ITP MEDIA GROUP / BUSINESS JANUARY 2021 • VOL. 16, ISSUE 01 How Imdaad launched several new services and technologies to deal with the unforeseen challenges brought about by the pandemic? Jamal Abdulla Lootah, group chief executive officer, reveals the firm’s resilient strategy BEING RESILIENT www.fm-middleeast.com CONTENTS January 2021 3 UPDATE 6 Provis acquires Dubai- based Pacifi c Owners As- sociation Management 8 ENGIE Solutions part- ners with two Kuwait non-profi t organisations to provide sustainable drinking water solutions 10 Eltizam Asset Manage- January 2021 VOLUME 16 / ISSUE 01 ment Group signs $100m JV with Al Ahly Sabbour to expand footprint in Egypt NEWS 13 Hitches & Glitches ex- pands its operations into the Northern Emirates VIEWPOINT 15 The FM industry should be prepared for aggres- sive growth COVER STORY 16 How Imdaad managed to stay resilient during this pandemic? An interview with Jamal Abdulla Lootah, group chief executive offi cer FM IN EDUCATION 22 Why we need quality FM for quality education? FIVE MINUTES WITH... 42 Rachid Noujeim, CEO, Sodexo Middle East 42 Regulars 15 DOWNLOAD NOW FOR iOS, ANDROID, AND KINDLE 22 @fmMidEast@fmMidEast @fmMidEast 06www.fm-middleeast.com CONTENTS 4 January 2021 22 HOSPITALITY How can we safeguard hospitality operations in the new normal and be bett er prepared for another pandemic? Koen Theunis and Colin M Beaton fi nd out In-depth January 2021 DOWNLOAD NOW FOR iOS, ANDROID, AND KINDLE 2716 VOLUME 16 / ISSUE 01 @fmMidEast@fmMidEast 16 COVER STORY Imdaad’s robust business strategy and preparedness made the fi rm resilient during this pandemic, reveals Jamal Abdulla Lootah, group chief executive offi cer @fmMidEast 27 SPECIAL REPORT Our special report on “Cleaning Solutions” investigate if FM fi rms are now up-skilling and innovating for specialised cleaning practices 38 SUPPLIER NEWS Find out the top facilities management supplier trends that are currently in the market, including some of the biggest digital trends set to shape the FM industry COMING UP IN FMME FEBRUARY 2020 FMME’s upcoming Special Report on “Energy Management” will explore how buildings are able to conserve energy the right way and what are some of the best practices FM firms recommend To learn more about upcoming stories and advertising opportunities in future issues of FMME, please contact Vinay Ravindran through vinay.ravindran@itp. com, or +971-55-8101197. FMME ON LINKEDIN With more than 1,000 members from all over the Middle East, the FMME LinkedIn Group is the place to be to find out news, discussions and opportunities in the region’s FM industry. Email the editor at rajiv.pillai@itp.com to join the FMME LinkedIn Group and get in on the industry conversation.www.fm-middleeast.com UPDATE January 2021 5 InnovItalyUAE looks at opportunities to enhance bilateral cooperation in innovation between Italy and the UAE The partnership demonstrates the increasing number of local conglomerates shifting to solar energy WEBINAR The UAE is one of the largest consumers of water per capita globally, but it is also one of the most water-scarce countries in the world. With declining natural water resources, and a growing population, how to manage this challenge to prevent a crisis in the coming years was the subject of a live online forum that was held yesterday with experts from Italy and the UAE. Hosted by the Embassy of Italy to the UAE as part of the InnovItalyUAE initiative, the Ambassador of Italy to the UAE was joined by a range of speakers including representatives from SEWA and Metropolitane Milanesi. InnovItalyUAE looks at opportunities to enhance bilateral cooperation in innovation between Italy and the UAE and is held in SOLAR SirajPower, UAE’s distributed solar energy provider, is in collaboration with Al Ghurair Group to implement solar systems across their facilities in the UAE. As a first initiative, SirajPower has been appointed to design, construct, operate, and maintain a 1.8 MWp solar rooftop plant for Gulf Extrusions’ facility located at Jebel Ali in Dubai. The aluminum rails that will be used to mount the solar PV panels will be manufactured by Gulf Extrusions. The project covers 4,500 solar panels that will annually produce/generate 3 GWh of clean energy, and offsetting over 2,000 metric tons of CO 2 emissions, corresponding to more than 8,000,000 kilometers driven by an average vehicle passenger (or equivalent to more than 35,000 trees seedlings grown for 10 years). partnership with the Khalifa University of Science and Technology and the Dubai Future Foundation. Water Management: at the heart of circular economy, is the penultimate forum in a series of six that have taken place over the past three months discussing a range of prevalent innovation topics. During his opening remarks, HE Nicola Lener, Ambassador of Italy to the UAE said: “Ensuring clean water and sanitation is one of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, which will be a key focus during COP26 next year. We are already looking ahead to the global challenges around water security that will be present in the coming years, and how we can use Italian and UAE expertise in partnership to develop technology and Al Ghurair Group is the latest addition to SirajPower’s impressive and continuously growing portfolio of blue-chip names in the UAE – over 170 solar plant assets across the country to date. This is a new collaboration with one of the most influential local and regional family businesses with six decades of heritage embarking on the UAE’s promising path to sustainability and innovative techniques to help manage water consumption.” renewable energy. Laurent Longuet, CEO of SirajPower, part of Green Coast Enterprises, said: “We are honored to welcome Al Ghurair Group to our network of green businesses. It is one of the most respected and diverse local and regional conglomerates with a strong heritage and spirit of enterprises that unite us with our locally- owned mother company, Green Coast Enterprises. History is now bringing us together to pursue the bold vision of our local leadership on sustainability. The shift to solar became a reality in the UAE, and this is being proven with the growing number of local groups adopting clean energy.” The increasing number of new businesses, especially local groups, opting for solar services is becoming significant in the UAE. UAE and Italian initiative to play vital role in managing the world’s dwindling water supply Al Ghurair Group partners with UAE’s SirajPower to implement solar projects across the UAE UPDATE www.fm-middleeast.com6 January 2021 Provis acquires Dubai-based Pacific Owners Association Management fmupdate KEEP UP-TO-DATE For all the latest FM news check out www.fm- middleeast.com HP Aengaar, CEO of Provis. Jassem Saleh Busaibe, chairman of Provis, said: “This acquisition represents a milestone in Provis’s growth and success journey. It will significantly increase the company’s market share and enhance its reach and client base. I am confident that this acquisition will bolster our efforts to offer more clients across the UAE a unique and tailored services that add value to the real estate market generally and to property owners and tenants more specifically.” HP Aengaar, CEO of Provis, added: “We have taken steps since our launch last year in Abu Dhabi to increase our ast.cccom ACQUISITION Estate management firm Provis announced the acquisition of Dubai based Pacific Owners Association Management (Pacific UAE). Approximately 6,400 units will be added to Provis’s owners association portfolio effective immediately. These units are located in Dubai Marina, Jumeirah Lake Towers, Business Bay, Jumeirah Village Circle, Dubai Sports City and Dubai International City and are diversified across various sectors ranging from residential, commercial and retail all the way to hotels and mixed-use properties. Approximately 6,400 units will be added to Provis’s owners association portfolio eff ective immediately presence in other emirates and have opened an office in Dubai, won several contracts and participated in industry related events and exhibitions in the emirate. With this strategic acquisition, we have accelerated our ambitions and increased our owners’ association management portfolio by 40%, acquiring what was an already successful owners’ association management business with a solid reputation.” As a result of the acquisition, Provis now manages a total of 22,900 units under owners’ association management alone in addition to 13,500 units under property management.UPDATE www.fm-middleeast.comJanuary 2021 7 Ejadah to provide total facility management and security services to The Myriad Dubai CONTRACT Ejadah was awarded a 3-year contract with The Myriad Dubai, a fully-integrated, urban-styled student living community, located in the heart of Dubai International Academic City. The Myriad Dubai offers fully furnished rooms to accommodate up to 2,200 residents, along with access to shared kitchen lounges on each floor, and activity & study rooms in each of the seven buildings. It also features sports facilities including a gym, swimming pools, an outdoor callisthenics gym, a basketball court, and a jogging track. Other shared spaces are The Library Lounge & MyGallery, The Myriacade & Myriaplex gaming room and indoor cinema, the outdoor Amphitheatre & MyCinema, various food & beverage The Myriad Dubai off ers fully furnished rooms to accommodate up to 2,200 residents, along with access to shared kitchen lounges on each fl oor, and activity & study rooms in each of the seven buildings outlets and a supermarket. The property is designed to cater to needs of the modern student, taking into account vital factors such as safety, security, comfort, and convenience. Tarek Nizameddin, Ejadah’s senior executive director, said: “We thank The Myriad for their trust. IDAMA and Arkan are looking forward to providing an unparalleled level of Total Facility Management and Security services for The Myriad Dubai and support their mission in providing safe, fulfilling and modern living communities exclusively for students and to transform the current standard of student housing.” Vikram Rao, CEO of The Myriad and Strategic Housing Group said: “We are one of the pioneers developing and operating purpose-built fully-integrated student accommodation in our region, following standards without compromising on lifestyle, health, or safety. We are heavily focused on providing a fun but safe environment, being the leaders in this space. Our properties are not simply a student accommodation, but are formed to function as student living communities, providing an attuned lifestyle to its residents. They are all developed following our tailor-made brand and development guidelines, which contain safety, health and comfort standards. Choosing the right partner to complement our concept was the key, and we are confident that IDAMA and Arkan will be delivering the highest level of services for everyone’s benefit.”www.fm-middleeast.com UPDATE 8 January 2021 In alignment with Kuwait Vision 2035’s sustainable development goals, this initiative is also expected to prevent over 2 million plastic water bottles from being used PARTNERSHIP ENGIE Solutions collaborated with Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) and Trashtag Kuwait, both non-profit organisations, in launching Project My Mai, the latest environmental and community initiative that aims to provide sustainable drinking water solutions to low income migrant communities that have been affected by the pandemic. With the support from KFAS, ENGIE Solutions Kuwait and Trashtag Kuwait volunteers installed 200 water filters in several communities, helping more than 1,000 people by giving them access to a safe, clean and sustainable source of water. In alignment with Kuwait Vision 2035’s sustainable development goals, this initiative is also expected to prevent over 2 million plastic water bottles from being used. Tomas Greenwood, general manager, ENGIE Solutions Kuwait, commented: “As part of the ENGIE Group, we are dedicated to providing sustainable and innovative solutions to our customers in Kuwait, as well as to the community. It gives us great pride to be able to contribute to Trashtag Kuwait’s efforts to provide sustainable sources of water that will positively impact the environment in the long run, while also encouraging people to make the switch for the betterment of the environment.” Eng. Manar Al Rashed, Program Manager of the Scientific Culture Directorate of KFAS said: “We believe that civil society organizations (CSOs) have an in-depth understanding of the social, environmental, economic, and institutional challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, and can offer innovative and effective interventions to tackle and address them.” This campaign is also in line with ENGIE Solutions Kuwait’s commitment towards a cleaner and more sustainable Kuwait, which the company seeks to achieve through the provision of sustainable energy and services solutions for communities, industries and properties. NEWS IN BRIEF Transguard Group signs MoU with Huawei Transguard Group announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Huawei that will allow the two companies to work more closely together on major Systems Integration projects. “Our long-standing partnership with Huawei will further strengthen our ability to off er the latest in innovative technology solutions to our customers,” said Dr. Abdulla Al Hashimi, chief executive offi cer, Transguard Group. “We anticipate that this collaborative approach will allow us to off er more complex security solutions in the critical national infrastructure landscape.” Louvre Abu Dhabi announces Accenture as its offi cial digital partner Louvre Abu Dhabi signed a one-year agreement with Accenture to help deliver its aggressive digital programme. The global professional services company with leading capabilities across more than 40 industries, including major international museums, will support Louvre Abu Dhabi in the transformation and integration of the museum’s digital ecosystem, including the development and implementation of an Extended Reality (XR) strategy, the enhancement of the museum’s immersive experience in the galleries, and improved digital access to the museum’s collection. ENGIE Solutions partners with two Kuwait non-profi t organisations to provide sustainable drinking water solutions UPDATE WHAT’S THE STORY EVOTEQ deploys AI- powered surveillance system for Bee’ah’s landfi ll security management What’s the story? EVOTEQ has successfully launched EVOTEQ Smart Surveillance, an artifi cial intelligence (AI)-assisted surveillance and oversight system in response to the growing demand for modern asset surveillance and monitoring solutions. What are the details? The EVOTEQ Smart Surveillance sets a new industry standard in facility security management with advanced capabilities, including a network of AI-enabled and thermal detection smart cameras, next-generation machine learning algorithms and an integrated autonomous drone system. What did the experts say? Jihad Tayara, CEO, EVOTEQ, said: “With this off ering, a single security staff member is fully empowered to monitor the site through the support of smart AI- powered systems, incident detection machine learning algorithms and the ability to react to incidents before they develop.” UPDATE www.fm-middleeast.comJanuary 2021 9 APPOINTMENT Khidmah, one of the region’s facilities management and maintenance companies, has announced the appointment of real-estate industry veteran Abdellatif Sfaxi as its new chief executive officer. Sfaxi will be in charge of driving the company’s growth and expansion strategy moving forward and ensuring new and existing clients across the UAE and the GCC region continue to receive cost-competitive, best-in-class quality services. Sfaxi joins Khidmah from Ar- kan Building Materials Company where he served as CEO. Jassem Saleh Busaibe, chairman of Khidmah, said: “We are delighted to welcome Abdellatif to Khidmah and are confident of his ability to lead nearly 3,200 Khidmah employees and take the company to new heights. His proven Abdellatif Sfaxi will be in charge of driving the company’s growth and expansion strategy moving forward Abdellatif Sfaxi who has supported organizations grow and diversify while steadily remain- ing within the principles of corporate governance. To date, he has successfully led eight mergers and acquisitions in previous roles including six in the UAE. Sfaxi also serves as a Board Member in various companies in the UAE, Egypt and Jordan. track record and expertise will undoubt- edly support Khidmah’s growth ambi- tions and add value to our clients and the FM industry.” Abdellatif Sfaxi, added: “I am honored to join the growing Khidmah family. The company has built a solid reputation in the UAE and the Gulf region as a trusted partner that takes quality and service delivery excellence very seriously. I look forward to building on this legacy and working with our industry partners and peers to ensure the real-estate sector has access to the best services needed to flourish and add value throughout the property value chain.” With over 32 years of in-depth experi- ence gained across reputable organiza- tions in the UAE and North Africa serv- ing in C-suite leadership positions, Sfaxi is a results driven and strategic thinker Khidmah appoints new CEO AWTAD FACILITIES MANAGEMENT_ADD_17.5X11.7 CM.ai 2 08-Jun-20 11:16:05 AMNext >