Michel Abi Saab
General Manager, Emerge
About Michel Abi Saab:
Michel Abi Saab is the General Manager of Emerge, where he leads the development and delivery of distributed solar and energy storage solutions across the UAE and the wider Middle East. He works closely with businesses and public entities to help them cut energy costs, reduce emissions, and transition to clean energy with zero upfront investment.
With two decades of experience in the energy sector, Michel previously held senior roles at Masdar, contributing to clean energy programs and sustainability initiatives, including the development of Masdar City. Today, he focuses on scaling commercially viable renewable energy solutions that support net-zero ambitions while delivering long-term value for customers and partners.
You’ve just won the C&I and Residential Project and Utility Scale Project of the year at the MESIA Solar Awards 2025, what does this win represent for you and your team?
Winning across both distributed and utility-scale categories is a strong testament of Emerge’s ability to deliver solar projects at scale while maintaining consistent quality, reliability, and long-term performance. It reflects the depth of our technical capability, the discipline of our development approach, and the trust our partners place in us across diverse project types.
For our team, this recognition validates years of focused execution and collaboration across development, engineering, construction, and operations. More importantly, it reinforces our role in supporting the region’s decarbonization ambitions through bankable,
Growth in this market takes consistency, what has been the key factor for Emerge progress in the region so far?
Emerge’s progress has been driven by a disciplined, long-term approach to project development and delivery. We focus on getting the fundamentals right, with strong technical design, risk allocation, and commercially sustainable structures, while maintaining close alignment and transparency with our clients and support their operational and sustainability objectives.
Our success is also rooted in the strength of our partnerships. Backed by Masdar and EDF, we combine deep local market understanding with global best practices, allowing us to scale responsibly and deliver complex projects with confidence. This consistency has enabled us to build credibility and long-term relationships across key MENA markets
Looking ahead to 2026, what’s the next big objective Emerge is working towards in the region?
Looking ahead, Emerge’s priority is to continue scaling impact while supporting increasingly ambitious decarbonization goals across the region. This includes expanding our large clean energy portfolio, supporting energy-intensive sectors, and integrating solar with storage where suitable.
We are also focused on deepening our regional footprint and contributing to the development of resilient, future-ready energy infrastructure. Our objective is not only to grow our portfolio, but to play a meaningful role in shaping a cleaner, more secure energy future for the region.
Why do you think industry recognition platforms like the MESIA Solar Awards matter for the growth of the clean energy sector across MENA?
Industry recognition platforms such as the MESIA Solar Awards are crucial in setting benchmarks for excellence and building confidence across the clean energy ecosystem. By highlighting projects that demonstrate technical complexity, commercial viability, and long-term value, they help accelerate adoption and investment across the region.
These platforms also encourage knowledge sharing and collaboration, which is essential as markets mature. In MENA, where solar deployment continues to scale rapidly, this visibility reinforces the region’s leadership role in the global energy transition.
What has your experience with MESIA been like so far, and what value does the MESIA network bring to companies operating in this space?
MESIA plays an important role in unifying the solar industry across MENA. Our experience has been positive, with the organization providing a credible platform for engagement between developers, policymakers, utilities, and technology providers.
The MESIA network enables constructive dialogue, supports industry alignment, and helps advance best practices across markets. For companies like Emerge, this collaboration is invaluable in addressing shared challenges, shaping policy discussions, and accelerating the responsible growth of solar energy across the region.
About Emerge
Emerge is a joint venture between Masdar and EDF to develop solar generation, energy storage and hybrid systems opportunities in the Middle East supporting our commercial and industrial (C&I) partners in achieving their sustainability goals.
At Emerge, we are dedicated to reshaping the energy landscape and making a difference in the world. Our aim is to contribute to energy transitions and support companies in achieving their sustainability goals.
We understand the importance of affordable clean energy which is why we utilize underused areas such as rooftops, carports and empty land. By doing so, we are committed to assisting our commercial and industrial (C&I) partners to meet the local and global net-zero targets.
Emerge’s unique strength lies in our expertise and financial capabilities, backed by the knowledge and experience of industry leaders like Masdar and EDF.