Latest news with #AlMujaini
Sharjah 24
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sharjah 24
SAC 2025 draws its final frame after 4 days of insight
SAC 2025 also celebrated creative excellence with a $20,000 awards program, where Ahmed Bin Rakkad Al Ameri, CEO of SBA; and Pietro Pinetti, the Artistic Director of SAC; presented the 'Book Trailer Award', honoring outstanding efforts in literary visual storytelling; and the 'Pitch the Project Award', for culturally inspired children's animation concepts. The ceremony also recognised leading figures and influencers in animation, including a special lifetime achievement award to the late Masami Suda, with his wife, Chuda Suda, accepting the award on his behalf. As the renowned creator and character designer behind iconic works like 'Dragon Ball'; the award honoured his artistic legacy that inspired generations of fans worldwide. Additionally, the Sharjah Animation Conference Ambassador award was presented to the international animator Sandro Cleuzo, who has advanced the conference's vision and expanded its regional and global impact. The conference's success was enhanced with collaboration from key partners, including Du as official Telecommunication Partner; SAE Institute as Educational Partner; and Technical Partners, Toon Boom, Wacom, and HP; all providing expertise and technology to elevate the 4-day event. Together as one creative community Khoula Al Mujaini, Executive Director of SAC, underscored the conference's expansive impact, crediting its success to the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah; and the guidance of Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of SBA. 'SAC has become a true growing platform; a space where publishers, artists, industry leaders, and broadcasters meet, collaborate, and convert ideas into reality,' Al Mujaini remarked. 'We'll continue to connect through online and offline meetups throughout the year because we believe in building bridges, not just events. In learning, in sharing knowledge, in staying together as one creative community.' Al Mujaini also emphasised that the rapid pace of technological innovation in animation requires content creators to remain continuously responsive to new developments. She described the conference as a vital platform that connects aspiring animators with industry leaders, fostering an environment of learning, experimentation and meaningful international collaboration. The future of animation SAC 2025's agenda offered a forward-looking lens into the digital future of animation and hosted more than 35 specialised workshops and 29 roundtables and panel discussions covering illustration, animation, scripting, as well as digital technologies and AI. Key figures in character design and production unveiled the secrets behind iconic scenes and shared advanced techniques for character animation. The programme also explored global examples of adapting literary works into animated television and cinema productions, providing unparalleled learning opportunities. Connecting the global industry, the 4-day conference created a dynamic platform for content creators to exchange insights and build professional connections, with the conversations addressing key institutional challenges, including the need for stronger local production infrastructure and strategies to enhance global collaboration in content distribution and broadcasting. Notably, women played a prominent role in the discourse, with leading female creators and industry leaders sharing powerful reflections on the projects that have made a mark on the global stage. SAC Awards 2025 amplifies creative voices The closing ceremony celebrated creativity and cultural heritage with its Book Trailer Award and Pitch the Project Award, distributing a $20,000 prize pool to honor outstanding talent. The Book Trailer Award, recognising visionary adaptations of literature into promotional videos, crowned Ahmed Arnaouty as its first-place winner, followed by Aishwarya Carriappa and Zainab Jebur for their visual interpretation of the book 'Dooq Dooq' by Shereen Sabbagh. Meanwhile, the Pitch the Project Award, which challenged creators to design animated series rooted in regional traditions for young audiences, awarded top honors to Mohammed Jandali, Abdalla Almunajad received second place, and Eslam Aboshady secured third place for their culturally rich storytelling proposals. The awards underscores SAC's commitment to nurturing talent that bridges global animation trends with the Middle East's vibrant heritage, amplifying voices poised to shape the industry's future. Concerts, networking event, and screenings Elevating SAC 2025's cultural and collaborative offerings, attendees reveled in live performances from Italy's Florence Pops Orchestra with the closing ceremony concluding with a concert that blended various memorable soundtracks from animated films. The evenings of Day 1 & 3, also witnessed the orchestra deliver renditions of Disney classics like The Lion King and Frozen; and a nostalgic Studio Ghibli tribute featuring Joe Hisaishi's iconic scores from Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro. On the evening of Day 2, the historic Bait Alowal hosted an exclusive networking evening, uniting industry leaders and creators to forge partnerships, and across the four days, curated film screenings celebrated animation's legacy and future, spotlighting indie gems and emerging regional talent alongside beloved Oscar-winning classics.
Al Etihad
24-04-2025
- Business
- Al Etihad
ADNOC exec Dr. Hasan Al Mujaini shares leadership and innovation insights in new book
25 Apr 2025 01:47 SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)In his new book, Dr. Hasan Saleh Al Mujaini, Finance Controller at one of the foremost oil and gas enterprises, ADNOC, shares valuable insights about leadership, innovation and the transformative influence of AI in shaping the future of Al Mujaini, who holds a PhD in Management from Universiti Sains Malaysia, has an extensive research portfolio spanning corporate foresight, organisational excellence, human capital management and artificial academic endeavours have made the pages of many prestigious international his recent book, "Breaking Boundaries: Unleashing Organizational Excellence", Dr Al Mujaini said that innovations, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation are no longer tools but engines of organisational posits these as strategic levers that require a change in culture and a strong vision in leadership, facilities designed to guide leaders and professionals through complexity in this digital age. In an interview with Aletihad , he said: "A recurring message is that true transformation starts with people; leaders must champion continuous learning and guide their teams through change with clarity and purpose. Success in the modern world demands visionary leadership that empowers people and embraces technology as a catalyst for excellence." He stressed that since AI is both a catalyst for opportunities and a threat, ethical leadership must act with anticipation rather than react in to Dr. Al Mujaini, ethics should start from the leadership and set down firm guidelines for AI guidelines should include algorithm transparency, auditing for bias, and limiting over-dependence on automation."It is essential to ensure AI is a force for good in organisational life."Reflecting on how his time in Malaysia shaped his view on innovation and global competitiveness, Dr. Al Mujaini said: "Studying in Malaysia was a transformative experience. It showed me that innovation is not exclusive to tech giants or developed economies. It thrives in environments where diversity, resilience, and curiosity intersect."Malaysia's balance between tradition and modernity, and its emphasis on education and R&D, taught me that global competitiveness is less about scale and more about mindset."He said that true progress comes not from tools or systems, but from tackling cultural inertia. Once employees are empowered and involved, performance significantly improves."It reinforced my belief that organisational excellence starts with human engagement, not systems or metrics alone."The book warns that a key blind spot in digital transformation is viewing it as merely an IT task, with leaders often overlooking the cultural resistance that can hinder progress."Without investing in communication and training, technology often fails to deliver on its promise. Leaders must recognise that transformation is as much about people and processes as it is about platforms."On balancing rapid innovation with organisational values and human-centric cultures, he noted: "I advocate for 'conscious innovation', where we measure success not just in speed or scalability, but in how innovations align with our core values and impact our people. When values are embedded in the innovation process, human-centric cultures are not only preserved - they are strengthened."Successful transformations show that innovation can go hand-in-hand with investing in people and sustainability, modernising operations while staying true to core education is evolving, but still lags behind what future leaders need, Dr. Al Mujaini noted, adding: "Future-ready leadership demands adaptive thinking, interdisciplinary knowledge, and future foresight capabilities. I believe curricula must incorporate emerging technologies, cross-disciplinary learning, and real-world challenges that mirror the dynamic global business environment."He stressed that strategy is not about size, but about firms can innovate by starting small, staying agile, and fostering a learning culture without substantial Al Mujaini asserted that foresight is not prediction, it is about preparation, scenario planning and making resilient decisions."Foresight does not mean knowing exactly what will happen but being ready when it does."Commenting on emerging trends, he predicted: "I believe the next wave will centre around cognitive collaboration - how humans and intelligent systems co-create solutions. As AI becomes more intuitive and embedded, the focus will shift from automation to augmentation. How we structure these relationships ethically, creatively and inclusively will define the next era of business. Another potential focus could be organisational sustainability in the age of digital disruption."He concluded that being future-ready means constantly learning, connecting with experts, mentoring talent and applying insights - especially around sustainability, tech and energy transition."Staying future-ready means staying intellectually curious and strategically adaptive."Dr. Al Mujaini is currently in the process of publishing his next book, "Future Foresight in the UAE: Pathways to Tomorrow".
