Abdulbary Atassi

Abdulbary Atassi is CIO at Zamil Industrial, a prominent global manufacturer serving the HVAC, steel, construction, and manufacturing sectors. 

Zamil Industrial, founded in 1998 through the merger of several family-owned companies, has grown to become a key player in the Middle East and operates in over 90 countries worldwide. 

Abdulbary oversees the company’s IT, pursuing digital transformation initiatives that have a profound impact on manufacturing operations. "I lead a team of around 100 consultants and technical specialists around the world to bring the best technology and services to our affiliates," Abdulbary explains.

Abdulbary's educational background includes a BA in Computer Engineering from Alexandria University and an MA in Computer Science from Northeastern University in Boston. 

He began his career as a technical consultant with Oracle, specialising in ERP and business suite solutions. He then worked across various industries, including manufacturing, before becoming CIO at Enzyme Industrial, a chemicals manufacturer. 

His passion for technological development and transformation led him to Zamil Industrial, where he plays a crucial role in the company's IT-first approach. "Staying the same is not an option. It’s either change or die," he says of organisations, underscoring the critical importance of digital transformation in today’s business landscape.

At Zamil Industrial, Abdulbary has led the company’s IT-driven strategy, positioning technology as the backbone of its operations. 

Many manufacturing companies still approach IT as a secondary consideration, but Zamil Industrial views itself as IT-driven, a philosophy Abdulbary champions. 

"We think of ourselves in terms of IT, not as a service centre," he says. "We’re shifting away from the old style of IT service centres, digging deep into business processes, understanding needs, and guiding innovation." 

This approach has enabled the company to embrace Industry 4.0 technologies, including automation, cloud computing, and advanced analytics. 

Abdulbary’s strategic vision for Zamil Industrial includes its successful digital transformation of the HVAC and AC sectors. The company enhanced its internal applications, expanding its use of Oracle’s ERP and MES applications from core modules to 40.

"We made a major aggregate, enhanced the overall process, and took it to the cloud," Abdulbary explains. "Then we started talking about how to have seamless integration between both applications for a fully automated process." 

This transformation has enabled the company to improve productivity, reduce costs, and deliver higher customer satisfaction. Zamil Industrial is also pursuing broader initiatives in its steel division, integrating automation and robotics with new technologies like the Tela software for advanced detailing solutions.

Abdulbary’s work is not just about technological innovation but also about fostering collaboration and partnerships. He believes in the importance of this, describing his role as 90% communication. 

"It’s very hard to change people's mindset, especially when they’ve been in the business for a long time," he says. "A huge part of my role is resolving conflicts and fostering dialogue between the technology and business sides." 

Abdulbary’s leadership style focuses on delegation and empowering his team to share ideas. "I believe in giving free space to everybody to share their opinion and come up with new ideas," he adds, citing Steve Jobs' philosophy: "We hire smart people so they can tell us what to do."

Zamil Industrial’s partnerships with leading technology providers, such as Oracle, PTC, and Incorta, are integral to its digital transformation. 

These collaborations have allowed the company to integrate advanced analytics, cloud solutions, and CAD software, ensuring it stays ahead of the curve in a rapidly evolving technological landscape. 

"Technological change is not easy these days," Abdulbary notes. "We need to ensure that when we’re implementing solutions, they will service for at least ten to fifteen years." 

With Abdulbary at the helm, Zamil Industrial is poised to continue its growth, leading the charge in digital innovation across the global manufacturing sector.

To read the full article, click HERE.

Explore the latest edition of Technology Magazine and be part of the conversation at our global conference series, Tech & AI LIVE.

Discover all our upcoming events and secure your tickets today.

Technology Magazine is a BizClik brand