Spotlight on, Omar Da’er, Operations Director- DOME

About Omar: 

I am a petroleum engineer by background and started my career in the oil and gas industry where I was specifically involved in upstream operations which happen to be part of the initial phases of the energy value chain. Throughout this phase I came to appreciate how important it is to source our energy responsibly - by taking care of our people, the community and the environment and focusing on ways to minimize our negative footprint. Applying these same principles, albeit in a different segment of the energy industry, I am now responsible to lead a team of talented engineers in the execution of engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services for solar PV projects at Dome Advanced Electromechanical Works (DAEW), our renewables business arm of the Dome Group.

Please describe your role at Dome as well as your industry expertise.

My main responsibility at Dome is to broaden our reach in the solar PV market in the MENA region and extend the highest level of service to our clients. The way I see this done is twofold - ensuring we have the best technical and project management expertise and forge meaningful partnerships that can accelerate our growth trajectory to match the demand in the market. Over the past couple of years we have taken positive strides in both these aspects.

What motivated Dome to invest in the MENA's solar industry?

Owing to Dome Group being one of the leading environmental consultancies in the UAE, it made sense for the Group to pivot towards clean energy services and solutions. In line with DEWA’s Shams Dubai Program, we seized the opportunity to open our solar-focused business unit (DAEW) back in 2015. Since then we have seen strong commitment from the UAE government and various stakeholders to promote renewable energy projects and as a UAE-owned company, it is a pleasure for us to contribute towards the success of these initiatives.

Can you tell us about what sets you apart from other competitors?

I think what sets Dome Group apart is that it is a local UAE company with a strong and capable team, we are also deep-rooted with a good position in the in-country value (ICV) program across our portfolio companies. That “local” philosophy is entrenched in the way we operate as a business irrespective of country. This is demonstrable in our various subsidiaries in the MENA region (Oman, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Yemen) where we have a strong base of local expertise leading our operations and priority given to local content wherever possible.

What's a recent milestone Dome has achieved that you would like to share with us?

Dome Advanced Electromechanical Works, our solar EPC business arm, has recently expanded its engineering and project execution teams. That, along with our existing experience of a wide range of technologies spanning off-grid and ground-mounted applications, makes us now better equipped to tackle complex commercial and industrial (C&I) solar PV projects whilst ensuring exceptional level of service to our existing clients. We have also forged a JV agreement with Insolare Energy, one of India’s leading solar EPCs, to collectively target large C&I solar EPC markets in the UAE and GCC countries.

What are your expectations for the MENA region in terms of growth and new opportunities for Dome?

Following COP28 in Dubai, we have seen strong commitment for renewable energy project implementation. In our view, this will translate to new projects in the MENA region, and it is an opportunity for Dome to leverage its experience to play  a role in such projects.