< Previous| POWER 100 | 98 JUNE 2023JUNE 2023 99 | POWER 100 | Taking the top spot amongst the lawyers this year is Sachin Kerur, Partner at Reed Smith’s Energy and Natural Resources division. He is also the Managing Partner of the firm’s Middle East offices. With more than 25 years of experience, he has advised both government and private sector clients on public and privately procured infrastructure and development projects, primarily in the Middle East and India. He has advised on some of the most important airports, road and rail networks, power plants, commercial and residential developments, oil and gas facilities, water supply plants, hotels and education facilities throughout the Middle East and Sub-continent. As Managing Partner, Kerur has been driving the firm’s strategy in the region for over four years and has played a pivotal role in increasing the firm’s revenue in the UAE. Kerur’s strategic focus has been on increasing revenues from existing clients and cementing key relationships across the region, with the support of colleagues in major centres of the global business. As a law firm, Reed Smith provides practical, timely counsels on projects of all types and sizes, particularly real estate (including commercial, industrial, and mixed-used developments) and public private partnerships. Project finance and commercial agreements are at the core of what the company does, and by offering early insight into project challenges, Reed Smith is able to advise its clients on how to prevent disputes. Should such disputes occur, the company provides dispute resolution strategies and assistance in domestic or international arbitration forums. In addition to its work in the legal industry, Reed Smith is actively involved in corporate social responsibility initiatives in the community. The firm supports Dubai Cares on a pro bono basis and has been offering a range of legal services over the past year. Reed Smith is also partnered with the UAE Rugby Federation’s Al Maha All-Emirati Female Rugby Development Programme, which aligns with the firm’s commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion and the professional development of diverse talent. The programme has experienced significant growth and success, with the leadership growth within the rugby coaching programme interfacing with Reed Smith’s leadership initiatives to ensure consistency in strategy, messages and outcomes for the entire team. Although Reed Smith works from multiple locations, its lawyers are linked by more than technology. They all share a common culture, with core values supporting Reed Smith’s firm-wide commitment to add value, achieve excellence, and promote professional development. These foster a workplace in which diversity and inclusion, and community support are manifest. SACHIN KERUR Managing Partner, Reed Smith 1 “TOGETHER WE CAN DO WHAT COULDN’T BE DONE BEFORE”| POWER 100 | 100 JUNE 2023 Jad Chouman has worked with HKA for the last 18 years and was appointed to his current role as Partner and Middle East Continent Head back in 2019. Prior to this, Chouman managed HKA’s Abu Dhabi office from 2014 to 2017, subsequently becoming responsible for managing HKA’s wider UAE business, which itself holds the status of having the longest, permanent presence of any construction claims and dispute resolution consultancy. Since taking the helm of the entire Middle East operation, Chouman has been responsible for driving the company’s strategic growth and service diversification in the region, taking the business to new heights alongside his Partner and Co-head counterpart Haroon Niazi. Over the past 12 months, under Chouman’s leadership, the company has been appointed on a number of high-profile projects and cases, such as the FIFA 2022 World Cup and metro developments in Qatar, along with numerous large-scale infrastructure projects, not limited to railways, airports, power plants, and oil and gas projects throughout the GCC and North Africa regions. Additionally, HKA also secured significant engagements on Vision 2030 gigaprojects in KSA. Chouman has played an essential role in the business’s ongoing expansion leading the region to continual wins. The company opened up new office operations in Riyadh and has been experiencing robust growth across its core markets. Another notable development was the expansion of Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages expert services. With its laser focus on expanding its resource offering, HKA has employed many of the world’s foremost experts across a comprehensive range of disciplines – from building defects to systems engineering, business interruption to professional competence, and delay analysis to forensic accounting. As part of this growth, the Middle East region now has more than 125 dedicated, full-time consultants and experts, while the number of HKA experts in the Middle East rose to circa 30 in the past year. HKA’s commitment to CSR was another key focus in the last 12 months within the Middle East, which included the continued support of the Dubai College girl’s rugby team and Dubai Hurricanes. Furthermore, support was also provided to the Emirates Red Crescent Authority IFTAR campaign with colleagues delivering food packs to those in need. JAD CHOUMAN Partner & Head of Middle East, HKA 2 “HKA EMPLOYS MANY OF THE WORLD’S FOREMOST EXPERTS ACROSS A COMPREHENSIVE RANGE OF DISCIPLINES”JUNE 2023 101 | POWER 100 | Catherine Workman is the Partner & Head of international law firm Pinsent Masons in the Middle East region. With over 25 years of experience, she Dean Ryburn is head of Denton’s Middle East Construction and Dispute Resolution team. Over the last 12 months, Ryburn has provided training on construction law issues to is highly regarded as an expert in public- private partnerships (PPP), having advised various stakeholders in large- scale projects. Workman has worked with governments, sponsors, and lenders, providing her with a well-rounded understanding of how to achieve a balanced project that can attract equity and debt investments. Over the last 12 months, Workman has led a strategy review for the Middle East business with fellow staff and partners, detailing the company’s expansion plans for the region. In addition to her expertise, Workman is also a projects lawyer. Most recently, she advised on the Lenders on the first PPP Project to achieve a financial close in the city of Abu Dhabi. senior legal counsel in the Oil & Gas and Construction sectors, and provided a half-day workshop on the 2017 FIDIC Contracts to over 150 employees. Ryburn is highly regarded by clients as a ‘hands-on’ partner who is able to quickly grasp complex technical and legal detail, provide a clear strategy, and then work collaboratively with client representatives, experts, and counsel to deliver on the strategy in a coordinated and cost-effective manner. As a company, Dentons advises on contentious and non-contentious matters relating to high profile projects of national significance and on substantial disputes across the region including in UAE, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. Next one on the list is Peter Banathy, Regional Director at Driver Trett. With over 40 years of experience as a chartered quantity surveyor, Banathy has been Director of the firm’s Qatar office, which he established in 2010, before gaining his current role for the Middle East office. He has extensive experience in managing commercial teams in a post-contract environment, providing contractual advice under various forms of standards and bespoke forms of contract, as well as expertise in dispute resolution. Banathy’s sector experience includes buildings such as high-rise, residential, mixed-use, recreational, and commercial properties, as well as highways, rail (including metro), waste-water, drainage, and aviation. During the last 12 months, Banathy has led the expansion of the company in Saudi Arabia. CATHERINE WORKMAN DEAN RYBURN PETER BANATHY Partner & Head, Pinsent Masons Partner, Dentons Regional Director, Driver Trett 4 3 5| POWER 100 | 102 JUNE 2023 In 2022, King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) successfully concluded many disputes for notable clients collectively valued at billions of dollars. As Managing Partner for KWM, Joanne Strain has led the industry-leading firm to achieve client wins across high- profile GCC projects and interests in key forums of dispute resolution, including the Courts of England and Wales (at First Instance and Appeal); the offshore courts of the UAE (Dubai International Financial Centre Courts and the Abu Dhabi Global Markets Courts); ad hoc arbitration proceedings under the UAE Arbitration Law and Dubai International Arbitration Centre proceedings. In addition, Strain has spearheaded significant mandates alongside Partners Daniel Xu and Parnika Chaturvedi, cementing the organisation’s reputation as a leading dispute-resolution firm in the UAE. At the helm of KWM, Strain prioritises supporting clients to resolve legal issues and successfully avoid potential disputes. She has positioned KWM as a trusted arm of clients’ businesses and enables the successful delivery of flagship projects crucial to the UAE’s continued growth. With almost 20 years of industry experience, Strain is regarded as a key arbitrator in several of the region’s most complex construction project disputes and frequently serves as an arbitrator for well-established arbitral institutions, playing a crucial role in resolving notable industry disputes. Strain heads KWM’s Middle East strategy and leads team efforts to win mandates while delivering first-rate client service. In addition, she is willing to undertake complex and novel construction cases in order to advance the development of the legal environment for such cases. Furthermore, she actively contributes to the industry’s development of law and practice as an author of thought-leadership articles for industry specialist publications and journals, and as a panel speaker at events. Strain is an advocate for talent development in the region and internationally, and through active community engagement, continues to head the development of law and good practice. In the last 12 months, Strain has provided support to a leading international CSR initiative promoting legal talent development and retention in Africa. KWM also provides mentorships to law students in the UAE and is committed to the long-term support of charities, including contributing to groups supporting those less fortunate. JOANNE STRAIN Managing Partner, KWM 6 “JOANNE STRAIN IS REGARDED AS A KEY ARBITRATOR IN COMPLEX CONSTRUCTION PROJECT DISPUTES”JUNE 2023 103 | POWER 100 | Rohit Singhal, a prominent figure in the arbitration field, secures his position in the Construction Week Power 100 2023 list as one of the region’s leading arbitration specialists. He currently serves as the CEO of Masin, a renowned international construction arbitration expert and consultancy firm. In just eight years, Masin has become a global expert firm with a presence in eight countries, and has worked in 30 countries and handled more than $100 billion construction claims/disputes. With over 26 years of experience, Singhal has garnered expertise in infrastructure contracts, dispute resolution, expert testimony in arbitration, and litigation support. Before joining Masin, Singhal served as the CEO of a renowned international EPC contracting firm, specialising in large-scale oil, gas, and infrastructure projects. His expertise and leadership were instrumental in successfully implementing major oil and gas projects during his tenure with SHELL and his role as a Design Engineer at Engineers India Limited, Asia’s largest engineering consultancy. His diverse background has equipped him with a unique skill set, enabling him to collaborate effectively with employers, contractors, and engineers. Furthermore, Singhal possesses extensive arbitration experience and has been appointed as the lead expert in nearly 60 arbitrations. His expertise spans various areas, including delay, technical matters, valuation and quantum of disputes, variations in work scope, disruptions, acceleration, shareholder/economic damages, defects, and incomplete work. He has also played a pivotal role in several high-profile construction arbitrations/disputes, involving multibillion-dollar claims related to mega construction projects such as NEOM, Riyadh Metro, Etihad Rail, India Bullet Train, Turkmenistan port extension and Qatar football stadium projects. Furthermore, Masin, under the leadership of Singhal, has actively engaged in corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities, with a particular focus on supporting cancer patients, especially underprivileged children in India. ROHIT SINGHAL CEO, Masin 7 “ROHIT SINGHAL POSSESSES EXTENSIVE ARBITRATION EXPERIENCE AND HAS BEEN APPOINTED AS THE LEAD EXPERT IN NEARLY 60 ARBITRATIONS”| POWER 100 | 104 JUNE 2023 F eatured in the Power 100 list for the first time is Claire Miller, Managing Partner of Beale & Co in the Middle East. With over 20 years of industry experience, Miller specialises in construction disputes for clients in Geroge Vlavianos is the Partner, for Litigation, Arbitration & Investigations at DLA Piper, which has offices in 40 countries. Vlavianos has extensive experience the Middle East, Central Asia, Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region. She regularly manages large-scale complex cross-border international arbitrations, DAB proceedings and mediations. Miller also sits as an arbitrator. She has arbitrated under the rules of all the major arbitral institutions including, ICC, DIFC-LCIA, DIAC, ADCCAC, UNCITRAL and ad hoc proceedings. During the last 12 months, Beale & Co led a number of significant cases in the Middle East. Some of these cases include successfully defending claims in an ICC Arbitration for an iconic development in Saudi Arabia, as well as representing a number of high-profile contractors in Dubai, UAE. in handling and resolving energy and construction disputes. His knowledge encompasses providing advice to owners, contractors and engineers involved in complex multi-party disputes and arbitrations across Europe, the Middle East, and North America. Additionally, he has notable proficiency in handling insurance claims arising from large-scale construction projects. He has a wealth of experience providing guidance to owners, contractors, consultants, and engineers involved in complex, multi-party construction disputes and arbitrations across the MENA region. This includes handling insurance claims arising from large-scale construction projects. Patrick Stone is the Managing Partner at Fenwick Elliot’s Dubai office. Over the last 12 months, the firm has successfully attracted several significant new clients throughout the MENA region despite challenging market conditions. These clients are involved in some of the largest construction, energy, and infrastructure projects in the area. With extensive expertise in construction and engineering disputes, particularly in the Middle East, Stone specialises in international arbitration. He has worked on disputes related to projects in various jurisdictions, including the UK, the UAE, Qatar, Oman, Iraq, Egypt, South Africa, and Madagascar. Stone possesses knowledge of several standard form construction contracts such as FIDIC and NEC. He has also handled disputes arising from customised contract forms, especially EPC contracts. CLAIRE MILLER GEORGE VLAVIANOS PATRICK STONE Managing Partner, Beale & Co Partner, Litigation, Arbitration & Investigations, DLA Piper Managing Partner, Fenwick Elliot 9 8 10Extruded Aluminum Model with Insulation (DESV Model)106 JUNE 2023 As the MENA region experiences a wave of rapid urbanisation, it’s again becoming a hotspot for awe-inspiring architectural feats and pioneering megaprojects. The region is in the midst of a remarkable transformation characterised by the development of sprawling, cutting-edge cities, and the introduction of innovative urban concepts. On this ambitious journey, technology is – more than ever – serving as a critical enabler and driving force. With ambitious and aggressive plans and delivery schedules – against a backdrop of construction industry challenges such as rising costs and skilled labour shortages – it’s more important than ever to ‘do more with less’ by making quicker, more informed project decisions whilst simultaneously maximising workflow efficiencies. How can key stakeholders track project progress across multiple sites without necessarily needing to be physically present? How can they reduce travel to, often, vast, remote locations but still make timely informed decisions? How can the time spent not travelling be reallocated to other important areas of work? How can sustainability goals be met and less site footfall be achieved, where desired? How can the use of AI really start reliably assisting the construction sector? These are all important questions that need answers, quickly. Amidst the vast array of technologies revolutionising the construction industry, 360° Reality Capture and AI analytics has quickly emerged as a standout innovation that is redefining project visibility and execution via an image-based approach. One company leading the charge in this area is OpenSpace, who believe that the key to success is to ‘simplify everything’ and ensure the technology is incredibly easy to use, digest and share. By simply attaching an off-the-shelf 360° camera to a hardhat, locating your position on the mobile app and pressing ‘start’ – then walking your site as usual – OpenSpace will capture it in 360° high definition and return it for viewing, on any device, typically within 15-30 minutes. No tech background or real training is required. This is allowing project teams to track near real-time site conditions and progress from the comfort of their armchairs, unlocking numerous opportunities to make faster decisions and improve stakeholder collaboration. OpenSpace and 360° Reality Capture is helping to directly address some of the most important construction challenges, such as improved project documentation Rob Matheson, EMEA Sales Director, OpenSpace and visibility (from groundworks to handover) enabling greater project insights and control across time, cost, quality and risk. A key advantage is the need to physically travel less by being able to address issues as they happen with relevant imagery at your fingertips. This can also produce quantifiable carbon footprint reductions in line with sustainability goals and directives, not to mention the ability to support timely pay-app decisions based on ground truth reality – the list of benefits runs deep. As we delve deeper into the impact of this technology on the region, Construction Week Middle East spoke to Rob Matheson, OpenSpace’s EMEA Sales Director. Matheson offered his perspective on the innovative technology and its growing influence on the regional industry. He explains: “In my two decades serving the built environment, this is by far the easiest to deploy and most valuable construction technology I’ve seen yet. When customers see OpenSpace in action on their projects – which we can achieve within 30 minutes of a site walk/capture – they are usually quite bowled over!” Transforming the construction landscape OpenSpace’s technology is proving especially useful and relevant in the Middle East, due to the sheer size, scale and often remoteness of the programme sites, as well as aggressive timelines often seen in line with mega projects’ deadlines. Matheson explains: “360° Reality “WE’VE BEEN CALLED A ‘TIME MACHINE’ OR ‘GOOGLE STREET VIEW FOR CONSTRUCTION’, WHICH IS NICE, BUT ONLY A GLIMPSE OF WHERE WE’RE HEADING AS A COMPANY” | BRAND VIEW | Rob Matheson, EMEA Sales Director for OpenSpace, explains how 360° Reality Capture and AI analytics are enabling near real-time ‘Google Street View’ for construction projects of all types and sizes - unlocking immense visibility, ef ciency, collaboration and risk mitigation gains across stakeholders HOW TIME MACHINES ARE HELPING BUILD THE FUTUREJUNE 2023 107 | BRAND VIEW | Capture is ground-breaking for a lot of people. It allows them to tap into current trends, like utilising the power of AI, travelling less, reducing carbon footprint, being generally more productive per employee and critically making almost real-time decisions without always having to be physically present. It’s making life easier from foremen to CEOs alike - for example, we work with several large regional owners with extremely hands-on C-Level executives who love the ability to view and walk their projects remotely, and give their input and direction as needed. “OpenSpace is all about delivering incredible insights and value with minimal user effort required. I especially love seeing our customers develop new applications and use cases almost daily. Site condition assessments are typical to start but we’ve seen many expand to usage in pre- construction, handover/asset management and even façade tracking (via drones) and infrastructure (via vehicles). Then we have banks using us to help monitor their investment builds and insurance companies offering lower premiums for projects that use OpenSpace”. He continues: “I’ve spent many years in the GCC and we’re fully committed to this region - both in terms of local teams on the ground and physical infrastructure. In fact, we went live with our dedicated KSA data centre in March to fully comply with regional data sovereignty requirements.” Another critical aspect of OpenSpace’s impact on construction processes is the journey and evolution to be taken advantage of. Matheson further elaborates: “The first step is to replace traditional mobile phone/ clipboard documentation with 360° Reality Capture – simply by swapping them for a hard-hat mount and an off-the-shelf 360° camera that takes two pictures per second. From there, the existing process remains unchanged – simply walk your project site as usual. However, the output is improved exponentially in terms of quality and time efficiency. Then, once fast and reliable Reality Capture becomes your standard practice, the natural evolution is to enable our Track™ AI capability, which (by doing nothing different to the above) automatically tracks and validates the percentage completed, quantity installed and rate of work across multiple trades - such as concrete, walls and ceilings, MEP, fire protection, etc. We’ve seen a few companies try and unfortunately fail in this new and advanced area of AI-based progress tracking; however, at OpenSpace this part of our business continues to see strong growth and adoption.” Matheson concludes: “We’ve been called a ‘time machine’ or ‘Google Street View for construction’, which is nice, but only a glimpse of where we’re heading as a company. Our vision is to simplify how the world gets built using a universally understood reality/image- based approach. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but in complex construction delivery, that’s probably an understatement. We aim to give more time back to project workers at all levels, allowing them to perform critical tasks with greater evidence and ease, whilst also freeing up more time to do other important things. We also hope this means more of this incredibly hard-working industry can get home in time for dinner with their families more often!” OpenSpace allows you to capture your full site in minutesNext >