Archives: Speakers

John is an experienced professional within the construction industry having held Executive Commercial and Finance positions. He currently leads the Commercial, Planning and Project Controls function, as Executive Director, with Saudi Entertainment Ventures. John’s career spans globally having worked throughout the UAE, Hong Kong, Australia, the UK and Canada predominantly working with major international contractors. He has extensive experience in several sectors, which drives his passion to augment delivery models within the region, whereby all stakeholders achieve their aspirations.

Khaled Alohali is the Executive Chairman at MZ Engineering Consultancy Company, and he works with private sector companies and public sector organisations to provide Business & Industrial Engineering Consultancy Services, Advisory and Solutions.

Previously to this, he held senior positions at Saudi Arabian Mining Company – Ma’aden Holding from 2014 – March 2022, as Senior Vice President – Corporate Strategic Affairs, Vice President – Corporate Affairs and Vice President – Corporate Strategy, Planning and Development.

He has also worked in C-Level suite positions at Charles River Associates International – C.R.A.I, the National Industrial Clusters Development Program – NICDP, National Air Services – NAS Holdings, and the Saudi Arabian Economic Offset Program – EOP.

Since starting his working life, with a BS in Mechanical Engineering – Honors from the University of Petroleum and Minerals, Saudi Arabia (now KFUPM), he has been determined to make a distinctive added-value to every task he executes. At the same time, he is a productive and collaborative member of the society through work and in life.

Through the past 28 years, he has been involved with extraordinary leadership, advisory and analytical tasks including; leading two start-up companies, several organisational structuring, strategies planning and implementation (national and corporate), investments evaluation, dealing with multinational companies, local firms and government agencies, promoting Saudi Arabia with global investors, calculating the impact of the Kingdom’s hydrocarbon and non-hydrocarbon incentives, planning for industrial infrastructure development, assessing economic impact of future mega industrial projects, measuring national economic progress using metrics other than GDP, and articulating several cases-for-change aimed at adjusting some public policies or proposing new ones.

Amanda is Partner at HKA where she is the CEO for the EMEA Region and is a member of the global ExCom. With over 35 years in the Built Environment sector, she is a senior business leader and is listed in Who’s Who as a senior property professional in real estate, infrastructure and construction.

She is a chartered quantity surveyor and chartered civil engineer, certified management consultant and a specialist programme management and business transformation specialist. Amanda has managed and turned around some the most high risk, high profile and complex programmes for government and the private sector.

Amanda is Chair of RICS Construction and Infrastructure Market Forum. In 2016, she was the Global President of RICS, becoming the longest serving President in 123 years.She is also a Senior Special Advisor to the Construction Leadership Council in the UK, and is a member of the Mayor of London’s Infrastructure Advisory Panel. She is also the Chair of a University (UCEM) where she the Chair of the Board of Trustees.

Previously Amanda was an Executive Director at CBRE where she was on the Board and Chaired the Strategy Board. She was a Partner at EY LLP (Head of Infrastructure Advisory) and was a Partner at PwC LLP. She was also a Non-Executive Director of Countryside Partnerships LLP.

Amanda is a Fellow of RICS, ICE, APM, CMI, Institute of Consulting and the RSA. She is a Certified Management Consultant and Companion of the Institute of Management. Amanda received an Honorary Doctorate of Science from the University of Westminster in November 2019 for her outstanding contribution to building safety and diversity and inclusion in the Built Environment, and also an Honorary Doctor of Professional Practice from The University of Wolverhampton.

Amanda is a published author and speaker on areas such as strategy, digital, cities, placemaking, real estate and the war of talent. She is a strong voice on diversity and inclusion in the sector and has co-authored and published two books on the subject. She was named: The Cranfield Female FTSE Board Report 2021 – 100 Women to Watch (2021); 50 Leading Lights for Kindness & Leadership (2019), BIS Now Top 51 Influential Women in Real Estate (2018), City AM Power 100 Women list (2016) and a Mover and Shaker of 2015 in ICAEW’s Global Finance 50.

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.

With 27-years’ experience in architectural and engineering practices – out of which 16 years have been spent in the Middle East – Rick has helped shape some of the region’s leading projects. These include the Bahrain National Theatre, Diriyah Gate Development Authority’s Diriyah Square and the revisioning of King Abdullah Financial District. His involvement spans from business leadership and strategy planning to P&L management and operations. He is known within the industry for building strong teams who deliver results.

Rick is currently leading the Mott MacDonald business in KSA on all aspects of operations, strategy and growth. Rick is also appointed as Chair of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) Saudi Arabia Hub and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building (FCIOB) and an associate member of the American Institute of Architects (Assoc. AIA).

Forward-thinking leader with a record of leading complex, multi-site operations at city scale, including facilities, utilities, and infrastructure.

Recognized for the ability to devise strategies that lead transformation of businesses and experienced in leading organizations to implement initiatives and deliver results.

Accomplishments include development, implementation and operationalization of infrastructure, and the development of built environment asset management frameworks that optimize cost and increase return on investment while improving efficiency and quantity in line with organizational goals.

Harvard Business School Alumnus with the following professional certifications:
– Certified Facilitator-Teams and Groups; Strategic Play (2021)
– Certified Professional Maintenance Manager (CPMM) from the Association of Facility Engineering (2009)
– Project Management Professional (PMP) from the Project Management Institute (2007)
– Advanced Leadership and Communication from Toastmasters International (2011)

Dale Chadwick is the Chief Development Officer (CDO) of the King Salman Park Foundation (KSPF). Building on his extensive expertise in urban planning and project management, he is responsible for managing the masterplan and overseeing the project design and delivery of one of the largest urban parks in the world, King Salman Park.

Chadwick brings with him 25+ years of experience and an outstanding delivery track record in the construction and consulting industries. His successful career in managing large-scale construction projects across Asia includes some of the most iconic integrated resorts in the region. From conception through procurement to final handover and operation, he has delivered in excess of $17 billion of mixed-use resort and developments throughout his career.

Before joining KSPF, Chadwick was the Executive Project Officer at Macetpm where he successfully led teams in winning, managing, and delivering several high-profile projects in the Philippines. These include the largest and most advanced data center in the country, the PLDT Campus Headquarters Development in Makati, the SM-ASH Cebu arena and convention centre development, and the construction of the largest IKEA store at SM’s Mall of Asia property. Chadwick also played a key role in The Estate residential and BDO’s banking headquarters towers, both being unique structures.

Prior to that, Chadwick served as Vice President Asia for Venetian Cotai Limited, managing the design and construction of several major integrated resorts in Macau and Singapore, including the Marina Bay Sands, Venetian Macau, Sands Cotai Central, The Parisian and the Four Seasons developments. Chadwick’s expertise was also called upon for the design and construction documentation of two further Cotai Development parcels.

Previously, Chadwick oversaw the construction of two Disney-themed hotels in Hong Kong and was a Senior Project Manager for CMInternational overseeing the development of TVB’s Broadcasting Ltd television studio complex.

Chadwick began his career with Ove Arup and Partners HK, where he worked on major projects such as the KCRC West Rail and the Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminal Limited. Chadwick holds a BEng (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Exeter.

Martin Boson is the General Manager of Parsons’ Saudi Arabian operations, known in the Kingdom as Saudi Arabian Parsons Limited (SAPL), which operates as a unit of the US-based Parsons Corporation.

Martin, an attorney by training, has been with Parsons for 20 years and has worked in various operational roles in the US and the GCC. He began his career with Parsons as a contracts manager for rail transit and tunnel projects in Washington, DC, and more recently served as Senior Vice President and Director of Operations for the MEA operating unit overseeing the region’s operations team.

Parsons has been operating in Saudi Arabia for more than 65 years and currently employs over 2,300 people in the country.

Martin holds a LLM Degree from Georgetown University Law Center, Washington DC (USA) and a JD (equivalent) from Lund University (Sweden).

Haroon is a chartered quantity surveyor with more than 16 years of experience in the construction industry. He is dual qualified as a Chartered Quantity Surveyor (FRICS) and as a barrister, he is therefore well placed to provide advice and opinion in relation to the most complex of construction disputes. He has been appointed as a quantum expert and provided expert testimony in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Haroon has experience in all forms of dispute resolution and excellent knowledge of the JCT, NEC, FIDIC and MPW contracts in Kuwait; the Saudi Public Works Contract; and the Saudi Aramco standard form contracts, as well as various ad hoc contracts. Haroon specialises in the quantification of construction cost claims and he supports clients across various market sectors, from power, oil and gas to major buildings and infrastructure projects.

Haroon holds a masters in both law and quantity surveying. He is a fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, and a member of the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple. Haroon was awarded Hill International’s 2014 Worldwide Consultant of the year award for his achievements and has been named one of the top 100 most influential construction leaders in the Middle East by Construction Week.

Haroon is Vice Chairman of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors working Advisory Board in Saudi Arabia which complements his 12 years’ experience working in the Middle East region.

Haroon has been named in Who’s Who Legal (WWL) Construction Expert Witnesses list, for the years 2020, 2021 and 2022. WWL says…

Haroon is an “excellent expert” with “vast experience in KSA and the Middle East Region.” He “provides the highest quality deliverables at all times” (2022)
Haroon is highlighted for his “strong international experience and expertise in disputes involving quantum and delay issues.” (2021)
Haroon “possesses remarkable case and project management skills” and brings “strategic, legal, technical, financial and commercial” skills to his work. (2020)