Andrew Brown, Upstream International Director for Royal Dutch Shell, has said that the company values its partnership with the ADNOC Group of Companies. He said this in a statement on the occasion of his recent visit to Abu Dhabi and meetings with a number of senior officials. Andrew Brown said, \"We are proud of the long and successful history we have had in Abu Dhabi since 1939. Shell values its partnership with the ADNOC Group of Companies and as the largest international oil company investor in new technology; we hope to continue playing a role in helping the UAE meet its energy needs.\" He expressed his happiness to visit the Office of Shell Abu Dhabi and meeting with senior officials in the energy industries in the region. The visit to Abu Dhabi follows Mr. Brown\'s appointment in April 2012 as Shell\'s global Upstream Director, a role in which he oversees all of the company\'s exploration and production activities across five continents. Mr. Brown\'s visit to Abu Dhabi reflects the importance of the Emirate for Shell. The company has been involved in Abu Dhabi for more than seventy years. He added that beyond technology and innovation, Shell focuses on the development of youth in the UAE as a key component of its business activities. \"We want to be the employer of choice for UAE nationals and in cooperation with the government we are supporting Abu Dhabi\'s Economic Vision 2030 by imparting career knowledge to youth so they can take on the jobs of the future.\" Shell supports a number of youth initiatives in Abu Dhabi through its partnership with the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT). Recently, engineering students from the HCT became the first students from Abu Dhabi to participate in the upcoming Shell Eco-Marathon event, a global student competition to develop sustainable transport solutions. Shell also provides training and support to young UAE nationals who want to start their own business through its Intilaaqah Abu Dhabi program.