IPPM: Why Project Managers are Essential

The building and construction industry in Kenya is awash with projects that went awfully wrong. The number of projects that have stalled, are mired in disputes or even buildings that have collapsed have largely one common denominator – failure by the developer to follow due process. In fact, in most cases it boils down to failure to appoint a professional project manager to oversee the project from conception to completion.

Yet, project managers are the brains that determine the success of projects. This is because in an ideal situation, project managers determine the viability of a project and are responsible for developing its business plan that not only looks at the financial aspect but more critically the appointment of the implementation team including architects, quantity surveyors, contractors among others. Indeed, project managers are central from project inception through to design and construction processes, programming, cost planning and monitoring of project deliverables.

“Ideally we should be one of the first people appointed on a project but this doesn’t always happen,” says Naomi Manasseh, International Project Planning and Management (IPPM) Consultants’ Managing Director. She adds that, it is critical to carefully advise the client and ensure compatibility of the entire team working on the project.

This has been the core business for IPPM, which was established in 1995. The firm has two core divisions – project management and urban planning. Under project management, IPPM offers clients services cutting across corporate, programme, project/construction and operations management. In urban planning, the firm offers physical planning and development control services like physical and land use development plans, master plans, building plan assessment and approvals, sub-division and amalgamations schemes as well as change of user and lease extensions.

IPPM is the brainchild of Jane Manasseh who is now the firm’s chairlady. Jane, a celebrated urban planner who was the first female registered planner in Kenya and who rose through the ranks to the position of deputy planning director at the defunct Nairobi City Council, founded the practice owing to

Deer Park Karen

her passion in the building and construction sector. Having been brought up by parents in the sector (her father had interests in construction), Naomi was indoctrinated into the industry and from an early age she knew she wanted to follow in her parents’ footsteps. “I grew up seeing what my mother was doing. My dad also had an interest in construction and used to take me to sites. I started to get interested and ended up following their footsteps,” she explains.

Naomi, who holds a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management from the University of Oxford Brookes and a Masters of Science in Project Management from the University of Westminster, started her career in the United Kingdom. Most of her projects in the UK were interior fit outs with one notable massive project that she was privileged to have participated in was the construction of the Emirates Stadium, the home of Arsenal Football Club.

When she came back to Kenya, her first job was a project manager at Pinnacle Projects Limited where she stayed for slightly over a year before joining Planning & Construction Management, a company of the Aga Khan Development Network. It was here that her acumen as a project manager was tested. At the time, the Aga Khan was implementing a $53 million project for the construction of the Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa and Naomi was the project manager on site.

Among other things, the project involved the construction of eight large buildings, including two dormitories, a massive dining hall that can seat 1,000 people, state of the art kitchen and underground parking. “It was a highpressure job considering we had to complete works within the school calendar and meet high standards set by his Highness The Aga Khan ,” recalls Naomi.

The success of the project was a hallmark in Naomi’s career and acted as a springboard to becoming a respected professional in the industry. In fact, when she joined Planning Project Management Limited as the managing director, Naomi was ready to take on any project irrespective of its cost and magnitude. One such project was Tatu City, a 5,000-acre mixed-use development with special economic zone status. Still ongoing, Tatu City has been a nerve testing project owing to its enormous infrastructural projects and different amenities and facilities cutting across residential homes, schools, shopping malls, playing fields to industrial parks among others. Its complexity was exacerbated by the fact that it is a change of use project considering the land was initially for agricultural use.

On the Tatu City project, Naomi was head of the local project management team managing the local multidisciplinary consultants team mandated to deliver the engineering design, regulatory approvals process and construction of infrastructure. The team was charged with the design/master planning of the new city that would accommodate 60,000 residents and attract a possible 30,000 day visitors. The team was responsible for driving the master planning process that included development of building guidelines, obtaining statutory approvals, infrastructure design and the supervision of the earthworks that have been completed for the first phase of the project.

Having followed in the footsteps of her parents, it was natural that Naomi would join the family practice, which she did in 2013 when she joined IPPM taking over from her mother as the managing director. “We are a family-owned business,” she says. Despite being a relatively small practice, years of experience and rocksolid training makes IPPM a force to reckon with in the project management field. “We are a small team but very powerful,” explains Naomi who believes in efficiency. “I was trained to be efficient based on the systems you have in place and how you structure projects,” she avers. IPPM, whose core values are time, cost and quality, has been involved in numerous projects. Notable projects include Chiromo Lane Medical Center (commercial and health), Nova Pioneer (academic), Kenya Women and Children's Wellness Center (health) and Mpesa Foundation Academy.

As project managers, IPPM is in charge of the project. This process starts with a brief from the client after which the firm is supposed to come up with what is akin to a business plan that holistically describes the project including its

Nova Pioneer Schools

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viability and costs. “We determine if it’s a viable project then we help the client appoint the rest of the team,” explains Naomi. She adds that apart from managing the design process, IPPM oversees the tendering, prequalification and appointment of the contractors. The firm is also responsible for managing the construction process once the contractor is on site.

While IPPM has been involved in numerous projects, the Chiromo Lane Medical Center stands out for Naomi. “Chiromo was a lovely project. Great client, great team, great contractor – worked seamlessly. I see the place being used the way we had envisioned with the Client,” she states. For Jane, who mainly oversees the urban planning division of the practice, Tatu City stands out. “We have seen Tatu City develop from a coffee estate and today is a futuristic mixed-use development,” she observes. IPPM’s scope of work in Tatu City involved the preparation of the master plan, precinct plans and development guidelines. IPPM also obtained statutory approvals for development applications such as change of use, amalgamation, and subdivisions. Recently, IPPM also prepared an integrated Local Physical and Land Use Development Plan (LPDP) for Tatu City phase 1 and phase 2 and obtained planning approvals from the Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning as part of the requirements for declaration of Tatu City as a Special Planning Area. Local Physical and Land Use Development Plan. IPPM also revised the LPDP and obtained approval from the County Government of Kiambu.

Other urban planning projects that IPPM has been involved in include Vipingo development. IPPM were appointed as local Urban and Land Use Planners and provided local insight in the design of the master plan for Vipingo. IPPM also applied for development approval of the masterplan and change of use. Other projects include World Trade Centre Nairobi, UN-Habitat Housing, Ruera Estate, Oaklands, Edenville Housing, andAvic International Real Estate among others. .

Despite the existence of many project management firms in Kenya, IPPM has become a reputable practice. It has managed to achieve this feat because it does not compromise and always strives to offer clients the best. For this reason, 90 per cent of the firm’s jobs come from referrals by happy clients. Indeed, in a field where fees undercutting is the norm to get business, IPPM has maintained a high degree of professionalism making it possible to charge based on the work.

Having built a strong name in the industry, IPPM is confident of growth in the coming years. In fact, the firm intends to expand to development, an area with vast opportunities. With the building and construction sector projected to recover after being ravaged by a slowdown on economic growth and the Covid-19 pandemic, IPPM is optimistic of the sector picking up.

IPPM professionally manage projects through strong and focused leadership to Jasmine Centre , Suite C5 Pio Gama Pinto Road, Westlands, Nairobi ensure the project’s goals and objectives are met. 0791 801630 info@krkandassociates.co.ke www.krkandassociates.co.ke