the UK but operating in over 40 countries. We use grants, investments, research and networks to promote innovations that benefit the public, particularly in fields like health and education, but also covering everything from the arts to democracy.
VoL: Nesta claims, “Our education system has failed to adapt to the demands of the twenty-first century.” How does it aim to innovate in this area and what are the key gaps you have identified? What does the ideal model of education look like to you?
GM: There are many big challenges, but one we’re focused on is preparing young people for the likely jobs of 10-20 years time. These are likely to demand more creativity, problem-solving skills and ability to collaborate but most schooling is still stuck in a very traditional model – mainly transferring knowledge. So we’re funding and testing alternatives, including making use of tech in the classrooms to free up time for teachers to spend with their pupils. We’re funding edtech testbeds to ensure that the technology that’s being proposed can be trialled in real classrooms before they go for wider distribution.
VoL: We are seeing a number of trends in global healthcare such as the fact that there will be more people over the age of 65 than under 15 by 2050, the rise of chronic diseases, and the demand for home-based, personalized care. How are these
Geoff Mulgan has been Chief Executive of Nesta since 2011. Under his leadership it moved out of the public sector to become an independent foundation. Geoff co-chaIrs a World Economic Forum group looking at innovation and entrepreneurship in the fourth industrial revolution. He has advised many governments around the world and is currently chair of an international advisory committee for the Mayor of Seoul and a member of advisory committees for the Prime Minister’s office in the UAE, the Scottish Government and SITRA, the Finnish Innovation agency.
Past books include ‘The Art of Public Strategy ’ (Oxford University Press), Good and Bad Power (Penguin) and ‘The Locust and the Bee ’ (Princeton University Press). Geoff's latest book is 'Social Innovation: how societies find the power to change ' published by Policy Press.
@geoffmulgan
Click here to Connect & Contact
Photo by Nesta
trends going to shape healthcare in the coming 5-10 years and what is Nesta’s role in this area?
GM: We know that up to 75% of our health and wellbeing are determined by social, behavioural and environmental factors and that’s why Nesta champions a place-based approach to health. We promote models that support peer to peer support, such as GoodGym, and fund initiatives that harness digital approaches to healthcare to give people more independence when it comes to their care. This year, we’re also calling for the creation of a centre for research and evidence building around public health issues. We believe that in order to get prevention right, we need to have a solid foundation of evidence that we can draw on. This will help people live healthier lives, for longer.
VoL: Which are some of the key innovations that Nesta have been behind that you are most proud of?
GM: We’ve backed literally hundreds of innovations that have gone onto success. They range from the first driverless cars to educational technology, live-streaming of theatre to crowdfunding to apps that engage the public in democracy, now in use in over 90 cities worldwide. Many of the ideas we’ve backed mobilise public energy, such as the GoodSam app that organizes volunteer medics to help out in an emergency, now in use with tens of thousands of volunteers all over the world.
VoL: 68% of the world population projected to live in urban areas by 2050, says UN. What kind of opportunities do you envisage this trend creating for Nesta in the coming years?
GM: One of our big streams of work is on how to mobilise collective intelligence in cities to solve problems like air pollution or youth unemployment. We think cities need to organize their brainpower, and data, much more systematically than they do right now. This will allow administrators to make good decisions about managing the city. We also need to ensure that the way data is being used is transparent and accountable to citizens. That’s why we back things such as data trusts, which give citizens control over what and how their data is being used.
VoL: How do you view the future in terms of global investment and the need for companies and investors to be more aware of the impact that their business practices have on the world around them?
GM: We’ve been involved in the circular economy for 15 years now and welcome the way its slowly becoming accepted, even in the more conservative parts of investment. But there is a very long way to go in really embedding attention to planetary boundaries in how investments are made, measured and rewarded.
VoL: At Slush 2018 CEO of Sulapac Ms Suvi Haimi mentioned how “The choices we make today form the heritage we leave for our children”. What is the legacy you, as CEO of Nesta, would like to leave for future generations around the world?
GM: Our main aim is to help people believe that the future can be shaped – that it is not just something that happens to us. We hopefully provide inspiration, but also very practical tools for shaping the future and taking more control. 
Photo by Nesta
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Voices of Leaders: Telia Estonia claims to offer “the fullest solution to all communication, information, entertainment and innovation needs.” Can you give VoL readers a brief overview of the company: its foundation, its services and any key milestones you would like to highlight?
Robert Pajos: Today, Telia is providing a full range of services here in Estonia. We do both fixed and mobile connections, and are also in the area of TV. We are now ⅓ of the market when it comes to paid TV subscribers here in Estonia and it’s a great
With a deeply-ingrained culture based upon innovation and technology, Telia Estonia continues to lead the way in communication services.
Offering a wide range of services, from fixed internet and home entertainment to mobile plans and 4G internet, everything at Telia is underpinned by a commitment to providing the best possible, personalised service for customers. Voices of Leaders met with CEO of their Estonia operations, Mr Robert Pajos, to find out more about their culture of innovation, as well as doing business in the Baltic nation.
compliment to our core areas of fixed and mobile. With regards fixed, we now have a market share of 52-53% and we are continuing to expand in this area and are building more fibre in the market. In Q2 we achieved a milestone, surpassing 100,000 homes with our digital and fibre services and we continue to invest pretty heavily, approximately €50m per year. In the area of mobile, our market share is 46%. We provide services in all technologies: 2G, 3G, 4G and we are also now preparing for the fifth generation here in Estonia when the licences will be issued.
VoL: Telia’s mission is “to further the development of society and make Estonia a better place to live and work,” while it also “strives to create the best personalized service for all its customers.” How does Telia utilise innovation and technology to achieve these objectives?
RP: We have 1,600 employees in the country today and we have made our sustainability agenda one of the top priorities when it comes to Telia in Estonia. Having said that, there is still a lot to do; we previously discussed our green pledge where we worked with more than 40 ICT companies here in Estonia where we have pledged to re-use, to come
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up with new innovations, and to inform the society about what we are doing in terms of sustainability. Telia has been recognised as a solid partner when it comes to e-Government which is an important aspect of life here in Estonia that goes back many years. Some of the services which are not Telia-branded, but which we are behind, include m-Parking service which is now celebrating 15 years where you simply input your car plate number and parking space where you are and you will charged only for the time that you are there. There are insurance services which work the same way; we have an m-Wallet that enables digital purchases in stores. Today, I don’t need to bring my wallet or credit card to the store, I just use my mobile phone. We also have identification services; the great thing about doing business here is that for the last 17 years we have 98% of the population authenticated by this I.D card. This card makes it possible for services like M-voting, paying taxes etc. Recent statistics show that approximately half of the population vote from home.
The idea of collaboration between public and private is very important in Estonia and has been a key way of finding and developing solutions together. The regulators are, of course, trying to protect user-data but, at the same time, they are opening up the market for companies to do business and innovate. It is therefore little surprise that some of the biggest I.T companies have come from Estonia.
VoL: Estonia has been recognised as “Northern Europe's hub for knowledge and digital business.” What have been, your opinion, the key factors which have led to the special moment which the country is currently enjoying?
RP: I would start by highlighting the authorities. The government basically opened up the playing field for the companies to innovative. This is very strictly connected to the digitalisation and these I.D cards which meant that people could be authenticated into the government system. This led us to the possibility of companies and the private sector utilising this authentication to bring new services to the market and then these services went mobile. All this was underpinned by the link between the private and mobile sector which has been very strong.
In Estonia, the level of education is also very high. Here, in the universities, they teach both in Estonian and English and there is a very high level of literacy and computer science knowledge. For example, former Prime Minister Mart Laar began coding when he was 13 years old. I think that having leaders who were ready to implement I.T from an early stage was a key factor in where the country is at right now. Estonia geographically is quite small but in terms of digitalisation, it is very big.
VoL: Responsible Business Forum in Estonia rewarded Telia Estonia with the highest quality label – the golden level – recognising the company's fair, informed and environmentally friendly activities. Can you tell us about the initiatives undertaken by Telia Estonia which has seen them receive this prestigious recognition?
RP: We have a pretty strong and intertwined sustainability strategy for the company as a whole which is called our ‘Digital Impact.’ This details what our business is about and demonstrates how we are contributing to the digitalisation of society and the
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region. We are basically focusing on two key areas. One is focused on children online safety and, as part of this, we have a great campaign called “Greatest Courage” which is about cyber-bullying. This is a growing problem and not so visibly seen and we have been working with schools, parents and children themselves.
The other area which we are focusing on is the environment. This spring, we launched Telia’s Daring Goals which are ambitious goals to be reached by 2030. These goals include zero co2, zero waste and 100% engagement by 2030, both in our business and our partners’ business. The latter will see arguably the greatest impact because we have thousands of partners and suppliers and if we manage to implement these types of goals into our supply chain, we will see a huge impact. Digitalisation actually contributes to the environmental issues in two ways: on one hand, it can help a lot in terms of co2 emissions while on the other hand, data centres are huge consumers of energy.
Here in Estonia, we use the energy released from our server parks to heat our own offices. We are now building a new data centre which will be ready by 2022 and it will be very green.
Servers, computers and devices create a lot of energy but you can find smart ways to re-direct. Another thing which we have launched this year is something called Digital Cleanup Day which is focused towards the B2C sector. This involves digital trash and making people aware of how much they have in their devices. For example, it is claimed that if each person in France deleted 50 old emails, that would create enough energy to keep the Eiffel Tower lit for 42 years. For this Digital Cleanup Day, we had 70 companies on board and managed to delete over 1 petabyte of digital trash, which equates to one million gigabytes.
VoL: What should we expect from Telia going forward?
RP: I mentioned our core business earlier - fixed, mobile and TV - and we also planning to launch a TV channel, so we are moving into media. We bought a large media company, Bonnier, for €1 billion and this is still waiting for approval with the E.U Commission but as soon as this is approved, we will be a large media company, not only a telecommunications company.
We will also be focusing more on I.T and I.T Security in order to become a stronger partner and I think this is going to become an even bigger need for when the next big digital wave hits - security and data protection are going to be major issues.
VoL: For our readers who are perhaps contemplating investing in the Baltic region, why Estonia?
RP: It is a fantastic country to invest in. As I mentioned, the open government and regulations mean that Estonia is open for business. Moreover, there is a very high-quality, hard-working and loyal workforce here, and the tax system is very generous for new companies to establish so there are many reasons to do business here in Estonia. 
DIGITAL IMPACT – OUR
APPROACH TO SUSTAINABILITY
Telia's sustainability approach is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with the purpose of making sure business strategy and activities such as innovation contribute to the SDGs
Global quantitative food losses and waste per year
for cereals
for root crops fruits and vegetables
for oil seeds, meat and dairy plus
for fish.
30%
40-50%
20%
35%
Food losses and waste amounts to roughly US$ 680 billion in industrialized countries
Food waste causes 10% of Greenhouse gases
1.3 mill tons per year gets lost or wasted
925 million people are starving
US$ 310 billion in developing countries.
By 2050 the world population will reach 9 billion. By then, food production must be increased by 70% to meet the demand.
Around 88 million tonnes of food are wasted in the EU per year, with associated costs estimated at 143 billion Euros.
The food currently wasted in Europe could feed 200 million people.
The food currently lost or wasted in Latin America could feed 300 million people.
The food currently lost in Africa could feed 300 million people.
VoL: What milestone are you proud of?
OR: We’re super proud to have have traditional bakeries and fruit and vegetable shops that have never used an app before, but they understood it right away, and they learned how to use a smartphone in order to be part of the app.
VoL: How do you monitor the quality standard of what establishments put in the Magic Bag?
OR: We have a Success Department, they work with data analytics and they check how ratings on the app are moving. Small deviations or variations will get them to call or visit establishments to check on them. Every time we have a complaint — though it doesn't happen a lot — we always ask for pictures so we know exactly what the situation is. Through technology we can enable control. Also, we do a lot of “Mystery Shopper” visits.
VoL: Given your experience abroad, how would you compare or describe the Spanish approach or attitudes towards sustainability?
MG: The good news is that in the past three to ficve years, people have been more willing. People want to change, and currently, based on our experience here after one year of operations, we are implementing something that hasn’t existed and now we have almost 2,000 shops, about 300,000 users.
OR: We’ve already saved a quarter of a million meals in Spain and globally 20 million meals. And if you measure the impact on CO2, it’s more or less double, so we’re talking about 40 million kilos of CO2 that were not emitted.
VoL: You recently acquired the company WeSaveEat, could you tell us about that?
OR: Again, it was a win-win solution, this was a really small startup based in Barcelona. The founders found themselves in other projects so it was going to close, so it was also the best solution for their partners to join a solution like ours that’s much more professional in terms of tools and number of users. Our competitors are not other apps in the market, our competitor is the rubbish from food waste everyday. Collaboration is the new competition.
VoL: Who would you like to be a Waste Warrior?
OR: Greta Thunberg! Or one of the celebrity chefs fighting food waste, Massimo Botura, who says - “Less Carbon, More Carbonara”.
VoL: What’s your vision for Too Good to Go for the future?
MG: Hopefully we wouldn’t need to exist anymore because we’ve eliminated the problem! 
Photo by Too Good To Go
Meet the Finnish startup making waves in the area of sustainable packaging
Who doesn’t like the ocean? Vast expanses of water coloured by endless shades of blue as far as the eye can see, the wonder of what lies beneath the surface, the thoughts of diving through turquoise waters as shoals of stunningly exotic fish dart past into the abyss, the sense of freedom as the sea spray sporadically caresses the air we inhale.
Now, let’s return to the same scene, but in the real world: instead of finding Nemo, year after year we find more and more plastic waste clogging our waters, destroying our nature, not slowly, but at an alarming
rate, much of the damage already done being beyond repair thanks to our own shameful negligence.
But it’s somebody else’s problem, right? Governments will eventually come together and sort it all out, right?
Wrong.
As highlighted by a World Economic Forum report, global plastic production reached 311 million tonnes in 2014 and this number is set to triple by the year 2050, a time when there will be more plastic than fish in our waters. While it’s obvious that the best time to create something amazing to address a problem of this magnitude was a long time ago, the next best alternative is today, and it is rather ironic that a Finnish start-up is setting out the path to sustainability for other, far more powerful corporations to follow. Established in February 2016 by Suvi Haimi and Laura Kyllönen, biochemists specializing in biomaterials, Sulapac is proving that sustainable can be beautiful through their natural alternatives to plastic.
Sulapac products use a biodegradable and microplastic-free material that has all the benefits of plastic, yet it biodegrades completely, leaving zero microplastics behind. Made of FSC-certified wood and natural binders, Sulapac solutions are also water, oil and oxygen resistant. Another key selling point of Sulapac’s innovation is that their materials can be used on most production lines, allowing companies to seamlessly
Sulapack packaging. Photo by Marjo Noukka for Sulapac
Click to hear the article,
voiced by author Brendan Boyle
integrate and immediately begin producing 100% biodegradable and microplastic-free products with minimal investment. Therefore, companies can help to save the planet while also increasing cost efficiency - sounds like a pretty win-win situation to us.
Sustainable luxury - made in Finla nd
Most companies and investors ears perk up when they hear of a possible portfolio which allows them to enter the lucrative sustainability market while offering the opportunity to reduce overall cost (a Plastics Today report published in June 2018 claims that the global packaging market will be worth an estimated $269.6 billion by 2025). However, when you add in the ingredient of really beautiful, eye-catching designs and colours, then you really have something special on your hands, and that is when the elite begin to sit up and take notice.
In December 2018, Sulapac announced its first investment from the cosmetic industry in the form of French luxury house Chanel. As one of the leading brands in the luxury cosmetic sector, Chanel has made public its commitment to sustainable packaging and this investment is set to be paramount, because this Helsinki-based start-up cannot save the world on its own. Moreover, a strategic partnership with Stora Enso - a provider of renewable solutions in packaging, biomaterials, wooden constructions and paper - with the aim of developing renewable and biodegradable straws will provide Sulapac with vital resources
and support to accelerate growth plans. “ This is the world’s most sustainable straw that can be produced on an industrial scale and we have jointly developed it with Stora Enso. Billions of plastic straws are produced and used every week. This straw has the potential to be a true game changer”, declared CEO Suvi Haimi after the announcement of their partnership with the renewable materials giant.
Sulapac has been listed among the top-100 hottest start-ups in Europe by Wired Magazine, and has received recognition for its sustainable innovation in the form of various awards: winning the 2017 Green Alley Award, Europe’s first founder’s prize for start-ups in the circular economy, as well as being declared the winner of the Sustainable Packaging category at the Sustainable Beauty Awards in Paris in November of the same year. Collaboration with Finnish jewellery and silverware company Kultakeskus also gave rise to the design of a package which was awarded the Scanstar and, consequently, is now recognized by the World Packaging Organization for its elegance, ecological values and ease of implementation into existing production lines.
In an exclusive interview with Voices of Leaders, Suvi explains the inspiration behind their designs: “ All the details from this jar are inspired by nature because that is part of our whole company. This feeling (picks up jar) comes from the stones lying on Nordic beaches, the sound is similar to ceramic, and the colours represent the Nordic berries. ”
Sulapac colourful products. Photo by Marjo Noukka for Sulapac
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We’re in this together
Of course, such start-ups are but a drop in the increasingly polluted ocean and, if we are serious about making a change, then more - much more - investment is required across the globe, not just in Finland. When asked about the current investment climate regarding sustainability, Suvi advocates the need for a shift in investor mindset towards a realization that investments in sustainable business do not yield instant profits. She rhetorically ponders: “ What is important, our planet or short-term profits?”, while adding “ there needs to be a purpose about the money. Otherwise, we will ruin our planet”. She also takes a moment to highlight the wonderful support Sulapac has received from Business Finland and Lifeline Ventures VC, two institutions which have been key to start-ups in Finland looking to make the world a better place.
During her talk at Slush 2018, the Sulapac CEO concluded with an extremely emotive sentiment: “ The choices we make today form the heritage we leave for our children”. The easy choice for all of us is to buy cheap plastic materials for whatever we need and carelessly dispose after use without a second thought. However, the right choice is to support companies like Sulapac who, day by day, are doing their utmost to save this planet from our own self-inflicted disaster. And, hey, the right choice also happens to be the far more visually and synthetically beautiful choice.
The children of tomorrow cannot choose or influence the world they will enter, but we can.
Do we really want to watch our children play on our beaches as even more of our waste washes onto the shore?
Didn’t think so. 
Suvi Haimi, Sulapac CEO Photo by Olga Poppius for Sulapac
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voiced by author Brendan Boyle
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This concept of reselling was totally new at that time ,
we wanted to place circularity at the heart of the fashion eco-system and consumer mindset, to encourage people to enjoy the fashion they love in a more sustainable way.
Sophie Hersan
Vestiaire Collective Co-Founder
Vestiaire Collective Campaign Photo from Vestiaire Collective
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Recently, we partnered with affordable premium brands that are committed to circular fashion and encourage their consumers to resell. The whole industry is now conscious of the urgency of the environmental impact but there is still a lot to do.
VoL: You have started introducing the concept of “circularity” as a departure from the old linear models of consumption and production, in your experience, are people familiar with this concept?
SH: We need to encourage consumers to extend the lifespan of their pieces for as long as possible. The linear fashion model is no longer sustainable, I believe circular fashion is the future for the industry and the consumer. Earlier this year, we commissioned a survey to understand exactly what consumers really know about circular fashion and how we can better communicate this message. To educate consumers and share our findings, we created a ‘Consumer guide to circular fashion,’ which shares findings from the survey, advice on how to lead a more circular lifestyle and personal experiences shared by influencers.
VoL: Which luxury brands would you highlight for their commitment to circularity?
SH: Designer brands such as Stella McCartney and Reformation spring to mind. We noticed some progress from high luxury fashion groups that publicly share their sustainable programs.
VoL: What would be your vision for Vestiaire Collective over the next 5 years?
SH: Maximilian Bittner already introduced a new generation of tech in terms of both people and product innovation and he will keep focusing on this topic, including community projects, to maintain the status of the app-first platform. We will continue to focus on our global expansion, especially in the U.S. and Asia where we look to extend into more key markets, but at the same time, we want to encourage the sustainable way to consume local to local. 
Sophie Hersan, Vestiaire Collective Co-Founder and Fashion Director Photo from Vestiaire Collective
Full page AD
To educate consumers and share our findings ,
we created a ‘Consumer guide to circular fashion,’ which shares findings from the survey, advice on how to lead a more circular lifestyle and personal experiences shared by influencers.
Sophie Hersan
Vestiaire Collective Co-Founder
Photo from Vestiaire Collective
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95% of discarded clothing CAN BE upcycled or reclyced
2.2 billion people don’t have access to clean drinking water
In 2015 it produced 92 million tons of waste
Production of textiles uses about 3500 different chemicals
It emits 1.2 billion tons of CO2 equivalent per year
40 million people work in the garment industry today
2.700 liters to make just one T-shirt - this amount of water
It is responsible for producing 20% of global wastewater
It produces 97% of our clothes overseas
20.000 liters of water are needed to produce 1 kg of cotton
It produces 1 billion garments annually
3 out of 4 garments will end up in landfills or be incinerated
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Aerial view of calving Vatnajökull glacier, Iceland | Photo from Shutterstock
Click to listen the intro voiced by Xuso Jones , Spanish singer
Jesús Segovia Pérez was born on 16 June 1989, and he is better known by his stage name Xuso Jones. He is an aspiring Spanish singer and composer who became popular through social media doing covers to other artists and sharing original songs. He recorded a video of himself singing his order from the car in the drive-through of a McDonald's restaurant which became a viral hit on YouTube, and the company hired him for a Big Mac spot.
Awards:
● Los Premios 40 Principales 2012 - Nominated for Best Spanish New Artist.
● Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards 2014 - Nominated for Best Spanish Artist.
@XusoJones
@XusoJones
GIWA works on the “grand” level of massive outreach and awareness programs and advocacy with key government officials from the local to federal levels, as well as on the “ground” level of WASH education, community-led total sanitation programs, constructing toilets and handwashing stations, and implementing small- and large-scale water filtration systems. GIWA is headed by Founder and Chair H.H. Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji, one of India’s most revered spiritual leaders, and Secretary-General Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati, Ph.D.GIWA has partnered with the United Nations, WSSCC, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Swarovski, and many other organizations. OWF Foundation is excited to begin its partnership with GIWA to harness and channel the power of faith to bring about access to clean water for the less fortunate in India.
VoL: Sustainability is a very important topic worldwide right now, be it in energy, recycling, reusing, good business practices etc. Could you tell us how the OWF Foundation will help contribute to a sustainable future?
JR: First of all, water-related diseases are the largest cause of human illness in the world. In fact, the World Health Organization estimates that around 3.4 million people, mostly children, die annually from water-related diseases.
By helping eradicate illness and disease at its most basic source – water – OWF Foundation will contribute
to a healthier, more productive workforce, which is the basic building block of a sustainable society.
Second, the planet is literally choking on plastic trash with plastic bottles being the largest culprit. For instance, China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam contribute 60% of the plastic waste that enters the world’s oceans and by 2025, the world’s oceans will have one ton of plastic waste for every three-tons of fish.The OWF Foundation will help solve the global plastic pollution epidemic by helping reduce the use of single-use plastic products and packaging through its educational campaigns of the use of the OWF System. For instance, an OWF System for a family of six keeps up to 16,800 plastic 500cc bottles a year out of landfills and oceans.
OWF System dispensers are 100% recyclable. At the moment, OWF System Filters are 70% biodegradable and Dr. Evan Koslow is working to eventually make the OWF System Filters 100% biodegradable.
Third, to be sustainable, the humanitarian initiatives must be cost effective. We accomplish this by utilizing the best and least expensive water filtration technology. With a team of Partner NGOs, we can effectively deploy the solution to the global drinking water crisis.
Lastly, ethics and good business practices are essential for sustainability. For instance, we chose the OWF System technology because it is very affordable, requires no electricity, and filters out all
Click to listen
of the nasty stuff that make people sick. We have put in a lot of thought to help the less fortunate as they come first when designing, planning, and implementing our initiatives.
VoL: During her talk at Slush Conference 2018, Finnish company Sulapac CEO Suvi Haimi concluded saying: “The choices we make today form the heritage we leave for our children”. What legacy would you like to leave behind from your work at OWF Foundation?
JR: My personal goal is to one day be able to say to all of our supporters, “together we solved the global drinking crisis and eliminated 50% of the illness suffered by the less fortunate on our planet”. As a single mother of 4 sons, I often wonder what kind of world I am leaving behind for my kids, and what I would be remembered for. For many years, my passion has been
towards creating a lasting impact on the lives of women and children as they are the most vulnerable and, statistically, a high percentage of whom live in poverty. As women, we play a very important role in society.
Having come across this amazing and affordable water solution years ago, it was natural to want to ensure this got out to the masses, as it’s a life or death situation for many everyday. The loss of life is not necessary and can be prevented if those compromised regions get access to the right sustainable solutions. Our mission is to make it a staple for everyone despite their socio-economic background. I hope one day with the help of all our supporters we can say, “together we made an impact on the lives of so many and helped solved one of the world’s most pressing crisis by raising the bar for the world when it comes to accessing affordable, clean drinking water”. 
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Sailing boats at sunset in Boracaray, Philippines | Photo by Adrian Baker
Facing MASS tourism'S IMPACTS with some sustainable solutions
Aerial view of a crowded beach in Mallorca, Spain | Photo by Denis Belitsky
Click to hear the article,
voiced by author Natalia Díaz
Being a tourist vs. being a traveler
Is there a solution to unsustainable tourism?
There is a sliver of hope, at least for some role model destinations that are not resting on their laurels and are already putting sustainable tourism measures in place. One such city is Helsinki, Finland, which has adopted the “Live like a local” tourism campaign. In an exclusive interview with VoL, Laura Aalto, CEO of Helsinki Marketing, said, “ Even cities which at the moment do not have problems with overtourism still need to think about those issues already. There is massive growth in tourism and if you don’t think about the sustainability issue around tourism early enough, it becomes a problem. You need to have the local community on board, because if the local community turns against the industry, you’ve lost the game already.”
Helsinki Mayor Jan Vapaavuori, also speaking with VoL, stated, “ Without attractions like the Eiffel Tower or Big Ben, we needed to build the story in another way. We have been pioneers in the idea of `Live like a Local’ tourism which is crucial for the sustainability point of view. We try to avoid big crowds in concentrated areas and distribute them around the different parts of the city. This aligns with modern tourism trends where people are becoming less attraction-oriented and wish to enjoy a different type of experience. ”
Some destinations such as Boracay Island and Thailand’s Maya Bay (where “The Beach” was filmed) have taken drastic measures of closing down temporarily — not without controversy — to make way for massive rehabilitation efforts. In Boracay, strict regulations were implemented to rejuvenate the island from several years’ worth of tourism
decadence, including closing down accommodation establishments that did not comply with strict ordinances, and prohibiting littering, illegal drugs, smoking and drinking alcohol on the beach. The ambitious efforts were fruitful — Boracay reopened after six months with an evident change in seawater quality with significantly decreased coliform levels. Hatchling turtles, eagles, and even whale sharks returned to the island.
Commenting on Boracay’s 6-month closure, Philippine Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat revealed to VoL that the Philippines is refocusing its “More Fun in the Philippines” tourism campaign to champion sustainability, adding that the Boracay initiative will be replicated in the country’s other top destinations. “ Instilling a culture of sustainable tourism entails a paradigm shift in the public and private sectors to change how we think about tourism, to care more about our natural resources and tourism destinations,” she said.
In its 2018 report on overtourism, UNWTO states that “ tourism will only be sustainable if developed and managed considering both visitors and local communities. This can be achieved through community engagement, congestion management, reduction of seasonality, careful planning that respects the limits of capacity and the specificities of each destination, and product diversification.”
Taal Volcano on Luzon Island, North of Manila, Philippines | Photo by Alexpunker
Bernadette Romulo-Puyat
Philippine Tourism Secretary
There is a sliver of hope, at least for some role model destinations that are not resting on their laurels and are already putting sustainable tourism measures in place
Click to hear the article,
voiced by author Natalia Díaz
Lakeland, Finland | Photo by Vilma Lehtonen for Visit Finland
Give a little respect
On a personal level — I think it all comes down to us, the one in a billion visitors taking part in one of the oldest activities of mankind. I believe there’s a massive difference between being a “tourist” and a “traveler”; perhaps we should be less of a passing tourist and more of a traveler, being genuinely interested and immersed in a place and its people, acknowledging that we’re not separate from it but already a part of it. Perhaps such respect calls us to reflect on why we travel in the first place, and then realize at a deeper level why each of us should be respectful, more sustainable travelers.
Ending this with some lines to ponder on, from Pico Iyer’s essay “Why We Travel”: “ We travel, initially, to lose ourselves, and we travel, next, to find ourselves. We travel to open our hearts and eyes and learn more about the world than our newspapers will accommodate. We travel to bring what little we can, in our ignorance and knowledge, to those parts of the globe whose riches are differently dispersed. And we travel, in essence, to become young fools again — to slow time down and get taken in, and fall in love once more.” 
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Next Energy Technologies, a US firm whose cutting edge solar technology transforms windows into energy producing assets with unsurpassed aesthetics, performance, and economics.
Luxembourg’s AIRBOXLAB’s Foobot, which monitors 24/7 indoor air pollution and creates Demand Control ventilation, filtration and purification through algorithms.
Spanish SAALG Geomechanics, a software solution based on inverse analysis, cloud computing and machine learning algorithms to minimise geotechnical uncertainties.
Anyware Solutions from Denmark, which offers a unique Customer Engagement and Analytics Platform for partners based on data collected by the award-winning Smart Adaptor.
SANTA BARBARA - US
BARCELONA - SPAIN
COPENHAGHE - DENMARK
ESCH-SUR-ALZETTE - LUXEMBOURG
German Moeco is a blockchain-powered platform designed to provide global IoT connectivity.
Norwegian startup Bimsync by Catenda saves time, money and the environment. It is the next generation cloud-based collaboration platform where construction information comes alive.
Danish PurCity has developed a self-cleaning and highly-efficient air purification system that can be easily integrated into any new or existing building and turn them into large scale air purification systems.
German startup RYSTA facilitates sustainable protection of real estate assets by providing a modular IoT monitoring solution to reduce costs and increase efficiency.
German startup Powerfox provides a solution that makes household energy data available for various parties on a scalable platform.
UK-based OrxaGrid provide smart solutions through retrofitting IoT sensor devices on critical grid nodes and predicting efficiency improvements.
BERLIN - GERMANY
BERLIN - GERMANY
BERLIN - GERMANY
LONDON - UK
KØBENHAVN - DENMARK
OSLO, NORWAY
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vol.media
The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is having a profound effect on the world and is radically changing every facet of our lives, from how we work to how we operate as a society on a daily basis. Industries and economies continue to evolve at an incredible rate due to the emergence of phenomena such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), blockchain and Big Data as digitalisation continues to sweep through the world, leaving laggards behind.
such as archaeological excavations and the conservation of rare manuscrip ts and publications.
Human Capital: The education system will be reformed to better prepare youth to become competitive and productive members of the workforce. The quality of education will be improved and there will be an increased capacity in the area of higher education. There will be an increased focus on the care of the integration of persons with disability and care services will be improved for the elderly. A number of initiatives are currently being implemented with a specific focus on the support and empowerment of youth. These include the Scientists of the Future initiative, a nanotechnology application project to support education and the creation of youth centres for positive thinking and holistic wellbeing.
Healthcare: There is a firm commitment to improving service quality in the public healthcare system and develop national capabilities at a
reasonable cost. This pillar will be supported through the increase in hospital bed capacity and the mitigation of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCD). New building projects are underway at Al Amiri Hospital, Al-Farwaniya Hospital, Kuwait Cancer Center as well as a new maternity hospital.
Living Environment: Kuwait strives to ensure the availability of living accommodation through environmentally sound resources and tactics. This pillar will also focus on the maintenance of air quality, the improvement of the efficiency of waste and refuse management, and providing housing welfare to the citizens. One of the key projects related to this goal is the municipal solid waste treatment project in the Kabad area which is due to be completed in 2020.
Infrastructure : Kuwait aims to develop and modernize the national infrastructure to improve the quality of life for all citizens. This will entail
Sunrise in Kuwait City | Photo by Ibrahim muhamed
the development of the land transportation system as well as the information and communication technology infrastructure. There will also be a focus on increasing the production capacity of electrical and water energy.
Economy: Developing a prosperous and diversified economy to reduce the country’s dependence on oil export revenues will be advanced through the creation of a business environment for the private sector and the fostering of a knowledge economy. New development projects in the area of healthcare, economic zones, as well as the creation of smart cities will lead to an increase in demand in the area of construction as well as IT expertise. Kuwait will also dedicate resources to the development of its tourism sector.
Public Administration : The final pillar aims to reform administrative and bureaucratic practices to reinforce transparency, accountability, and efficiency in the government. The National
Statistical Information Network project and the automation of many administrative processes will represent a fundamental part of this pillar. Streamlined processes will have additional spin-off benefits in terms of attracting foreign investment as ease of doing business ratings improve over time, thus making the country more attractive to international investors.
Preparing for future investment
In order to diversify and reduce dependence on oil, Kuwait will need to attract significant levels of foreign investment which not only entails financial benefits, but also expertise. A number of the previously mentioned New Kuwait Vision 2035 pillars will be critical in creating the environment which attracts new investors. “FDI is playing a major role in providing other forms of income to diversify the economy. This is why FDI is very crucial for the vision,” outlines Sheikh Meshaal Jaber Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, Director General of the Kuwait Direct
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vol.media
Oil refinery and petrochemical plant, oil and gas industrial | Photo by MR.ANUT PHIVTONG
Investment Promotion Authority (KDIPA) in a Financial Times article about the country’s future ambitions. Instead of quantity, Kuwait is seeking quality of investment which will assist in the transition towards economic diversification. “We’re focusing on investment that helps us to attract new technologies and innovations, and that brings added value to the Kuwait economy.” says Sheikh Dr. Meshaal Al-Sabah in the same report.
A number of reforms and initiatives have been created and implemented in recent years with the aim of creating an attractive and competitive investment climate. The Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority was established in 2013 and is mandated with the tasks of attracting value
added direct investment into Kuwait; promoting Kuwait as a lucrative investment destination; receiving applications for investment licensing and granting incentives; servicing investors; in addition to streamlining business environment and enhancing Kuwait’s competitiveness. “This will all be conducive to fulfilling our crucial goals of supporting economic diversification and the leading role of the private sector in the national economy,” adds Sheikh Dr. Meshaal Al-Sabah.
KDIPA contributes to the national goal of economic diversification, job creation and quality training for nationals, and extending the positive spillover impact for the local economy. It also aims to attract and
The Kuwait Towers | Photo by trabantos
encourage value-added and innovation-based direct investment into Kuwait for the purpose of enhancing technology transfer and settlement while adhering to the values of excellence in service delivery, professionalism and transparency.
Kuwait city at night | Photo by Ibrahim muhamed
Liberation tower in Kuwait | Photo by trabantos
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Voices of Leaders: The new Kuwait Vision 2030 aims to diversify the country’s economy from oil and boost other sectors such as education, infrastructure, retail and healthcare. How is this strategy helping to better position Kuwait in the international arena?
Khadija Oubala: I believe the New Kuwait 2035 Plan is the natural progression and way forward for Kuwait. First and foremost, it will pave the way for Kuwait on its journey to transform itself from an oil-driven economy into a diversified one, capable of achieving sustainable development without much reliance on finite natural resources.
Currently, over 50% of Kuwait’s GDP stems from oil exports. Similar to some of its neighboring countries, Kuwait’s vision is designed to identify new sources of income with a primary focus on developing and increasing economic output from the private sector.
Reforming the regulatory environment in areas measured by the Doing Business Report such as lifting some of the barriers of starting and expanding businesses would go a long way in promoting not only the local private sector, but also in attracting foreign investments.
Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority (KDIPA) has been established for that purpose. KDIPA set a target to
improve Kuwait’s global position in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Index, from 54th in 2017 to 40th by 2021. This will enhance the competitiveness of the country and strategically position it on the international arena.
VoL: How is Kuwait perceived as an investment destination by the global community right now?
KO: I prefer to look at it from a different perspective – Kuwait’s untapped potential which could be highly rewarding for foreign investors.
First and foremost, Kuwait is a politically stable country with a progressive and wise leadership; it has an effective and independent legal system, and democratic institutions are far more advanced than many others in the region. Kuwait has maintained an elected parliament, and boasts of freedom of speech and a free press in a manner also considered to be advanced for the region.
Currently, Kuwait does not allow foreign companies to solely start and operate businesses without a Kuwaiti partner or sponsor. I believe removing such barriers to entry would massively incentivize and entice foreign investors to consider investing in Kuwait more seriously.
Moreover, if we look at the Ease of Doing Business Index developed by the World
Video 2
Video 1
Spotlight on KUWAIT
telecommunications, and so operating expenses in Kuwait are also low. I believe this provides foreign investors, in general, with an ideal platform to enter the Kuwait market, and even more so for British investors.
VoL: Collaboration between government, industries, and academia are crucial in increasing the potential of any new sector. How would you describe these collaborations in Kuwait, and which areas can be enhanced in your opinion?
KO: Kuwait is on the right track when it comes to collaborations between the government and industries. We can take the Kuwait Foundation for Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) as a prime example of collaboration between government and industries; one of KFAS’s goals is to promote scientific development in the State of Kuwait by supporting scientific projects, the scientific community, and the country’s scientific infrastructure.
Another great example of collaboration between government and industry is the National Fund for SME Development, intended to fund and support an innovative ecosystem for entrepreneurs, and to increase SME participation in the economy.
The sector which I believe could be further enhanced is food and entertainment. Over the past decade, Kuwait has witnessed a rising wave of entrepreneurial initiatives mostly in the F&B sector with great locally developed concepts competing with top international franchises.
Bank Group, Kuwait currently ranks close to the 100th place. By tackling these issues and by providing the right platform for foreign capital to be injected into the local economy, Kuwait would take a huge step forward.
Last but not least, there are many sectors in Kuwait that are underdeveloped and have huge potential. Healthcare is a prime example. Currently, healthcare in Kuwait is below its potential and standards when compared to the US and Europe.The government spends large amounts of money annually sending many people abroad to receive better medical treatment and services.
VoL: What are Kuwait’s competitive advantages? Why should a British investor choose Kuwait over the other Gulf countries?
KO: Kuwait is a small, cosmopolitan, and rich country with a population of 4.5 million and a GDP of US$ 150 billion. Above all, Kuwait is a politically stable country that has succeeded in establishing an unprecedented democratic system in the region.
Kuwait enjoys an open economy, relatively liberal foreign trade, and a free convertibility and transferability in its currency exchange market. In Kuwait, we have one of the lowest custom duty systems in the world – the country is practically duty-free.
Accordingly, products imported to Kuwait are relatively inexpensive. Moreover, Kuwait subsidizes many services such as petrol, water, electricity, and
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Although this sector might seem saturated, there is potential for further growth especially in terms of concepts that add the element of entertainment to the food experience. Kuwait is a country with a young population and high disposable income. With a better collaboration between the government and the food industry, Kuwait can potentially become the world’s new culinary capital.
VoL: On the subject of new technologies that are impacting all sectors, how have they changed the way you do retail business here?
KO: The food retail industry is evolving at an unprecedented rate and becoming increasingly complex. Thanks to the penetration of social and digital channels, consumers are expecting speed, convenience and high levels of service.
TSC is no laggard to adopting new technologies. In fact, we have launched a full process digitalisation initiative in order to automate all our internal processes, which makes the workflow and approval process more efficient, organized, and paperless. We are also planning on digitalising our front office which would directly impact our customer’s experience through launching self-scanning checkout registers, electronic receipts, and other applications.
On a similar front, we continue to broaden our online shopping platform in Kuwait. It has proven to be a success with a 100% growth in sales last year, and we are continuously working on improving and developing the underlying technology to upgrade the online shopping experience and expand it regionally.
VoL: Looking at Kuwait’s retail sector where The Sultan Center is an industry leader, what are the biggest challenges that you have experienced?
KO: Two years ago, we embarked on a challenging company-wide turnaround plan. We navigated through turbulent times and progressed towards what is now a stronger, more resilient company. In order to get the company back on the right track, we had to go back to basics; we had to reformulate our strategies, focus on our core business and exit non-core investments, restructure our debt, clarify our differentiation elements and identify our position all over again. That’s why many new initiatives took place between
2017 and 2018. Nevertheless, the achieved results made all the invested time and efforts worthwhile as we saw a substantial increase in all of the targeted KPIs of TSC Kuwait, which led to a 107% increase in EBITDA between 2016 and 2018.
VoL: How do you describe TSC’s Board of Directors?
KO: TSC’s Board is chaired by Tarek Sultan who is not only a visionary, but the driving force behind the success of TSC. TSC’s Board is highly accomplished and experienced throughout a multitude of sectors.
They’re progressive, especially when it comes to embedding and adopting the latest technological facets of the industry and, most importantly, they are fully supportive and involved in the transformational strategy that we launched two years ago.
VoL: What are TSC's competitive advantages?
KO: I think that our first competitive advantage is being a true legacy story. TSC has just celebrated its 38th anniversary and throughout these long years we have built profound business knowledge and an unrivaled understanding of our customers, allowing us to meet their needs in a personalized and more effective way.
We were the first retail operator to introduce customer loyalty cards in 1997. This helped us know our customers better than anyone else. We are also one of the first retailers who successfully ventured into regional expansion, reaching a wider customer base and community. Lastly, through our strong multi-channel, multi-format proposition, we can cater to our customers whenever and wherever they choose to shop. 
Spotlight on KUWAIT
Click to read
very important. They have also maintained the favourable financial status of the country. Everybody is allowed to work in Kuwait; the good thing about Kuwait is that success is related to the hours put in by a person.
It doesn’t matter who your partner is here – it can be the Sheikh or the Emir – you do not need a powerful partner to get the business. The government works very hard to try to keep everybody happy – locals and non-locals. The government is very proactive, there are no booms here in Kuwait, and there is careful economic planning to ensure steady economic growth. If you go to other GCC countries you may find that there is a boom today and tomorrow there is nothing.
VoL: How would you assess Kuwait’s current situation with regards to power generation and transmission?
AA: Kuwait is the only country in the GCC region which does not have any problems with power or water. We have good generation of power and no power failures whatsoever. We had power failure about seven or eight years ago and many government members resigned as a result – this shows how seriously we take this issue.
The government has big ambitions to build new cities and they are now building a huge port in Boubyan with the aim of becoming the main port for Iraq and Iran. They want to take advantage selling
Voices of Leaders: How does modern legislation in Kuwait help promote a positive business climate?
Ala As'ad: Kuwait has an amazing legal system; here your rights are recognized by law. We had opportunities to work in Qatar, in UAE and Saudi but the biggest problem we faced was their respective legal systems. In Kuwait, you can take anyone to court besides the Emir. You can even take the crown prince to court if you have a valid case.
If you go to Saudi Arabia or Qatar with the desire to create a business, you need one of the top people to become your partner. Also, if you have a legal case with a powerful person or group you stand very little chance of winning.
Basically, if you are not more powerful than them, you are unprotected. This is why we have decided to stay here and have decided not to expand much outside Kuwait.
VoL: What are the main challenges Kuwait faces for attracting foreign direct investment (FDI)?
AA: A lot of the problems are political. Kuwait has succeeded greatly over the last 45 or 50 years by maintaining an amazing balance between its neighbours – Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. All of them want Kuwait. The leaders have been amazingly clever by maintaining the political status which was
AA: Kuwait is a democracy. Democracy has its disadvantages sometimes. For something to take place in Kuwait, it takes a long time. You have to go through Parliament. You have a municipality you have to go through it.
But freedom of speech in Kuwait is unbelievable.
Having freedom of speech and democracy, that creates stability. Because at the end of the day, it´s not a one man show. Here, even if the government wants to do many things, they cannot do it, there is still a Parliament. Here it’s all transparent, nothing is hidden, it’s all public. You cannot say it’s exactly a European democracy, but within the region, this is the best you can get.
VoL: Your company was established in 1964 by your father, when it was a very good moment and it grew remarkably. What would you say are the major achievements that this company and especially you, as the head of this company, been able to achieve during these past years?
AA: This company was set up in 1962 but was officially incorporated in 1964. We have worked with almost all international firms that have come to Kuwait and we did everything from the power station to the socket; we did installations in buildings, we did medium voltage, low voltage, extra high voltage, cabling work, and street lighting.
Twenty years ago my dad used to create 50% of all the street lights in Kuwait, now we can't do that because there has been so much development and we had not been successful enough in the past few years to take all the work. But we did a big portion of the major infrastructure of the 60s and the 70s in Kuwait. We still continue to do that, in supporting the government in what it does, because the government in Kuwait also runs the ministries like they run a company.
If you don't have power, if you don't have water, we are the people who return it back to you. We aim to continue to support not only maintaining the existing infrastructure which is just as important as any future development.
electricity more than keeping it within the grid. This interconnecting network between all GCC countries, which now includes Jordan and Egypt, aims to connect the whole world in terms of electricity to provide for those who are in need of electricity at a given time.
VoL: What do you think will be the role of companies like Al Amer in this new wave of networking and connecting power?
AA: We are the people who do all the local work for all the international firms. Basically, these are firms which produce cables and transformers who want and need a local partner.
We are usually the official sub-contractor and we undertake all the local work to support them and execute the job locally. In this way, local companies benefit because they employ our people and use our expertise.
VoL: Renewable energy is still in a nascent stage here in Kuwait, even as most governments not just in the Middle East but all over the world mandating that a percentage of the energy produced must be renewable. Here, the government wants 15% of the energy produced by 2030 to be renewable. What are companies like yours doing to meet these requirements?
AA: We did the first prototype of solar energy panels here in Kuwait which were installed on the roofs of the Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW) and Ministry of Public Works (MPW). It was a prototype project to show how it was done; we did it about eight or nine years ago. This was the first solar project government to be implemented in Kuwait and they wanted that as a prototype. That was a very successful project and until today most of the energy used by the MEW and MPW is from the solar panels we have installed there.
VoL: How has the Kuwaiti government´s political system been a competitive advantage for the country in the region?
VoL: Abraham Lincoln once said, “The best way to predict the future is by creating it.” In that sense, how would you like to see Al Amer in the next 5 years, and how would you like the company to be perceived?
AA: This year, we are celebrating our 55th anniversary. I would like the company to be perceived as part of the important history of the development of Kuwait, and to continue to be part of that, which is very important for us, to be associated with the development of a nation. This is the most important goal for us. Secondly, we would like to grow in terms of success rather than our size, while maintaining our standards and values from within. We are very happy with our people and our people are all very happy working for us, which is very important. Everybody who has worked for us even outside of the company still has allegiance to us. I personally maintain good relations with these people and it was part of the way we grew up that we’re all one, nobody is more important than the other. 
Spotlight on KUWAIT
Back in the sixties, when contemporary Kuwait was just beginning to grow, the late Asad Ali Asad had a vision for an electrical company which could cater to the growing needs of electrical contracting.
This led to the foundation of Al-Amer Electrical Co. Ltd. in 1964 and the company has since maintained a continuous and remarkable growth through a dedication to superior quality and the offering of unique services.
www.alamer.com.kw
DECADES OF EXCELLENCE IN ELECTRICAL SERVICES
1.Water security:
Cloud computing and satellite imagery now allows scientists to examine how bodies of water change over time, while virtual sensors now provide us with data on water usage, even in areas where physical sensors were unable to due to extreme conditions or location.
#Decentralisation #Tracking #Monitoring*
2.Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions:
Rapid advances in satellites, drones and advanced sensors - underpinned by AI - provide real-time data on GHG emissions and this data could be available for relevant parties to analyse in a transparent way via blockchain.
#Decentralisation #Tracking #Monitoring
3.Renewable energy:
Emerging technology enables new, innovative solutions to combat climate change. Advanced material science has given rise to endless possibilities in the area of clean energy generation.
#Tracking #Monitoring #Sharing #Collaboration
4.Disaster prediction:
As the volume of available data increase, AI will continue to become smarter and more accurate. This will be critical in the area of disaster prediction in order to prepare for worst-case scenarios beforehand.
#Tracking #Monitoring
5.Sustainable mobility:
As viable tech-based solutions become more readily available, car ownership will become less of a priority for many people. Transport-sharing services are set to become a key trend in the next 2-3 years.
#Collaboration #Sharing
6.Biodiversity and conservation:
AI has the potential to transform how we monitor and conserve our habitats. Satellite imagery enables the monitoring and analysis of land changes and helps identify potential threats such as droughts, fire, pests etc.
#Collaboration #Monitoring
7.Circular Economy:
The 4IR and the Circular Economy are closely related and, together, are breaking the mould in terms of traditional business models as we see a shift towards the use of services: sharing, renting and recycling. The Circular Economy will be key in the struggle against climate change while it also promotes equality in society.
#Collaboration #Sharing #Tracking #Monitoring
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Offers special thanks to the leaders of the following
entities that collaborated in producing VoL issue 001
4IR
Who's getting it right?
