1. Please describe your role at Intertek and expertise in the sector?
With nearly a decade of experience in the Testing, Inspection & Certification (TIC) sector in the Middle East region, I have managed operations in various markets such as Oil & Gas, Power, Desalination, Construction & Rail. My role as Regional Managing Director of Industry Services for Middle East, North Africa and West Asia region is first, to ensure our services are delivered to our clients with utmost care, and second, to set a clear vision for the region to deliver on our strategic goals.
2. How did your story in solar begin and your opinion, how much has it changed since then, if at all?
I believe my passion in the Power and Water sector, and particularly in Solar, is to a large extent due to my Water Engineering background and the projects that I developed at the start of my career.
Since I first started working in solar, the industry has come a long way. Back in 2010, the market was small and highly dependent on subsidy regimes in countries such as Spain, Germany and Italy. At the end of 2020, there has been more than 700 gigawatts (GW) of solar installed across the world, which is more than all other generation technologies put together. It is also very cost-efficient, especially in sunnier regions where it has already become the lowest-cost form of new electricity generation. In the coming years, technology improvements will ensure that solar becomes even cheaper and more accessible. IRENA estimates that by 2030, solar will have become the most important source of energy for electricity production in a large part of the world, which would also have a positive impact on the environment and climate change.
Witnessing first-hand the transformations happening in the sector has been a huge learning experience and is a story in itself. This is a very exciting time for solar as the industry continues to grow and evolve.
3. What is unique about the products or services provided by your company?
Intertek has been a force for good for over 130 years, bringing quality, safety and sustainability to life and is committed to playing its part to help address the effects of climate change. We go beyond testing, inspecting, and certifying products; we are a Total Quality Assurance provider to industries worldwide. Through our global network of state-of-the-art facilities and industry-leading technical expertise we provide innovative and bespoke Assurance, Testing, Inspection and Certification services to customers. Through our broad-based and specialist services, complemented by pioneering innovations delivered by trusted experts, we provide a systemic end-to-end approach to supporting our customers’ Quality Assurance efforts.
4. What could you tell us about Intertek’s growth opportunities in the region?
MENA and West Asia is one of the most vibrant regions in the world when it comes to growth opportunities. The transformational plans set by many governments across the region offer huge potential for global players like Intertek in different sectors such as Oil and gas, Power and Utilities and heavy infrastructures schemes. Additionally, we are dedicated to supporting governments of the region in their Net-zero journey by ensuring that their Quality Assurance needs are being perfectly met across their project’s life cycle, be it Solar, Wind, Hydrogen or Carbon Capture, offering a range of services including CarbonClear and CarbonZero.
With Intertek’s unique expertise in the global energy industry and through our broad-based and specialist services, complemented by pioneering innovations delivered by trusted experts, we are uniquely positioned to support our partners and customers’ quality assurance efforts.
Our vision and mandate are clear: continue serving the oil & gas industry, helping the sector become more sustainable and digital in order to optimize asset uptime, while taking a leading role in the Energy Transition sectors (Wind, Solar, Hydrogen & CCUS) and government stimulus packages in Civil Infrastructure.
5. What does MESIA’s collaboration mean to you and Intertek?
We stand behind MESIA’s aim to promote solar in the MENA region and are proud members of the Association. Intertek is always looking for ways to share thoughts leadership and collaboration opportunities with industry stakeholders, from owners and operators, EPCs and service providers to regulators, consultants and more. It is great to see the various industry players working together and sharing information, expertise and experience to advance the sector, and this exchange is also hugely beneficial for stakeholders involved. As the energy industry undergoes a monumental transition globally, solar is increasingly emerging as a key sector for helping companies meet lower carbon emission demands and expectations, while also highlighting the importance of sustainable energy beyond 2050.
Biography:
Hanna Jabbour is currently the Regional Managing Director of MENA and West Asia at Intertek Industry services.
Prior to that, Hanna was the Director of Middle East District: Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan and Country Chief Executive of Bureau Veritas in Saudi Arabia.
He has over 20 years of international experience and a proven track record of high performance in the development/execution of growth strategies and the delivery of construction projects where he held a variety of senior positions such as Country Manager, Area Manager and Business Development Manager at different countries in the Middle East and North Africa.
Hanna Jabbour has a Diploma in Civil Engineering from Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth, MSc in Water and Environmental Engineering from Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth, an EMBA from ESCP Europe (France) and has pursued an Executive Development Program at the Wharton School of the University Of Pennsylvania (USA).
Prepared by
Dania Musallam
Research and Content Manager