As Country Director of Cemex UAE, Mariusz Mlodawski holds the reins of the company’s cement, ready-mix concrete, and urban solutions operations throughout the Emirates. Having spent over 18 years with Cemex, 8 of which have been in the UAE, Mlodawski is known for his transformative leadership—a professional who turns vision into measurable success and builds resilience and innovation into every area he oversees.
His strategic approach has seen Cemex break records in sales, pioneer customer-centric and sustainable initiatives, and play vital roles in the UAE’s grandest projects, such as the award-winning One Za’abeel. Mlodawski’s academic credentials, including a master’s in management from Warsaw University, an Executive MBA, and coursework at Harvard Business School, complement his leadership prowess.
In this exclusive conversation, we delve into Cemex UAE’s ambitions, sustainability agenda, digital innovation, and more—directly with the visionary steering its journey in a dynamic, fast-evolving region. Below is the interview.
As Country Director of Cemex UAE, what is your overarching vision for the company’s growth and contribution in the region over the next five years? How do you see Cemex shaping the local construction landscape?
Having lived and worked in the UAE for the past eight years, I have witnessed firsthand the remarkable transformation of the country’s construction sector. The outlook for the coming years is very promising, with clear signs of continued growth, diversification, and innovation. At Cemex, we are proud to be part of this journey, and our vision is to strengthen our role as a trusted partner in shaping the UAE’s evolving urban and infrastructure landscape.
Our focus over the next five years is to reinforce our leadership position in the UAE, particularly in our core markets of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, while carefully monitoring opportunities across other Emirates. We would like to ensure that our full portfolio—cement, concrete, admixtures, and paving solutions—to be recognized for its quality and reliability, innovation and environmental responsibility.
For over 20 years, Cemex has supported the UAE’s major projects and remains dedicated to the UAE’s sustainable development goals. In line with the UAE’s National Net Zero by 2050 Pathway, we provide lower-carbon products that help reduce environmental impact while maintaining performance. Our focus on transparency and innovation delivers value to customers and communities.
Our approach focuses on inclusive and customer-centricity reflecting our commitment to meeting the needs of all market segments—ranging from landmark mega projects to private residences. Through this comprehensive reach and deep expertise, we strive to shape the future of construction in the UAE with resilience, responsibility, and excellence.
What are your key expectations and specific goals for Cemex in the UAE and the wider Middle East? Can you share the metrics or milestones you will use to measure success?
Cemex aim to be the leading partner for sustainable construction—delivering building materials, solutions that shape resilient, inclusive, and future-ready cities. We track our strategy using a series of metrics and KPIs both globally and locally covering commercial objectives like market share and profitability, through emission factors, air quality and circular economy to customer experience (including Net promoter Score and service performance).
Our goal is to be a recognized, trusted leader in major projects by consistently delivering excellent customer experiences at every stage.
“Our focus on transparency and innovation delivers value to customers and communities.”
Mariusz Mlodawski, took the stage at the Big 5 Global – ACI Concrete Talks, discussing the future of low carbon construction and sustainable innovation.
What major strategies or initiatives are you planning to expand Cemex’s presence and influence in the UAE market? How do you intend to differentiate Cemex from competitors in a rapidly evolving construction sector?
At the heart of our strategy is a commitment to shaping the future of construction in the UAE in a safe, sustainable, superior customer experience and operational excellence. As a leader in building materials, we strive to set the benchmark across four critical dimensions: Leader in Safety We believe safety is not just a protocol—it’s a mindset.
Our vision is to foster a zero-incident culture across every site, plant, and logistics channel. Through rigorous protocols and procedures, leverage of global best practices, extensive training, and a proactive safety-first approach, we aim to protect every employee, partner, and community we serve. Leader in Operational Excellence Efficiency, bespoke quality, and reliability are the cornerstones of our operations.
By embracing digital transformation, lean manufacturing, and extensive technical support, we deliver consistent quality at scale. Our goal is to continue to be the most efficient company in our industry and provide highest quality products and solutions. Leader In Sustainability We are committed to redefining what it means to build responsibly. From Vertua line of products, i.e. lower-carbon products, and solutions to our innovations, we aim to support the UAE’s Net Zero 2050 goals.
Sustainability is embedded in our products, our processes, and our partnerships—with every project contributing to a healthier planet. Leader in Service Level and Digitalization Being a service-level leader means going beyond just delivering products—it’s about delivering reliability, responsiveness, and value at every touchpoint. We aim to support our business partners not only to complete their projects on time but ahead of time.
By using our digital Cemex GO platform and Call Center support we offer multilingual, multichannel communication: offering real-time updates and support across platforms—website, email, phone, and on-site visits. Our goal is to be the most trusted partner in the region—one that clients rely on for on-time deliveries, transparency, and performance without compromise.Dubai is at the forefront of sustainable urban development.
What are the main challenges Cemex faces in advancing sustainability in the market, and what unique opportunities do you foresee for the company to lead in green building solutions?
The shift from prescriptive to performance-based concrete mix design is one of the most important—and challenging—transitions in the construction industry, especially in advanced markets like the UAE. Many consultants, engineers and contractors still rely on traditional prescriptive specs because they’re familiar and historically accepted—even if they don’t guarantee best performance.
Moreover, prescriptive specs often restrict the use of modern cement types, innovative admixtures, recycled materials, or alternative binders that could improve sustainability aspects, reduce CO2 and reduce costs.
One of the biggest opportunities is leveraging our portfolio of lower carbon products and solutions – Vertua – to support our business partners to achieve even the most rigorous sustainability standards and requirements as well to help them to differentiate from the competitors and offer outstanding value propositions.
“Sustainability is embedded in our products, our processes, and our partnerships—with every project contributing to a healthier planet.”
Cemex UAE had the honor of participating in the celebration of the 215thAnniversary of the Independence Day of Mexico, hosted by H.E Luis Alfonso de Alba, Ambassador of Mexico to the UAE.
How do you envision Cemex’s role in supporting the infrastructure ambitions of UAE and the Middle East? What is your approach to building and sustaining strategic partnerships with local stakeholders and government entities in order to achieve these goals?
Cemex is deeply committed to being a catalyst for sustainable infrastructure development across UAE. Our vision is to align our global expertise with the region’s bold ambitions, delivering innovative, lower-carbon building solutions that support resilient, future-ready cities.
We believe that long-term impact is built on trust, collaboration, and shared purpose. Our approach to partnerships includes Government and local authorities’ collaboration, Innovation Alliances, Transparency & Agility. We see ourselves not just as a supplier, but as a strategic partner in building the future of the UAE.
The conversation with Mariusz Mlodawski reminds us that the future of the UAE’s construction industry is not just about strong structures, but sustainable, inclusive, and innovative communities. With clear strategies, an unwavering focus on sustainability, and a passion for partnership, Cemex UAE is well-positioned to play a central role in the evolution of the region’s built environment—today and in the years to come.
Editorial Staff 2025
