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EANAN inks Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with University of Dubai, Xi’an Jiaotong University and Zhuji SRJ Materials Laboratory

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EANAN

This collaboration is set to enhance academic exchange among faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and students, thereby enriching the academic and practical experience for all parties involved

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, July 2, 2024/APO Group/ — 

EANAN Al Samma (https://EANAN.ae/), a UAE-based technology company leading the next evolutionary step in transportation through advanced air mobility (AAM), has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the University of Dubai (UD), Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU) and Zhuji SRJL Materials Laboratory to foster international cooperation in applied sciences and expand the dissemination of academic and research information.

The MoU was signed by Dr Eesa M. Al Bastaki, President of UD, Raymund Scheffler, Shareholder at EANAN, Mr. Cheng Jin, Member of Standing Committee of University Board of XJTU and Dr Lei Li, Executive Director of SRJL during a ceremony in the presence of representatives from all stakeholders. This collaboration is set to enhance academic exchange among faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and students, thereby enriching the academic and practical experience for all parties involved.

As part of this collaboration, a state-of-the-art laboratory will be established at the University of Dubai. This facility aims to promote collaborative efforts between the parties, advance academic research, integrate theoretical knowledge with practical experience, provide students with hands-on training in their field, and strengthen the connections between experts and students from diverse backgrounds. These key objectives align with the rapidly growing Advanced Aerial Mobility industry in the UAE, one of the fastest-expanding markets in aerospace.

Raymund Scheffler, Shareholder of EANAN, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with the key academic and industry specialists including the University of Dubai, XJTU and SRJL to contribute to the development of the field of air mobility. This MOU will allow us to leverage our combined strengths to develop innovative technologies and solutions that will drive the future of the air mobility sector. We look forward to working closely with our partners to foster competence exchange, cultivate talent, and make a tangible impact on the industry.”

This MOU will allow us to leverage our combined strengths to develop innovative technologies and solutions that will drive the future of the air mobility sector

The setting up of an exclusive laboratory at Dubai holds significance as it seeks to further strengthen ties between the UAE and China, fostering innovation and technological advancements through shared expertise and resources.

Dr Eesa M. Al Bastaki, President University of Dubai: “We, at the University of Dubai, are pleased to enter into a strategic partnership with EANAN, one of the leading technology companies in the UAE, along with XJTU and SRJL. This important agreement aims to strengthen academic cooperation and create a fruitful platform for scientific research.  It further aligns with our mission to establish deep collaboration between the UAE and international academic and business societies as well as to establish robust ties to different cultures. Furthermore, we are thrilled to be part of this key partnership as it plays a vital role in supporting the UAE’s ambitious goal to become a global leader in the air mobility and electric motors industry by promoting the development of innovative technologies in this sector.”

Cheng Jin, Member of Standing Committee of University Board of XJTU: “XJTU is currently pursuing a strategy for integration of education and industries. Collaborations with UD, EANAN, SRJL through this MoU are a very important part of this strategy and will be mutually beneficial to all the parties involved. The establishment of the joint laboratory will certainly provide a great opportunity for academic and research staff to get insight into the related fields. The platform will serve as an important base for achieving remarkable progress in science, research and industries in the future. Moreover, it will act as an important link among our partners, as well as between China and the UAE, promoting cooperation and strengthening the friendship between the people in the two countries.”

Dr Lei Li, Executive Director of SRJL: “As a high-energy R&D and industrial incubation platform based on international cooperation, the SRJL focuses on the research of key common technologies in material surface treatment and material body enhancement. The establishment of this joint laboratory signifies that we will engage in deeper cooperation in broader fields such as new materials, new energy equipment, and aircraft power systems. We will work together with a more pragmatic attitude and keen insight to overcome difficulties on the path of scientific research and pursue higher technological achievements.”

In line with the collaboration, the University of Dubai will offer all on-site support and facilities required for the establishment of the laboratory while EANAN will be responsible for confirming its functionality. The MOU enables parties to send delegates to learn each other’s educational system and curriculum design. Additionally, the agreement mandates that postdoctoral from all of the parties should fulfil the requirements set forth by the receiving party to be admitted to a degree-granting or non-degree-granting programme.

Established in Dubai, EANAN is the first company to deliver autonomous multi-copter and flying wing aircraft from its production facility in the country surpassing the rigorous demands and regulatory requirements of the aviation industry.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Eanan Al Samma.

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Mauritania’s New Energy and Petroleum Minister Confirmed for MSGBC 2026

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November 10, 2026

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Etu Energias

Mohamed Ould Abdel Vetah takes office as Mauritania opens power generation to private investors

DAKAR, Senegal, November 9, 2026/APO Group/ –Mohamed Ould Abdel Vetah, Mauritania’s newly appointed Minister of Energy and Petroleum, has confirmed his participation at MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2026 in Dakar. Minister Vetah was appointed on October 10 in a new 29-member government, having previously served as Minister of Petroleum, Energy and Mines from 2016 to 2020. His participation at the upcoming summit offers delegates direct engagement with the official responsible for Mauritania’s gas and power agenda as the country seeks to attract capital across its evolving energy and hydrocarbon sectors

 




  

Minister Vetah joins the event as Mauritania enters a new investment cycle anchored by efforts to scale gas monetization, incentivize exploration and open new opportunities in renewable energy and power development. The country has been an LNG exporter since early 2025, when the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) project, developed jointly with Senegal, shipped its first cargo. The project is now operating at full capacity, and gas is also set to anchor domestic power supply, with national utility Somelec and state miner SNIM having signed power purchase agreements with Saudi Arabia’s TAQA and Egypt’s GoGas Holding. The agreements fit within a gas-to-power program tied to the country’s Banda field and targeted for 2028.

 

Mauritania has committed to a fully private power generation model in which independent power producers develop all new plants, with two gas-fired projects in development expected to add a combined 550 MW to the grid. Renewables are scaling in parallel, led by a 220 MW solar-wind plant with 370 MWh of battery storage, developed under a 15-year concession with Somelec and slated to begin commercial production in the final quarter of 2026.

 

Minister Vetah’s career spans Mauritania’s gas sector and regional energy cooperation. During his previous term, Mauritania and Senegal signed the GTA gas sales agreement with bp and Kosmos Energy in 2020, and before entering government he served as General Manager of state gas company SOMAGAZ and as a consultant to TotalEnergies E&P Mauritania. Most recently, he spent nearly four years as High Commissioner of the Organization for the Development of the Senegal River.

 

Regional cooperation has been an early priority for the minister, who was received in Dakar by Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye on October 16 and reaffirmed his commitment to cooperation between the two countries. At MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2026, Minister Vetah will speak during the event’s Ministerial Dialogue, titled ‘Executing the MSGBC Region’s Energy Strategy’ and the Mauritania National Spotlight.

Organized by Energy Capital & Power, MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2026 takes place December 1-3 at the Centre International de Conférences Abdou Diouf (CICAD) in Dakar under the High Patronage of President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. For more information and registration, visit www.MSGBCOilGasAndPower.com.

 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

 

 




 

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DHL Global Forwarding Appoints Sascha Geiken as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Sub-Saharan Africa

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November 10, 2026

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DHL Global Forwarding and MEDS sign strategic MoU to strengthen logistics and improve access to pharmaceutical products across East Africa

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, November 10, 2026/APO Group/ –DHL Global Forwarding, the air and ocean freight specialist of DHL Group, has appointed Sascha Geiken as CEO for Sub-Saharan Africa, excluding South Africa, effective. He succeeds Egidio Monteiro and will report to Tobias Maier, CEO, DHL Global Forwarding Middle East and Africa.

 




  

Sascha Geiken previously served as Vice President Ocean Freight for Middle East and Africa at DHL Global Forwarding. He brings more than 30 years of experience in freight forwarding, having started his career in the industry in 1995. Before joining DHL Global Forwarding, he held senior leadership positions in the Middle East, including managing director roles covering several markets in the region.

Sascha knows our business and he knows this region

During his time leading Ocean Freight across Middle East and Africa, Sascha Geiken has gained extensive experience managing freight flows across a diverse and complex region. His current remit includes global trade, ocean freight trends and services, rates, capacity and trade-lane development, as well as sustainable transport. He has also worked closely on the changing trade flows connecting Africa with Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Tobias Maier, CEO, DHL Global Forwarding Middle East and Africa, said: “Sascha knows our business and he knows this region. He has spent many years working across complex markets and understands what it takes to turn growing trade flows into reliable solutions for our customers. Sub-Saharan Africa is an important growth market for us, but it is also a market where strong local execution really matters. I am very pleased to have Sascha take on this responsibility, and I am confident he will continue to move our business forward together with our teams across the region.”

On his appointment, Sascha Geiken said: “I’m very happy to take on this new role. Having worked across Middle East and Africa for many years, I know both the opportunity in Sub-Saharan Africa and the realities of moving goods across the region. Trade is growing, but our customers need more than capacity. They need reliability across the entire supply chain, from the international leg through customs and inland transport to final delivery. I look forward to working with our teams across the region and building on what is already a very strong foundation.”

The appointment comes as DHL continues to invest in the long-term growth of its business in Africa. In 2025, DHL Group announced an investment of more than €300 million in Sub-Saharan Africa to expand infrastructure and services across DHL Express, DHL Global Forwarding and DHL Supply Chain.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of DHL.

 

 




 

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CEM & Converge Africa bring CX and digital commerce leaders together in Sandton

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November 10, 2026

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Two connected event experiences will bring senior customer experience, retail, ecommerce, marketing, technology and transformation leaders together on 10–11 November 2026, with the CEM Africa Awards taking place on the evening of 10 November

Together, the programmes give senior leaders practical insight they can take back into the business

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, November 9, 2026/APO Group/ –CEM Johannesburg Edition returns to the NH Hotel in Sandton on 10–11 November 2026, alongside Converge Africa Johannesburg on 10 November, creating a concentrated meeting point for leaders shaping customer experience and digital commerce across Africa.

 




  

Across the combined programme, delegates will move between practical workshops, peer-led panels, curated networking and business matchmaking focused on the issues now influencing customer and commercial performance: AI and automation, trust, behavioural insight, journey design, retail media, unified commerce, fulfilment, loyalty, retention and measurable business outcomes.

The co-location gives attendees access to two complementary communities. CEM Johannesburg Edition focuses on customer experience strategy, service, technology and transformation, while Converge Africa Johannesburg brings a sharper retail and digital commerce lens to how customers discover, buy, receive, return and remain loyal.

Programme highlights:

  • The Trust Problem: Can Customers Trust an Experience They Can’t See?
  • Designing for How Customers Feel
  • Authenticity in AI: From Conversation to Completion Without Losing the Human Touch
  • The Customer Doesn’t See Your Org Chart: Why Marketing & CX Must Collaborate
  • From Contact Centre to Experience Centre: The Human + AI Workforce
  • Retail Is Being Rewritten: The New Rules of How Consumers Discover, Shop & Belong
  • Retail Media: Turning Customer Attention Into a New Revenue Stream
  • Unified Commerce: One Customer, One Stock Pool, One Connected Experience
  • Black Friday From Discovery to Doorstep: Can Retail Deliver on the Customer Promise?
  • AI That Actually Works: From Retail Hype to Measurable Results
  • Loyalty, Retention & the Post-Purchase Experience: From Transaction to Lifetime Value

Day two of CEM Johannesburg Edition continues the discussion with sessions examining how Africa’s best brands turn CX into trust, loyalty and growth, the changing future customer, experience intelligence, and how WhatsApp can move beyond conversation to completed customer outcomes.

Confirmed voices from across CX, retail and digital commerce

The programme brings together senior practitioners, consultants and technology leaders from across the customer and commerce ecosystem. Confirmed speakers and workshop leaders include:

  • Gedeon Rossouw – Head of Client Care (Principal/Director), Absa
  • Tatiana Ndlovu – Executive Head: Marketing, Nedbank Africa Regions
  • Julia Ahlfeldt – Customer Experience Strategist and Business Advisor, Julia Ahlfeldt CX
  • Debi Potgieter – CEO & Founder, XMwize Solutions
  • Joven Pillay – EMEA Customer Consulting Leader, KPMG South Africa
  • Christopher Baird – Head of Ecommerce (Southern Hemisphere), G-STAR
  • Adrian Naidoo – Senior HOD: Commercial, Retail Media, Data & Innovation, Boxer Superstores
  • Keanu Batista – Head of E-Commerce South Africa, Pernod Ricard
  • Kieara Hyman – Head of Commerce & Retail, Publicis
  • Kerry Ho-Van Rensburg – Head of Digital Marketing Operations, Pick n Pay
  • Nneka Keshi – Country Director & Africa Lead, Canva
  • Yudhvir Ranchod – Marketing Director, Peach Payments
  • Prathna Singh – Global Retail and South Africa Lead, Intent HQ

Sponsors and programme partners

CEM Johannesburg Edition sponsors:

  • Gold sponsors 1Stream, Cisco, KPMG and Microsoft
  • Silver sponsors Clickatell, QuestionPro, NPLUS, SingleInterface and Zoom
  • Innovation Sponsor XMwize Solutions
  • CX Report Sponsor Rogerwilco
  • Workshop Sponsor Smoke

Converge Africa Johannesburg programme partners: The Courier Guy features as a Diamond Sponsor and workshop partner, with DigiCommerce and Instore24 leading dedicated programme sessions focused on unified commerce and converting digital discovery into measurable in-store growth.

CEM Africa Awards to recognise Africa’s CX leaders

The CEM Africa Awards will take place on the evening of 10 November 2026 at the NH Hotel, Sandton. The 2026 awards programme has attracted 97 entries and 31 finalists, with eight awards spanning four pillars of customer excellence: People, Innovation, Transformation and Government.

Award categories include: CX Leader of the Year; Breaking Barriers in CX; Rising Star in CX; Best Overall CX Solution; Best Use of AI; Best Enterprise Contact Centre Platform; Best Customer Experience Team of the Year; Best Digital Transformation in Public Services; and Best Citizen Experience Initiative.

Among the 2026 finalists publicly announced are Rowland Ndegwa of Jubilee Insurance in the Rising Star in CX category, while LAW FOR ALL, MTN Nigeria, Equity Holdings Group and Clientèle are among the finalists for Best Customer Experience Team of the Year.

“Johannesburg brings together two communities that increasingly need to solve the same customer problem from different angles. CEM Johannesburg Edition looks at the experience, service and transformation agenda, while Converge Africa examines the commercial and operational realities of modern retail and ecommerce. Together, the programmes give senior leaders practical insight they can take back into the business.”

Terry Southam – Director Retail Portfolio

Event information

CEM Johannesburg Edition: 10–11 November 2026 | NH Hotel, Sandton, Johannesburg — View details / book (https://apo-opa.co/48Jo1UK)

CEM Johannesburg Edition live programme: View the full  agenda — View details / book (https://apo-opa.co/4ix4v3N)

Converge Africa Johannesburg: 10 November 2026 | NH Hotel, Sandton, Johannesburg — View details / book (https://apo-opa.co/4j6LLrS)

CEM Africa Awards: 10 November 2026 | NH Hotel, Sandton, Johannesburg — View details / book (https://apo-opa.co/4zdIJqO)

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of VUKA Group.

 

 




 

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