Akka Middle East announced as one of the "Créative France" global ambassadors
Abu Dhabi, UAE - Focusing on France's creativity in today's major areas of economic, technology and social excellence, France's Ambassador to the UAE, His Excellency Michel Miraillet, announced the winner of the #CreativeNext competition for the UAE: AKKA Middle East DMCC, subsidiary of AKKA Technologies.
This competition, held throughout five pillar countries which are part of the Creative France outreach initiative, focuses on the disruptive creativity of French startups and SMEs within each of those territories. Each UAE based participant was requested to post, with the #CreativeNextUAE, elements that clearly projected their ability to address their area of activity, and highlight in which way their thinking and achievements enabled them to effect a leap forward, through creatively disruptive innovations. AKKA Middle East, a subsidiary of AKKA Technologies, was selected for the local developments brought to their Link & Go futuristic concept car, a 100% autonomous electric vehicle which addresses the challenges of social, environmental and urban dimensions of the upcoming "Smart Cities", leveraging innovative solutions to their security, autonomy and connectivity parameters. Akka's "Link & Go" was featured prominently at the recent World Government Summit in Dubai, and is a leading contender within the multiple autonomous transportation strategies envisaged by local as well as international bodies and governments.
Highlighting France's strong emphasis on creative solutions and technologies that will drive and enhance bilateral economic relations with the UAE, Ambassador Miraillet said: "France has decided to leverage its key strengths to promote its creative potential and enhance the attractiveness of its economy. We have chosen the United Arab Emirates as a priority country for "Créative France" campaign as it not only reflects the longstanding ties between our two nations, but it also brings exciting new opportunities for the UAE-France economic partnership".
In later comments, Ferréol MARANDE Managing Director of AKKA Middle East said: "we are deeply grateful and honoured to have been selected as one of Creative France's global ambassadors. 'Link & Go' is a revolutionary concept, which we conceived and developed when talk of such a prototype was still mere speculation, and we believe it will be a key building block in the elaboration of tomorrow's 'Smart Cities'. Our presence in the UAE and the Middle East reflects our belief that this area will be a key driver for the changes that will address successfully the urban and social challenges of the very near future, and we see ourselves as partners to their vision."
Creative France's latest global ambassadors will join a host of French figureheads which are already the face of France's leap forward, such as Philippe Starck, Helene Darroze, Safran's Leap technology, Airbus' e-Fan, Medtech's medical robot Rosa, Qarnot Computing's 'intelligent radiator', among other leading-edge celebrities.
Commenting on the competition's results, Ms. Muriel Penicaud, CEO of Business France, emphasized that "France's major stake is to address and dispel biases, by promoting its image and economy through hard facts and figures. We want to establish that our country is indeed an active, creative, and leading actor on the global stage, resolutely open to the world. Through this competition, French startups and SMEs who have opted to establish roots outside of France, and demonstrated the soundness of their initiatives through success overseas."
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About Business France
Business France is the national agency supporting the international development of the French economy, responsible for fostering export growth by French businesses, as well as promoting and facilitating international investment in France. It promotes France's companies, business image and nationwide attractiveness as an investment location, and also runs the VIE international internship program.
Business France has recently launched its first international campaign called: "CREATIVE FRANCE", in order to promote France's economic attractiveness, strengthen perceptions towards France image and create positive conditions for French economic development.
About AKKA Technologies
As a consulting and engineering Group and European leader in the mobility segment, AKKA Technologies operates in 20 countries through 21 centers of excellence. Driven by innovation and a passion for technologies, AKKA Technologies combines an entrepreneurial spirit with a visionary strategy. Our strength is that we understand the challenges our clients face. We assist them throughout the product development process, no matter how complex their visions are. Our remarkable positioning with our in-house research center AKKA Research and our unique Franco-German axis qualifies us to be a leader on the global market. Thanks to the expertise of its 12,222 "innovation leaders", AKKA Technologies is able to meet the needs of major contractors. For the past 30 years, the Group's development policy has been based on a balanced strategy aiming at strengthening our value-added solutions and integrating, through our acquisitions, the best market-oriented solutions. The AKKA Group can thus apply its unique expertise to very different sectors.
Present in the Middle East since 2010, AKKA Middle East brings its knowhow to the region's defense, aerospace, rail and energy industries and its 'Link & Go' autonomous vehicle has made it a prominent player in the region's 'Smart City' vision.
For more information please contact:
BUSINESS FRANCE UAE
Switchboard: +971 - 4 - 408.4950
Yasmina Ouari
Communication Assistant
yasmina.ouari@businessfrance.fr
HAVAS PR MIDDLE EAST
Switchboard: +971 - 4 - 455.6000
Hares Shehab
Head, corporate communications
Hares.shehab@havasprme.com
Elie Azzi
Senior Communications Executive
elie.azzi@havasprme.com
Georges Geagea
Media Relations Director
georges.geagea@havasprme.com
© Press Release 2016
