Apave's Global Journey: Driving Risk Management and Innovation in the Middle East

Apave's growth strategy was a response to a key challenge: the company's reliance on a mature, historically French-focused domestic market. To secure long-term competitiveness, Apave launched an ambitious five-year strategic plan in 2020. This initiative has yielded significant results in just four years:

• Group Revenue: Increased from €950M to €1.4B
• International Contribution: International revenue has doubled its contribution to 40% of total revenue
• Global Presence: Expanded to operations in nearly 60 countries
• Workforce Growth: Grew from 11,000 to 17,500 employees worldwide
• Strategic Acquisitions: Completed approximately 25 major acquisitions

This growth has been meticulously guided by three fundamental pillars:

• Proximity and Agility: By standardizing key processes while maintaining the flexibility to adapt to local market demands, Apave ensures it remains a responsive and trusted partner for clients worldwide.
• Strategic Sector Focus: Apave has strategically channeled resources into high-potential industries, particularly in the Middle East and India, where sectors such as oil and gas, conventional power, renewable energy, and infrastructure present significant growth opportunities. The company is actively expanding its technical services and expertise in cutting-edge fields like hydrogen solutions and zero-carbon initiatives.
• Empowered People Culture: This pillar underscores Apave's commitment to its employees, fostering a culture of trust and ownership reinforced by a comprehensive Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy focused on employee safety, development, and gender equality.

The Middle East is a key market and a major success story in Apave's global expansion. The company now generates an impressive €52 million in annual revenue in the region and employs 1,100 professionals, a testament to its expanding capabilities and client base. Apave's core services, including Third Party Inspection, Risk Consulting, non-destructive testing (NDT), asset integrity management, Training and material testing, are critical to ensuring safety and operational excellence in the region's most vital sectors.

In conclusion, with a look to the future, as articulated by Shiju Kumar himself: "We are actively targeting continued expansion in key regions like the Middle East and Southeast Asia, with a particular emphasis on renewable energies. We are also exploring the early-stage applications of artificial intelligence to enhance our inspection tools and boost our operational efficiency."

Find the article first appeared in EIC Survive & Thrive 2025, published by the Energy Industries Council (page 52 and 53).