ME Consultant June 2019

For the construction specialist

Leading the Way Mark Jamieson on his role at KEO-PM/ CM Intl, expansion plans and the value of project managers ON TOPIC

Performance of Jeddah’s various sectors in Q1 2019

IN PRACTICE

Ralf Steinhauer discusses nurturing fresh talent

ON SITE

Women in Construction profile: Marina Kindelan

ISSUE 060

June 2019 Publication licensed by Dubai Production City A product of Big Project Middle East

Lacasa.ae

2018 ARCHITECTURAL COMPANY OF THE YEAR A pleasure to be in business.

We have the good fortune to work with several of the nominees for the 2018 Middle East Consultant Awards. It is a privilege to participate in the continuous build that is developing our part of the world. We’re honoured and gratified that the region trusts us to help design well engineered and sustainable structures.

Congratulations to all the nominees, individuals and our colleagues.

Š 2019 LACASA Architects & Engineering Consultants All Rights Reserved

CONTENTS

On topic INdUSTry VIEWS frOm aCrOSS ThE mIddLE EaST

04

06

06 aNaLySIS

JLL reviews the supply and performance of Jeddah’s office, residential and hospitality sectors in Q1 2019 10 NEWS

Estilo Architects eyes UAE luxury residential market; Fenwick Elliott relaunches Dubai office as international hub 14 COmpETITION

10

14

In honor of the late Reem Dayoub, LACASA is partnering with Middle East Consultant to offer engineering students a chance to win an internship

In practice aNaLySIS, INSIghTS aNd INTErVIEWS

16 INTErVIEW

16

22

Jason Saundalkar speaks to Mark Jamieson about his role at KEO-PM/CM, the value that project managers can bring to mega projects and his vision for expansion 22 INTErVIEW

RSP’s Ralf Steinhauer on educational institutions in the region, what he looks for from fresh graduates and nurturing young people

On site CaSE STUdIES, OpINIONS aNd SNapShOTS

26

28

28 prOfILE

We talk to AESG’s Marina Kindelan about her influences, career and gender diversity in the construction industry 32 EVENT rEVIEW

Angitha Pradeep covers the Women in Construction Summit 2019 40 ThE baCk pagE

Faithful+Gould’s Patrick Gersch shares the experiences he’s had since moving to the Middle East

32

37

JUNE 2019 1

WELCOME

Group EDITOR’S NOTE

WIC – We’re Just Getting Started On the first of May, the inaugural Women in Construction (WIC) Summit took place. For me, the event was a fantastic culmination of Middle East Consultant’s (MEC) focus on gender diversity and inclusion over the last 13 months. Long-time readers will know that we kicked off our diversity focus with a special issue of MEC in April 2018, following which we then held a networking evening in September 2018. And of course, the May 2019 issue of MEC was also dedicated to women in the built environment.

If you’re reading this thinking “I hope that’s not the end of it”, I’m pleased to tell you that it’s not. In fact, we’re just getting started.

The summit highlighted a lot of positive steps taken by government, construction firms and industry bodies, but it also demonstrated that there are still a lot of issues that must be addressed. Shockingly, some of the problems that were highlighted were things I thought should just be good practice – not having appropriately sized safety equipment for women on job-sites is ridiculous!

The magazine will therefore continue to shine a light on important issues, while sharing inspirational stories about women’s journeys into the sector.

We’ve also decided that a single WIC event each year won’t cut it. Based on feedback and encouragement from WIC summit delegates, panellists, MEC readers and industry contacts, I’m pleased to tell you the magazine will host its second networking evening in the second half of this year.

It’s too early to reveal the who, what and where, but one thing I can say is that it will still be held under the Women in Construction banner. Some of you have suggested the name be changed so that it appears more inclusive and encourages more men in the industry to participate. I understand where you’re coming from – men and women have to work together to move the industry forward – but I find it strange that a title alone is seemingly enough to persuade people away from the conversation table. Perhaps that in itself encapsulates the issue facing the construction industry.

MANAGING DIRECTOR RAZ ISLAM raz.islam@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5471 EDITORIAL DIRECTOR VIJAYA CHERIAN vijaya.cherian@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5713

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Web Development MoHAMMAd AWAIS SAdIQ SIddIQuI fOUNDER doMINIC dE SouSA (1959-2015) PRINTED By AL SALAM PRINtING PRESS LLC Published by

Licensed by tECoM to registered company, CPI trade Publishing fZ LLC whose registered office is 207 – 209, Building 3, dubai Studio City, dubai, uAE www.cpitrademedia.com

Jason Saundalkar Editor, Middle East Consultant 2 JUNE 2019

© Copyright 2019 CPI. All rights reserved.

While the publishers have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of all information in this magazine, they will not be held responsible for any errors therein.

ON TOPIC

MOST POPULAR

ReAdeRS’ COMMeNTS

feATURed

CONSTRUCTION

WIC: fAMILY fRIeNdLY

GCC wins Jubail Island contract; enabling works underway

I have been following the articles and features on theme of Women in Construction (on both the MECN website and in Middle East Consultant magazine) for many months now and want

CONSTRUCTION

to pass on my thanks for

Arabtec Construction wins $56mn Villanova contract

greater diversity in the

continuing to support construction industry.

The thoughts and

Interview: WiC – SNC-Lavalin committed to diversity and inclusion

experiences from these highly professional and talented women should be an inspiration to us all. I see this as one part

CONSTRUCTION

of a wider movement in

EGA building largest industrial waste recycling plant in region

the industry to encourage greater diversity. In a region where most of us are coming from a huge number of backgrounds, it is essential that we see past our differences and are judged on our abilities rather than our

CONSTRUCTION

Abu Dhabi’s Al Qana entertainment destination on track for Q4 2020 opening

gender, race or social background. While labelling an article as ‘Women in Construction’ is necessary now, we are clearly on a path where that won’t be the case in the future – and most likely – sooner rather

CONSULTANT

Christie named as a partner for Expo 2020 Dubai

4 JUNE 2019

feature: Working at height – Creating a stronger fall protection chain

than later.

Name withheld by request

Etihad Towers | Abu Dhabi | UAE

ON TOPIC

ANALYSIS

Jeddah’s Q1 Performance JLL reviews the supply and performance of Jeddah’s office, residential and hospitality sectors in Q1 2019

T

he overall performance of Jeddah’s real estate market remained soft in Q1 2019. Office rents continued to soften as vacancy rates increased on the back of a slowdown in commercial activity. Similarly, residential rents and sale prices declined on an annual basis. However, the rate of decline appears to have slowed over the quarter, indicating the market may be headed towards the bottom of its cycle.

In the retail sector, despite challenges from the growth of e-commerce, centres managed to maintain their rental values, particularly the better-quality super regional malls with a mix of entertainment, F&B and international retail. However, as more stock is scheduled to enter the market, we expect rents to face

6 JUNE 2019

downward pressure. In turn, hotels maintained their occupancy rates as improvements to Jeddah’s infrastructure continue to ease business and religious travel. However, average daily room rates and revenue per available room registered noticeable declines.

Residential Supply & Performance

Q1 2019 saw the delivery of approximately 1,660 stand-alone units, bringing the total supply of residential units to 819,000. The first quarter saw many developers delay the delivery of projects, as demand remained subdued.

Around 6,000 and 7,000 units are expected to handover in 2019 and 2020 respectively, mostly in the mid- and high-rise segments

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque | Abu Dhabi | UAE

ON TOPIC

Office

Jeddah prime rental clock Retail Residential

Hotel

Q1 2018

Q1 2019

Rental growth slowing

Rents falling

Rental growth slowing

Rents falling

Rental growth accelerating

Rents bottoming out

Rental growth accelerating

Rents bottoming out

of the market. These include Emaar Residences ‘Abraj Al Hilal 3’ within Jeddah Gate, Lamar Towers and Al Tawheed Tower along the Corniche, and Manazil Al Safa. This new supply is expected to be absorbed by the changing demographics in Jeddah, with people now looking for quality residential products supported by developed amenities and facilities.

Looking ahead, the next two to three years are expected to see continued supply of fully-integrated residential developments. The market is also expected to see the delivery of villa developments, namely Lilia Villas and Al Khaldiyyah Villas, as developers continue to cater to the local population.

Residential performance remained soft in Q1 2019, due to the slowdown in economic activity. The lack of affordability and limited access to financing remains a key determinant of demand. As a result, rents registered annual declines of 11% for apartments and 12% for villas. Meanwhile, sale prices for apartments and villas continued to soften by 8% and 7% respectively y-o-y.

The next 12 months are likely to see sale prices and rental rates remain under pressure and vacancies increase, as more supply is expected to enter the market. While current dynamics are expected to prevail in the short term, we remain positive in our long-term outlook as demand is expected to pick up on the back of government initiatives to boost home ownership rates.

This increased total office stock in Jeddah to 1.1m sqm of GLA. Handover of an additional 91,000sqm is expected in the remainder of 2019, but we remain cautious of the delivery of projects within their specified timeframe and can expect further delays. Much of the anticipated supply is likely to be of quality grade A office space with a focus on design, facilities, high safety measures and sustainability.

As a large young Saudi population enters the workforce, demand is also expected to shift to smaller, collaborative, flexible office spaces, which in turn will reduce corporate capital expenditure.

Given limited demand, rents in commercial offices across Jeddah remained under downward pressure. Average grade A rents dropped 15% to reach $298 per sqm per annum, while average grade B rents dropped 13% to average $205 per sqm per annum. In turn, vacancy

Office Supply & Performance

400

8 JUNE 2019

900 800 700 600 500

300 200 100 2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

Source: JLL

Demand for office space remained subdued in Q1 2019 on the back of changing economic conditions and global business uncertainties.

As a result, corporate activity remained limited and no noticeable expansions took place. Q1 2019 saw the delivery of just one office building in the city, adding approximately 3,000sqm GLA to the office pipeline.

Jeddah residential supply, thousand units Stock Annual supply

ON TOPIC

“The lack of residential affordability and limited access to financing remains a key determinant of demand. As a result, rents registered annual declines of 11% for apartments and 12% for villas” rates for offices across the spectrum in Jeddah registered 23%, a 3.5 basis point increase y-o-y.

In the short to medium term, we expect rents to continue their downward trajectory as more supply is delivered to the market. In the long run, and as business activity picks up, we can expect to see office rents regain some momentum, particularly for quality grade office buildings. In terms of location, office buildings along the primary commercial business district areas have been and are likely to remain popular. However, emerging areas with more advanced connectivity and amenities are expected to gain prominence and achieve a premium on office rates.

Two upscale branded hotels were handed over in Q1 2019: the Movenpick Hotel Tahlia Jeddah and the Hyatt House Jeddah Sari Street, adding approximately 160 and 100 keys respectively. These hotels bring the total supply of quality hotel keys in Jeddah to 11,700.

A further 3,800 keys are expected to enter the market by 2020.

Scheduled completions include Ibis and Adagio on Al Malik Road, the new Jeddah Marriott in Al Bawadi, Crowne Plaza Jeddah and two Choice hotel brands.

While some properties are at an advanced stage of construction, we expect some delays as demand remains soft. Looking ahead,

demand for the growing leisure and entertainment sector will likely see new operators entering the market in Jeddah. Furthermore, the progression of huge projects such as the Red Sea Project, comprising 14 luxury hotels in its first phase, will boost and diversify demand in the hospitality market.

Performance in Jeddah’s hotel market remained subdued in the year to February 2019. While occupancy rates remained stable at 48%, average daily room rates (ADRs) dropped 12% year-on-year.

Revenue per available room (RevPAR) dropped 10% and fell to $80 over the same period. Hotel performance is expected to soften further over the remainder of the year, as more keys are expected to be delivered to the market.

However, our mid- to long-term view of Jeddah’s hotel market remains positive, as the city is set to benefit from the expansion works to the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the improvement in infrastructure offerings.

The General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) reports that King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) in Jeddah recorded its highest footfall in 2018, with some 35.8m passengers flying through.

The figure represents an 8% increase compared to 2017 numbers.

Once fully operational, KAIA is expected to draw further tourists and religious pilgrims, which is expected to translate into further demand for hotels.

Jeddah office supply, million sqm of GLA Stock Annual supply

Jeddah hotel supply, thousand rooms Stock Annual supply

Hotel Supply & Performance

1.2

16 14

1.0

12 0.8 10 0.6

8 6

0.4

4 0.2 2 2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

JUNE 2019 9

ON TOPIC

MAF opens My City Centre Masdar in AUH

Estilo Architects eyes UAE luxury residential market A new design and build studio has launched in the UAE and will focus on delivering luxury residential projects. Estilo Architects says its team has previously completed single home and large residential developments across the Middle East, Europe, the US, Africa and Asia.

According to a statement, the firm will offer fully bespoke, turnkey design and construction services, from initial planning and architectural design through to preconstruction services, construction, interior design and handover. The services will be delivered by an in-house team, which the firm says will remove the need for new-build and renovation clients to seek additional third-party contractors for residential projects.

“Traditionally, clients have used multiple service providers and contractors when building a new home or renovating an existing property. This has led to frustration, as communication between the different parties can lead to inaccuracies, delays and unforeseen costs. By offering a turnkey solution we are able to move through the project, from start to finish, seamlessly,” said Ezaht Al Doory, managing partner of Estilo Architects.

10 JUNE 2019

Majid Al Futtaim (MAF) has opened its 25th mall, the $81.6m My City Centre Masdar. MAF says the mixed-use community project is one of the region’s most sustainable shopping malls.

The project features more than 70 stores spread across 18,500sqm of gross leasable area. Its 600 car parking bays are shaded by roofing housing photovoltaic cells, generating electricity equivalent to one-fifth of the mall’s annual energy usage. 6% of parking has been set aside for electric, hybrid or carshare vehicles – and half of these spaces are equipped with charging points, MAF said.

“My City Centre Masdar’s opening marks a key milestone for Majid Al Futtaim as its 25th shopping mall in the region and its first mall in the UAE’s capital. Expected to be one of the region’s most sustainable malls through the efficient use of resources including energy and water management, My City Centre Masdar underlines Majid Al Futtaim’s commitment to an enhanced living environment driven by the UAE’s long-term sustainability goals,” said Ahmed Galal Ismail, CEO of Majid Al Futtaim – Properties.

MAF says the mall aims to recycle at least 80% of its operational waste and boasts sustainability-focused features including energyefficient escalators and lifts and LED lighting.

ON TOPIC

DEWA completes expansion of M-Station plant in Jebel Ali

Fenwick Elliott relaunches Dubai office as global hub Fenwick Elliott has announced that it is investing in strengthening its global ties in 2019. The construction and energy law firm notes that as part of this move, it will be relaunching its Dubai office as an international hub.

The firm said it employs 50 lawyers as a specialised firm and that the Dubai office hosts a growing team of partners and associates. In line with its plans to make the city its main overseas base, it intends to expand the office into larger premises.

The Dubai office was first opened in 2015, in conjunction with Ibrahim Law Firm. It is headed by partners Patrick Stone and Ahmed Ibrahim and serves the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman, and is eyeing opportunities across the MENA region.

“It’s an exciting time to be at the forefront of our Dubai operation as we look to cement our presence in the UAE and explore new opportunities further afield. We are continually investing in our business here and to make way for new faces and improved facilities, we hope to relocate into a larger space in the coming months,” said Stone.

Fenwick Elliott said it has already amassed extensive experience in the Middle East, working with contractors on projects such as the Palm Jumeirah, Doha Expressway and Dubai World Central. It plans to capitalise on increasing demand for its services in the UAE and Saudi in particular, in the next 12 to 18 months.

The announcement coincided with a seminar which addressed the emergence of technology in construction and its potential impact.

DEWA has announced the completion of its M-Station expansion project. The project was inaugurated by HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Minister of Finance, and President of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA).

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA, said the total cost of M-Station, with its extension, totals $3.18bn. The plant, located in Jebel Ali, is said to have a production capacity of 2,885MW and 140m gallons of desalinated water per day.

According to a statement, the expansion project cost $416m and added new generating units, adding 700MW of capacity to the plant. Per DEWA, the extension design has a 90% fuel efficiency rate and the project was completed with over 20m Safe Man Hours without Lost Time Injury.

The expansion project saw the installation of two dual-fuel gas turbine generators, each with a capacity of 263.5MW, two waste heatrecovery boilers for steam generation, and a back pressure steam turbine from Siemens with capacity of 173MW.

JUNE 2019 11

ON TOPIC

Summertown launches new sustainability goals Summertown Interiors has announced its JOURNEY2030 sustainability goals. The office fit-out contractor said it has outlined three targets that align with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the UAE’s sustainability agenda.

According to a statement, the firm’s ambitions are to deliver 100% sustainable projects; improve workplace happiness and well-being; and achieve zero company waste to landfill.

“We have always aimed to be among the pioneers of sustainable development in the UAE – our own sustainability journey started more than 10 years ago with the LEED Gold certification of our own office interior.

Corporate sustainability matters – it delivers social, economic and environmental benefits and we are encouraged by increasing numbers of businesses who want to be as sustainable as possible. We are honoured to share our journey with the UAE’s path towards sustainability – and hope that our JOURNEY2030 sustainable strategy will help pave the way for a better future,” explained Marcos Bish, MD at Summertown Interiors.

12 JUNE 2019

Wood secures contract to build research centre Wood has been appointed to deliver the engineering design for a new SABIC petrochemical research centre in Saudi Arabia. As per the deal, the firm will have to provide conceptual, basic and detailed design engineering for the 65,000sqm technology centre.

According to a statement, Wood’s scope of work includes engineering design of analytical and material labs to accommodate testing, characterisation and materials analysis, in addition to other supporting facilities.

“This contract demonstrates our extensive experience in the design, development and engineering delivery of key energy infrastructure, and solidifies our position as an engineering partner for Sabic’s projects in the Middle East. Wood is committed to expanding our business in Saudi Arabia, and this contract aligns with our strategic objective to grow our presence in the downstream sector in the region, particularly in petrochemicals,” said Dave Stewart, CEO of Wood’s Asset Solutions business in Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia.

The contract will be delivered by Wood’s base in Al Khobar and follows the delivery of front-end engineering design services for expansion and upgrades to other regional SABIC facilities. Wood noted that it was also recently selected as the first PMC contractor to develop what is billed as the world’s largest fully integrated crude oil to chemicals (COTC) complex in the Kingdom. The firm will be working on behalf of SABIC and Saudi Aramco.

Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

Threat & Risk Assessment Gap Analysis Security System Design IT/AV Design Master Planning & Development Operational Requirements

Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

Testing & Commissioning Control Room Design System Integration Policies & Procedures Site Surveys & Audits Crisis Management

ON TOPIC

CompETITIoN

The Reem Dayoub Initiative One university student will have the opportunity to gain real world experience through an internship with LACASA

I

n 2008, Reem Dayoub joined Hydro, LACASA’s sister firm, following which she moved to LACASA in 2012 as assistant MEP manager. She was promoted to MEP director in 2016, a role that she held until August 2018, when she sadly passed away.

Her work includes many iconic projects such as the Prive Serviced Apartments Business Bay, Paramount Hotel, The Trump Estates and many others. She also directly and indirectly served as a mentor to many young women who worked with her, during her over 15-year career in the maledominated construction sector in the region.

In her honor, LACASA has launched an education and mentorship initiative to celebrate her life.

Competition mechanics

The competition is open to graduate level engineering students in their final year of university and will run for a period of three months (June through to August). LACASA, in collaboration with Middle East Consultant, is looking for the best and brightest students in the UAE. Winning the competition will require innovative thinking and outof-the-box solutions!

Once the time limit of the competition has lapsed, the student who has showcased the most exciting and innovative solutions to the challenges listed below, will be invited to join LACASA as an intern. The student will be mentored through the internship programme, which is designed to give the student real-world work experience, and will help shape their future as construction professionals.

Students can address questions and their solutions to Middle East Consultant Editor Jason Saundalkar at jason.s@cpitrademedia.com.

The Challenge

The project consists of 12 buildings (as shown in the master plan) located on a common basement and ground floor, with one mosque at the ground level. The project will be cooled via a district cooling plant.

14 JUNE 2019

Students must select two of the three challenges listed below and email their solutions to jason.s@cpitrademedia.com.

1. The student needs to study and present the best and most efficient design for the chilled water pumping stations strategy, with the required comparison from initial cost, maintenance cost, operation, low DT control to have central pumping stations or to have one for each building.

2. As per the AC load summary shown here, the calculated load for the project is 3,737 TR while the allocated load from the district provider is 2,500 TR. The student needs to present ideas how to reduce the total cooling load to match the allocated load.

3. As per the AC calculation shown here, the output for the mosque where it is showing the resulted RH is 63%, the student needs to present the following: • What is the best action plan to control the humidity and get the mosque internal condition within the comfort zone.

• What is the best action plan to control the AC system during the partial load.

LaTEsT ToTaL ToNNaGE Buildings

CHW (L/s)

CHW (Gpm)

Total Tonnage

Basement

13.51

214.13

89.22

1

69

1093.65

455.69

2

75.59

1198.10

499.21

3

59.47

942.60

392.75

4

42.25

669.66

279.03

5

30.75

487.39

203.08

6

29.52

467.89

194.96

7

25.84

409.56

170.65

8

57.41

909.95

379.15

9

57

903.45

376.44

10

33.73

534.62

222.76

11

44.64

707.54

294.81

Nursery

7.12

112.85

47.02

Mosque

20.14

319.22

133.01

Total

565.97

8970.62

3737.76

ON TOPIC masTER pLaN

aIR sysTEm sIzING sUmmaRy FoR aHU air system Information

Coil ADP

13.5 �C

Air System Name

AHU

Bypass factor

0.100

Equipment Class

CW AHU

Resulting RH

63%

Air System Type

SZCAV

Design supply temp.

14.4 �C

Number of Zones

1

Zone T-stat check

1 of 1 OK

Floor Area

1096.0 m2

Max zone temp. deviation

0.0 �K

Location

Dubai, UAE Central Heating Coil sizing Data

sizing Calculation Information

Max coil load

41.2 kW

Zone L/s

Sum of space airflow rates

Coil L/s at Des Htg

22077 L/s

Space L/s

Individual peak space loads

Max coil L/s

22077 L/s

Calculation Months

Jan to Dec

Water flow @ 11.1 �K drop

0.89 L/s

Sizing Data

Calculated

Load occurs at

Des Htg

W/m2

37.6

Ent. DB / Lvg DB

19.9 / 21.4 �C

Central Cooling Coil sizing Data Total coil load

526.7 kW

Sensible coil load

331.0 kW

supply Fan sizing Data

Coil L/s at Jul 1600

22077 L/s

Actual max L/s

22077 L/s

Max block L/s

22077 L/s

Standard L/s

22065 L/s

Sum of peak zone L/s

22077 L/s

Actual max L/(s-m2)

20.14 L/(s-m2)

Sensible heat ratio

0.629

Fan motor BHP

0.00 BHP

m2/kW

2.1

Fan motor kW

0.00 kW

W/m2

480.6

Fan static

0 Pa

Water flow @ 5.6 �K rise

22.69 L/s

Load occurs at

Jul 1600

outdoor Ventilation air Data

OA DB / WB

45.7 / 29.4 �C

Design airflow L/s

3020 L/s

Entering DB / WB

27.3 / 21.0 �C

L/(s-m2)

2.76 L/(s-m2)

Leaving DB / WB

14.9 / 14.3 �C

L/s/person

2.11 L/s/person

JUNE 2019 15

IN PRACTICE

INTERVIEW

Leading the Way Jason Saundalkar speaks to Mark Jamieson about his role at KEO-PM/CM, the value that project managers can bring to mega projects and his vision for expansion he construction landscape across the GCC and wider Middle East is evolving, and today it looks quite different to five years ago. Several factors have had a hand in this evolution, everything from the decline in the price of oil and a need to diversify economies, to political issues, to appetites for different types of real estate.

The effect is that clients and developers (public and private) and the construction supply chain have had to adapt to new realities in a bid to best align with the needs of the market and remain competitive.

“There are certainly developers that are changing their approach.

Before, they always wanted a project manager (PM) no matter what they were doing, but that’s not the case today. Having come from a construction background, working with good resident engineers in my early days, I understand this, as there are certainly projects out there that don’t warrant you having a PM – in certain situations, it’s hard to justify the cost versus the return,” explains Mark Jamieson, managing director of KEO-PM/CM International.

“One of the labels that is often associated with PMs is that they’re just a postbox, they are very good at reporting. That’s arguably where people get confused – between the role of PM and a PMO. My experience is that a PM adds value by bringing together resources, by making sure that there is a clarity of vision and objectives, and by always making sure that the ultimate objective – delivery – is met. That’s delivery on all the fronts of quality, time and cost which we all are very familiar with.”

Jamieson joined KEO at the start of 2017 as executive director of project management services within KEO Project Management International (PMI), the project management and construction management arm of the Kuwaiti consultancy.

Discussing his journey with KEO to date, he remarks, “Through my first year, there was quite a bit of change, there was always the intention to move up at some point and be mentored. The plan was that it would take two to three years, but it all happened in about nine 16 JUNE 2019

months. I took the reins as MD in November 2017 and since then, there have been very different sorts of considerations. I’m not just looking at PM services, but the core of what we do within the PM and CM division. The CMCS side is where we’ve had our biggest projects and commitments over the last 10 years.”

He notes that 2017 and 2018 were tough years for the industry as a whole. “There was a lot of learning and a lot of adjustments to be made through those periods. Where we are now is we’ve made some changes, strengthened our team, particularly in KSA, and we’re starting to see the benefits of that.”

“The challenge in Saudi is that there is just so much to do at the same time, which is also a short period of time.

This gives rise to two fundamental issues: one is how does Saudi get funding for these mega projects, and the second, from a consultancy standpoint, is you have to be selective about which projects you chase”

IN PRACTICE

JUNE 2019 17

IN PRACTICE

01 KEO’s role as project and construction manager includes management of the infrastructure design, public realm and building design on the King Abdul Aziz Road in Saudi Arabia.

02 The firm provided HSE, QS and construction supervision services for a section of Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Road.

03 Muscat Bay in Oman is taking shape at the foot of Al Hajar mountains.

01

Leveraging Opportunities

Speaking about the market in terms of opportunities for consultants offering PM and CM services, Jamieson comments, “Across the region, there are effectively emerging markets such as Saudi Arabia and even Oman that show a lot of promise. The mature markets like Dubai and Qatar are certainly still looking for PMs, but not in the same way that they did before. Quite simply, where you have complex mega projects, you need a project manager – you cannot do those jobs by just engaging an engineer and a contractor, it just doesn’t work. With those mega developments, there are too many stakeholders, too many complexities, and equally there are developers that need a client representative, so that’s a natural position for a PM to step into.”

Asked about his plans for Saudi Arabia and what sets KEO apart from its competitors, also looking for a slice of the PM/CM services pie, Jamieson points out that his firm is unique. “We’ve got the deep roots of being a Kuwaiti organisation that has grown with all the cultural sensitivities and understandings of being born out of this area. In that sense, we’re not going anywhere – through thick and thin, we will be here.

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18 JUNE 2019

That does give us a unique perspective, but equally we’ve always engaged a very cosmopolitan and international group of staff and leadership. With the new leadership in place now, we’re seeing a much broader outlook on where KEO can expand its business.”

“With PMI, we’ve got to expand and get our feet firmly on the ground.

We have a good presence in the UAE, likewise across the region, and Saudi has been an area that we’ve kept working in – it has always been an interesting market for us. I think what we’re seeing now is the expansion of Saudi, there’s an ambitious agenda and new regulations and the creation of development companies. It’s happening at such a pace that it’s a market which has to be addressed by consultancies from the perspective of adding value.”

Jamieson explains that the Saudi market is going to witness significant change going forward and reckons it’s poised for its time in the limelight.

“Typically, when people talk about the Middle East, the first country or city to come to mind is Dubai, naturally, and that’s rightly so for all that Dubai has done. But ultimately the Kingdom could consume all of the demand and gross domestic product of all the other GCC countries combined, and still have appetite for more. We only have to look at the scale of Neom City, it’s enormous and the numbers go off the end of the calculator.

That’s a massive undertaking and if you want to be a part of that success story, then you really need to have a solid plan as a consultancy. What we’ve done is develop around a country manager role, which allows us to get stability and a focus in each area that we are hoping to expand to.”

Jamieson says plans to expand outside the Middle East are also on the table.

“Future plans will include going beyond the local borders of the region. I think we’ve always been able to do that in the past as an organisation/engineering consultancy/PM consultancy, but it’s probably been more on the basis of opportunities created through

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“Ultimately the Kingdom could consume all of the demand and gross domestic product of all the other GCC countries combined, and still have appetite for more” connections locally. What we’re starting to do now is, as we broaden and strengthen our leadership team, we’re creating opportunities to expand beyond the Middle East and are looking to both Africa and Europe as opportunities to grow this business and make it into something more.”

In terms of what this means for his division, Jamieson predicts a jump in staff numbers. “My division is just over a thousand staff at the minute, but I can see that doubling over the next three years. Beyond that, it’s going to be the usual mix of ensuring that operations remain lean and

competitive but also that the skillset that we have, and that we need as we expand our markets, adapts to those demands.”

Potential Challenges

Discussing the UAE and Saudi markets in terms of how they will evolve going forward and the challenges he anticipates, Jamieson explains, “For the UAE, we’re seeing some changes as the overall economy has matured.

There are some interesting moves being made that could put a bit more 03

JUNE 2019 19

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04 DAMAC Towers by Paramount Hotels & Resorts is a fourtower hotel and residential complex. KEO was responsible for construction management

regulation and control into the construction market, which arguably at times there hasn’t been. I think that would be a game changer for the UAE.” “Combine that with the fact that there is now the initiative to engage Emiratis into the private sector and initiatives designed to make that more achievable for private companies, and you’ve got a real opportunity for the government and the private sector to work in partnership. That can only be good; the development of local talent is fundamental to improving Dubai’s smart city and smart country initiatives and one which is equally reflected in Abu Dhabi. I think the need for 04 a more collaborative approach to contracts and to understanding and apportioning risk is also really important – what one might term as risk dumping is generally passé and it needs to change, if businesses and therefore the economy are to be healthy.”

“I think Saudi has already begun vacuuming talent from across the region. The challenge in Saudi is that there is just so much to do at the same time, which is also a short period of time. This gives rise to two fundamental issues: one is how does Saudi get funding for these mega projects, and the second, from a consultancy standpoint, is you have to be selective about which projects you chase. At the minute, the requirement for staff is off the scale in terms of the demands of engineers and PMs.” “The other thing is that these are all effectively mega projects, which means there’s also a limited pool of available people that have the

“A PM adds value by bringing together resources, by making sure that there is a clarity of vision and objectives, and by always making sure that the ultimate objective – delivery – is met” 20 JUNE 2019

and supervision, in addition to architecture, design and engineering services.

experience to take on these sorts of tasks. Don’t get me wrong, there are people that can also be brought in from global markets such as Singapore, Hong Kong, the US, Europe, etc.”

“Saudi is allowing itself to come into a new world and allowing people to come into their world. Equally, they are also conscious about sensitivities and the history. Culture is really important and they don’t want to lose it and be seen as too bold or too brash. I think the challenge for the Kingdom will be that they have to also look at their knowledge base. I think the up and coming pool of talent is certainly there, especially with regard to homegrown talent. Certainly, while there are a lot of good engineers who’ve gone out and achieved reputable degrees overseas and are now back in the country and keen to show their incredible talent and drive, there’s still some education that they require on the ground.”

Logistics challenges are perhaps one of the biggest issues that Saudi has to deal with as it pushes towards the delivery of its mega projects, Jamieson warns. “Saudi as a country is geographically immense, and that throws another significant challenge into the mix. In fact, I think the next area that will make project managers more effective is an in-depth understanding of the logistics and time deliveries, and how you deliver work in the middle of a city without disturbing the neighbourhood that you’re working around.

Again, the scale of the projects and the geographical spread of those projects is massive – I believe Neom is 500km north of Jeddah, so the existing cities are a long way away from the new projects. You can’t just get in a car and drive and be there in a short time.”

That said, Jamieson is positive about what the future will hold. He reckons there are positive examples of work in the past and there is more to come in the years ahead.

He concludes, “Overall, the outlook is promising. I think with Expo 2020 around the corner here in Dubai, there’s real opportunity for all of us to build on the legacy of that. I think Expo has been an exemplar of good management, it’s had its challenges just as everyone else has, but I think it’s showing what can be done when you take a collaborative approach.

There is still a need for everyone to be focused on objectives and the aims of our projects, and to refocus on quality end results for the client.”

MULTI-DISCIPLINARY ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE

Mechanical, Electrical, IT, Electronics & Wet Services Consulting Dubai - Johannesburg - Cape Town - bengaluru Tel +971 4 338 4277

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INTERVIEW

Nurturing Talent RSP’s Ralf Steinhauer on educational institutions, what he looks for from fresh graduates and nurturing young people ast month, Middle East Consultant (MEC) interviewed four graduating architecture students from the American University of Sharjah (AUS) about what drove them to consider a career in architecture, what their academic and internship experiences were like, and their career plans. The discussion revealed interesting insights, some of which highlighted issues that must be addressed by the construction industry.

At the recent Women in Construction Summit organised by MEC and Big Project Middle East (BPME), the third panel discussion on industry engagement with educational institutions and inspiring the next generation brought some industry realities to the fore. It also shone a light on several positive developments and noted that perceptions of young female architects and engineers are improving. Additionally, the panel revealed issues that students and educational institutions need to tackle (more on page 32).

Keen to explore the topic in greater detail, we caught up with Ralf Steinhauer, director, Middle East & North Africa at RSP, about his views on where academia and students can improve, and the way his firm seeks out and nurtures fresh talent. He is uniquely qualified in this regard, as apart from his senior role with RSP, he has experience with academia through working with universities.

He’s quick to point out that the institutes he’s involved in have a diverse mix of architecture students. “I see far more creative female students versus male students and I’m pleased to see a good balance of genders today. I’ve had the pleasure of teaching very creative Emirati women at the Canadian University Dubai, when I was more involved in teaching there.”

“I think we’re on the right track and I also think the level of students is getting better every year. There’s room for improvement of course, and I think this will take a bit of time because some of the educational institutions haven’t been teaching for many years. For some that have architecture or design as part of their offering, they’ve only been at it for 10 years or less.

That said, I’m confident everybody is going in the right direction.”

Within the AEC industry, some are convinced that the sector is heading towards a skill shortage in certain disciplines. However, Steinhauer believes there is more than sufficient interest in the architecture field in the region.

22 JUNE 2019

“There will be lots of new talent coming into the sector in the coming years, I’m not too concerned about that,” he says. “Of course, there is a split where students decide that they may want to go more into interior design (ID) versus architecture. ID is a field that is dominated by women, which is nice, and the work that’s out there is incredible. Men tend to go towards engineering and architecture, but in general the numbers are good. This is what I hear from a lot of universities, so I don’t think we have to be concerned about new talent coming into the sector.”

That said, he reckons there might be some lean years in terms of students that opt for a career in the AEC industry, driven by prevailing market realities. “I think because we’re going through these sine curves where the economy is up and down, parents who are aware of the impact on the construction industry or are themselves associated with the industry might be concerned about whether this field is the right thing for their children. It could be that they believe it’s safer for their children to become a banker or a lawyer, but what I see is there are still enough young kids that are very enthusiastic about the industry.”

Room for Improvement

While confident about student interest and numbers, he explains that architecture graduates can do more to prepare for life in a practice.

“In this part of the world, students wait too long before they engage with work life. I feel a lot of them have never done an internship throughout their educational career – they wait until they graduate or wait until their last year. This is very different to other parts of the world where students tend to start right from the beginning to get office/ practical experience. There’s a bit of a discrepancy with the rest of the world in that regard, and I really think that students have to start thinking about work and practical experience during their early university years.”

Asked about university curriculums and whether educational institutions are giving architecture students what they need to thrive in their professional careers, Steinhauer responds, “There’s a vast difference in curriculums here, there is no real benchmark or an overarching programme that outlines what needs to be taught. It all depends on who is in charge at the university – they propose what will be taught to students of different skills and focuses. There needs to be an improvement in terms of what is taught at some educational institutions.

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“Reasoned creativity is crucial, I can teach them everything else” JUNE 2019 23

01

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RSP designed a masterplan for a mixed-use district in China that brings the tropical environment into the city centre.

02 Located in Singapore, these homes offer residents European style mansion townhouses.

01

“This is a big challenge, particularly with software. There’s such a discrepancy in some of the education facilities where they’re teaching software that is not used in the region. This is something I don’t understand, but it comes back to what I said earlier about the individuals in charge – it’s the software they know and that’s why they are teaching it, but it may not be something that students will be able to use in their work life.”

He adds, “Sometimes when I ask students during interviews about what their software skills are, they mention programs that have never been used in the region or have been discontinued. There’s streamlining that needs to be done, so students are better prepared and know what is expected of them in their professional careers.”

Pressed on how he addresses these issues with academic faculty, Steinhauer comments, “I try to influence the right people as much as possible, with the aim of making a positive impact. We always have these discussions and I know that coming from the practice side, you tend to want certain things to be done, and that doesn’t always agree with academia. I understand that and sometimes I have to step back and not force things on the faculty or the institution.”

That said, he believes certain elements should be a part of the programme. “These are five-year courses, it’s international standard that it should be four years for a bachelor’s and then you do your post-grad after that. So I’m surprised in five years that some education institutions are not able to squeeze in things that I consider are essential.”

24 JUNE 2019

Asked to highlight the most important requirement for young people leaving university, Steinhauer says, “Reasoned creativity is crucial, I can teach them everything else.

With creativity comes a certain knowledge of architecture, of design, the history and the ‘why’ when it comes to the way things are designed. There needs to be knowledge and research that supports your design. This for me is the only thing I really want out of a student, this type of reasoned and research-backed design creativity. If this is not there, then it’s a case of ‘I have to teach them too many things’, and I feel bad for students who pay a lot of money and aren’t able to do this.

He remarks, “Everything else in terms of how the project works, how detailed design works, how site supervision works – all this we can teach him or her. But I want someone that comes with new ideas that make sense and stand up to scrutiny.”

The Importance of Company Culture

Switching focus to the process RSP employs to seek out and nurture fresh talent, Steinhauer is eager to highlight that his firm is perhaps more proactive and thorough than others.

“The early start for us is engagement with universities, we don’t wait for young people to approach us after they graduate and apply for a job. We have collaborations with Manipal University, the American University of Sharjah and Canadian University Dubai. We are engaged in studio work, in critiques, final presentations, and actively engage with some of the students.”

“Usually, we try to be there for their final presentations and see their thesis and make a mental note of students we want to approach after they graduate. We then invite them for interviews and select the ones that we see are the best fit for the organisation. We’re looking for raw talent, creativity, real design skills and soft skills. We need to have people that fit into the team and that we know can be part of the RSP family. That’s the first step.”

He notes, “The second step is to test them. We give them tasks across different departments and start teaching them and taking them through our programme. This covers how we engage people in the organisation, how we

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“Everybody starts in the design department and gets tasks in design right from the start. We don’t just let people do reports – we want their creativity from day one” support and mentor them and how we nurture their talent throughout the first year. We feel it takes about six to 12 months to get people to the level that we want them to be at. Everybody starts in the design department and gets tasks in design right from the start. We don’t just let people do reports and Photoshop work – we want their creativity from day one.”

Steinhauer points out that while there is an approach to nurturing fresh talent, it isn’t a named programme but rather is part of RSP’s core culture.

“We don’t have a specific name for this, it’s part of the culture here. I know other organisations have special names and such, but for us, it’s just that everybody is part of a family and they get nurtured and taught right from the beginning. What I like about RSP is that there’s not certain people that take on this task or are responsible for developing talent. It’s everybody’s responsibility and everybody is part of the story.”

As RSP assigns junior professionals to work on projects as part of its focus on nurturing talent, working with clients and the supply chain is part of the package. It’s here that issues can sometimes arise – some of the AUS students interviewed last month said there was a bit of friction

when engaging with the supply chain while working on projects during their internships.

Discussing his approach, Steinhauer remarks, “I enjoy taking new starters and juniors with me to client meetings. I introduce them to the client and tell them what their involvement is in the project. It’s quite interesting, because if you tell the client that a particular area was designed by that person, they get very involved and you can feel that there is engagement. I always try to have fresh talent be a part of presentation or part of a meeting, so they don’t just feel like an add-on or someone who just takes meeting minutes or is so junior, so they aren’t taken seriously.

It’s part of our culture to make sure they are seen, heard and recognised.”

He concludes, “What’s really important for us is that we have new people joining us. Around this time of the year we look for fresh graduates, and this is something we do every year. A minimum of one or two people join us and I’m really excited about the new batch for 2019. We’ll go to some of the graduation ceremonies now, and I’m sure that we’ll find some people that are the right fit for RSP this year.”

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OPINION 01 Louise Rodrigues is a project management consultant at Aquila.

The Alternative Workforce Aquila’s Louise Rodrigues on the benefits that leveraging the alternative workforce can bring to the regional construction industry

01

T

he alternative/contingent workforce is a commonlyused practice across the globe today, with around 30% of the existing working population[1][2][3] made up of a mix of freelancers, consultants, temps and contractors.

Deloitte’s ‘2019 Global Human Capital Trends’ report states that this situation is now mainstream. For years, many considered contract, freelance and gig employment to be ‘alternative work’, options supplementary to full-time jobs. Today, this segment of the workforce has grown and gone mainstream even as talent markets have tightened, leading 26 JUNE 2019

organisations to look strategically at all types of work arrangements in their plans for growth.

The market has grown very competitive; world-wide, companies are looking to reduce overheads while maximising revenue. Now is an interesting time for freelancers to receive even greater exposure in the UAE employment market, particularly with forward-thinking organisations who wish to benefit from flexible operations. The alternative workforce is known to increase business efficiency, agility and flexibility. It also costs less and turns traditionally fixed employment expenses into variable costs.

As is recognised in the construction industry, quantity and type of resource does not stay constant throughout the course of a project – and for this reason, project work naturally lends itself to flexible workforce arrangements, in terms of time and resources.

The smart (and lean) businesses tend to pull in their best people to suit the project stages – to open, deliver, close and operate a project exactly as required.

Accessing the alternative workforce is a great place to explore top talent while considering business cost parameters. This enables you to resource a project with experienced and skilled personnel while maintaining fluctuating workload levels throughout the business year.

Freelancing offers a flexible alternative to fixed resources, in terms of:

Efficiency

• Teams grow and shrink on a needs basis • Supports lean business models • No unallocated resources Expertise

• Critical and specialist skills for particular projects/project stages • Fast-track projects – requiring a team to hit the ground running • Complex projects – experienced team with a proven delivery history and those who can re-strategise projects to make them work Budget certainty

• Pay-as-you-go approach, so you can plan your project skills to suit the project budget and risk • Reduction of employment overheads Time

• Flexible term contracts • Short mobilisation/demobilisation Location

• Can bring in skill set from overseas as and when required • Relocation for duration of contract Long-term relationships

• Relationships are built within the

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industry, over repeat assignments • Teams with a proven track record for delivery can hit the ground running on new projects • Teams that know each other tend to perform better The Deloitte report further says that for organisations that want to grow and access critical skills, managing alternative forms of employment has become critical.

It has been reported that HR teams support the idea of sourcing an alternative workforce. However, over a third of HR teams are currently not involved in selecting freelancers[4]. Thus, a focus on HR recruitment strategies and policies to facilitate the growing number of freelancers needs to be explored. Acknowledging that there is a change in employment trends will give the employers of tomorrow an edge in packaging work in more appealing ways, to attract the best talent.

There are various reports explaining the gig economy and culture. It is a difficult demographic to source accurate numbers on, because there are so many modes of operation (self-employed, part-time, side hustle, online support, etc). The gig economy has been reported to be preferred by 75% of millennials and gen Zs, who want to work for themselves in the future (while they currently ‘gig’ in their existing employment). Thus, traditional-minded recruitment and HR teams may need to explore these strategic avenues for sourcing talent on future projects.

Investigating alternative workforce modes today helps organisations plan and prepare us all for the future.

Traditional routes of employment and recruitment are already becoming the road less travelled, out of choice – and the high-level data seems to speak for itself.

Freelancing professional skills are available on the market across almost every industry

right now[5], from accountancy to healthcare, from law to media.

How is your business planning for future workforce trends? Do you already hire freelancers? Has this changed the way you think about your organisation’s future?

Sources credited:

‘The Alternative Workforce: It’s Now Mainstream’ (Deloitte Insights) ‘2019 Global Human Capital Trends’ (Deloitte) ‘Trends in Self-employment in the UK’ (Office of National Statistics, UK) [1] Harvard Business Review, April 2018, estimates that there are currently 150m freelancers in the US and Europe, with the number set to rise.

[2] By 2020, 50% of the US workforce will be freelancers (this does not mean they will all be full-time freelancers, but that one of every two workers will be freelancers in some capacity). (‘The Rise Of The Freelancer Economy’, Brian Rashid, Forbes.com, Jan 2016) [3] ‘Independent Work: Choice, Necessity, and The Gig Economy’, McKinsey Global Institute, October 2016 [4] ‘This Hot Trend Could Make Freelancing a Lot More Fun – and Meaningful’ (Elaine Pofeldt, Forbes.com) [5] ‘15 Important Trends In Freelancing: Why This Matters Now’ (Jon Younger, Forbes.com)

“The alternative workforce is known to increase business efficiency, agility and flexibility.

It also costs less and turns traditionally fixed employment expenses into variable costs” JUNE 2019 27

ON SITE

INTERVIEW

WIC Profile: Marina Kindelan

Jason Saundalkar talks to AESG’s Marina Kindelan about her inf luences, career and gender diversity in the construction industry ollowing our special edition dedicated to women in the construction industry, Middle East Consultant continues to share the inspiration and experiences of women working in the male-dominated industry across the GCC. Here, we catch up with Marina Kindelan, senior façade consultant at AESG. What drove you into the AEC industry?

When I was a child, I used to make my own toys, everything I found was a potential building block. Pens, cereal boxes, glue served me to envision, design and create something new. Over the years this curiosity increased, and curiosity became a fascination, and that made it a very easy choice when I had to choose my career path.

I graduated with a master’s degree in architecture and started my professional career right away. Like every young architect, I started supporting on different aspects of many different projects. Fortunately, I’ve had the privilege of learning from talented architects from the beginning. These mentors have had a crucial role in my career, guiding me to push myself into finding my passions within architecture.

During my years as an architect at SUH Architects and ACME, I realised the powerful role façades play in construction – it’s not just the inherent personality they bring to the building. Good façade design can have a massive impact on the energy and efficiency performance of a structure and cause visual impact, while positively reverting construction time and costs are challenges that excite me – I want to confront these every time I start a project. This is how I started specialising in facades.

Share a brief about your career, mentioning key achievements .

I studied in my native Spain but developed my professional experience abroad. Over the past six years, I’ve worked on projects spanning from South Korea to the UK and now the UAE. I have been involved in all phases of a project’s lifecycle, from working on the early design stages – 28 JUNE 2019

streamlining the facade design process – to leading design flair or tender documentation. The variety in projects and experiences has given me versatility, adaptability and a solid background in detailing, materials and facade systems across different countries.

How have you made your mark working on projects in the sector?

It’s difficult to pinpoint a single thing, I’d rather say I’m proud of how I’ve been able to cope and manage with constant change in my professional life, without losing focus of where I see my career going.

Different roles in different countries have meant constantly dealing with different approaches in styles or priorities. Work has kept me on my toes, always outside of my comfort zone. I am an advocate of the ‘yes, I can do it’ philosophy. It is this mentality that has helped me get through and overcome the challenge of constant change.

What are some of the barriers to women entering the construction industry? What was your personal experience?

I can’t say gender has been a barrier in my life. Different cultures have different idiosyncrasies; I cannot deny nuances on gender are always present. However, I was raised under the premise of gender equality and I have never let anyone question that in my professional or personal life.

The GCC construction sector is still male-dominated; however, diversity is beginning to increase. If you agree, comment on what is driving this and how you see the market changing in the future. If you do not agree, please share your thoughts/views of the market.

Construction – especially in the GCC – is a male-dominated world. I expect, however, the role and presence of women to keep increasing in the coming years. Women, and I include myself, think that working here means overcoming several gender-related barriers. I think that’s a misconception on both a professional and personal level.

The Middle East is moving towards a more women-friendly environment. Today, more and more women come to the Gulf, and we

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“Be aware of the value you bring to your organisation, of your knowledge, your academic and professional background, and don’t let anybody question that for the mere fact of what your gender is”

JUNE 2019 29

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are still a lot of stereotypes about the role a woman should play in society and her place in the professional sphere, especially in a maledominated sector such as construction. There’s slow but steady process.

can see how they are playing an increasingly pivotal role in the construction sector.

What

would

you

like

to see authorities and construction firms do to increase

diversity

and

make pay a level field?

I’d outline three aspects that imply cultural and policy changes to reach a more diverse and equal market.

First and foremost, education.

The new generation needs to live and breathe the concept of equality of rights and responsibilities as a basic pillar in society. This needs to be reflected in the roles men and women play, not only in a professional environment but also at home. Society should allow both parents to pursue a professional career – domestic duties should be seen as a shared responsibility. This change of roles should reflect equal treatment of men and women on aspects such as working time flexibility, which drives me to my second point.

In a culture where working late is seen as desirable, having kids puts you at a clear disadvantage when competing for promotions and salary raises. You can’t stay late when children need to be taken care of, and until the aforementioned cultural shift is a reality, being a woman puts you at an even bigger disadvantage, as you’re expected to be a homemaker after work. This needs to change.

Lastly, paternity leave. For equality in the workplace, a man must have the same leave rights as a woman. As both men and women would be away from the job for the same amount of time after a child is born, from a professional standpoint companies wouldn’t see any difference in recruiting, or giving a promotion, to a father-to-be over a mother-to-be.

This is beneficial for equal pay but also for the father-baby relationship.

What has your experience been working in the GCC construction sector? If you have worked in other markets, how does your experience in the region compare?

I have worked in Korea, the UK and now Dubai. It’s easy to see how Europe has been leading social progress in world matters like gender equality. Although Asian markets are following the same path, there 30 JUNE 2019

What

is

the

biggest

challenge women in the construction sector face in GCC countries? How can this be addressed?

The most prevalent challenge we face is constantly having to prove yourself and your knowledge to be treated equally. The way to overcome this is to not doubt your skills and abilities, and to be confident about your thoughts and knowledge.

In doing your job, what sort of discrimination (if any) have you faced, and how did you or your employer address it?

This is sadly true in most markets I have worked in – I’ve seen a common thread of having to constantly prove myself in a way that men are not required to. In order to overcome this, what I have done is to believe in myself and my capabilities, and not be afraid of calling out a situation where my standpoint is clearly being challenged because of my gender.

Do you feel there’s a limit to how far you can progress in your firm?

I don’t think that there are any limitations for women in AESG. If I look around, 50% of people in senior roles are women. The leadership cares about passion and initiative, regardless of gender, marital status, etc.

What advice would you give to a woman entering the construction industry today?

First of all, try to forget about stereotypes in the GCC world. In the end, this is a multicultural environment where different backgrounds and cultures are welcomed and accepted. Having said that, be aware of the value you bring to your organisation, of your knowledge, your academic and professional background, and don’t let anybody question that for the mere fact of what your gender is. If you happen to be in a situation where you feel diminished by this fact, don’t be afraid to raise your voice and call it out – don’t let this kind of situation affect your self-confidence.

ON SITE

EVENT REVIEW

Women in Construction Summit 2019 Angitha Pradeep covers the inaugural Women in Construction Summit, which discussed workplace culture, HS&E on job-sites and inspiring the next generation of professionals

T

he inaugural Women in Construction Summit took place on May 1 at the Oberoi Hotel in Business Bay, hosted by Middle East Consultant and Big Project Middle East. Over 200 professionals from the region’s built environment gathered at the summit, which addressed crucial issues such as improving workplace culture, hiring based on talent and skill versus gender, on-site health and safety, and inspiring future talent.

Chaired by Morgan Tuckness, head of Technical Services & Development – Global Hospitality, Drees & Sommer, the event had three panel discussions, three presentations and a networking lunch.

Lara Poloni, chief executive – EMEA, AECOM, kicked things off with a powerful keynote speech which inspired the hashtag #bebold on

32 JUNE 2019

Twitter. She spoke about the importance of such summits for moving important conversations ahead: “The power comes when we band together and use different perspectives, reflect on them and bring it back to our workplaces.”

With more than 30 years of experience in the industry, Poloni also spoke about managing one’s career, pay equity gaining momentum in the Middle East construction arena and the importance of culture with regard to diversity, inclusion and safety. She also stressed that those in leadership and decision-making roles should work to root out bias around people’s gender.

Following Poloni’s speech, Fiona Liddell, assistant quality manager, SSH Design, anchored the first panel discussion, which revolved around

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how gender diversity can infuse the construction industry with fresh ideas and skills. The panel explored the importance of hiring, recognising and rewarding skill and talent, rather than gender and age. Panellists also spoke about the importance of flexible work culture for women and men.

The main area of focus for the panel was internal and external diversity and inclusion initiatives taken by different organisations in the industry.

Yasmine Nashawati, manager – Dispute Resolution Services for MENA at RICS, and Nesreen Osman, partner at Pinsent Masons, elaborated on the importance of such company initiatives and highlighted steps taken by their organisations.

Osman pointed out, “We have internal and external initiatives, and with them we focus on accessibility. With our external initiatives, we are looking at events that everyone can attend, and that is what I feel – that everything has to be accessible to everyone.”

The panel also debated how responsibilities and rewards should be the same for each role, irrespective of gender. Paula Fay Evans, senior associate – Interior Design, Godwin Austen Johnson, said she feels change should be made at the grassroots level.

“With the current application process, employers have the opportunity to make a preconceived opinion and I think that is something that should definitely change. With CVs especially, information such as marital status, age and a picture should not be provided.” She said that once that information is taken off, the game changes.

Over the last 15 years that she has been in the region, Celeste Tai, managing quantity surveyor, Omnium International, said there has been an influx of strategies and policies to help women drive and advance their careers. She added that clients have also become more welcoming to women in charge and their being on the frontline in project matters.

Joe Tabet, founder and managing director at JT+Partners, opined that more than focusing on procedures, individuals must also have the will to change. The panellists concluded that it’s not just men who need to change their attitudes, it should come from both sides, and that women need to be better at putting themselves forward.

With the first panel coming to a close, Clare Evans, project manager and business change leader, SNC-Lavalin, and Rachel Collins, head of procurement – Middle East, Faithful+Gould, took the stage for the first

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presentation on fostering women empowerment in the construction industry. Evans spoke at length about diversity and inclusion and about the first steps that can be taken on the journey to an inclusive workplace, while Collins communicated her experiences as a senior woman leader in Saudi Arabia.

The second panel focused on HS&E at project sites and was moderated by Farah Kurdi, built environment sector lead at Mott MacDonald. Camelia Pacurar, occupational health, safety and wellness manager at AECOM, started off the discussion by saying there is a lot of focus on safety but much less on health. Additionally, she said, health constitutes mental health as well, and a lot can be done to prevent rather than look after.

Panel members also discussed health and safety initiatives that they have personally or as part of an organisation implemented at their workplaces and sites. Sarah Rodgers, senior facilities manager, Emrill Services, explained, “We have all got our risk assessments in place and work method statements in place, and even our permits to work, but we

“The power comes when we band together and use different perspectives, reflect on them and bring it back to our workplaces”

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recently launched a behavioural-based safety programme which focused on trying to get all individuals to think about their families, and why it is that they are working safely.”

Rodgers added that they had also launched a unique ‘stop-work card’ in her organisation. She said it was a simple initiative – a piece of paper that empowered individuals to stop any work that they think isn’t happening safely.

Zeina Daabas, senior quality auditor, Khatib & Alami, stressed the importance of education and awareness. Michelle Najm, senior architect, JT+Partners, added that awareness usually starts from the corporate office and that individuals must have proper training beforehand. During the Q&A session, audience member Dr Jamal Al Bahar, president, Promis, made a well-received remark: “Safety should be first, last and always!”

The panellists said that in this region, safety varies from small- to midto high-level contractors. Everything in the region is about fast-tracking and getting more work done, and when this happens, safety comes second, they noted. They concluded that safety is less about identifying what equipment to use and more about the behaviour of individuals.

Following the second panel, Fiona Liddell returned to address audience members on what she and her colleagues do to influence maternity policy changes in their firm. She pointed out that it is possible to change policies for the better by working with the relevant decisionmakers in an organisation, and shared tips on how delegates can do the same in their companies. She also explained that everybody, not just mothers, should talk about changes that could be beneficial for those starting families.

ON SITE

“With our field, we should encourage flexibility in the work environment” The third panel centred on moving ahead and inspiring the next generation of construction professionals. Summit chair Morgan Tuckness moderated the panel, which examined how the industry should work together with educational institutions to develop future-friendly curriculums, mentorship programmes and early engagement at the high school level.

The panel started off on a very positive note, with speakers agreeing that things have changed dramatically in the last decade – panellists noted that there are now a lot more women in the industry than 10 years ago.

Dr Bhakti More, associate professor at the School of Design & Architecture at Manipal Academy of Higher Education, talked about the two types of barriers faced by female students. “One is a cultural barrier where female students have family constraints and pressure, while the second barrier is organisations requesting male graduates for work that involves construction sites.” Dr More also pointed out that she has been seeing improvement in relation to both issues in recent times.

Carolina Fong Guzzy, digital engineering manager at Accienta, agreed that role models start at home. With her mother having worked in the oil & gas field, she said that she chose her career freely, without any questions or bias.

Ghina Yamak, façade designer at AESG, added, “With our field, we should encourage flexibility in the work environment. It’s an interconnected chain and it starts with engaging third- and fourth-year students with lecturers and workshops that will build their professional personality more.”

Raja Abu Al Ruz, a software engineer at Trimble Solutions Middle East, agreed with Yamak and said that this is something her firm does actively. “We provide universities with software so that it pushes students to have full, proper training and they are aware of the new technologies in the industry. Universities have started implementing this, and I think it really increases productivity and accuracy.”

Tuckness concluded the panel discussion on the thought that exposure is very important – and that was a common thread throughout the panel. Exposing young people, regardless of gender, from a young age to different possibilities and career options is of the utmost importance, she noted.

The final presentation of the day was given by Hiba Jaber, lead structural engineer at LACASA. Jaber spoke about the influence LACASA’s late MEP director Reem Dayoub had on her life, and announced an initiative in her honour. LACASA is partnering with Middle East Consultant to host a competition (page 14) for engineering students, the winner of which will gain work experience through an internship with LACASA. With this, summit chair Morgan Tuckness made her closing remarks, reaffirming the importance of gender diversity in the construction industry, and invited delegates to a networking lunch.

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ON SITE

EVENT REVIEW

Value Engineering Summit 2019 Angitha Pradeep looks at the second annual VE Summit, which discussed the application of VE to structures and infrastructure, and the role of technology

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ore than 200 delegates from across the Middle East gathered on the ninth of April at the Oberoi Hotel Business Bay, for the second edition of the Value Engineering (VE) Summit. The conference brought together speakers and panellists constituting consultants, contractors and government authorities, and provided them with a platform to debate the issues and challenges of improving efficiency in construction.

Chaired by Nicky Dobreanu, managing quantity surveyor at C-Quest, the event included three panel discussions, two presentations and two CPD-certified sessions, followed by a networking lunch.

Ahmed Abdalla Al Hammadi, director of the Federal Roads Department at the Ministry of Infrastructure Development, gave the keynote speech before the day’s discourse started.

Scott Coombes, director at AESG, moderated the first panel discussion, which focused on design and build (D&B) contracts

becoming increasingly popular. The key points reviewed were the pros and cons associated with D&B projects, and the need for clear communication and a collaborative environment for successful VE implementation.

Panellists believed that the D&B market is growing but also pointed out that the way a D&B contractor thinks should be very different from the way a traditional contractor thinks. Scott Beth, senior manager, Project Development at Select Group, said, “I strongly feel that D&B contractors should be more creative and have a deeper understanding of the processes at work.” Paul Doherty, UAE country director at Faithful+Gould, felt market maturity is still an issue throughout the whole construction process with respect to D&B projects.

In conclusion, the takeaways were that D&B projects will receive a lot more support in the future, and that D&B is a great solution for fulfilling particular objectives in a contract.

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One of the points discussed in the first panel was what constitutes value in a D&B contract. This led nicely into the first presentation of the day by Fernando Freitas, associate director at Omnium International.

He elaborated on the importance of value in VE implementation and the relationship between functionality/quality and cost.

The next panel focused on the application of VE in private-public partnership (PPP) infrastructure projects, moderated by David Clifton, director for Strategy and Growth (Construction Services) at AECOM. To start off the discussion, Rita Allan, senior associate at Pinsent Masons, stated that there are a lot of projects that are already PPP in nature, not by name but by cooperation. She stressed multiple times that a PPP is designed to be a life asset when compared to other projects, and that it is usually for a very long time and involves a big investment.

The group went on to discuss how government-implemented laws and project financing mechanisms provide support to vital projects.

Most of the debate was about determining how a successful PPP seeks to align the risks to the party most suitable to bear them. The recurring theme was that everyone involved needs to collaborate in

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a controlled environment and must adopt a holistic approach to VE and hit key performance indicators. Panel participants maintained that the approach to VE and which PPP model should be incorporated for a project are crucial.

Mohammad Tanbouz, executive director (Operations) at LACASA Architects & Engineering Consultants added, “There are legal entities present to scrutinise the project in terms of liabilities, risks and gains, and to control the interests of all the stakeholders involved.� He elaborated that PPPs are unique and that the culture needs to be more developed in the Middle East than other parts of the world.

The panel ended on the idea that during a VE exercise every aspect must be scrutinised, and that stakeholders must have a realistic approach to the issues and risks associated with lifecycle costs and government benchmarks. The panellists stressed the importance of understanding that PPP projects are life assets and must be treated as such.

The third panel focused on using technology and software during the VE process. Dobreanu moderated this debate on the use of analytics and technology in finding the most value-added solutions.

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The committee also had a healthy dialogue on calculating ROI on the financial, social and environmental fronts, and the benefits they bring in terms of CapEx and OpEx. Nithin Thomas, senior BIM manager at Shapoorji Pallonji International, made an interesting point about how understanding technological barriers is the key to making everything work efficiently and effectively.

Naji Atallah, head of AEC and Manufacturing (ME and Turkey) at Autodesk, was of the opinion that trusting technology won’t be an option going forward. “I think it’s going to accelerate, and people’s jobs will change. They will not disappear, but they will evolve, and it’s only by adopting technology that we will be able to deliver more.”

With this thought in mind, the final panel of the second edition of the VE Summit concluded.

The second presentation for the day was delivered by Venugopal Nanjan, CEO – Centre of Excellence at S&T Global Engineering Services. He elaborated on how technologies such as big data, BIM (building information modelling), VR (virtual reality), GIS

(geographic information system) and blockchain are disrupting the AEC industry, especially in the area of VE. This was followed by two CPD-certified sessions. The first was on a win-win strategy for successful VE implementations by Maged Louis, managing partner at Implement Engineering Consultants.

His case study highlighted a hospital project where both parties felt that they got good deals. He expanded on the differences between cost-cutting and VE. Summit chair Dobreanu returned to give the final CPD-certified presentation for the day, which discussed how companies must adopt collaborative practices and behaviours to facilitate collective learning and build trust in the pursuit of value. He pointed out how current construction practices are difficult and cumbersome, and talked about what could be done to change this.

At the networking lunch which marked the end of the summit, delegates were able to share their experiences and ideas with industry experts and network with government officials, key industry figures, influencers and solution providers.

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THE BACK PAGE

LAST WORD 01 Patrick Gersch is a project manager at Faithful+Gould, a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group.

How Moving to the Region Improved My Career and My Mind Faithful+Gould’s Patrick Gersch shares the experiences he’s had since moving to the Middle East

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oving to the UAE wasn’t something I’d carefully planned. I was working in an urban planning role in Australia in 2007 when I happened to watch a current affairs show that profiled Australians going to Dubai to work on megaprojects, with all the associated lifestyle and financial benefits. It sounded good to me and I decided to go for it.

I joined a large engineering consultancy to work on master-plan developments, and eventually moved into project management, completing a distance learning Australian project management degree. For several years I lived in Dubai and commuted to Abu Dhabi.

In 2015, I joined Faithful+Gould in Dubai, attracted by the prospect of working for a bigger 40 JUNE 2019

consultancy with an impressive client list, a healthy pipeline of work and the opportunity of a client-facing role. It worked out well – my work is stimulating, fast-paced and satisfying.

The UAE used to be somewhere where people came to work and sat it out, waiting for the posting to be over. Today, Dubai is electric, there’s so much energy and a can-do attitude. We work hard and play hard and I can recommend the lifestyle here. There’s something for all ages, all cultures and all tastes. The desert is a great place for a motocross enthusiast like me, it’s fun and a major stress reliever. We enjoy lots of socialising as a family and we also travel a lot – we’re lucky in that my wife works for an airline.

Our kids were born in Dubai. They’re eight and four now and they go to an amazing multicultural school with a British curriculum, where they’re learning Arabic and German.

They love the beaches, parks, water parks and cinemas. Like most families, my wife and kids leave in the summer due to the heat. I really like our kids having a multicultural upbringing. It’s the same at work – it’s such a cool experience to work with people from all across the world.

Different beliefs, upbringings, etc, it can be challenging at times but you learn so much.

Career-wise, you don’t miss out on anything with Faithful+Gould in the Middle East. I was selected for a nine-month management development programme, working with a diverse group alongside UK trainers, which was

a valuable experience. I find our regional lunch & learn sessions are a good opportunity too.

I’ve worked on some exciting projects in my time here. Highlights include the Bulgari Hotel, Jumeirah Beach Hotel refurb and Dubai Creek Harbour. I also spent a year working in Saudi Arabia, on an interesting mixed-use development at Al Wedyan, near Riyadh. The crazy days are over, with developers being a bit more cautious now, but that’s exciting too – to see the market and methodologies mature, and the environment become more regulated.

Right now I’m working in Abu Dhabi, seconded to a major developer to help build sustainable communities and develop strategic mixed-use projects. We’re integrated into the client team to kick start these projects, which will really put our client on the map. Currently, we’re focused on a leisure destination with food & beverage, retail, playgrounds, picnic areas and landscaping. There’s a sense of urgency and excitement and I’m enjoying this exposure to the developer perspective.

If you’re going to pack up and move overseas, you need to have a sense of adventure and be willing to take a risk. I did and I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything; it has given me something I’d never have had if I just stayed in Australia. A different perspective on life, becoming more open, developing more balanced views – I can’t recommend living in the region enough!

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