Jay Ibrahim
Engineering the Emirates LE AD E RS HI P I NT E R V I E W
L E AD E R SH I P I NTER VIEW
ENGINEERING
KBR is ramping up in the Middle East. Joh tasked with leading the global engineeri
Written by: JO
THE EMIRATES
hn O’Hanlon talks to Jay Ibrahim, the man ing group’s regional presence and focus
O H N O ’ H A N LO N 3
LEA DERSHIP I NTER VI E W WITH THE CREATION of a new post of President of Engineering and Construction, Middle East and North Africa and the appointment of Jay Ibrahim to fill it, global engineering and construction firm KBR has acknowledged one of the new realities of the global oil and gas industry—that the GCC countries will consistently attract investment even when other markets falter. And Ibrahim is just the man to know how to capitalise on those investment opportunities. Ibrahim represents a new kind of executive—one who is a true citizen of the world. Born in Lebanon, he exemplifies that country’s contribution to entrepreneurship and its people’s outward-seeking drive. According to Ibrahim, Lebanese children are encouraged to have wide horizons from an early age. “When I was a child, we were advised (and steered!) to be either an engineer or a doctor. There were very few other options available and since I was always good at maths and science, engineering was really the natural choice for me,” he says. Like other Lebanese children, Ibrahim also grew up in an environment which merged an Arabic 4
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“I have been blessed to have some very good teachers, coaches and managers over the years” – Jay Ibrahim, President of Engineering and Construction, Middle East and North Africa
foundation with European influences— an actual multicultural experience unheard of in the USA or even Europe. Most of his schooling was conducted in French and his peers were from many different backgrounds. Despite the threat of civil war that loomed over his early years in Lebanon, as a Muslim boy he recalls no sectarian conflict. “We were just friends. I went to churches as much as the mosque. There was no differentiation—most of my best friends didn’t share the same faith as me but we weren’t really aware of religious differences. We were just human beings. My entire schooling was done in Christian schools simply because they were perceived to be better regulated and provide a
superior learning environment.” Tolerance, balanced with acute awareness of what results in its absence, has been the basis of Ibrahim’s business ethics and relationships. “The way you behave with people is what matters. Your relationship with God is your own business,” Ibrahim says. At 19, with the war in Lebanon making life uncertain to say the least, Ibrahim’s parents encouraged him to pursue his studies abroad. He left for the United States where he obtained Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from Wichita State University in Kansas and a diploma in advanced management from Harvard University Business School in Massachusetts. He also obtained dual U.S.-Lebanese citizenship. Working to support himself through his studies, he furthered his interests and honed his engineering skills, specialising in thermodynamics, fluid mechanics and heat transfer. In 1988, he recalls, he responded to an advertisement by the global engineering and construction firm Ralph M Parsons (later WorleyParsons) seeking young 5
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A KBR project at In Salah, Algeria
SEGAS LNG is a liquefied natural gas complex in Damietta, Egypt
Yemen LNG is the first natural gas liquefaction project in Yemen
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graduates. He joined the company in January 1989 and spent the next four years at in Pasadena California before being taking up an offer to transfer to Kuwait. “I stayed in Kuwait for about nine years or so, and during that time developed from being a process engineer to being an engineering manager. Later I became the Manager of Projects; then became senior vice-president and then regional director for that organisation.” Ibrahim joined KBR in May 2015 to oversee KBR’s ongoing expansion in the Middle East and North Africa Region, based in Abu Dhabi. KBR anticipates continued growth opportunities throughout the hydrocarbons value-chain—upstream, midstream and downstream—and is looking to Ibrahim’s leadership in the region to help build greater customer intimacy and make faster and better decisions to benefit customers. Living in Abu Dhabi with his family suits Ibrahim. Though travel takes him away from them more than he would like, his own global experience has given his four children, the youngest six, the eldest 19 and now studying in America, a broad cultural awareness and the kind of values he
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The construction of the Doha Expressway has always aspired to. “Attending international schools, they have been exposed to influences from all over the world so they’ve grown to be global citizens, understanding and respecting diverse cultures and customs.” Though grateful for the opportunities the United States has given him, he does not find such open mindedness in schools there. For Ibrahim, people and personal relationships are paramount. “I have
been blessed to have some very good teachers, coaches and managers over the years.” To these mentors he attributes his rapid rise in the industry as well as his fortunate ability to be able to relate to others both as an American and an Arab. He has no time for arrogance: “Keep an open door policy; let anyone come and see you. A handshake and the personal touch means the world to many people.” The days when contracts were 7
LEA DERSHIP I NTER VI E W negotiated verbally at majlis and sealed with a handshake may be over but according to Ibrahim, in the Middle East as well as anywhere in the world, trust must still be earned. Nowadays the majlis are more an occasion to network and discuss the opportunities, challenges or pitfalls of business without necessarily closing the deal. However, it remains essential to establish trust to form the basis of a deeper relationship. “Never make promises if you are not certain you can deliver. If you go back on a promise the client will never trust you again. But if you build a relationship on a basis of mutual trust it will open many doors for you.” Ibrahim clearly loves life in the UAE. “In the Emirates, there are opportunities regardless of your background. If people want to practice religion there are plenty of mosques, churches and temples, and there are also nightclubs, shopping malls and sports facilities to suit every pocket.” Asked about the conspicuous consumption that represents one image of the Gulf, he admits that certain individuals have become very rich, and that lavish lifestyle often attracts wealthy 8
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“If you build a relationship on a basis of mutual trust it will open many doors for you” – Jay Ibrahim
people from other countries. But for most, this wealth has come as a result of hard work. “The UAE has gone through a major business transformation by supporting and implementing the inspirational vision of the ruler. Twenty-five years ago people from the Arab states arriving in the United States took a look at the architecture and the infrastructure and said: “Wow, what a country!’ Now it’s the Americans who step off a plane in Dubai or Abu Dhabi who say: ‘Wow, what a country!’” says Ibrahim. The buzz of excitement and opportunity in the UAE is exemplified by Dubai, whose airport is situated in Al Garhoud with a population of few hundred thousand people but which sees 72 million passengers coming or going each year. Out of 60,000
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hotel rooms there are sometimes not a single one available, Ibrahim points out. Tourism and business opportunity make this, surely, one of the most happening regions on the planet. The hydrocarbon and infrastructure outlook in UAE and throughout the region will fuel engineering and construction projects that will keep
Ibrahim busy for the next 20 years, and well into his children’s generation—with renewable energy the next big thing, he hints. Ibrahim’s wealth of experience in the industry along with his extensive understanding in developing customer relationships will serve KBR well as they look to take advantage of the continued opportunities the region provides. 9