Dubai Airport Freezone (Dafza), a major free zone destination, collaborated with Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH), technology leader, to hold an innovation workshop at Dubai World Central.

The workshop, organised at the Dubai Airshow site, attracted more than 20 of Dafza’s SMEs.

Recently the two organizations collaborated to launch a Dafza hosted first-ever Expo Innovation Challenge in Milan, as part of Expo 2015. This innovation challenge to address world’s food security challenges attracted top creative minds.

Amna Lootah, assistant director general – Finance and Commercial, Dafza, said: “Creativity and ingenuity have been driving forces behind Dafza’s huge success. We foster a spirit of innovation throughout our operations and plans in order to constantly develop facilities, practices and services that are unique, efficient, and world-class.”

“This complements our leadership’s vision of establishing Dubai as one of the most progressive and dynamic places in the world to live, work, and do business in. Our collaborative workshop with Booz Allen Hamilton complements our sharp focus on innovation which plays a pivotal role in the future of Dafza, Dubai, and the entire UAE.”

The workshop touched upon pertinent questions such as the definition of what innovation is and can be, what the crucial elements are to embedding innovation into an organizational structure, how organizations should govern and define their innovation agenda, the key gates to success and how important culture is to the process.

Fady Kassatly, vice-president, Digital Government and Innovation, Booz Allen Hamilton said: “Dafza has become a leading organization in Dubai and the UAE when it comes to innovation, the organization has developed a clear innovation strategy to propel it to the next level of maturity.

"Dafza is also looking beyond its own walls and has also put in place a clear plan to contribute the national innovation agenda of the UAE. The workshop during the Dubai Airshow is an initial step towards this national agenda contribution and we, at Booz Allen Hamilton are proud to be part of this journey.” – TradeArabia News Service