Archives: Speakers

Fabien Toscano is the Chief Executive Officer of Alula Development Company, a Public Investment Fund Company, established to support the development of AlUla, Saudi Arabia.

Toscano is a highly accomplished executive with a proven track record of more than two decades in spearheading development projects and overseeing investment transactions, exceeding $20 billion across the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas

Prior to joining Alula Development Company, Toscano held the role of Managing Director of Investment Management Europe at Lendlease (UK). He also served as the Chief Executive Officer and held various C-suite positions at Qatari Diar, a real estate development and investment company, where he overlooked major projects and acquisitions.

He holds a Master’s in Business Administration from Johns Hopkins University (USA) and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Towson University (USA).

Iain Thomson is the Program Manager for Jubail and Ras Al Khair Industrial Cities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He is the appointed Bechtel senior representative for Royal Commission, leading an EPC project management team of c.500 personnel, supporting the planning, development and delivery of investor and community infrastructure projects, with annual work plans exceeding SAR 2B across c.120 contracts.

Iain joined Bechtel over 25 years ago as a graduate hire. He has since taken on progressive leadership roles on civil and infrastructure mega projects. Prior to his current role, he was the Regional Director for NEOM Spine, developing the contracting and procurement strategy, and ultimately managing the delivery of one of the world’s largest drill and blast tunneling projects within the 28km Mountain Region.
Iain held several positions in business development and functional management, leading multidisciplinary teams. Between 2018 and 2020, Iain was the Project Manager for Bechtel’s Delivery Partner Contract with Sydney Metro, managing the SAR 5.4B Tunnels and Stations Excavation Works. Between 2013 and 2017, Iain was Engineering Manager on Bechtel’s Riyadh Metro Project in Saudi Arabia. He established key subcontract design packages and overall technical governance requirements. He also managed the design development and assurance of self-perform tunneling, structural and MEP works.

Iain has extensive knowledge in forming and maintaining stakeholder relationships with various customers. He worked in the UK from 2001 to 2013 on several iconic rail projects, initially as Senior Engineer for High-Speed 1, progressing to Engineering Manager on Bechtel’s Crossrail Project Delivery Partner (PDP) project.

Iain’s experience in the construction industry also includes five years in telecoms. He held key project management positions for the UK analogue to digital switchover program and supported cellular network expansion projects in the UK, Bulgaria and USA.

Iain holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Strathclyde University, Glasgow. He is a Chartered Engineer, Member of the U.K. Institution of Civil Engineers, and Saudi Council of Engineers.
Senior strategic leader with over 25yrs project management experience across four continents

• Customer focused and collaborative.
• Certified Six Sigma Black Belt
• Holds a Bachelor of Engineering Degree from Strathclyde University, Glasgow
• Member of the UK Institution of Civil Engineers
• Member of Saudi Council of Engineers

Mohammed S. Al Surf, holder of PhD. in Sustainable and Green Construction. Managing Director of Tilad Sustainability Co and Tilad Institute. Founder of the Sustainability Professionals in Saudi Arabia Network (SPSA) reaching more than 15,000 members. Top 100 Sustainability Voices in the Middle East in 2024, and named 10 Most Dynamic Entrepreneurs Diversifying the Economy in Saudi Arabia for 2024. First Saudi to become a USGBC® Faculty, an ISSP® Sustainability Associate and a TRUE® Advisor. LEED® Accredited Professional in BD+C, ENV SP credential and a Green Classroom Professional. Author of the books titled “Sustainable Housing in Saudi Arabia: Opportunities & Challenges” and “10 Steps to Become a Sustainability Professional”. Member of several local and international professional entities such as the Circular Economy Alliance, the U.S. Green Building Council, the Saudi Council of Engineers (SCE), the Pacific Rim Real-Estate Society (PRRES), Asian Real-Estate Society (AsRES) and Project Management Institute (PMI). Dedicated to applying a systematic approach to Green Construction and Sustainable methods applied on projects in Saudi Arabia to induce quality of life while preserving the depleting supply of natural resources.

Saurabh Shekhar is a Principal at Kearney, a global management consulting company with ~15 years of experience across multiple sectors such as Manufacturing, Construction, Industrial and Commercial Machinery and Equipment, and Oil and Gas. He has spent 8 years in industry across Energy sector (Oil & Gas) and E-commerce and 6+ years with consulting across Energy and Process Industries, Advanced Manufacturing, Construction, Industrial Services, Telecom, and Aviation across multiple topics (Strategy & Growth, Operating models, Cost Management, Organization Transformation, and Customer experience)

During his tenure, he has served several key Ministries in the region in shaping the national agenda for construction sector. His expertise in construction sector has enabled him to support national strategies for building materials and investment plans, policies, and regulations including supporting entities in setting up JVs, bringing FDI’s >$500mn, setting up large-scale manufacturing/assembly plants among others.

In last few years, he has developed and activated the National Industrial Strategy – Machinery and Equipment Sector and Building Materials and Construction, its prioritized investment opportunities, and investor attraction plan and activated investment attraction across 1500+ investors for potential JVs, partnerships across China, Germany, Czech Republic, France, India etc. He worked on the Building Material and Construction Sector and Services Strategy for a GCC country, its prioritized investment opportunities, and investor attraction plan and activated investment attraction across 200+ investors. He also developed the operating model, transition for a $7bn EPC petrochemical mega-project for a GCC oil and gas company.

Prior to consulting, he has worked with Amazon (E-commerce Operations), Halliburton, and Baker Hughes across US, UK, Argentina, Singapore, Australia, Papua New Guinea, and India in several technical and engineering roles globally.

He holds an MBA from Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIMA) and engineering graduate from Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee (IITR)

With over 20 years of experience in construction digital transformation, Edward has supported contractors and owners worldwide, focusing not only on technology but also on the human aspects of transformation. He brings a deep understanding of change management and sustainable behavioural change, ensuring that digital solutions deliver lasting impact. Currently, Edward is dedicated to supporting the Saudi Vision 2030 initiative by helping the construction supply chain unlock capacity to take on higher volumes of work. His holistic approach to transformation has made him a key contributor to advancing the industry’s capabilities across the Middle East and beyond.

Charles Trad is a highly accomplished executive operations professional with over 35 years of distinguished experience in corporate leadership and the execution of industrial, commercial, complex infrastructure EPC/EPCM, nuclear, and PPP projects. His career underscores his strategic vision and operational expertise across international markets.

Charles is a licensed Professional Engineer in Ontario and British Columbia and holds a B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from The Florida Institute of Technology. He has advanced certifications in project and executive management from esteemed organizations.

In his extensive career in the power, engineering and construction sectors, Charles has held leadership roles in various international firms. Since 2021, he has been the Chief Executive Officer of Omrania by Egis, focusing on strategic guidance, corporate expansion, and transformation. Previously, he served as Senior Vice President of Operations for Canada at Acciona Infrastructures, managing multi-billion-dollar projects nationwide. He also held the position of Director of Operations for Middle East Operations at Ferrovial Agroman S.A., overseeing significant infrastructure projects. His earlier experience includes roles such as Executive Director at Tadmur Contracting, Senior Projects Leader at SNC-Lavalin Nuclear, and Projects Leader at Ontario Power Generation & the Atomic Energy of Canada (AECL), managing high-profile critical nuclear and commercial projects.

Charles Trad’s distinguished career is a testament to his leadership qualities and commitment to excellence in engineering and project management, significantly contributing to the successful execution of numerous projects worldwide.

Dr. Baha’ Alshalalfah is SETS’ VP for Transport and PMCM. He is a highly experienced transport and mobility specialist with over two decades of experience in transport planning, transport and traffic modeling, public transport planning, and transport systems operations. Dr. Alshalalfah has a proven track record of leading and managing complex transport and mobility projects across North America and the Middle East. He has been deeply involved in urban mobility, traffic management, and transport design projects in Riyadh and across Saudi Arabia, leading advisory work with a multitude of clients, including NEOM, RCRC, SDA, the Eastern Region Municipality, King Salman Park, the Riyadh Metro, and many more. Dr. Alshalafah holds a Ph.D. in Transportation Planning and Engineering from the University of Toronto.