In an era where change is the only constant, growth is about more than expansion—it’s about transformation.

Industries are reinventing themselves through digital innovation, sustainability, and a smarter approach. As new sectors emerge and the demand for smarter, more sustainable practices grows, the opportunity for organizations to carve out their place is bigger than ever. Success lies in a strategic approach that adapts, evolves, and creates lasting impact.

Nasir Al Nabhani, Managing Director of Solutions+, emphasizes that the company’s primary goal remains the same in every sector it manages: to bring tangible value. Without that value, the service would not exist.

EVOLVING GROWTH

Solutions+ started as Mubadala’s shared services company 10 years ago and underwent a rebrand last year. The primary reason for this evolution was to elevate the organization to a new level. Initially, the company served Mubadala and other Abu Dhabi entities for almost a decade. With the rebrand, a new strategy was introduced to grow the business.

“We made certain promises last year about what we intended to achieve, and fortunately, we’ve accomplished about two-thirds of those goals with the rebrand,” says Nabhani. “For instance, we introduced the entertainment, media, and sports sector within Solutions+, and we also launched the mobility business.”

Today, Solutions+ owns Abu Dhabi Entertainment Company, which focuses on events, sports, and media. Additionally, it owns a majority share of LeasePlan Emirates, a fleet management company in the mobility sector.

The company, initially a BPO business, is also expanding into new sectors, such as ESG, which was introduced during COP28. “The work we did on ESG gained trust from our clients, and there is now more demand to work with us in this area,” explains Nabhani.

“The road to net zero will only be achieved if we are all in it together. That’s why we are offering subsidized decarbonization services to eligible Abu Dhabi companies under ‘Project Decarb’– with 75% subsidized by the Mubadala Foundation, in order to help these companies access decarbonization services more easily, and begin their journey to net zero, in line with the UAE’s climate agenda. Any company in Abu Dhabi interested in benefiting from this service can contact us to learn more about how we can help them.”

The company plans to add more entities to this sector and is investing in digital and AI as part of its strategy to diversify and grow its offerings.

THE EXPANSION

“We consider Solutions+ as a data pool for BPO services,” says Nabhani. “Today, we manage HR, finance, and procurement services not only for ourselves but also for more than 50 clients in Abu Dhabi and beyond, generating a vast amount of data.” To leverage this data, the company has developed its first digital application, Weave and Weave AI. “We wanted Weave to become the central data pool for us,” he adds.

The next step for Solutions+ is to integrate data analytics into the platform. “We are embedding AI solutions that will serve us better internally and enhance our services to clients,” Nabhani explains. “Our goal is to provide a better experience for our clients and improve the overall process.”

The AI tools being developed are not limited to the BPO business alone. “We also see significant potential in the Sustainability space,” says Nabhani. “There’s a lot of room for growth, and by implementing AI tools, we aim to help businesses with energy savings and carbon emission assessments.” He highlights that these tools will also aid clients in creating actionable plans to reduce their carbon emissions and improve energy efficiency, advancing sustainability and operational performance.

Last year, Solutions+ collaborated with Mubadala to create an ESG function. This function began by assessing Mubadala and a group of companies’ facilities, focusing on carbon emissions and identifying initiatives for improving energy efficiency.

Following the assessment, the team identified key areas with the potential for significant positive outcomes for Solutions+ and its clients. The next step was to implement these solutions.

Nabhani believes that AI will play a critical role in enhancing these solutions. He sees it as a key tool to drive measurable impact in the ESG space, contributing to sustainability and operational improvements.

He sees AI as pivotal in the assessment and solution implementation stages of carbon emissions audits. “This is exactly what we want to do—use AI in the assessment process and then introduce the right solutions,” he says. However, he emphasizes that technology alone is not enough. “When it comes to Sustainability, it’s about the culture,” he adds. “What we’re trying to do is help many entities foster the right culture, as that will truly drive ESG initiatives. Without the right culture, progress becomes very difficult.”

Once the right culture is in place, Nabhani believes AI tools can help organizations achieve greater efficiencies in their Sustainability efforts. “We first build the right culture, then assess, and finally embed AI tools to drive efficiencies in ESG,” he emphasizes.

CONTRIBUTING TO THE UAE

Solutions+ is committed to bringing value to every sector it manages, and this commitment extends to the UAE community. “We try to bring value to every sector we manage today,” says Nabhani.

The company has delivered significant savings in its BPO business, and Solutions+ also contributes to Abu Dhabi’s growth by accelerating businesses and creating jobs. Nabhani highlights that in the shared services sector, Solutions+ stands out as a pioneer in the shared services business in Abu Dhabi and the UAE, creating value through savings, efficiencies, and job creation.

A recent example of this commitment is the Solutions+ partnership with Oracle, to train Emirati graduates in Al Ain in the digital sector to support Solutions+ and its clients. Last month, Oracle and Solutions+ celebrated the graduation of the first cohort of Emirati trainees from their joint Emiratization training program, launched to accelerate the careers of fresh graduates and support the UAE’s national talent development goals.

“This program is more than training -it’s a pathway to meaningful careers for Emirati talent. We are proud to see the first group of graduates ready to step into roles that will help transform organizations across the UAE. This program aligns with the UAE’s vision to increase the participation of Emiratis in the private and semi-government sectors, contributing to the digital and AI economy, and fostering innovation within key industries. By equipping Emirati graduates with essential digital and technical skills, this collaboration between Solutions+ and Oracle responds to the growing demand for trained professionals who can lead the country’s digital transformation efforts.”

The aim is for the Emirati graduates from this first cohort to begin securing roles as Oracle digital consultants within partner organizations of Oracle and Solutions+, government entities, and the private sector. This would mark the program as a proven model for supporting Emiratisation in private and semi-government sectors.

Looking to the future, Solutions+ sees significant growth potential in two key areas: digital transformation and Sustainability. “In digital, we believe there is a huge opportunity for growth, building on what we’ve already established in ERP, managed services, and applications,” says Nabhani. Digital transformation remains a core focus as the company aims to expand its offerings.

Similarly, the company sees substantial growth opportunities in Sustainability. “We started small with certain ideas, focusing on energy efficiencies and carbon assessments,” explains Nabhani. “But we believe there’s a huge room for growth in this area as well. With the support of Mubadala, we wanted to extend our decarbonization services to many more companies in Abu Dhabi.”

“The story of Solutions+ is a sustainable growth story, and we want to build a strong foundation for each business to grow in Abu Dhabi and then take that beyond the UAE,” believes Nabhani.