In recognition of the increasingly important role of technology in developing smarter and more integrated building projects, UAE-based Al Shafar General Contracting (ASGC) has appointed its first chief information officer (CIO), Herbert Fuchs, to drive the company’s digital transformation efforts.

A leading UAE construction group, ASGC said the move is indicative of the sector’s increasing investments in technology-enabled processes.

Based in Dubai, Fuchs will help lead the award-winning company in the adoption of new technologies that will add value to ASGC’s partners, customers, and employees, said the company in a statement.

In an industry that has traditionally relied on raw materials and a large labor workforce, having a CIO is still relatively rare occurrence in the UAE’s contracting industry.

The UAE has a strong vision for developing smarter communities that are powered by cutting-edge technology solutions, although many companies have yet to follow suit in becoming truly digitally-enabled, it stated.

Bishoy Azmy, CEO of ASGC, said: “Every single industry will go through massive digital disruption over the next decade. If you want to survive and thrive, you need to transform. With Fuchs’ considerable expertise, we look forward to entering the next phase of our company’s growth while driving efficiency through digitally-integrated processes.”

Fuchs has more than 25 years of experience with global corporations such as GE, McDonald’s Corporation, ACS (a Xerox Company), Stryker, and UASC (United Arab Shipping Company) – all of them landmark names in their respective industry, said the company in a statement.

During this time, he has played instrumental roles in defining strategy and driving both transformation and optimization roadmaps.

Fuchs is an established innovator and thought leader across the ‘build’, ‘run’, and ‘transform’ spectrum of information technology. He holds an MSc in Information Security, as well as an Executive MBA in Information and Communication Technology, it stated.

A degree holder in MSc (Information Security) as well as an Executive MBA in Information and Communication Technology, Fuchs is an established innovator and thought leader across the ‘build’, ‘run’, and ‘transform’ spectrum of information technology.

"There is significant development in the technology sector that can help ASGC and our partners to become more streamlined in their operations, enabling all divisions of the company to become more efficient. It is my pleasure to contribute to ASGC’s digital transformation in the years to come," he added.-TradeArabia News Service