MRO Middle East: Mubadala-Boeing deliverables “this year”

“We signed the agreement in 2009 and the relationship is going very well,” he said. “We are cooperating in everything from aerostructures, research and development, engineering and design, to education and people development.

“We have specific teams working on each area and we will announce agreements in each area over the next nine months as each comes to fruition.”

The Mubadala Aerospace arm of the Abu Dhabi government’s principle investment company is developing a global aerospace strategy that embraces everything from framework agreements with the world’s leading aerospace companies to investments such as its 35% stake in Italian business aircraft maker Piaggio Aero.

The Piaggio deal opens the way to the building of the first aircraft in Abu Dhabi, said Al Shemmari. “The next business aircraft platform will be built in Abu Dhabi from 2018.”

He made it clear that Mubadala Aerospace continues to study opportunities – either through acquisition or start-up – around the world, with a clear focus on the Asia-Pacific region.

“We are looking at different strategies in Asia-Pacific. There is no single template,” he said. “In some area we will acquire and in other areas we will operate on a green field basis. I can say that we are looking at that very actively and when the time is right we will make an announcement.”

Asked about possible developments in North America, he said: “It is the oldest established market so I would say that the green field approach is not the right way. That would not be true of India, say.”

He added that the key to developing Abu Dhabi as a global aviation centre was developing what he called a “one stop solution.”

He said: “We will offer something very specific – a one stop solution. We will be able to add value to customers by offering everything from finance to supply chain management

ENDS