Channel Post MEA caught up with the newly appointed CEO for Abu Dhabi-based AIQ, Dr Chris Cooper. AIQ was formed in 2020 as a joint venture between ADNOC and G42 to bring artificial intelligence solutions to the energy sector and beyond.
Dr Chris has been associated with the leading names in the technology industry for over 30 years. He has gathered a wealth of experience and knowledge working with HP, IBM, Lenovo, Seagate and others. Dr. Chris joins AIQ after leaving Citrix.
Over the years, he has helped several customers with leading bleeding-edge technologies to enhance their solutions and business. Commenting on his new role, Dr Chris said, “AIQ provides me with a wonderful opportunity to leverage the knowledge I have gained during the course of my career, enabling me to lead the company from the front.”
Dr Chris believes that people are the biggest asset for any organisation, and today, the company has a strength of over 100 employees. The company is busy building solutions with an eye on creating net new IPs by leveraging the benefits of AI in the UAE. He said that the company has come a long way, filed 14 patents, and developed 20 product solutions in just 3 years.
“My role now is to take these solutions to the market and expand the organisation’s reach in the region. Although we have developed the majority of our solutions for the energy sector, they are very scalable and can be adapted to various applications servicing different industries. For example, the solutions we have built for drilling and well optimisation can also be used in mining. Likewise, supply chain solutions meant for the energy sector can also be used in other industries,” Dr Chris said.
With an ambition to create a global-scale organisation, AIQ is taking these solutions to the market with global partnerships with Schlumberger, Halliburton and others. The company is looking to go beyond the energy sector, and participation at Intersec is one step in that direction. The company is also joining hands with other players in the market to service different industry verticals.
Dr Chris sounded very confident about the future as he said with their solutions at play, the customers will get better insights into how to manage their infrastructure, how to maintain their assets, how to improve the performance of those assets, and how to value for their money. It also helps them focus on a sustainable growth model for their businesses, irrespective of their industry. This will also allow them to enhance their attention on health, safety and the environment.
When asked about the company’s vision, Dr Chris stated that AIQ is positioned as a thought leader in the Artificial Intelligence space not just in the region but globally too, which underpins the focus of the UAE on becoming the centre for excellence and hub for AI by 2031. AIQ intends to help build the ecosystem and a rich base for Artificial Intelligence in the country by then.
