In Control

Dilip Sinha

MEP Middle East speaks to Electrical Devices and Systems GM Dilip Sinha about the company’s long history in the region, and its outlook for the future.

Sinha, who is an electrical engineer as well as holding an MBA, has been in the region for about 25 years, ranging from Dubai to Saudi Arabia and Oman. “I started with the power industry – generation, transmission and distribution. I was involved in that industry in the Middle East for almost five to seven years. Then I moved into controls and automation, which had more to do with oil and gas, the biggest sector in the region. Then a little over nine years back I moved to Honeywell; my direct involvement in the business which I lead in the region is construction. So if you look at it, I have been involved in all three key areas in the region – power, oil and gas and construction.”

This scope of service has given Sinha a unique perspective on the evolution of the region: “I have seen the boom of the early 1980s, the oil-price crash in 1986 and 1987 and its impact on the region. I have seen the bust of the 1990s, the Gulf War, the slowdown for the next seven to eight years actually, and the subsequent boom, particularly in Dubai, followed by the impact of the most recent economic downturn.”

So how does the current downturn compare? Is this the worst it has ever been? Sinha says that while the rest of the region escaped relatively unscathed, the biggest impact was on Dubai due to its phenomenal growth in the past decade. “Dubai is dependent upon trade and business, and not so much on oil, and thus the impact was felt more keenly here. But having said that, if you look back at the last seven to eight years and what Dubai has created, because I have experienced the entire region over many years, it has created a world-class infrastructure.

“It is a great business hub, and has always been. It is a great place for most of the multinationals to not only be based here, but to expand their operations regionally. There are other parts of the region with a lot of activity and potential, but in terms of infrastructure, Dubai really stands head and shoulders above the rest. The way I look at it is that while a lot of people have written Dubai off, in the coming years it is going to play a major role, not just in the region, but in the world.

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“The ease with which you can do business here is more pronounced than any other place I have come across, combined with the easy tax laws and the good quality of life to be had with families. As soon as the storm clouds of the current economic crisis start to dissipate, Dubai’s role from a global standpoint will become increasingly important.” Sinha argues that the so-called total collapse of the construction industry in Dubai is only a short- to medium-term setback.

"Even now infrastructure is a key focus. If you look at power generation, water, wastewater and transportation, phenomenal amounts of money are being spent.”

Sinha explains that Honeywell has been in the region for over 30 years, spanning sectors as diverse as building automation, oil and gas, process controls, aerospace, petchem, security and fire alarm systems. “Honeywell is structured in different businesses. The business I represent is Electrical Devices and Systems, and the brand it represents within Honeywell is called MK. For over 90 years, MK has been the world leader in the construction industry in providing some of the safest and highest-quality electrical switches and cable management products.

“We have also been involved with many of the British Standards that have been established, and have been responsible for such global firsts as the 13 A three-pin switch socket, an MK invention. Most importantly for the region, MK as a brand has been there for about 50 years – longer than some of the countries there have been in existence. The brand is held with high regard and passion across the region. Customers hold it very close to their hearts. In most of the countries where we are represented, if not all, we either have a leading position or are among the top two.”

How important is the Middle East market to Honeywell’s global business? Sinha says the company began investing heavily in the region almost a decade ago in terms of setting up operations, staff and engineering and training resources. “So we have really invested a lot. The way Honeywell looks at the Middle East is that it perceives it as being one of the areas with the greatest future potential, along with Asia Pacifica, South East Asia and India. That is why Honeywell has such a lot of confidence in anticipated future growth in the region.”