GE opens Brunei office

GENERAL Electric International Inc (GE) yesterday opened the doors to its first office in Brunei.

Located in the capital, the new office will serve as the hub for GE in one of the region's wealthiest economies, particularly in the energy sector.

The opening of the office represents a strategic move by the American giant in recognising the strength of Brunei's energy sector, which contributes to about half of the economy and over 90 per cent of export earnings.

The company has been a key energy partner in Brunei where GE-made technology is being used for the country's power generation installed base.

"Although the office is new, GE is not a new kid on the block here. We've had a presence in Brunei for more than 30 years, and we've been honoured to be able to participate in some of the most strategic projects in the energy sector here in Brunei," said Stuart Dean, the chief executive officer of GE ASEAN.

He also highlighted GE's growth strategy in ASEAN, home to some of the world's fastest growing and resource-rich emerging markets.

"GE has a long-standing presence in ASEAN, and a successful track record in co-creating with local partners to facilitate the development of the most advantageous solutions to the region's challenges," said Dean.

The Brunei headquarters is the eighth GE office in the ASEAN region.

"Our new office in Bandar Seri Begawan further demonstrates our long-term commitment to ASEAN and to Brunei, where we will collaborate more closely with the government and private sector to help achieve a dynamic and sustainable economy under Wawasan Brunei (vision Brunei) 2035," he added.

Mohd Pahmi Mokhtar, a country executive for GE Energy, said that GE is optimistic of its plans to expand its presence and capabilities in line with Brunei's White Paper on Energy which outlines strategies to ensure security, reliability, as well as efficient supply and use of energy.

"We are excited by this significant milestone, which illustrates GE's localisation strategy and our efforts to be closer to our customers," said Mohd Pahmi.

"We are looking to explore co-development opportunities to promote Supply Side Efficiency through application of new technologies in existing and new power plants. Additionally we are also interested in transmission and distribution such as smart grid programmes and state of the art grid solutions," he added.

Officiating the launch of the new office was the Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister's Office and Chairman of the Brunei Economic Development Board Dato Paduka Hj Ali Hj Apong.

Dato Paduka Hj Ali said the setup of the office not only signifies another milestone for GE but also the company's commitment and desire to contribute to the continuous development of Brunei.

Noting that GE has positioned itself well as a reputable industrial, financial and household name, the deputy minister said: "With these impressive global rankings, what GE can bring into Brunei today is not only a reputable brand name but more fundamentally it brings together it's expertise from the broad range of sectors that GE is involved in today, from energy and aviation to healthcare and technological innovation."The Brunei Times