In a continued effort to bridge the hole between academia and trade, Dr. Mohanad Alshaikh, CEO of Johnson Controls Arabia, hosted a personal gathering at his residence in Jeddah, bringing collectively KAUST President, Professor Sir Edward Byrne AC, his government staff, and over 40 distinguished enterprise leaders from throughout the Kingdom.
The occasion served as a platform to foster dialogue between King Abdullah College of Science and Know-how (KAUST) and key figures within the non-public sector, with a shared objective of figuring out significant avenues for collaboration in innovation, analysis commercialization, and expertise growth.
Dr. Mohanad Alshaikh opened the night by emphasizing the significance of sustained engagement between research-driven establishments like KAUST and the enterprise group. “When academia and trade come along with objective, actual impression follows. This night was about listening, exchanging, and laying the groundwork for a future powered by joint ambition,” he acknowledged.
Professor Sir Edward Byrne, who assumed the presidency of KAUST in September 2024, shared his imaginative and prescient for the college’s evolving function as a strategic associate to the non-public sector. He highlighted KAUST’s deal with enabling breakthroughs that reach past campus partitions—options that remedy real-world challenges and create lasting financial worth for Saudi Arabia.
Including additional dimension to the night’s discussions was the presence of Dr. Weam Tunisi, President of the College of Enterprise and Know-how (UBT), whose participation mirrored a broader tutorial curiosity in strengthening ties with trade stakeholders.
The gathering concluded with consensus on the necessity for sustained collaboration and open channels of communication between Saudi Arabia’s high analysis establishments and its non-public sector leaders.
This occasion marks one other milestone in Johnson Controls Arabia’s dedication to enabling innovation, supporting native expertise, and advancing the Kingdom’s Imaginative and prescient 2030 aims.