SmartCity Malta, the new self-sustained industry township for knowledge-based companies, to be developed by Dubai-based SmartCity in partnership with the Government of Malta, held its board meeting in Dubai to discuss project updates and the roadmap for the future.
The meeting was attended by board members, Deepak Padmanabhan, chairman of the board and CEO of Emirates International Telecommunications; Fareed Abdulrahman, executive director of SmartCity; Claudio Grech, head of the minister’s secretariat of the Investment, Industry and Information Technology Ministry; and Falah Al Salman, Senior Director, Project Management, Sama Dubai.
The meeting, among other things, discussed the broad strategic outline for the development of SmartCity Malta and the masterplan for the project.
The planning process for demolishing the existing structures on the project site in preparation for construction was discussed. The measures being taken to limit the impact of construction on the surrounding environment, in line with the guidelines of the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA), were a key point on the agenda.
“The board members expressed their confidence in the progress of the implementation of the project,” said Fareed Abdulrahman, Executive Director of SmartCity. “The meeting gave SmartCity an opportunity to explore how we can leverage even greater synergies between the Government of Malta and our other partners TECOM Investments and Sama Dubai, to help us achieve our aspirations for SmartCity Malta,” he added.
The board meeting saw the announcement of Chris Cole as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of SmartCity Malta. Cole’s responsibilities will include the establishment of the necessary business infrastructure, and the development of relationships with key stakeholders including Government, local and international business organisations, local communities and educational organisations.
Cole was previously Chief Human Capital Officer for TECOM Investments for four and a half years. Prior to joining TECOM, Chris was Regional HR Director for LogicaCMG, the UK-based IT systems integration company.
“I will be moving to Malta this month where I will be involved with one of the most exciting projects ever on the Island,” said Chris Cole. “I am honoured to be a part of the project that will enable Malta to become a leading centre of knowledge-based industries in the region and which will help to create thousands of new jobs,” he added.