MENA Construction Summit 2023

The fourth edition of this event continues MEEDs commitment supporting meaningful discussion around the delivery of construction projects on-time, in budget and with raised standards of sustainability and efficiency.

6

June

  • Crowne Plaza - RDC, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
  • Free

Why attend?

What to expect for 2023?

The 4th annual MENA Construction Summit will be hosted at Crowne Plaza Riyadh RDC Hotel & Convention, Saudi Arabia on Tuesday 6 June, 2023.  Expert-led insight and peer-to-peer networking.

30+

Speakers

100+

Companies represented

200+

Summit Attendees

54%

Director / C-level

36%

Technical leaders

30+

Speakers

100+

Companies represented

200+

Summit Attendees

54%

Director / C-level

36%

Technical leaders

Who will attend?

Exhibit various disciplines

Why Sponsor?

Testimonials

MENA Construction Summit 2022 Highlights

Agenda

  • 6 Jun 2023
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8 AM

Arrival, Registration, Coffee & Networking

9 AM

Chairman Welcome Remarks

Speakers

9:10 AM

Opening Keynote Address: Driving the Saudi Vision 2030

9:20 AM

Keynote Opening Address / Fireside Chat: Future Opportunities for the PIF Saudi Giga Projects Program

This keynote session will detail the current achievements, current development and future opportunities surrounding giga projects in Saudi Arabia. Outlining future strategies and investment plans for the development of Saudi Arabia.

Speakers

9:40 AM

CE0 & Leaders Keynote Panel Discussion: Leading the Change – Achieving the National Vision 2030

  • Discussing key learnings from the progress of giga project developments over the last 12 months
  • Examining future plans and opportunities ahead and how to get involved
  • Can greater adoption of smart technology improve project delivery and what are the barriers still to overcome using digital tools? - making the right choices for optimising project delivery
  • What are the most important issues facing the industry ahead in 2023/4?
  • What are the project challenges for delivering the long-term 2030 Saudi vision and what’s beyond..

Speakers

10:30 AM

Coffee and Networking Break

11 AM

Panel Discussion: Increasing skill capabilities to meet the critical needs of delivering giga projects in Saudi Arabia

  • What are the main challenges to boosting skill capabilities to meet the required needs of the construction sector?

Speakers

11:40 AM

Case Study Presentation: Modular and Offsite Construction

12 PM

Panel Discussion: Decarbonising and shaping cities of the future through energy efficiency

This panel session will discuss building resilient, sustainable, and smart cities of the future.

  • How can the construction industry contribute to achieving net zero carbon emissions? – accomplishing Saudi’s vision and ambitious sustainability goals
  • Achieving decarbonisation through energy efficient technologies and choice of materials – the need to prioritise efficiency and cost-saving opportunities
  • Discussing government plans and energy initiatives / targets towards a more sustainable future
  • Exploring building retrofitting programmes for sustainable cities
  • The race to deliver the visions – meeting the measurables / delivery for net zero

12:40 PM

Case Study Presentation: Digital Twins

1 PM

Fireside Chat – Delivering projects in the digital age and shaping the smart pathway of tomorrow’s project delivery.

This important 1-1 fireside chat conversation will highlight how digitalisation can effectively optimise project delivery whilst transforming asset operations.

1:20 PM

Lunchtime Sponsor Announcement & Speech

1:30 PM

Lunch and networking

2:30 PM

Presentation: MEED 2023 Saudi Projects Market Update

A run through of the current and planned mega / giga construction projects in Saudi Arabia. Don’t miss this timely update on the project landscape for 2023/24 providing business critical insights from a leading MEED business analyst.

3 PM

Panel discussion: Modular and offsite construction

3:40 PM

Case Study Presentation: Exploring the challenges and implementation of BIM – transforming and revolutionising the scope of the Saudi Arabian construction project landscape

4 PM

Closing Remarks by the Chairman

4:05 PM

Final Networking Break

4:30 PM

Close of Event

9 AM

Chairman Welcome Remarks

Ed James, Head of Content & Research MEA, MEED / GlobalData, UAE

2023 Speakers

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Jacob Mumm
President, Bechtel Infrastructure – Saudi Arabia

A partner in Bechtel and amongst its senior most project execution-focused leaders, Jacob (Jake) Mumm is the President for Bechtel Infrastructure in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In this role, he is accountable for profit and loss, business development, and all project operations.
Prior to his current assignment, Jake led an international consortium contracted to deliver a key component of Riyadh city’s extensive and transformative metro project, the Riyadh Metro Project (RMP). He was accountable for delivering $11B of design and build scope comprising two metro lines, 39 new stations, and 63km of track—all within the confines of one of the world’s largest capital cities.
Jake’s widely acknowledged leadership skills and ability to bring diverse stakeholders together strengthened vital relationships and driven substantial progress on RMP and all projects he has led, including the Keeyask Hydroelectric Project. As Senior Project Director, Jake was responsible for a $3B expansion for Manitoba Hydro and the 4 Manitoba First Nations, providing 4,400 gigawatt hours of renewable energy per year.
Jake brings extensive experience in engineering, construction, contracts, and project management developed over his 20+ year career. His rail sector experience includes the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project, Desire Streetcar Line, and, most recently, RMP.
Jake’s commitment to his customers’ projects is also reflected in the numerous locations in which he has lived and worked, including several locations in North America, Canada, the UK, Romania, and the Middle East. He enjoys the challenges and rewards brought by varying project assignments.
Jake holds a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Tulane University, where he has served on the Board of Advisors since 2015. He also holds a Master’s Degree in Middle East Studies from the American University of Beirut. He was elected principal vice president in 2015 and senior vice president in 2021.
Before joining Bechtel, he worked for Parsons Brinckerhoff. He maintains a home in Washington, DC and is married with three children.

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Ed James
Head of Content & Research MEA, MEED

A well-known and respected thought leader in MENA affairs, Edward James has been with MEED for more than 19 years, working as a researcher, consultant and content director. Until September 2008 he was MEED’s Gulf Bureau Chief, after which he moved over to head up the consulting arm of the business. From 2015-2021 he was responsible for content and research at MEED Projects, the region’s leading projects tracking service. Today he heads up all content and research produced by the MEED group. His specific areas of expertise are construction, hydrocarbons, power and water, and the petrochemical market, and is considered one of the world’s foremost experts on the MENA projects market. He is a regular guest commentator on Middle East issues for news channels such as the BBC, CNN and ABC News and is a regular speaker at events in the region. He has an honours degree in Arabic and Middle East Politics.

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Colin Foreman
Editor, MEED

Colin Foreman is Editor and a Specialist Construction Journalist for news and analysis on MEED.com and the MEED magazine. He has been reporting on the region since 2003, specialising in the construction sector and its impact on the broader economy. He has reported exclusively on a wide range of projects across the region including schemes such as Dubai Metro, the Burj Khalifa, Jeddah Airport, Doha Metro, Hamad International Airport, and Yas Island. Before joining MEED, Colin reported on the construction sector in the Middle East and Hong Kong. He has a bachelor’s degree from Newcastle University and a master’s degree from the University of Reading.

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Eng Ahmad G. Darwish
Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), Red Sea Global

Eng. Ahmad G. Darwish is the Group Chief Administrative Officer of Red Sea Global (RSG), the developer behind The Red Sea and AMAALA, two ambitious tourism projects set along the northwestern coast of Saudi Arabia. These destinations will play key roles in the realization of Vision 2030, the Kingdom’s blueprint for economic diversification and sustainable development.
With over 20 years of project management, business development, and strategic planning experience, Ahmad has been instrumental in developing RSG’s business strategy. He is responsible for its day-to-day operations, human resources management, finance and administration functions as well as overseeing development and implementation of company policies and regulations to ensure compliance with local laws and regulations. In addition, he ensures that all departments and employees are in accord with the company's vision and objectives.
Prior to joining RSG, Ahmad spent 20 years working for Saudi Aramco where he managed multiple projects for King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), including the KAUST Research Park Infrastructure Project and the Saudi Aramco Research Center.
He is a certified member of the Project Management Institute and the Saudi Council of Engineers and holds a BSc in Electric Engineering from the University of Portland, US, and an MSc in Electronic and Electrical Engineering from the University of Glasgow, UK.

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Mark Graham
Executive Director Technical Engineering, ROSHN
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Arsen Safaryan
Director - Digital Technology, Saudi Entertainment Ventures (Seven)
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Dr Ahmed Shalaby
President & Chief Executive Officer, Tatweer Misr Egypt

Dr. Ahmed Shalaby, Ph.D. is the President & CEO of Tatweer Misr and a Founding Member of its Board of Directors, a position he held since mid. 2014. Drawing on his extensive planning and business management experience, Dr. Shalaby supervises the day-to-day management of the company, including the business development and the strategic planning for Tatweer Misr’s projects. In addition to his work with Tatweer Misr, Dr. Shalaby is also a Professor of Architecture and Urban Development at the Department of Architectural Engineering at Cairo University, Egypt, a Former Visiting Assistant Professor at the Department of City and Regional Planning at Cornell University, USA. Dr. Shalaby also holds prestigious positions including being Co-Chair of Real Estate committee at the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt (AmCham), Vice- Chairman of the Real Estate Export Council and Board Member at the Egyptian-Emirati Business Council. Prior to the inception of Tatweer Misr, Dr. Shalaby spent a year working at El Mostakbal for Urban Development, where he held the position of Advisor to the Chairman. During his time with El Mostakbal, Dr. Shalaby played an integral role in the development of Mostakbal City; one of the largest mixed-use urban developments in the New Cairo area. An established engineer in the field of architecture, urban development and a real estate expert in his own right, Dr. Shalaby has over 25 years of experience as an architecture consultant and in developing and managing real estate portfolios in Egypt. Dr. Shalaby held prestigious positions whilst working with Al Fawares Holding where he was responsible for real estate investments in addition to his work for the Egyptian Ministry of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities as a Technical Advisor to the Minister. Dr. Shalaby holds a bachelor’s degree in Architectural Engineering , which he received in 1993. Afterwards, he pursed his studies receiving his master’s degree in 1998, followed by his PhD in Urban Planning, which he received in 2003 through a joint program between Cairo University, Egypt and Cornell University, USA.

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Eng Muna Alamoodi
Climate Change Advisor, Ministry of Climate Change & Environment UAE

Muna Alamoodi has joined the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment in 2022 as a Climate Change Advisor. Earlier she was working at the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure as Energy policy expert at the assistant undersecretary office for Electricity, Water & Future Energy and previously she was the Director of Future Energy and Supply Security Department. Managing several strategic projects and a member of several committees, bringing together 15 years of experience in field of sustainability, climate change, carbon management, future energy, environment, and waste management. Mrs. Alamoodi holds a Master of Science: Excellence in Environmental Management from Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University and a Bachelor of Science: Biology from United Arab Emirate University, in addition to being certified for Project Management Professional PMP and ISO Lead Auditor (EHSQ).

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Andrew Tyson
Head of Project and Construction, The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC) Saudi Arabia

Andrew has over 39 years’ international experience in project and construction management, including a number of major building and infrastructure projects.   He has held senior roles in the delivery of a number of high-profile projects in the UK, Hong Kong, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, working extensively in Main Contracting, Client and Consultancy organizations.    His experience includes Hospitality, Leisure, Retail, Infrastructure, Commercial and Industrial developments.   After initially working for Main Contractors in the UK, Andrew relocated to Hong Kong where he worked as Project Manager for a large Management Contractor for eight years.   Since moving to the Middle East in 2004, he has held senior leadership roles on the delivery of projects such as Ski Dubai and Etihad Rail Phase 1, as well as leading the 175-strong Construction Management team on the Atlantis The Palm, Project in Dubai.   For 2 ½ years Andrew held the role of VP-Construction with MGM Hospitality, after which he joined AECOM in 2011, eventually leading a team of 500 Project & Construction Management and Supervision resources across the UAE and Oman.   Andrew joined The Red Sea Development Company in July 2018 to lead the Project and Construction Management team responsible for the on-site delivery of the project.

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Dr.-Ing. Ali Ismail
BIM Expert, Dubai Municipality UAE

Dr. Ali Ismail works as a BIM expert in Dubai Municipality and actively involved in developing and executing Dubai BIM Roadmap and managing the UAE buildingSMART chapter.  He holds a PhD degree in civil engineering from TU Dresden-Germany. He is specialized in construction project planning using simulation and the founder of openBIM platform IFCWebServer.org. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ali-ismail76/

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Aref Boualwan
Chief Initiatives & Startups Officer, Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC)

Aref occupies Executive positions at multinational corporations in Digital Transformation for over twenty years. He also holds a “Strategy Officer” position at the World Economic Forum, Member of Board of Directors at Technology & Innovation Startups, & Advisor\ Consultant for Universities & International Research Groups\ Expert Networks. Aref’s career at CCC Group included creating & implementing Third and Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies in operations of turnover values exceeding $70 Billion. With last years’ focus being on providing vision, direction, and leadership to a large number of discrete Strategic Initiatives & projects that drive organization-wide transformational & digital change. Aref is CEO of “CCC Startup” company; a subsidiary of CCC Group that implements, in partnership with tech Startups, disruptive technologies. He, & his geographically diversified team in Europe, & Middle East delivered world record innovations in Renewables, 3D Printing, Wearables, IoT, Additive Manufacturing, AI, etc. Aref is a “Strategy Officer” at the “World Economic Forum” contributing for years to many studies & white papers. Work includes: World’s megatrends, Industry 4.0, Infrastructure 4.0, Globalization 4.0, Fourth Industrial Revolution, UN SDGs relevant initiatives, etc. At United Nations GlobalABC, Aref contributes to studies related to Net Zero Carbon Transition, Efficient & Resilient Buildings\ Construction Sector. Aref is a consultation group member at OECD Blue Dot Network, an initiative that puts ESG at the heart of infrastructure development. Aref is an advisor and board member to various startups that digitally transform legacy industries. He excels at mentoring seed-stage startups to achieve product-market fit, sell to C-level and executive decision-makers, and become international revenue-generating businesses. All the startups he has partnered with have successfully raised Series A & B rounds from world-renowned investors. Recognized commentator and speaker at events organized by the UN, EU Arab Summit, BuiltWorlds Summit, The Big 5, The Solar Show, Construction Tech. Forum, etc. Opinion cited in Reuters, Business Green, Yahoo Finance, Forbes Middle East, MEED, MTV, Euro2Day, BusinessNews, Business Insider, Markets Insider, etc. Aref has a proven track record as an executive with a business vision, hard-core technical skills & the ability to grow/motivate/bring people together. A career of building businesses through innovation & technology.

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Asim Rehmani
Digital Transformation Manager – VDC, EllisDon UAE

Asim is Digital Transformation Manager - VDC at Ellisdon – Dubai. He's held leadership roles in Digital Transformation in AEC industry, including heading the Digital Twins Strategy and Implementation for Built Environment, Digital Asset Delivery and Management, BIM Integration Strategy and Implementation Program. Asim collaborates closely with all stakeholders, including asset owners, architects, engineers, general contractors and supply chain partners. He's also volunteered to serve as an Advisor and Author to the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure - UAE in the development of the UAE's National Smart Construction Guidelines. Asim works across the Middle East providing consultancy on implementation of innovative technological workflows in Built Environment Life Cycle.

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Eng. Atter Ezzat Hannoura
Director PPP Central Unit, Ministry of Finance Egypt

Engineer Atter Hannoura has +39 years of professional experience in different capacities and business sectors. He is a holder of a Law Degree, Cairo University/2016, Diploma in Large Procurements ILO/Italy/2004 and a B. Sc. Engineering/(ICT) Alexandria University in 1981.   Eng. Hannoura is a PPP Expert, with solid procurement, and contract management experience. Professional business experience is mainly gained due to working at multinational organizations since 1997, ten years at the USAID, and the World Bank as a Management Information System (MIS) and Procurement Expert, Experience then extended to cover the full Project Management, Financing and Contract Management in the MENA Region.   Since Feb 1st, 2007, Eng. Atter Hannoura has joined the Ministry of Finance/Egypt to participate in establishing the PPP Central Unit. Eng. Hannoura was appointed by the Minister of Finance to be the Director of the PPP Central Unit. Work included but not limited to being the Director of the Central Department for PPP Projects, Tendering Affairs & Contract Management. Eng. Hannoura was also responsible for implementing PPP initiative on a national basis and drafting the PPP legal frame work in Egypt since May 2011.   Hannoura strongly managed feasibility studies, preparation and tendering of several PPP projects in Utilities, transportation, health, education, ports, and communication sectors in addition to creating additional PPP pipeline projects.     Eng. Hannoura worked as a Deputy General Manager, Business Development Director, and Vice President for different Regional and Local Organizations with a strong customer’s needs & a continuous stakeholder engagement. Such variance provided high exposures in senior and broadly based wider commercial aspects such as legal, logistics, sales and distribution experience in wide business aspects in the Egyptian and Middle Eastern markets.   Hannoura was also Chairman & CEO at Egyptian Countryside Development Company – A State Owned Company responsible for the reclamation of 1.5 million feddans initiative. (2016-2020)

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Damian Regan
Sustainability Reporting & Assurance Leader, Deloitte Middle East

Background

Damian is the Deloitte Middle East Reporting Assurance Leader for Sustainability and is based in Dubai. He has over 25 years experience in providing Assurance services with over 20 years in London working primarily in the Financial Services industry and 4 years in Dubai, working with a variety of industries. He has assisted many clients with a wide variety of Sustainability assurance engagements including Sustainability Reporting Assurance, Green Social Bond assurance, ethical presentation of asset management, investment performance records, ESG investment and Asset Management Code procedures, Asset Stewardship reporting, and Carbon Disclosure Reporting. He has also led supply chain focused In Country Value (certification and audit teams for ADNOC Qatar Petroleum

Experience
Damian has led assurance engagements on a large number of Sustainability Reports, in the UK and Middle East, providing an assurance opinion on their non financial disclosures and claims of compliance with reporting standards such as the Global Reporting Initiative. He has worked with a number of Asset Management and Private Equity firms to review their ESG policies, metrics and procedures confirmed their claims of compliance with Stewardship Codes and assisted them in their preparation for UN Principles of Responsible Investment (UN PRI) signatory applications. He was heavily involved in the development of the Climate Bond Initiative’s Climate Bond Standard, sitting on the Certification Committee and assisting in the creation of their Green Bond Standards. He was previously a Climate Bond Initiative recognized certifier. He provided assurance over the Statement of Proceeds of a number of Green Bonds, Social Bonds and Social Lending initiatives created by UK and Qatar based banks. Damian has worked with the City of London in a cross industry committee, to help its development as a Centre of Excellence in Green Finance. As a member of the CFA’s Global Investment Performance Standards
(Verification Technical Committees, he has helped develop an ethical standard for the presentation of asset management investment performance records. He currently sits on the CFA’s Global Industry Standards Committee, overseeing the development of GIPS, the Asset Management Code and the ESG Investment Standard. He has worked with the Equator Principles to develop an assurance standard for bank lending and the Principles for Responsible Lending
(to develop an assurance standard for Responsible Investment. He is a member of the Abu Dhabi Global Market
(Sustainable Finance Declaration committee, representing Deloitte Middle East.

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Faisal Al Raisi
Chief Operating Officer and Acting CEO, Etihad Energy Services Company (Etihad ESCO) UAE

With a career spanning over 3 decades, Faisal Al Raisi is an accomplished multi-industry senior management executive with expertise ranging across strategic planning, concept creation, project development, management consultation, collaborations and strategic partnerships. Faisal is someone who takes a vision, makes it reality through sound strategy development and translate ideas into profitable businesses. His strong presence and adept problem-solving abilities always leave an impact.   Currently, as COO & ACEO at Etihad Energy Services, Dubai’s Super ESCO, being a key advocate of green economy and sustainability, he oversees entire company’s operations and plays a pivotal role in organizational development. Accustomed to driving operational efficiency, under his leadership, Etihad has witnessed significant growth and emerged as the market leader in sustainability and energy efficiency industry in the MENA region.   Previously, Faisal held senior management positions with both public and private sectors and served prestigious entities such as Dubai Holding, Dubai Development Authority and Abu Dhabi Capital Group. During his time at Dubai Holding, leveraging his strong background in Project Management, he was instrumental in strategic development of several landmark projects in Emirate of Dubai.   Faisal holds a Master’s Degree in Project Management from Regis University in Washington D.C. USA. He also received executive leadership certification from Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.   When he isn’t working, Faisal is committed to giving back to the community and often directly gets involved in CSR activities which means working closely with young college graduates and nurturing local talent.

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Francis Alfred
Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Sobha Realty UAE

Francis Alfred is the Managing Director of Sobha Realty, an international luxury real estate developer that specializes in premium residential apartments, townhouses, and villas.   A forward-looking leader with vast experience in the field, Francis has played diverse roles and led the company’s business operations across India and the UAE for two decades before he was appointed Managing Director of Sobha’s Middle East operations in 2016.   Spearheading some of Sobha Realty’s most outstanding achievements, he is responsible for overseeing the company’s strategic global expansion and diversification while managing, monitoring, and master planning the design and delivery of several real estate projects.   His hands-on leadership style has been instrumental in ensuring the timely delivery of projects that meet the highest standards of quality and excellence. Under his watch, Sobha has witnessed achievements and milestones that have catapulted the company into the ranks of leading real estate developers in the UAE today.   An expert in the contemporary and innovative construction style, Franics pay keen attention on digitalization to propel Sobha and the real estate industry forward. Gravitating towards Contech and Proptech, Francis supports the rollout of next-generation technologies such as robotics, artificial intelligence, and data analytics.   He also advocates for lean manufacturing and business processes, as well as led the implementation of Sobha’s backward integration model in the region. This has resulted in the vertical integrations of the company’s manufacturing and services.   An enthusiastic reader, Francis is self-reflective and informed and loves intellectual discussions. He encourages collaboration and critical thinking among team members to achieve shared goals.   Francis, a civil engineer, also holds a technology degree from India's Annamalai University.

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Hervé Hamelin
General Manager International, Kairnial France

Kairnial, a market leader in France and Europe, specialises in mobility solutions and management of site-based processes for Construction and Real Estate in 2D and BIM. It is now part of Thinkproject, the European SaaS leader in Construction Intelligence.   Hervé is in charge of the international expansion of Kairnial since October 2019. He has over 30 years sales and management experience with software and SaaS vendors and was previously for 10 years with Aconex (now Oracle) as General Manager EMEA, after holding senior management positions with   BEA Systems, Invention Machine Corp and PTC. He is 58 and holds an Engineering degree in Physics (INSA, Lyon).

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Dr. Ioannis Spanos
Director - Sustainability & Environmental Services, KEO International Consultants UAE

Dr. Spanos is a consultant, professional engineer, and sustainability expert with 20 years of experience. As a KEO Director of Sustainability & Environmental Services, he provides professional consultancy and strategy-related services to government institutions, investment funds, developers, architects, and contractors.

Since 2013, he is based in the Gulf region and works closely with world-event organizers and developers of future global destinations. His primary interest is in the implementation of added commercial value through client-focused sustainability, ESG, and Climate Change related decisions in the early stages of development. He is currently delivering organization-wide scale strategies to some of the signature clients in the region.

Dr. Spanos’ experience includes the development of sustainable real-estate assets and urban development programs in MENA, the UK, Europe, and Africa. He has provided consultancy and advisory services for the development of projects within the commercial, education, healthcare, hospitality, leisure, master planning, mixed-use, renewable energy, regeneration, residential, and sports sectors. He is also actively supporting academic research, regional Green Building Councils, and international professional bodies.

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John Shenton
Chair – Dubai Hub, Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) UAE

John Shenton is Chair of the Dubai Hub for the CIOB and Regional Contract Manager – GCC for Averda. John is a Chartered Construction Manager and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators with fourteen years of experience in the UK and EMEA in the management of prime contracts, subcontracts, and consultancy service agreements for the development of built assets. John holds a Master of Laws from Paris-Descartes and Sorbonne Abu Dhabi, a Master of Business Engineering from Stuttgart, and various professional memberships. The University of Stuttgart published John’s research into the cross-border finance of infrastructure projects in 2019. John volunteers his spare time to mentor candidates seeking to achieve chartered status through the CIOB’s ‘Professional Review’ process.

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Kez Taylor
Chief Executive Officer, ALEC Engineering and Contracting UAE

With more than thirty-five years’ experience in the industry, twenty of which spent with ALEC Engineering & Contracting, Kez Taylor is the Chief Executive Officer, one of the Middle East’s largest main contractors. Having developed and grown the business to include a series of successful subsidiaries, such as ALEC Energy, ALEC FITOUT and LINQ Modular, ALEC’s turn over currently exceeds $1.3bn and includes several of the UAE’s most ambitious projects including over twenty Expo 2020 pavilions and One Za’abeel, the world’s largest cantilevered building. An honours degree graduate from the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, Kez’s career has overseen the delivery of more than 100 challenging projects in UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Mauritius, Zambia and Ethiopia including airports, retail, hospitality and high-rise, while leading a community of over 11,000 highly skilled personnel.

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Martin Baerschmidt
Founding Partner & Managing Director, Edge UAE

Martin Baerschmidt brings 30 years of worldwide experience from Australia, Southeast Asia and the GCC to the practice. He has worked with some of the most prestigious firms in leading positions, and the knowledge gathered from these years of delivering high-end projects is integral to the way EDGE does business. In the past 25 years in Dubai since 1997, Martin has been a Director at RMJM and a Design Manager at HOK, NORR and Hyder. He has worked on projects such as ADNEC Capital Gate, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and Emirates Towers before starting the firm in 2009.   In 2022, EDGE is undertaking key projects such as the new Masdar Headquarters project (The Link) in Abu Dhabi and the waterfront Crystal Residences in Mamzar Park for Eagle Hills. At a smaller scale, EDGE is collaborating with Rockwell Group on the new NOBU Restaurant at Atlantis the Palm, due to open in November 2022.

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Mohamed Swidan
Senior Director, Head of Middle East & North Africa, Procore UAE
Mohamed Swidan has over 17 years of experience working with multinational technology companies, including leadership roles at Cisco, LinkedIn, SAP and Uber. He is responsible for managing Procore’s business across all Middle Eastern and North African countries, tasked with strengthening Procore's brand and presence across the region.  Mohamed was drawn to the world of construction after realizing the impact that technology and data can have on transforming the industry.

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Naveed Arshad Khawaja
PPP Unit Head, Government of Dubai's Department of Finance (DOF) UAE

Naveed is an ex-investment banker and private equity professional with over with over 14 years of hands-on experience focused on project finance, private equity Investments, public private partnerships and public sector projects budgeting. In his current role he is leading the Public Private Partnerships (PPP) Program at the Department of Finance for the Government of Dubai. In this capacity Naveed is responsible for devising the Strategy and Policy for Dubai Government’s PPP program, assists procuring entities to identify PPP Projects and provide Financial and Technical Advisory for structuring and implementing PPP Projects. Naveed has been part of the Dubai Government since 2011 and has successfully delivered multiple projects pertaining to different sectors such as: public transport, road infrastructure, green energy, social development, healthcare facilities and utilities.

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Neha Bhatia
Construction & Infrastructure Editor, MEED UAE

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Riad Bsaibes
President & CEO, AMANA Investments UAE

Riad Bsaibes is the President and CEO of AMANA Investments. Prior to that, he served for 15 years with Amana Contracting Group leading up to the position of COO. Prior to AMANA, Mr. Bsaibes held various managerial and operational positions with Corning Incorporated and Schlumberger Oilfield Services.    Mr. Bsaibes holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering M.I.T. (1991) and an MBA from the Harvard Business School (2001).    He is the Vice Chairman of the MIT Educational Council for the Southern Gulf and served as the Director on the global board of Harvard Alumni Association (USA).  Mr. Bsaibes is also on the Advisory Board of The Harvard Club of the UAE, the board of the MIT Club of the UAE and the Advisory Board of the AUS Civil Engineering Dept. Mr. Bsaibes is an active member of the YPO and Endeavor global organizations and a jurist on the MIT Business Plan Competition for the Pan-Arab Region.

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Rizwan Shaikh
Digital Project Delivery (BIM) Manager, AECOM UAE

Rizwan Shaikh is an enthusiastic & proactive "Digital Project Delivery Manager" with 9+ years of experience in digital delivery (BIM) management, implementation and digital transformation across various AEC sectors.   He is digitally savvy with a passion to develop and implement digital transformation and automation. He enjoys building lasting client relationships and providing digital support to the management and design teams.   Working with PMC’s & contractor’s, he has led & delivered some of the most challenging Infrastructure, Building, Airports & Marine projects such as NEOM, Etihad rail, Museum of future, Aruba airport and Ipswich tidal barrier for Middle East & UK clients. He has also worked as a “Digital Transformation (BIM) advisor and external consultant” for various projects.

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Robert Jackson
Chief Growth Officer, Asite UAE

Rob joined Asite in June 2021 as Chief Growth Officer, driving an aggressive sales and growth campaign with a major focus on UK, Europe, MEA & APAC regions as well as leading strategic corporate development activities globally. Rob has sat on the senior leadership and executive teams of several multinational businesses and had non-executive director roles covering a diverse range of sectors. He has led major growth initiatives and helped businesses transform under PLC, private, and PE ownership environments. Previously he led RICS’ activities in the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Africa (AEMEA) region and has an intimate grasp of the end-to-end challenges that the built environment sector faces and is therefore passionate about how Asite can help be the solution to many of these challenges. He lives in Dubai, UAE, is a graduate of Oxford University and loves drawing parallels between sporting team performance and business team performance.

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Said Mneimne
Senior Vice President – APAC, Hill International UAE

Said Mneimne is the Senior Vice President for Hill’s Technical Core Team. Having worked for more than 30 years in the architecture, engineering, and construction industry, Said has held many diverse roles and responsibilities throughout his career. Said has expertise in property development, land use planning, infrastructure engineering, architecture and interior design, construction, project management, construction management, facility management, asset management, contract administration, operations management, P&L management, budget planning, change management, strategic alliances & partnerships, public-private partnerships, acquisitions & integrations, organic business growth, strategic planning, staff development, performance & quality standards, customer satisfaction, and allegiance leadership performance.   During his career, Said has worked in locations around the world, including the United States, Canada, Switzerland, Australia, UAE, Qatar, and India.   Said holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial & Systems Engineering as well as a Master of Arts in International Studies – Administrative from Ohio University, Athens.

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Saeed Alabbar
Chief Executive Officer, AESG UAE

As CEO of AESG, Saeed founded and built AESG into one of the Middle East and Europe’s largest and most respected specialist consultancy, engineering and advisory firms with a core focus on sustainable urban development.

He holds a First-Class Master’s degree with honours in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Bath and is a LEED Accredited Professional and Estidama Pearl Qualified Professional as well as a Certified Energy Manager.

Under Saeed's direction, AESG has developed a strong reputation for delivering the highest quality consultancy in sustainability, energy management, fire and life safety, facade engineering, environmental consultancy, waste management, acoustic consultancy, commissioning, government advisory, project development and building consultancy services.

In his role at AESG, Saeed has been involved in managing and directing some of the world’s most prestigious real estate and development projects through planning, design, and execution. Saeed has also led a number of pioneering strategy and policy assignments throughout the MENA region that focus on energy security, sustainable development and climate change. With his global expertise, Saeed sits on a number of governments, real estate and academic advisory boards and regularly consults regional governments on progressive strategies and policies. Saeed is recognised as a thought leader in sustainable development, engineering and construction and has published numerous papers and presented at hundreds of local, regional and international conferences. As well as presenting at industry conferences, Saeed has also presented policy papers at key international forums including the United Nations Regional Policy Dialogues and COP Climate Change talks.

As well as his professional role as CEO of AESG, Saeed also served as Chairman of the Emirates Green Building Council between 2013-2020 as well as Vice Chair of the World Green Building Council MENA Network from 2011 to 2014. Saeed has been a Board Member of the World Green Building Council between 2015 – 2021 and served as part of the Board’s Executive Committee, providing leadership to the global sustainable building movement. In these roles, Saeed has been influential in the advancement of a sustainable buildings and cities globally and in the MENA region.

In 2010, Saeed was awarded the title of International Young Consultant of the Year by British Expertise in the UK. In 2012, Saeed was named in Gulf Business’s top 30 achievers in the MENA region under the age of 30. And in 2018, he was recognized as the ‘Sustainability Leader of the Year’ at the Abu Dhabi Sustainable Business Leadership Awards and the 'Executive of the Year' at the Big Project Middle East Awards and in 2021 he was recognized as the ‘Construction Executive of the Year’ at the Construction Week Awards.

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Scott Henshaw
Head of Design - Project Delivery, The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC) Saudi Arabia

Scott Henshaw, a construction expert with over 25 years international experience, has been leading design and engineering for The Red Sea Development Company since 2018.   Prior to joining TRSDC, Scott worked with the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia, who wholly own TRSDC. During his time with them he directed architectural master planning for The Red Sea Project.   Scott moved to the GCC in 2013, to head up the development of two of Dubai's most prestigious golf communities, Akoya and Damac Hills between 2013 and 2014. He then led the project management office for the Uptown Dubai District. He began his prestigious career in 1995, as the Operation Manager at Environs Egypt.   Scott, a Landscape Architect, licensed by the state of Florida, USA, has a Master of Science in Construction Management and Project Management and Bachelor of Environmental Design in Landscape Architecture. He is also a Certified Project Management Professional (PMP).

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Wajdi Mereb
BIM & Digital Engineering Expert, Miral UAE

Wajdi Mereb is a degree-qualified Architect (M.Sc.) with 16 years of professional experience in Digital Twin, BIM, Digital Engineering & Assets Management, and was awarded the Innovator of the Year Award - AEC Excellence Awards 2020 - Las Vegas & obtained the Individual Achievement Award of the Institute of Asset Management (IAM) Global Awards 2019 - London.

Currently Wajdi is managing the Digital Twin Initiative & BIM Implementation throughout the lifecycle of multi-billion’s projects at one of the most reputable governmental entities that has a clear Digital Transformation Strategy targeting to become a fully integrated data-driven asset owner. Also, Wajdi is a Digital Twin Hub Community Champion and a member of the Construction Digital Transformation Team in Dubai & UAE Building Smart chapter.

Wajdi initiated suites of smart & intelligent objectives that had been translated into a portfolio of projects in Dubai RTA, where he managed BIM adoption in multi-billion’s strategic projects “i.e., Metro Route 2020 - $3 billion value” that contributed directly to winning the EXPO 2020 file for UAE.

Wajdi additionally holds a BSc. in Architectural Engineering from Birzeit University, Palestine & MSc. in Management from Sheffield University, UK. His career started as an Architect, then he joined BIM team in Consolidated Contractors International Company (CCIC)- Athens, where he served in multi-billion’s mega projects “e.g., Abu Dhabi New Airport, UAE- $3 billion value and Muscat Airport, Oman- $2 billion value”.

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Yaser Al Nuaimi
Head of PPP Transactions, Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) UAE

Yaser AL Nuaimi is Head of PPP Transactions at Abu Dhabi Investment office (ADIO). He leads the transactions of the various infrastructure partnership projects of all Abu Dhabi government entities through the established frame work of PPP law mandated to Abu Dhabi investment office. Prior to joining ADIO. Yaser held various roles at strategic entities including Abu Dhabi Housing Center, Abu Dhabi General Services company (Musanada) and Vice Chairman office of the Executive Council. Yaser graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil & Environmental Engineering, also he holds Master Degree in Engineering Management (MEM).

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The process is incredibly easy typically taking from 5-30 minutes. Our event team have all got multiple entry visas via the online application system. We represent 5 different nationalities and would be happy to walk any summit attendees through the process if needed. E visas can be obtained before departure at https://www.visitsaudi.com/en/travel-regulations

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