Honeywell Innovation Center Lunch Spotlights U.A.E. as a Global Hub for Capital, Talent, and Technology
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Participants pictured with Honeywell SVP, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, Su Ping Lu, U.S. Consul General Robert Raines, and President of the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council Danny Sebright.

“This country is building the future, and they are looking to partner with the United States to do that. When you partner American excellence with Emirati ambition, it really makes the world a better place.”  – Robert Raines, Consul General, U.S. Consulate – Dubai 

Honeywell and the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council hosted a small luncheon for senior U.A.E. and U.S. executives on November 17, 2025, at Honeywell’s Innovation Center in Dubai. The luncheon discussion convened experts from across U.A.E. industry for a discussion with Honeywell SVP, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary Su Ping Lu and Honeywell President & CEO, Global Regions Anant Maheshwari. U.S. Consul General Robert Raines and President of the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council Danny Sebright moderated the lunch discussion. 

Key takeaways include:

  • The U.A.E. has a balanced, nuanced growth agenda that helps attract business to the country and helps investments flow back to the country. There is more liquidity and capital available in the U.A.E. than anywhere in the world. 
     
  • One of the main attractions of doing business in the U.A.E. is the availability of local talent and the fact that it attracts highly skilled talent from across the globe. Educational institutions like Mohammad Bin Zayed University, initiatives like the Ministry of Education’s push to include AI in school curriculums, and R&D centers like those being developed by Microsoft and Google have nurtured talent in the country.
     
  • The U.A.E.’s priorities are economic prosperity and technological ambition. They are moving beyond traditional business transactions and focusing on ventures that will enable the adoption of AI by building on existing infrastructure like fiber optic cables. The U.A.E.’s technological push will also make it well suited to apply emerging technologies to optimize the efficiency of critical infrastructure. 
     
  • The U.A.E. offers a strategic trade corridor between Asia and Africa. As the largest provider of FDI in Africa, the U.A.E. has invested heavily in their bilateral relationships with the 54 countries across the continent. For instance, they have connected the continent by providing the transportation infrastructure like ports and airports. 

Since 2018, the Honeywell Innovation center in Dubai has showcased how Honeywell is bringing cutting-edge technologies and innovative solutions to make their products more connected and efficient. Honeywell is a Founding member of the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council and on the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council Executive Board.

For more information about the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council’s technology programming, please contact Maggie Paddock at mpaddock@usuaebusiness.org.