< Previous50 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JUNE 2021 POWER 100 WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM Awell-known face to the construction industry, Robert Jackson, the Managing Director for the EMEA at The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyor’s (RICS) enters the Construction Week Power 100 list for yet another year. RICS activities and recognition in the region have grown substantially, leading to an increase in staff numbers and responsibilities to support its growth. Some of RICS achievements over the past year include working closely with many GCC government entities to recognise the need for introducing global best practices and professionalism to help drive project pro tability via quicker delivery with fewer disputes and legal liabilities. RICS has also helped regional governments to adopt international standards related to the built environment that help drive transparency, investor con dence and reduce disputes At the end of 2020, RICS signed a milestone agreement with Expo 2020 Dubai to bring the fth annual World Built Environment Forum (WBEF), to Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC). From 24 to 25 January 2022, a global community of senior leaders will convene to tackle challenges and opportunities in the built environment. Jackson said: “The World Built Environment Forum is a unique forum where thought leadership can be translated by RICS into tangible actions and standards that make a positive difference in the world.” C allisonRTKL’s CEO Kim Heartwell has been commended for the positive impact she has made to the global architecture, planning and design rm. To celebrate CallisonRTKL’s 75 year anniversary, Heartwell was appointed as CEO February 2021 where she is based in the rm’s Washington DC of ces. Heartwell has more than 30 years of experience and her depth of industry knowledge and breadth of experience will position the rm for continued success. Kim’s nuanced understanding of CRTKL is evident in the many positions she has held since joining the rm. From junior architect to DC of ce leader to global workplace practice leader – Heartwell’s tenure with the company has led to some of the most impactful workplace projects, growing the business into an impressive global force. Speci cally, her expertise in change management, workplace design and mobility strategies for complex organisations will directly in uence the growth and advancement of CRTKL as it expands its global footprint. For the Middle East, CallisonRTKL has made great strides in driving net-zero targets and was also appointed as the lead-consultant for design services from the conception to the completion of the beachfront residential development Mamsha Al Saadiyat on Saadiyat Island, developed by Abu Dhabi-listed property developer Aldar Properties, which won the Residential Project of the Year at the Construction Week Awards 2020 in December. 57 58 ROBERT JACKSON KIM HEARTWELLPOWER 100 JUNE 2021 CONSTRUCTION WEEK 51WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM Aregular figure in Construction Week’s Power 100 lists, SSH’s Chief Executive Officer Matthew Squires comes in at 59th place. SSH has once again experienced another very successful year despite market challenges by continuing to expand its service offering in the UAE, KSA and into the African continent, adding projects in Ethiopia, Rwanda and Egypt to their ongoing projects in Morocco and Algeria. Some of its major successes over the past 12 months include working on the 300m tall National Bank of Kuwait HQ, the Algeria Gulf Bank HQ, which is 25-storeys twin towers, Omantel HQ in Oman, and the 75-storey SLS Dubai Hotel & Residences development in Downtown Dubai. Construction works began for the Boubyan Bank HQ in Kuwait, and the SSH Supervision team celebrated 13 million man- hours without a lost time incident working on the Dubai Creek Harbour – Creek Horizon project. SSH was also praised for revamping its staff appraisal process to focus on its staff’s career. The company said it was important to provide “a career path” to millennials as a priority which should dovetail into the company objectives rather than the historical reverse focus in the past. SSH revealed that it expects its revenues in 2021 to be similar to 2020, which closed at $60m. Another new entrant into Construction Week’s Power 100 list is Bishop Design’s Founder Paul Bishop who enters into the top 60 of the list. Bishop Design was born in 2004 out of a shared Al Quoz warehouse in Dubai and has now become one of the leading interior design rms in the region. Bishop Design is also regularly featured on Construction Week’s sister publication Commercial Interior Design where Paul took home the Interior Designer of the Year in last year’s renowned CID Awards 2020. Some of the key achievements for Bishop Design over the past 12 months was working on the Jumeirah Lounge at Dubai Airport, Terminal 3, a hotel in Morocco, F&B developments for Rosewood Hotels in Qatar, and a multitude of exciting F&B concepts in Saudi Arabia. The most notable achievement was completing the interiors for the 75-storey SLS Dubai Hotel & Residences project in Dubai which recently opened to the public. The rm has re ned its internship program for candidates to have a clearer route to employment. They have also made internal promotions for long standing members of the team, providing opportunities for further learning and experience. Bishop Design also has ambitious plans to expand with a presence in the Bahamas, Miami, Oman and Saudi Arabia. Bishop Design revealed that the business was able to increase pro ts substantially throughout 2020, despite the global pandemic, and is expected to increase by a further 25% in 2021. 59 60 MATTHEW SQUIRES PAUL BISHOP52 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JUNE 2021 POWER 100 WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM Killa Design’s Design Partner, Shaun Killa, returns to this year’s Construction Week Power 100 list, entering at 61. Known for their work on The Museum of the Future in Dubai, which is expected to open its doors this year, Killa Design is among the most respected architectural design firms and is dedicated to creating innovative buildings that are sustainable and contextually inspired. They specialise in mixed-use, high rise, hospitality, office, and residential projects. They also have significant experience in retail, theatre, museum, urban design, and master planning projects. Some of its notable achievements over the past 12 months comprise winning a contract from Saudi Arabia developer The Red Sea Development Company to design overwater and inland villas on Sheybarah Island. Killa’s designs of the overwater villas will be inspired from the natural surroundings, particularly the corals, which make up the circle effect. The coral-inspired villas will be built on the surface of the water. Other projects include the 77-storey The Address Beach Resort in Dubai. Killa Design was also crowned the Architecture Firm of the Year at Construction Week Awards in 2020. The firm lifted the award in December last year for the “eye-catching” design of the Museum of the Future in Dubai and achieving the LEED Platinum certification for the project. Another new face for Construction Week’s Power 100 list is Cosentino’s Regional Director for the Middle East and India, who comes in at 62. Abou Khalil joined Cosentino in October 2017 and was instrumental in streamlining the rm’s operations and restructuring HR to create a strong unit of motivated professionals. Finance, logistics, and administration has been described by Abou Khalil as “the backbone of the company” and he spent a considerable amount of time setting up ef cient protocols. Cosentino’s biggest project win over the past 12 months was the 50,000 sq ft. façade project for the Qaryat al Hidd development on Saadiyat Island and is the rm’s largest façade project in the Middle East till date. They also secured the contract to execute a 10,000 sq mt façade for the Hoshang Pearl residential tower in Karachi, Pakistan. Other major projects in the UAE included Emaar’s Beach Vista and Sunrise Bay and Belgarvia 3 by Ellington Properties. The rm is also looking to drive growth in Saudi Arabia and India by appointing a Country Manager in the Kingdom, while also having a dedicated team member in India by the third quarter of 2021. Cosentino also launched a number of initiatives including Cosentino We, Cosentino City live! & Café Cosentino, amongst others. Cosentino revealed that for 2021, it is expected to reach $9.7m (8m euros). 61 62 SHAUN KILLA EDDY ABOU KHALILPOWER 100 JUNE 2021 CONSTRUCTION WEEK 53WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM ACWA Power’s CEO Paddy Padmanathan makes Construction Week’s Power 100 list for yet another year. The Saudi Arabia-based developer, owner, and operator of power generation and water desalination plants has inked a number of important projects this year including signing a major public-private partnership (PPP) utilities package with The Red Sea Development Company in November 2020. ACWA Power is also working with the Kingdom’s other gigaprojects after NEOM signed a $5bn agreement with Air Products and ACWA Power for a production facility that will be the world’s largest green hydrogen project. The joint venture (JV) project, which is equally owned by all three partners, was the first partnership for NEOM in the renewable energy field and forms part of its strategy to become a major player in the global hydrogen market. Indian contractor Larsen & Toubro (L&T) also secured an EPC contract from the consortium of Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power and the Water and Electricity Holding Company, for the 1.5GW Sudair Solar PV Project, the largest solar plant in Saudi Arabia. The developer is also backed by Saudi Arabia sovereign Public Investment Fund (PIF), who increased its stake from 33.4% to 50% to support the development of renewable energy sector in the Kingdom. Elsewedy Electric’s President and CEO Ahmed Elsewedy is placed at number 64 in this year’s list. Since starting as a manufacturer of electrical components in Egypt 80 years ago, Elsewedy Electric has evolved into a global provider of energy, digital and infrastructure solutions with a turnover of EGP 46.4bn in 2020. Listed on the Cairo stock exchange since 2006, Elsewedy operates in five key business sectors: Wire & Cable, Electrical Products, Engineering & Construction, Smart Infrastructure and Infrastructure Investments. Elsewedy’s approach is an all-in-one integrated Engineering, Procurement & Construction (EPC) service which enables them to deliver even the most complex projects on time and within budget. As part of its commitment to sustainability, they have established green energy and smart metering projects across Africa, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. Elsewedy recently signed an EGP 126m contract with Alexandria Petroleum Maintenance Co. to build a 6000m3/day sewage treatment plant in Houd Negaih, Al Sharqia. The company’s growth has been based on sound financials and a commitment to hiring talented individuals. As well as empowering businesses and communities, they have been a major contributor to the Egyptian, African and Middle Eastern economies. 63 64 PADDY PADMANATHAN AHMED ELSEWEDY54 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JUNE 2021 POWER 100 WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM Rising 18 places in Construction Week’s Power 100, ACCIONA’s Managing Director for the Middle East, Jesus Sancho, has made huge strides in progressing the Spanish sustainable infrastructure solution rm. Some of ACCIONA’s key achievements over the past 12 months included being awarded new contracts such as the design and construction of the SWCC Shuqaiq-1 reverse osmosis desalination plant on the Red Sea coast in Saudi Arabia and some large facility management contracts in Qatar and KSA. The rm has also been very successful in winning work at the Expo 2020 Dubai site after being awarded contracts for more than 35 pavilions including the iconic UAE Pavilion, the Life Pavilion and the Sustainability Pavilion. Other key projects included Route 2020 extension metro and the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park Phase III in Dubai where they were the main Design & Build contractor for both projects. Going forward, ACCIONA revealed that they are eyeing infrastructure opportunities in the Kingdom of Bahrain as well as pushing some markets such as the Waste-To-Energy in the Middle East. In terms of revenues, ACCIONA said they expect a dip in their 2021 revenues, but they will be above $650m. However, based on the new projects awarded and some long-term recurrent assets, they expect an increase in revenues for 2022 to reach the pre-pandemic levels. A t the helm of Dubai- based conglomerate Majid Al Futtaim, Alain Bejjani returns to Construction Week’s annual ranking of 100 most influential construction industry leaders in 2021. Despite operating in difficult market conditions over the past year, Majid Al Futtaim has adapted tremendously to continue growing the business. The Dubai-based retail giant, which operates 27 shopping malls across the Middle East and North Africa region, has been commended for waiving rent fees for its tenants for the duration of the COVID-19 government mandated store closures. In a statement to Arabian Business, it said it is keen to help retailers retain working capital while the shopping malls are closed. Another recent big success for Majid Al Futtaim is that it opened its first hybrid cinema and family entertainment centre (FEC) in the UAE at Wafi City. The entertainment hub spans two floors and comprises VOX Cinemas, integrated with Magic Planet. Outside of the UAE, Majid Al Futtaim also has formed integral partnerships Oman Tourism Development Company (OMRAN), and Oman National Investments Development Company (Tanmia) to form the tourism complex Al Mouj Muscat. Al Mouj Muscat recently launched a new residential neighbourhood - Murooj Lanes- which has been priced to suit first-time buyers and investors. 65 66 JESUS SANCHO ALAIN BEJJANIPOWER 100 JUNE 2021 CONSTRUCTION WEEK 55WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM Alstom’s Managing Director for the Middle East, Mama Sougoufara, comes into our Power list at 67. Mama Sougoufara joined Alstom in 2008 and held various management roles in Alstom Transport. He worked in the Departments of Rolling Stock Engineering and served in several global sites such as La Rochelle and Reichshoffen in France, Savigliano in Italy, Lapa in Brazil, and TrTrans JV in Russia. In 2015, after three years in Alstom Thermal Power as Sector Quality Vice President, Sougoufara returned to Alstom Transport in the AMECA region as the System and Infrastructure Engineering Director. He was appointed as Managing Director of Alstom in October 2020 and to date has made signi cant progress within the Middle East. Alstom was a key stakeholder involved in the $2.95bn Dubai Route 2020 Metro project. The new line project, which commenced in July 2016, consists of a 15km- long line, of which 11.8km is an elevated metro line and 3.2km is an underground metro line – branching off the existing Red metro line at the Jabel Ali station. The metro extension has seven stations, including an interchange at Jabel Ali and a metro station at the Expo 2020 Dubai site. Alstom also recently signed a ve-year extension to its contract with Dubai Airports to provide comprehensive operations and maintenance services for the InnoviaTMAPM 300 automated people mover system at Dubai International (DXB). A prominent figure for futuristic transport, Virgin Hyperloop’s Managing Director for the Middle East and India, Harj Dhaliwal comes into Construction Week’s Power 100 list at 68. Virgin Hyperloop is an American transportation technology company and Dhaliwal oversees all customer activity and projects for Virgin Hyperloop One in the Middle East and India. With over 35 years of civil engineering experience, he has a proven track record for managing mega rail and infrastructure projects in complex challenging environments around the world. He began his career as a contractor, moved into consulting and has held senior management roles in global client and consulting organisations. Dhaliwal has spent the last 22 years in the development, delivery, and management of heavy rail, light rail, and metro projects including PPP, PFI and D&B projects across Europe and the Middle East. Notably, he was the Programme Director for the delivery and operation of the first national heavy railway in the UAE - Etihad Rail. Following its first passenger testing in November 2020, Virgin Hyperloop unveiled its vision for the future hyperloop experience. The firm released a concept video that takes the viewer step- by-step through a hyperloop journey, from arriving at the portal to boarding the pod. 67 68 MAMA SOUGOUFARA HARJ DHALIWAL56 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JUNE 2021 POWER 100 WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM An industry veteran for construction law, Managing Partner for Reed Smith, Sachin Kerur, climbs ten places into number 69 for Construction Week’s Power 100 list for 2021. Kerur has been Managing Partner at Reed Smith for the last two and a half years and is responsible for driving the rm’s strategy for the Middle East. Throughout the last year, Kerur has ensured its teams remained as healthy and invigorated as possible throughout the COVID-19 crisis. Kerur revealed that the business has shown the maximum sincere empathy to clients and supported them. Over the past 12 months, Kerur has acted on behalf of several development projects in the civil engineering sector, desalination industry, industrial services and re-modelling of major legislative frameworks in the UAE. In the face of restricted client activities, Kerur has been instrumental in developing a number of outreach programmes for Reed Smith including the ground-breaking sponsorship of the Al Maha Emirati Women’s Rugby Association. In line with the company’s commitment to pro bono legal services, the rm supported a number of small businesses in corporate and employment needs and have been working closely with a major charity regional institution on ground-breaking and exciting initiatives. Kerur also participated in several of Construction Week’s conferences and events over the past 12 months including most recently being a panellist for our rst physical conference since the pandemic - Dispute Resolution Question Time Dubai in February 2021, Leaders KSA where he joined key members of the industry to discuss ‘The Future of Construction’ for the Kingdom, Leaders UAE where he was among several other lawyers for the ‘Knowing your Rights’ panel and nally he was a judge for the Construction Week Awards 2020. As the UAE emerges from the pandemic, Kerur said he expects an upturn in the economy and expects the business to mirror that growth. He added that the rm was con dent that they could support their clients throughout the remainder of 2021. 69SACHIN KERURPOWER 100 JUNE 2021 CONSTRUCTION WEEK 57WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM Voltas is among the Middle East’s largest mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) contractors. In charge of the rm is AR Suresh Kumar, who moves up fteen places on this year’s edition of the Power 100 annual ranking into number 70. Kumar debuted in the Power 100 list in 2019. He joined the Indian conglomerate in 1995, and has catapulted the company to great heights since. As part of the $100bn+ annual revenue conglomerate TATA Group, Voltas Limited has been providing electro-mechanical solutions internationally for more than three decades with a signi cant level of projects and operations in the Middle East. Within the GCC, Voltas has executed a number of projects of diverse applications. The group has had a very successful year, particularly its Omani division, who cleaned up at the Construction Week Oman Awards 2021 with four honours – Contractor of the Year, Engineer of the Year, Sustainability Initiative of the Year and Construction Executive of the Year. Voltas Limited Oman was recognised by our judges for its experience in developing a diverse range of buildings during the past year, while Jaldeep Virani, the rm’s General Manager for its Oman operations, was commended for being a “dynamic and inspiring leader”. Voltas’ Mohammed Mubeen was recognised for being a true professional, who is dedicated to his profession and well-respected by his peers. A leading gure in Oman’s construction market, Douglas OHI’s General Manager Aaron Hennessy comes in Construction Week’s Power 100 list for yet another year. Putting health and safety and its workforce at the forefront, Douglas OHI has continued to prove why it is among the best contractors in the region through a series of recognitions. In July 2020, Douglas OHI was honoured for its high standards of health and safety measures by being awarded The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Gold accolade for its third consecutive year, while they also cleaned up at Construction Week’s Oman Awards in 2020 with a hat- trick of accolades – Contractor of the Year, CSR Initiative of the Year and Sustainability Initiative of the Year. At the Construction Week Awards 2020, Douglas OHI also took home the CSR Initiative of the Year. Coming into 2021, Hennessy continued to be recognised for his work after being named the Oman Hub Chairman of The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB). Douglas OHI continued its success at the virtual Construction Week Oman Awards in March 2021 picking up the HSE Initiative of the Year and CSR Initiative of the Year once again and also secured several highly commended accolades. The latest update from the Omani contractor saw them secure the warm shell and complete t-out works contract of the new 5,840m2 15-screen VOX Cinemas at Mall of Oman in Muscat. 70 71 AR SURESH KUMAR AARON HENNESSY58 CONSTRUCTION WEEK JUNE 2021 POWER 100 WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM HKA’s Partner Jad Chouman comes into Construction Week’s Power list at number 72 for 2021. Chouman has been associated with HKA Middle East for more than 15 years and he became a Partner, heading the operations in the UAE in 2017 following which he was subsequently promoted to Continent Head Middle East in 2019. A key for their success during unprecendented times was establishing crisis management teams across the business in early February. HKA Middle East was successful on getting appointed for providing Expert and Claims Consulting Services on key projects in the region in addition to North Africa and Indian Subcontinent. The projects included Riyadh Metro, The Dubai Metro Expo Link, Doha Metro, Cairo Metro, Hyderabad Metro, Bombay- Delhi Freight Corridor, King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh, Solar Power Plants, Muscat Airport and Doha Airport. HKA were involved on strategic key infrastructure and health projects in Abu Dhabi where they assisted parties in the resolution of disputes amounting to billions of dirhams. The rm continued to grow its services in Oil and Gas and Power Sectors across the region with projects in UAE, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan and Algeria. Probyn Miers joining HKA earlier this year further strengthened the rm’s forensic technical services teams in both the Middle East and UK. Another notable entrant for Construction Week’s Power 100 list is Eng. Muammar Alatawi, the CEO of Saudi Arabia contractor Shahm Contracting, who is placed at number 73. Eng. Alatawi has a Master’s Degree in Project Management from the University of New South Wales in Australia. Alongside his role at Shahm Contracting, Eng. Alatawi is also the Chairman of the Urban Development Council at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry and an executive member of The National Contractors Committee at the Council of Saudi Chambers. Having had a significant presence in Saudi Arabia, Shahm Contracting Company’s mission is to be a pioneer in the field of contracting, unique in the services that it provides, and to contribute, with its expertise, in accelerating growth and prosperity. Established in Jeddah in 2006, Shahm Contracting Company has worked on some prestigious projects within Saudi Arabia including mega- projects for the Ministry of Municipal, Rural Affairs and Housing such as Shams Al-Dyar in Riyadh, Bouvardia City in Jeddah and Luluat Al-Dyar in Yanbu, as well as universities, medical institutions, and luxury palaces. Shahm Contracting Company takes pride in its fast performance and commitment record and claims that it has never failed to complete a project within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia since its establishment. 72 JAD CHOUMAN ENG. MUAMMAR ALATAWI 73POWER 100 JUNE 2021 CONSTRUCTION WEEK 59WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM Entering Construction Week’s Power 100 list for a second consecutive year is RAQ Contracting’s CEO Rami Al Qaisi. Despite the challenging climate brought upon by the COVID-19 pandemic, RAQ has shown its resilience to continue ourishing in the UAE market by achieving several construction milestones. Owing to decades of expertise in the industry, Al Qaisi has established an environment at RAQ that is conducive to high performance in delivering results across the commercial, residential and industrial segments in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, and the other Northern Emirates. The contractor’s workforce comprises more than 400 engineers and support staff apart from 3,700+ skilled and unskilled workers who have worked on several projects over the past 12 months in the UAE. Recently, RAQ has been awarded the Taqdeer prize, a prestigious award that re ects the continued commitment to safety and welfare for their employees. Among RAQ’s areas of success has been its ability to deliver for its key clients consistently. The ‘Built to Suit’ Specialty Clinic for DP World was a 7-month design and build, which has opened its doors recently in JLT. Wasl Properties’ Grand Hyatt Expansion is another notable project in the heart of Dubai. In addition to this, the contractor has been heavily engaged in developing several notable structures in Expo 2020, including the Italy Pavilion, Poland Pavilion, Kazakhstan Pavilion, Luxembourg Pavilion, Malaysia Pavilion, Philippines Pavilion, and the DP World Pavilion. The Italy Pavilion, which is located in Expo’s Opportunity District, recently marked the completion of the exterior. Located within the Sustainability District, the Malaysia Pavilion will be based on the theme ‘Energising Sustainability’ with the latest construction update is that the shell and core of the structure had reached 93% completion. The Philippines Pavilion was handed over in March 2021 and features an intricate mesh pattern around the building that forms its unique facade. 74 RAMI AL QAISINext >