< Previous| COVER STORY | 10 David Grover, the group CEO of ROSHN, speaks to Construction Week Saudi about the developer’s strategy and vision for the future of Saudi Arabia’s real estate landscape and its transformative plans for the sector Words by: Angitha Pradeep | Images: Supplied | COVER STORY || COVER STORY | 11 | COVER STORY || COVER STORY | 12 Saudi Arabia’s national real estate developer, ROSHN – the Public Investment Fund (PIF) gigaproject – announced its fourth development in the Kingdom’s Eastern Province of Al-Ahsa earlier this year. Dubbed ALFULWA, the development will span 10.8 million m2 and have the capacity to house 100,000 residents in approximately 18,000 units. The project will also showcase the cultural and geographical heritage of the region in its design while also preserving the area’s traditional architectural style. This is in line with the company’s Memorandum of Understanding with the Eastern Province Municipality to collaborate on constructing residential districts that enhance the landscape and quality of life, as well as design and implement code, infrastructure, and building controls inspired by the region’s legacy. In line with its commitment to building an integrated development, ROSHN says that the ALFULWA project will feature residences connected to various integrated utilities and public spaces, forming vibrant communities. The same design principles will also be applied to WAREFA, the company’s third project, which is situated in Riyadh’s Al Janadiriyaah district. This project will Communities will follow the same deisgn DNA. ROSHN’s projects are key to Vision 2030.| COVER STORY | 13 encompass an area of 1.4 million m2 and feature more than 2,000 residential units for approximately 13,000 citizens. It will also include 160,000 m2 of public parks and open spaces designed to encourage a healthy and active lifestyle. Additionally, a district mall, a primary healthcare facility, public and private schools, and several mosques will be incorporated to address the community’s diverse needs. As a critical component of Saudi Arabia’s ambitious Vision 2030 goals, ROSHN aims to play a key role in ensuring that 70% of Saudi citizens own homes by 2030. A crucial element of the vision is enhancing the quality of life in the Kingdom. By humanising cities, the developer has introduced a new way of living that focuses on integrating people- friendly streets, green spaces, and retail facilities within a traditional setting. Speaking to Construction Week Saudi, David Grover, group CEO of ROSHN, reveals that the developer aims to make up 30% of all new housing stock to be developed in the Kingdom by 2030. ROSHN aims to improve citizens’ quality of life. of thousands of direct and indirect job opportunities while pursuing our goal of becoming a national champion and the largest developer in the region.” To this end, the company has launched four developments in the Kingdom since its inception. In addition, Grover confirms that it’s also planning to rapidly expand in the short-to-medium term, with more communities currently under development across four regions, namely Makkah, Riyadh, Eastern Province, and Asir. He recalls the launch of ROSHN’s first community in late 2021, marking a significant step toward advancing the nation’s infrastructure and real estate sector, crucial to the Kingdom’s economic diversification and growth objectives. “With the launch of SEDRA, we introduced a planned 30,000 residential units to Riyadh’s housing inventory, comprising approximately 20 million m2 of integrated communities. Spanning over eight phases, it can accommodate up to 130,000 residents on completion,” Grover explains. According to the group CEO, 200 units from its first phase have been handed over to residents approximately a year after its launch, with the developer correspondingly completing works on infrastructure, utility networks, and public spaces. Phase one comprises 117 duplexes, 664 townhouses, and 1,267 villas. “Handing over the first ROSHN units to residents and being the first gigaproject to deliver to customers is a particularly significant milestone “We plan to invest up to $109 billion (SAR 410 billion) by 2030 to build communities in nine cities, accommodating well over a million people,” he says. “With PIF’s support, we have the potential to stimulate the national economy and create hundreds | COVER STORY | 14 because it demonstrated our ability to deliver at scale and speed,” Grover notes, revealing that the first tranche of sales at SEDRA was thirty times oversubscribed. “This showed a high demand for our vision and a new way of living in the Kingdom. ROSHN’s communities are cities within cities, where daily requirements and entertainment options are only minutes away from a homeowner’s front door – and the popularity of this approach is the key driver of our success. We also encourage social interaction by providing attractive public spaces, communal facilities and ‘living’ streets characterised by curb- less roads and homes without perimeter walls,” he adds. Similarly, ALAROUS, occupying close to 4 million m2, adhering to the SEDRA blueprint, will introduce 18,000 new units to the northern district of Jeddah. It will also include the ‘open living’ design principle, which is building around public spaces, green areas, and communal facilities. According to Grover, ROSHN’s focus on people has led to the incorporation of sustainable living in its communities, conforming to the Saudi Green Initiative. “In line with this initiative, we will plant one million trees across our projects,” states Grover, adding that the “green agenda” is carried through to the wider ecosystem by choosing contractors and suppliers that share their sustainability goals. “We’re minimising resource consumption and carbon emissions through careful material selection, renewable energy solutions, and smart home technology. High-tech insulation, solar water heaters, and efficient air- conditioning also enable these units to save energy by 18% compared to the mandated Saudi Building Code, while advanced plumbing fittings enable 17% saving on water usage,” he explains. ROSHN has repeatedly emphasised that sustainability is one of its core values. Accordingly, Grover states that the company has partnered with Samsung C&T to explore the feasibility of using modular construction and modular supply chain ecosystems. “The second phase of the SEDRA community is the initial focus for [this] collaboration, and the efficiencies will become evident as the development progresses. From an aesthetic perspective, the regional architectural motifs that we incorporate at the design stage are perfectly rendered in the modular construction process, ensuring that our new communities honour the traditions of the past and embrace the technological advances of the future,” he adds. Vision for the future According to Grover, the developer is building up its managerial capacity to assume the role of Saudi Arabia’s national developer, drawing upon its established track record in commercial residential development. He reveals that initially, ROSHN was focused on residential development to address the shortage of housing in the Kingdom alongside the Ministry of Housing. However, it became evident that there was a demand for higher-quality commercial residential development at a larger scale, which the company was uniquely equipped to provide. He adds that this led to the PIF commissioning the company to expand its role as a commercial developer and undertake larger master-planned projects. Continuing, Grover notes that the organisation also plans to lead the real estate sector in the development of non- housing assets, from commercial outlets to advertising in public spaces. “We have developed rapidly as a corporate entity and have identified 20 areas of opportunity over nine business verticals, including residential sub- developers, retail and F&B outlets, office space, education, and healthcare and wellness. Our transformational objectives also involve enhancing our core competencies across the entire value chain, including general development management, specialised asset development, mixed-use development, hospitality development, and commercial office development,” he adds. Moreover, Grover implies that with this approach, the company can establish several specialised development entities capable of taking on commercial and David Grover, group CEO, ROSHN.| COVER STORY | 15 advisory roles in Saudi Arabia. In fact, he states that the company is looking at global talent and nurturing and training local talent to take on positions that can accomplish this. ROSHN is also working towards promoting gender diversity and local talent in the workplace, reinforcing its commitment to driving social and economic growth in the Kingdom, according to Grover. “In 2022, we had a total of 850 employees, with a Saudisation rate of 70% and a female employment rate of 24%. We are proud to have created a work environment that is inclusive, diverse, and supportive of women’s career development,” he explains. Summarising the conversation, Grover notes that being a PIF-powered company has allowed them to move quickly and decisively to meet its strategic targets, which has been a deciding factor in its ability to exceed expectations, not just in terms of delivery but comprehensively. “Our scale has helped us to negotiate the global supply chain challenge by leveraging our buying power in a competitive market. We have also succeeded in forming durable partnerships with domestic and global players across a wide range of sectors, which have helped us to keep pace with the latest advances in our industry. Finally, our position as the Kingdom’s national real estate player and PIF- backed gigaproject has helped us to attract some of the best people in the business. Meanwhile, the hard work and talent of our teams have been central in our ability to exceed our ambitious targets,” he concludes. ROSHN’s focus on people has led to the incorporation of sustainable living in its communities.With nearly 60 years of experience in the regional and international markets, KEO has been on an ambitious trajectory to expand its presence in Saudi Arabia. Leveraging this wealth of expertise, the firm has implemented a strategic vision for development that aligns with the kingdom’s objectives, including the Vision 2030 plan. Accordingly, the organisation has established a strong presence in major cities, including Riyadh, Jeddah, Makkah, Madinah, Al Ula, NEOM, AMAALA, and the Red Sea, and is poised to further expand its reach in the Eastern Region. The consultancy is also engaged in diverse ongoing projects across Saudi Arabia, with active participation from all its divisions and allied practices. In an exclusive interview with Construction Week Saudi, Dani Ghandour, GM for KEO Saudi Arabia, discussed the firm’s current projects in the kingdom, push for digitisation, and focus on improving national talent through the upcoming launch of KEO Academy. “Our growth strategy is focused on steady expansion while maintaining the high standards that have earned us our reputation in the region,” he said. “We are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead and look forward to continuing our contributions to the growth and development of Saudi Arabia.” According to him, the Saudi market is undergoing significant changes, shifting towards higher-quality standards, technology-based solutions, and faster delivery processes. However, Ghandour pointed out that KEO is well-positioned to help drive these changes and remain competitive. “Our success in the region is due to our ability to deliver high-quality projects for various clients, including PIF companies, public entities, and private developers. Moving forward, we plan to maintain our long-term partnerships with existing clients while expanding our reach to potential customers,” he added. Ghandour further elaborated that the firm is involved in a range of projects in the kingdom, with contributions from all its divisions and allied practices. “Our projects span various areas, including building design, urban planning, infrastructure, sustainability and environmental studies, cost management and consultancy, and project management and construction supervision. “We are also working with long-term clients on projects such as Masar in Makkah and forging newly established relationships with clients, such as our recently announced project with Shurfah Real Estate on King Fahd Road,” he revealed. Pushing technology in the kingdom When asked how KEO prioritises digitisation in the kingdom, Ghandour noted that the firm recognises the importance of adopting emerging trends and is well-placed to incorporate new technologies and best practices into its work. “A common goal across all our business functions is to continue to improve efficiency in productivity, quality, and health and safety, both within our organisation and with our clients,” he said. “As a result, we’ve made significant strides in these areas, and we’re continuously pushing for innovation and technology to enhance our services.” “Our Digital Advisory Services team is at the heart of this, partnering with our internal teams to find innovative ways of delivering projects, enhancing digital capabilities, improving quality, and differentiating KEO in the market,” Ghandour explained. Since 2019, the firm has been certified by the BSI, making it one of the few consultants in the region with this accreditation, according to him. He also revealed that the firm has 23 official BIM Project Information Practitioners and Professional members researching and working on all BIM dimensions. Mobilising expertise Ghandour pointed out that staff mobilisation is one of the most significant challenges in the kingdom. However, he noted that the organisation has assembled a team of experienced DRIVING CHANGE IN THE KINGDOM KEO Saudi Arabia’s GM, Dani Ghandour, discusses the company’s rapid expansion in the kingdom, and its commitment to digitisation and empowering future industry leaders “WE ARE LAUNCHING THE KEO ACADEMY, A DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM TO ATTRACT, EMPOWER, AND DEVELOP NATIONAL TALENT TO BECOME THE NEXT GENERATION OF ARCHITECTS, ENGINEERS, AND BUSINESS LEADERS, SUPPORTING SAUDI ARABIA’S NATIONALISATION TARGETS.” Words by: Angitha Pradeep | Image: Supplied | INTERVIEW | 16talent acquisition professionals, which allows the company to identify and mobilise qualified professionals to projects as needed. “Our office in Riyadh employs a wide range of KSA-based staff from all divisions. We also draw upon our large pool of resources and professionals in other offices outside of Saudi Arabia to support our projects when required. “Additionally, we are launching the KEO Academy, a development program to attract, empower, and develop national talent to become the next generation of architects, engineers, and business leaders, supporting Saudi Arabia’s nationalisation targets. We are also committed to fulfilling the various nationalisation requirements across various disciplines, including support services, back-office roles, engineers, and technical engineering jobs,” Ghandour explained. With a clear strategic vision for growth and development, a strong focus on emerging trends and technology, and a commitment to nationalisation and talent development, KEO is poised to impact Saudi Arabia’s future, according to him. “KEO is a creative enterprise where innovation is a way of life. We are uniquely resourced with end- to-end services to take clients from inspiration through conceptualisation to realisation of planning, design, or project delivery in the built and natural environments. “Moreover, we recognise the importance of the projects we work on and the impact it has on the communities we serve, and are committed to delivering projects that meet the needs of our clients,” Ghandour concluded. Dani Ghandour, GM, KEO Saudi Arabia. | INTERVIEW | 17| TOP 30 SAUDI CONTRACTORS | 18 KINGDOM BUILDERS Construction Week Saudi unveils the top 30 construction rms operating in Saudi Arabia for 2023 18| TOP 30 SAUDI CONTRACTORS | 19 The annual ranking of the top 30 Saudi Arabian construction contractors returns in 2023, profiling the biggest and most relevant firms in the kingdom. As delivery schedules intensify and work ramps up on the gigaprojects fuelling Vision 2030, Construction Week Saudi’s sister title Construction Week Middle East profiles the companies helping to drive Saudi Arabia’s transition, via their work on thousands of project sites across the country. The list was compiled by reaching out to home-grown contractors in the kingdom and sharing a questionnaire that focused on key criteria: Major Successes over the last 12 months; Projects completed within the 2022-2023 calendar year; Current Backlogs; and 2022 revenue. The editorial team then collated the information, utilised publically available information, and their own assessment of the kingdom’s most active construction firms, to produce the final result. 19Next >