Q&A: Fostering a Technical Culture in the Middle East
Authors: Vaughan Andrew 
Published: February 2015

Andrew Vaughan, Shell vice president for Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, and Syria, and country chairman for Abu Dhabi, discusses how his company is promoting technology and innovation in the Middle East.

Developing new technology and attracting and retaining talent are key issues facing the energy sector. How is the situation with Shell? What are you doing to meet these challenges?

Developing and applying new technologies is critical for the industry if we are to develop the resources needed to meet growing energy demand. Population growth and rising standards of living will see energy demand grow by around 50% in the next 35 years. As oil and gas become harder to find and develop, we will need better technologies. In addition, we will need to find solutions for increased energy efficiency and the growing impact of CO2 on the climate. Shell is one of the world’s biggest investors in research and development and our proprietary technologies are applied in our ventures across the globe to meet tomorrow’s energy challenges.

Attracting and developing new talent is critical. At Shell, we have already made huge progress in the region. About 85% of the employees in our operated and nonoperated joint ventures in the Middle East are nationals. A number of Shell staff are working alongside staff of national oil companies in partnership in the Middle East or are seconded to work outside their Middle Eastern country of origin. Youth in the Middle East offer a huge potential, and the measurement of our success going forward will be how we leverage that to the maximum.

Shell has launched several initiatives to promote technology and innovation through energy-related events.

The energy debate is urgent, complex, and subject to many uncertainties. Making sure we have sufficient, affordable, and smart energy is a priority.

Shell Eco-marathon is one of Shell’s initiatives designed to stimulate and connect people who are interested in the energy challenges of tomorrow and who want to contribute to the solutions. Collaboration among students, partners, and other stakeholders are at the heart of the Shell Eco-marathon across the globe. Shell Ecomarathon is both a challenge and an educational experience that encourages innovation and fosters the development of new technology for greater energy efficiency. Through the events, Shell offers young people hands-on experience, and an opportunity to stretch the boundaries of real-world fuel efficiency, all in the spirit of teamwork, competition, and innovation, and it is great fun.

What is your objective for running this event?

Eco-marathon began in 1939 at a Shell research laboratory in the United States as a friendly wager between two scientists to see who could get the most miles per gallon from their vehicle. The winner of that contest barely achieved 50 mpg, and from these humble origins, a more organized competition evolved. In 1985 in France, Shell Ecomarathon as we know it today was born. In April 2007, the Shell Eco-marathon Americas event was launched in the United States. In 2010, the inaugural Shell Eco-marathon Asia was held in Malaysia, which hosted Shell Eco-marathon Asia until 2013.