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Keeping it in the family: Emirati cousins join hands to create sustainable future

The cousins joined hands to form Kilimanjaro Energy Group which signed an MoU with Skyworth Group on June 20

Dubai-based Emirati cousins Ali Makki, Ali Hassoun and Mohammed Hassoun have joined hands to build a sustainable future through their venture Kilimanjaro Energy Group.

Ali Makki is from a group of pearl trading families based in UAE, Qatar and Bahrain. The history of these families shows humble beginnings of Arabian pearl merchants, named Tawash, to owners of conglomerates in banking, automobiles, realestate, jewellery, hotels and more.

Ali Makki, the 29-year-old founder of this group, who graduated in energy engineering from Pennsylvania State University is a member of Abu Dhabi and Dubai Chambers and also honoured by the Forbes 30 under 30 award in the Middle East.

Mohammed Hassoun, Managing Partner, Kilimanjaro Energy Group, said: “We’ve known each other for a long time and throughout we realised we had a shared vision and goal coupled with an unshakeable trust and reliability necessary in any venture. Furthermore, by leveraging our complementary skills, we can achieve our objectives while providing an avenue for individual personal fulfilment and continuing our family legacies. Lastly, but just as imperative, is the supportive business environment that the UAE provides in terms of infrastructure, vision and continuous improvement.”

The cousins joined hands to form Kilimanjaro Energy Group, which signed an MoU with Skyworth Group on June 20. Skyworth signed a framework cooperation agreement with Kilimanjaro Energy Group, witnessed by the Dubai Chambers and the People's Government of Guangming District of Shenzhen, and the two sides negotiated to jointly develop and promote cooperation in new energy projects in the Middle East and Africa.

Like many Chinese enterprises, Skyworth has strong supply chain integration capabilities, as well as practical experience and technical capabilities in the field of digitalisation, and can provide solutions and technical support for the photovoltaic industry.

Kilimanjaro Energy Group is a company specialising in the development of renewable energy projects in Africa and the Middle East, with rich experience and resources in the development of projects.

Skyworth PV company met and signed an MoU with Kilimanjaro Energy Group through the Guangming District People's Government of Shenzhen. The two sides intend to carry out in-depth cooperation in the field of photovoltaic and energy storage commercial and industrial projects to jointly promote the development of green energy in the Middle East and Africa.

Ali Makki said, “At Kilimanjaro Energy, we don't just envision change. We make it happen. The courage of the traditional oil families in the Middle East to transform into new energy is evident.”

He had a passion for entrepreneurship from a young age. His business acumen and extensive knowledge of the GCC markets give him a unique perspective on running his ventures. He is a firm believer that manpower is paramount and the most important step is building the right team based on core values — such as inclusivity, innovation, and trust; the chemistry between people is the engine that produces progressive ideas and is ultimately the key to success.

Asked what brought him back to the desert when he had successfully finished his education in the West, Ali said: “When it would snow in the West I would crave the warmth of desert sand. Also seeing the way the West has developed, I wanted to apply it here as the nation has the best of talents and visions.”

The UAE has set global precedence in the region by giving women empowerment a top priority, said Ali Makki, who thinks men and women entrepreneurs in the city need to synergise as it will open limitless possibilities.

Ali Hassoun, Managing Partner, Kilimanjaro Energy Group — the youngest among three cousins is 27. He shares that life has many beautiful surprises and one such surprise is this business partnership within the family. “We cherish our childhood memories of frequent sleepovers; where we would build makeshift forts and houses, playing on consoles and challenging one another to see who is best. Often visiting each others grandparents house, where we would eat and enjoy with most of the family, this has only deepened our bonds,” concludes Ali Hassoun.

wknd@khaleejtimes.com