“The major challenges I face as Head of Operations for the Maghreb Region and Managing Director of ABB in Morocco and Tunisia include managing complex operations, autocracy and adapting to local market dynamics.”
After diversified managerial experience in the renewable energy industrial sector, with a constant commitment to operational excellence, Georges Semaan is today Managing Director of ABB for Morocco, Tunisia, Côte d’Ivoire and Cameroon.
ABB is a Swiss multinational and a technology leader in electrification and automation. Its solutions connect engineering know-how and software to optimise how things are manufactured, moved, powered and operated. Building on more than 130 years of excellence, ABB employs some 105,000 people worldwide and is committed to innovating to accelerate industrial transformation.
Georges Semaan therefore plays a leading role in this company, which faces no shortage of challenges in a world where sustainability is now a sine qua non.
“The major challenges I face as Head of Operations for the Maghreb Region and Managing Director of ABB in Morocco and Tunisia include managing complex operations, autocracy and adapting to local market dynamics”, explains Georges Semaan.
And with good reason, ABB’s core business is offering “intelligent and sustainable solutions, integrating digitalisation to improve operational efficiency and meet the changing needs of our customers”, whether in the energy transition or Industry 4.0.
Managerial work that requires a great deal of flexibility on a daily basis, in both professional and personal life, which leads Georges Semaan to say that “managing the balance between professional and personal life is a constant challenge, but flexibility and prioritisation are essential to maintain this balance”.
Asked about the most memorable experiences in managing his projects in Africa, the Managing Director of ABB for Morocco, Tunisia, Côte d’Ivoire and Cameroon highlights the Yamoussoukro Electricity Dispatching Centre project in Côte d’Ivoire, the EOW (Extended Operator Workstation) of OCP’s Operating System in Safi and a large-scale project in Germany. Projects that left their mark on him, notably in terms of the importance of collaboration and resilience, all the more so as Georges Semaan is a leader whose decisions are guided by values such as integrity, innovation and social responsibility.
Drawn to engineering from childhood, which fostered his curiosity about technology and its impact on the world, Georges Semaan asserts that “the future of the digital technology sector lies in sustainability and continuous innovation”. And he adds: “My objectives include strengthening ABB’s position as a leader in these fields”.
Outside his work, Georges Semaan is passionate about travel, swimming and gardening, and confides that he is struck by the nature, cultural diversity and economic dynamism of the Kingdom.
If you were…
– A colour, which one would you be? Blue
– A country, which one would you be? The Maldives
– An animal…? The eagle
– A connected object? A car
– A superpower? Flying
– A book…? Goethe’s Faust