Archives: Speakers

Ahmed Alahmari is a leading specialist in modern and future methods of construction, with expertise in modular construction and emerging technologies. Also, has successfully led pilot projects yhat demonstrate the scalability and viability of modern and future methods of construction. They have also worked closely with investors, government agencies, and industry stakeholders to secure funding and matchmaking with the eco-system.

Dr. Alassafi is an industry leader who specializes in giga projects. He worked in multiple leadership roles in the real estate and construction industries, delivering healthcare, transportation, mass housing, and logistics, and infrastructure types of projects. His expertise covers business management, strategic refinement, and initiative delivery. Plus, he advises on best practices, delivery methods, and new trends in the construction industry. Besides practical experience, Dr. Alassafi has researched and published academic papers on optimizing life cycle cost (LCC).

Chris Seymour has more than 30 years’ experience in the industry and over 15 years based in the Middle East working in most of the major cities in the region.

Currently heading up the Mace business in ME & Africa, Chris is also the former managing director of the Mott MacDonald Middle East operation. Professionally he is a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Governing Council and also an independent advisor on the Investment Committee of ENBD Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT).

Having spent many years in PFI and PPP procurement practising in both UK, Europe and Middle East, he also advises many clients on strategy, risk, commercial and technical advice for major programmes & investments.

A familiar face at conferences and industry events, Chris was awarded Construction Executive of the Year in 2020 by Construction Week magazine.

Prior to moving to the Middle East Chris worked for Arcadis and was a member of the strategic advisory board to the Group, advising on mergers and acquisitions, divestments, strategy changes and shareholder presentations.

James Clark is a partner in the Riyadh office and head of Construction and Project Delivery at Kirkland & Ellis International Law Firm. He has extensive experience advising developers and lenders on the full suite of documentation required for the procurement, construction, and delivery of major projects, with a particular focus on Gigaprojects, major infrastructure projects, renewable and traditional energy projects, transport, sporting and social infrastructure projects, and relationship-based delivery models. James also advised the developers on the 2020 Asian Infrastructure Renewable Energy Deal of the Year, 2019 Asian Infrastructure Deal of the Year, and 2019 Marine Offshore Project Financed Deal of the Year, and, as a result of his work in the Middle East, James was named a Rising Star Partner in Construction by The Legal 500 in 2023, a Next Generation Partner in Projects and Energy by The Legal 500 in 2023, a Next Generation Partner in Construction by The Legal 500 in 2024, a Next Generation Partner in Projects and Energy by The Legal 500 in 2024, and a Rising Star by Law360 in Construction in 2024.

Bandar is the General Manager (GM) and a Researcher at the Advanced Manufacturing Technologies Institute (AMTI) at the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST). KACST is both the Saudi Arabian national science agency and its national laboratories. Before being named GM in December 2022, Bandar was the director and a researcher at the National Center for Advanced Materials Technologies (NCAMT) and at the National Center for Building and Construction Technology (NCBCT), contributing leadership skills in the scientific and technical elements of major projects.

Bandar earned a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and Building Technology from King Saud University (KSU) in Riyadh and a Master of Architecture from the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) in Los Angeles. His master’s thesis project “New Flexibility and the Architecture of Time” researched the possibility of designing adaptable buildings that evolve over time in response to their users’ needs and requirements. Bandar received his Ph.D. from Virginia Tech in which his research focus and interest is in the area of Automation in Construction.

Abdulelah bin Abdulaziz Alsheikh
Country Director – Jacobs
m: +966.50.545 5912
e: abdulelah.alsheikh@jacobs.com

Executive Summary

Visionary leader and urban strategist with an extensive background spanning over 25 years in the Real Estate Development sectors. My experience was largely acquired in progressive, growth focused leadership roles with government, private sector, and international organizations, including the Public Investment Fund (PIF), Jacobs, and lately BoD member of Kanoo Holding Group.

My value proposition is centered around setting a clear vision and high impact strategies for organizations that enable successful business roll outs, superior financial returns and ultimately, greater value generation for these businesses.

Areas of Expertise

My specialism and expertise include urban economics, real estate development and management, funding, finance and governance organizational models.

Core skills

• Visionary
• Strategist
• Investments
• Real Estate Development
• Entrepreneurship
• Governance and Policy
• Mentoring
• Transformations

Career History
2022 to date Board Member of KANOO Holding Group, Independent Director
2020 to date Country Director, Saudi Arabia, Jacobs.
2018 – 2019 Acting Chief Executive Officer, Public Investment Fund (PIF), reporting a board chaired by HRH the crown Prince.
2015 – 2017 Senior Policy Advisor to the Minster of Municipal and Rural Affairs (MoMRA),
2014 – 2017 UN-Habitat (United Nations Human Settlements Program), Gulf States Regional Policy Advisor, Advisor to the Saudi Cities Future Program
2008 – 2014 Vice President of Business Development, Maskan Arabia

Board Service, Honors, Special Skills and Education

2018 – 2021 Board Member Bidaya Home Finance, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
2008 – 2017 Maskan Arabia, Founding Board Member,
2008 – 2013 Member of Board of Directors International Urban Strategies
2020 to date Chairperson, Nowarni Charity Org
2018 to date Co-Founder Urban Research Lab

Education

2000 University of Canberra, Canberra, Australia Master’s Degree, Urban Management
1994 King Saud University, Saudi Arabia, Business Administration Degree

Professional development

1997 HIS, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands ICHD Post-Graduate Diploma with Distinction, Housing Finance
1996 Institute of Public Administration, Economic Analysis Cours

Engineer Sultan Batterjee is a visionary leader and serial entrepreneur in the sectors of Construction, mixed-used real estate and Sustainability Sectors and serves as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of IHCC, President and Founder of Lifestyle Developers and Greener by IHCC, as well as the chairman of Sultan Batterjee Holding, and a board member of Saudi German Hospitals Group, Batterjee Medical Colleges, and the Batterjee Foundation.

With a profound commitment to revolutionizing Healthcare Infrastructure and has achieved remarkable milestones throughout his career. He is a graduate of Harvard Business School of Design and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he completed degrees in Real Estate Development and Entrepreneurship.

Through his leadership over the past 20 years, IHCC was established as a world-renowned design and construction (turnkey solution provider) company specialized in Healthcare, Education and mixed-use development projects in the Middle East and North Africa. IHCC has been the recipient of many international awards and accolades that reflect the strength of Sultan’s guidance and successful management of the company.

Under his adept leadership, IHCC has spearheaded groundbreaking projects, pioneering state-of-the-art hospital facilities across the MENA region such as the Center of Excellence Batterjee in Medical City in Dubai and the Makkah Saudi German Hospital . Batterjee’s strategic vision has propelled IHCC to the forefront of healthcare construction, earning global recognition for excellence and innovation and listed as top 5 Construction companies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Batterjee’s relentless pursuit of excellence has led to the successful completion of numerous prestigious healthcare projects in MENA region, transforming landscapes and enriching communities. His infinite dedication to quality, sustainability, and patient-centric design sets IHCC’s projects apart, creating enduring legacies of healing and care.

Driven by a passion for enhancing healthcare accessibility and delivery, Sultan Batterjee remains a beacon of inspiration, empowering IHCC to continue its transformative journey, shaping the future of healthcare for generations to come.

Sultan’s work fundamentally focuses on driving purpose and delivering sustainable growth, while positively impacting communities and quality of life. He is an integral part of the Batterjee family who are a well-known corporate dynasty in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with business roots going back over a 100 years ago.

Sultan achievements in the engineering, construction and real estate development sectors have gained him the recognition of being among the new faces of young Saudi corporate leaders. He was named as one of Forbes 100 Most Inspiring Leaders in Saudi Arabia in 2015, and was listed as top 100 Middle East CEO’s in 2023 and 2024 the by Forbes .

Mohamed Amer works as the Managing Director for the MENA region with the International Code Council (ICC). He joined ICC to run the Dubai office by providing strategic direction and on-the-ground support to organizations involved in building safety across the MENA region. His work spans government entities, construction companies, manufacturers, design professionals and other key stakeholders. With over 15 years of experience in oil/gas, project management, and TIC industries, Mohamed leads ICC’s operations and business development aspects in the MENA through existing and new partners, to help deploy/lead/facilitate ICC’s service lines for new business offerings across its family of solutions spectrum.

A distinguished speaker at conferences and workshops, Mohamed reinforces ICC’s mission in building safety/innovation/sustainability, showcasing his commitment to advancing the industry’s best practices and standards. His contributions underscore his dedication to fostering a safer and more resilient built environment in the MENA region. He obtained his Master’s degree in Engineering Systems Management and Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering with Minor in Applied Mathematics and Computational Methods from the American University of Sharjah.

Husam Gawish is HKA’s Partner & Head of Operations for Saudi Arabia. Husam is responsible for driving HKA’s strategic growth in the Kingdom and takes the lead in developing business opportunities and securing new appointments. He is also responsible for ensuring the technical, strategic, and quality standards and targets of all deliverables are consistently met. Husam is a Chartered Engineer and a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers in the UK.

Husam has 26 years of diverse engineering, claims, project management and business development & marketing experience gained through working on a wide range of global and regional projects across several industry sectors, including infrastructure, power generation, buildings and oil and gas. Husam has a strong technical background and extensive commercial and contractual experience.