As the United Arab Emirates intensifies its ambition to become a premier global hub for advanced manufacturing and sustainable industrial growth, global technology and defence giant Thales Group is emerging as a pivotal player in shaping the region’s industrial landscape. Roque Carmona, Thales’ group chief procurement officer, recently underscored in an interview at the ‘Make it in the Emirates’ forum the company’s evolving supply chain strategy, highlighting the increasing importance of local partnerships and regional ecosystems for fostering long-term resilience.
Carmona, who leads procurement globally at Thales, emphasised a strategic shift in supplier relationships—from mere transactional vendors to trusted innovation partners. This approach aligns with the broader procurement trends shaped by geopolitical uncertainties, post-pandemic disruptions, and rapid technological advancements such as artificial intelligence. Thales has expanded its ‘Go to UAE’ initiative notably, growing its supplier base from nine to twenty local companies qualified to meet the stringent aerospace and defence standards Thales demands. This growth signals both a deepening of the company’s commitment to the UAE and recognition of the country’s industrial capabilities.
Thales’ strategic presence in the UAE is reinforced by its over 45-year history in the country, focusing on Defence and Security, Digital Identity, Aerospace, and Space. The company’s local footprint includes Thales Emarat Technologies, a fully Emirati-owned subsidiary established in 2019 to bolster localisation and Emirati talent development. This unit specialises in radar, radio communications, and defence aerospace technology. It currently plans to nearly double its UAE workforce by 2025, with a target of at least 30% Emirati nationals, reflecting Thales’ long-standing commitment to supporting local talent and national visions of industrial autonomy.
Complementing its procurement expansion, Thales has forged significant educational and research partnerships within the UAE, such as the Thales Cybersecurity Hub at Khalifa University and collaborations with Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence and Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi for specialised AI and cybersecurity programmes. These initiatives demonstrate the group’s dedication to developing a qualified local talent pipeline essential for sustaining high-tech industrial growth and innovation.
At a time when global supply chains face growing fragility due to geopolitical tensions, Carmona outlined key adaptive strategies at Thales. Multi-sourcing—securing suppliers across diverse regions—ensures operational continuity amid crises, underscoring that resilient supply chains are a strategic imperative rather than a contingency. Artificial intelligence also plays a dual role in both enhancing supplier-driven innovation and refining resource sourcing, especially in advanced fields such as cybersecurity, optronics, and laser systems.
The ‘Go to UAE’ initiative stands as a flagship programme aimed at integrating UAE-based suppliers into Thales’ global supply chain. The latest cohort of newcomers encompasses companies such as Halcon Systems, EPI, and Precision Industries, all rigorously vetted for industrial maturity, quality standards, cybersecurity, and ethical practices. This initiative benefits local suppliers by offering access to international markets and participation in high-value aerospace and defence projects. It also supports the UAE’s economic diversification goals through capacity building and fostering industrial competitiveness.
The UAE government’s agility, supportive leadership, and geographical advantages—proximity to rare earths and the ability to attract global talent—have been pivotal in attracting companies like Thales. The company advocates continuing investments in workforce development to include not only engineers but also skilled technicians and industrial workers, alongside sustained funding for supplier innovation and maintaining a flexible procurement environment.
Looking to the future, Carmona identified three major trends defining global supply chains: intensifying competition for talent, the regionalisation of supply chains seeking sovereignty without forsaking globalisation, and the accelerating role of automation and AI in aerospace and defence sectors. Leadership in this volatile environment requires presence, agility, and openness to adapt strategies swiftly as conditions evolve.
Thales’ integrated approach in the UAE—spanning advanced technology deployment, local supplier development, educational partnerships, and strategic workforce localisation—illustrates a comprehensive commitment to the Emirates’ industrial aspirations. As the UAE seeks to become not only a regional but a global manufacturing and innovation hub, the synergy between multinational corporations like Thales and the local industrial ecosystem will be central to sustained growth and technological leadership.
Source: Noah Wire Services
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