Reda Nidhakou is interim Head of VentureOne, the commercialization arm of Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC), mandated to shape an R&D ecosystem in the UAE capital. In this role, he is establishing the entity and its initial operations, including the commercialization of the first set of technologies developed by ATRC’s Technology Innovation Institute (TII), and the creation of dedicated ventures to productize and commercialize select technologies. He is also overseeing select strategic initiatives for ATRC with a broader impact on Abu Dhabi’s Technology ecosystem.

He brings some 12 years of experience in strategy and program management to his role.

Nidhakou is Senior Vice President of Strategy and Portfolio Management within the EDGE Group’s Chairman’s Office, where he manages strategic initiatives related to Advanced Technology and Innovation. Having held several senior management roles at EDGE since its creation, he played an instrumental role in establishing the Group and its initial governance and operating model, and he managed multiple group-wide initiatives focused on M&A, innovation, Industry 4.0, and talent development.

Prior to joining EDGE, Reda Nidhakou was Director of Program Management at KATIM (previously Digital14), where he was responsible for delivering complex technology and cyber security programs for government clients, alongside leading initiatives to drive the adoption of disruptive technologies.

Previously, he completed a tenure at EY in the Paris office as Senior Strategy Consultant, where he led and contributed to strategic assignments for Telco and media organizations in areas such as strategic planning, mergers and acquisitions, and product strategy. 

Reda Nidhakou holds a Master of Digital and Technology Management degree from HEC Paris, France, as well as a Master of Engineering degree in Information Communication and Technology from Telecom Paris. In addition, he earned a Project Management Professional certificate from PMI.