United Arab Emirates,July 2026: Emirates Global Aluminium, the largest industrial company in the
United Arab Emirates outside oil and gas, today announced that Schneider Electric, RAK Ceramics,
Veolia, Delta Plus, and Knauf Group have joined the Challenger Programme as new members of EGA’s
initiative to promote gender diversity across industry.
The new companies join existing members ADNOC, Ducab, Emirates Steel Arkan, ENEC, Strata,
TAQA, and TechnipFMC.
Founded by EGA in 2023, the Challenger Programme focuses on shared challenges ranging from
encouraging more women to work in science, technology engineering and mathematics fields, to
promoting inclusivity in industrial workplaces, to mentorship for young women in industry.
EGA has championed gender diversity in industry snice the start of this decade, setting itself ambitious
goals to increase women’s role in the company’s workforce. Today EGA employs over 830 women with
more than 60 per cent working in operational roles.. A quarter of all supervisory roles at EGA are held
by women, a goal EGA set itself in 2021 to achieve by the end of 2025.
Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer at Emirates Global Aluminium, said: “Diverse
organisations perform better, making increasing the role of women at traditionally male-dominated
industrial companies a business improvement opportunity as well as the right thing to do for society. We
can make even faster progress if major industrial companies work together on this, so I am glad to
welcome more of the UAE’s industrial champions to the Challenger Programme.”
Amel Chadli, Cluster President, Gulf Countries of Schneider Electric : “Building a more inclusive
industrial sector requires collaboration and shared commitment. Through the Challenger Programme,
we are proud to work alongside leading organisations across the UAE to develop inclusive leaders,
share best practices, through coaching & Mentorship and create more opportunities for leaders to thrive.
Together, we are helping shape a stronger, more diverse industrial workforce for the future.”
Abdallah Massaad, Group CEO, RAK Ceramics, said: “Creating an inclusive workplace is not only
the right thing to do , it is essential for building stronger businesses and stronger communities. RAK
Ceramics is proud to join the EGA Challenger Programme and work alongside like-minded
organizations to advance gender diversity across the industrial sector. Through collaboration, shared
learning, and collective action, we can create more opportunities for women and shape a future where
our industry reflects the diversity of the society it serves.”
Thierry Dezenclos, CEO Veolia UAE, said: “Veolia is proud to support the EGA Challenger Program
and its focus on inclusion and diversity for women in heavy industry. At Veolia, we believe that the
future of industry must be built with diverse talents, perspectives, and leadership, and that women have
a vital role to play in shaping a more innovative, resilient, and sustainable industrial sector.”
Romain Crouzit, Managing Director of Delta Plus Middle East, said: “It is a true pleasure to be part
of the Challenger Programme, alongside some of the UAE’s most reputable and visionary
organizations. I am grateful for the opportunity to learn, collaborate and contribute with such an inspiring
network, and I look forward to the progresses we can achieve together as we continue to support
leadership, women empowerment and positive impact to the society.”
Paul Button, CEO of Kanuf GCC, said: “Real progress is achieved when diverse perspectives come
together with a shared purpose. KNAUF is proud to join the Challenger Programme and reaffirm our
commitment to creating a workplace where everyone has the opportunity to grow, lead, and make a
meaningful impact.”
Since the Challenger Programme’s launch, EGA has worked closely with NAMA Women Advancement
to develop initiatives tackling industry challenges and encouraging more women to join the STEM fields.
One such initiative is a gender assessment toolkit, which enables industrial companies to evaluate
policy, workplace culture, talent development, and inclusion practices, helping identify opportunities to
advance gender diversity.
The Cross Mentorship initiative supports women in heavy industries by providing access to mentorship
opportunities. Pairing candidates with professionals and leaders from amongst the Challenger
Programme members, participants develop the critical industry skills required to succeed in their fields.
Last year also saw the launch of the DEI Cultural Toolkit, a sector-aligned framework that provides
organisations with practical strategies, resources, and tools to support making industrial workplace more
inclusive.
Alongside these initiatives, the Challenger Programme members commissioned a research study in
close collaboration with American University of Sharjah to better understand the challenges faced by
women in heavy industry.
Released in February 2026, the study explores the barriers impacting women in the sector, best
practices for creating more inclusive workplaces, as well as guidance on future policies and initiatives.
About EGA:
Since 1975, when it was founded as Dubai Aluminium by His Highness Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum,
Emirates Global Aluminium has been innovating aluminium to make modern life possible.
Today EGA is the world’s biggest ‘premium aluminium’ producer and the largest industrial company in the United
Arab Emirates outside the oil and gas industry.
EGA is equally-owned by Mubadala Investment Company of Abu Dhabi and the Investment Corporation of
Dubai. It is the largest company jointly owned by the two Emirates.
EGA is an integrated aluminium producer, with operations from alumina refining to the production of cast primary
aluminium and recycling. EGA operates aluminium smelters in Jebel Ali and Al Taweelah in the United Arab
Emirates, an alumina refinery in Al Taweelah, an aluminium recycling plant in Al Taweelah, a speciality foundry in
high strength recycled aluminium in Germany, and a recycling plant in the United States.
EGA’s aluminium is the second largest made-in-the UAE export after oil and gas. In 2025, EGA sold 2.84 million
tonnes of cast metal. EGA is the only UAE producer and makes the UAE the fifth largest aluminium producing
nation in the world.
EGA has more than 400 customers in over 50 countries. In 2025, value-added products accounted for 81 per
cent of EGA’s cast metal sales.
EGA’s aluminium is primarily used in the construction, automotive, packaging, aerospace and electronics
industries.
Around 10 per cent of EGA’s aluminium production is sold in the UAE to around 20 downstream aluminium
companies that make products with EGA’s aluminium. The growing broader aluminium sector in the UAE
supports more than 56,000 jobs. EGA itself employs over 7,000 of these people including more than 1,300 UAE
Nationals.
EGA has focused on technology development for over 30 years. EGA has used its own technology for every
smelter expansion since the 1990s and has retrofitted all its older production lines. In 2016 EGA became the first
UAE industrial company to licence its core industrial process technology internationally.
As a corporate citizen of the UAE, EGA aspires in all its operations to be measured amongst the world’s leading
metals and mining companies in meeting its environmental and social responsibilities. In 2017, EGA became the
first Middle East headquartered company to join the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative, a global programme to
foster greater sustainability and transparency in the aluminium industry. In 2019, EGA’s Al Taweelah site became
the first in the Middle East to receive certification from ASI for its sustainability practices and performance. EGA’s
Jebel Ali site was certified in 2021. Al Taweelah alumina refinery was certified later in 2023. EGA’s German
speciality foundry was certified in 2023, before its acquisition by EGA.
In 2021, EGA began production of CelestiAL solar aluminium, produced with solar power from the Mohammed
Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park on the outskirts of Dubai. EGA is the first company in the world to make
aluminium commercially using the power of the sun.
EGA was formed in 2014 through the merger of Dubai Aluminium and Emirates Aluminium.
EGA’s Jebel Ali aluminium smelter began production as DUBAL in 1979. At almost five square kilometres, this
site is five times bigger than Dubai Mall.
EMAL started production in 2009 and its Al Taweelah aluminium smelter was the largest single-site aluminium
smelter in the world when completed. EGA’s Al Taweelah site is five times bigger than Al Maryah Island at six
square kilometres.
EGA began production at Al Taweelah alumina refinery in April 2019. EGA’s alumina refinery is the first in the
UAE and only the second in the Middle East. The project reduces the UAE’s dependence on imported alumina
and supplies over 46 per cent of EGA’s needs.
