Bahraini Dr. Abeer Shaheen Leads Sustainability and Energy Transition Efforts Regionally and Globally

Shabab Times: Dr. Abeer Mohammed Shaheen from the Kingdom of Bahrain continues to cement her presence as one of the country’s leading women in sustainability, energy transition, and ESG governance. She draws on more than 28 years of professional experience in crafting strategies and executing high-impact initiatives across global markets. Shaheen combines strategic vision with executional capability, with a distinguished record in designing solutions that advance net-zero and emissions-reduction goals, focusing on smart cities, renewable energy, and climate-tech innovation.

Throughout her career, she has played a prominent role in aligning business strategies with sustainability objectives and regulatory compliance, and in actively engaging in global dialogues-among them COP28 ... in addition to contributing to the development of GCC climate strategies. Shaheen underscores the use of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies to maximize sustainable growth, support decision-making, and build climate-adaptation capabilities across critical sectors.

Executive leadership through pivotal milestones

Dr. Shaheen founded Archisustainable LLC (2014–present) to lead net-zero and decarbonization initiatives in energy, real estate, and urban transformation, embedding innovation-driven low-carbon solutions. She also served as Senior Vice President for the National Energy Strategy in Bahrain, where she led the Program Management Office for the national strategy, ensured energy efficiency and the expansion of renewables, aligned policies with ESG frameworks, and coordinated among government, the private sector, and international partners-consistent with the Net-Zero 2060 target.At ADNOC (Abu Dhabi) since 2014, Dr. Shaheen represented the company as Official Spokesperson for Energy-Sector Sustainability at COP28 (2023–September 2024), and led the emissions-reduction roadmap, achieving a notable 50% reduction across assets. She also managed specialized teams to secure LEED certifications for buildings ahead of schedule, oversaw sustainability reporting and external assurance, and integrated climate and ESG metrics. She contributed to Sustainability Strategy 2020, developed feasibility studies and implementation plans for ESG-responsive real-estate assets, and oversaw built-asset portfolios in Abu Dhabi totaling approximately 200 million square meters.

Additionally, she served as an External Industrial Examiner at Seoul National University (June 2025) for an ADNOC-funded PhD thesis, providing feedback on the strategic fit and policy implications of the proposed models for the GCC energy sector. Previously, she was a Consultant in Corporate Management and Strategy (2014–2019), led the PMO 2015 program to success, and oversaw LEED Platinum accreditation for ADNOC HQ.

Bahraini professionalism with a regional vision

Nationally, Dr. Shaheen served as Executive Advisor to the Minister of Housing - Strategic Project Director (2011–2014), during which she led the Revival of Authentic Districts in Bahrain for residential purposes and obtained Cabinet approval. She contributed to launching housing projects (including the opening of “Maskan 1”), represented the Minister with The Prince’s Foundation in London, joined the National Energy Conservation task force at the Prime Minister’s Office, and chaired the Gulf Housing Award. She also worked as a consultant and designer with the King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy in collaboration with MIT Senseable City Lab, served as a Visiting Fellow at Harvard Graduate School of Design since 2006, and was an academic member of the Architectural Association in London.

From knowledge to impact

Dr. Shaheen holds a PhD in Environmental Design/Architecture and the Built Environment from the Architectural Association (London, 2007), an MSc in Computer-Aided Environmental Design from the University of Sheffield (2000), and a BSc in Architecture from the United Arab Emirates University (1997).She further developed her expertise through Harvard Business School programs in Leadership and Sustainable Business Strategy, and the MIT/MIT Media Lab program “Beyond Smart Cities.”

Quotes from Dr. Abeer Shaheen

“Sustainability today is not a cosmetic option; it is a business strategy, a long-term growth engine, and a platform for partnerships that make a real difference in people’s lives.”

“We turn climate ambition into actionable roadmaps, powered by data and AI, taking practical steps toward net-zero.”

About Archisustainable LLC

A consultancy specializing in sustainability, energy transition, and ESG, designing and implementing decarbonization and net-zero solutions for public and private sectors. The firm brings expertise in smart cities, sustainable real-estate portfolio management, corporate governance, and integrating emerging technologies into decision-making processes.