< PreviousUPDATE www.fm-middleeast.com10 December 2022 CRTKL, a global cultural agency specialising in architecture, planning and design, has announced the senior leadership team that will drive its growth across the Middle East. At the helm is Philip Gillard, an award-winning architect well known from his time at Gensler where he spent two decades as a senior leader before founding the Gillard Design studio. Gosia Baron, CRTKL principal and operations leader for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) said: “Philip’s global design experience and local sensibilities enrich CRTKL’s own. The scale and signifi cance of his work with Dubai Holdings, Aldar, Emaar, Qatar Foundation, Al Ain Tourist Authority, Alshaya Group, Dubai Holdings, Deutsche Bank, TAG, Aston Martin, McLaren Formula One, Apple and Siemens to name a few, are highly regarded and in keeping with the standard of our performance- driven designs.” The appointments reaffi rm CRTKL’s long- term commitment to the Middle East. Having fi rst established itself there in the 1990s, CRTKL has played a key role in the design and delivery of many of the region’s most signifi cant and awarded projects including Dubai Hills Estate, Dubai Hills Mall, Riyadh Front, 360 Mall, Grand Hyatt Kuwait, Central Park at City Walk and Saadiyat Grove. Philip Gillard, CRTKL principal said: “CRTKL is paving the way with its design approach, and I feel privileged to be joining a fi rm that is as committed to quality as it is having a positive impact on its people and planet.” “CRTKL’s work in the Middle East continues to set the pace and standard for large-scale, mixed-use development.” STAT ATTACK APPOINTMENTS CRTKL strengthens MENA operations with new senior appointments 10 Clean Planet Energy, Crossroads Real Estate announce JV for 10 new advanced recycling facilities across the UK. $482m The new joint venture could see over $482m of new UK investment deployed for the future construction of these facilities to tackle the plastic waste crisis. 20,000 tonnes Each ecoPlant is designed to accept 20,000 tonnes of plastics each year. 75% Clean Planet Energy’s ultra-low- sulphur diesel can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 75% compared to the use of traditional diesel. 2 million tonnes Data from 2021 shows that the UK still generates over 2 million tonnes of plastic waste each year, with well over 60% of this not suitable for recycling. CRTKL senior leadership team.Special Reports Every month, receive detailed reports and analysis on various trending topics pertaining to the FM industry. Lists Access annual rankings of the Middle East’s most active people and companies across the Facilities Management sector. Thought leadership Learn from the crème de la crème of the FM industry as they divulge relevant and thought-provoking information. Events Take advantage of early bird access to be first in line for the industry-leading Facilities Management ME Awards. Multimedia platforms Get insider information through our global webinars and video interviews with top FM leaders. In-depth interviews Read comprehensive interviews of FM & strata professionals, building owners, consultants & contractors. CLEAN INFORMATION Subscribe now for unlimited access to Facilities Management Middle East fm-middleeast.com AN ITP MEDIA GROUP PUBLICATION Sweep up the competition and get insight from industry expertsNEWS www.fm-middleeast.com12 December 2022 DIVISION Chestertons MENA, a real estate consultancy headquartered in Dubai, has launched a new building consultancy and project management division, extending the range of services available to clients across the MENA region. Kevin Duffield, supported by directors Frank Gleeson and Jake Wright, heads up the team which boasts extensive experience working across all areas of project and programme management for a broad range of clients. From local developers to multinationals, the sectors covered include leisure and entertainment, hospitality, commercial and private real estate and oil and gas. Duffield’s career spans 30 years, having held senior positions at Jones Laing LaSalle (JLL) and Turner & Townsend. He has been instrumental in delivering major capital investment projects across the Middle East since 2005 and joins Chestertons MENA from the Public CARBON FOOTPRINT Born out of the combination of the three leading companies in their fields — SirajPower, Taka Solutions, and Hypr Energy — Positive Zero is the largest decentralised clean energy provider in the UAE with over 100 MWp of owned and operated solar assets, and more than 12 million square feet of facilities in which cooling, lighting and other energy efficiency measures have been implemented. In addition to the UAE, Positive Zero has recently launched its operations in Saudi Arabia and plans to expand its presence across the wider MENAT (Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey) region. As part of its participation in the 27th UN Chestertons MENA has launched the division to satisfy an increasing appetite in the MENA marketplace Chestertons MENA expands with launch of building consultancy and project management division Positive Zero to provide fully fi nanced solutions to reduce energy costs and carbon footprint Investment Fund (PIF), where he was Director of Development in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and led key and complex real estate programmes from concept to delivery. Gleeson is a highly skilled strategic business leader who has 30 years of industry expertise and excels at working within challenging and fast-paced environments. He has run his own consultancies, led the fit-out team at JLL, and his most recent and significant MENA role was as client representative for the delivery of the Saudi Arabian British Bank (SABB) headquarters in Riyadh. Wright brings 16 years of experience to the team and joins from the Public Investment Fund (PIF), where he was Director of Development working as part of Kevin’s team. His responsibility was strategy and growth, and he helped to deliver 35 assets across Riyadh and Jeddah. Jake also held a senior role at JLL, which included a roll-out strategy for over 50 cinemas. Chestertons MENA has launched the division to satisfy an increasing appetite in the MENA marketplace for accredited services that maximise an asset’s potential whilst aligning with a client’s business goals. Nick Witty, CEO of Chestertons MENA, said: “It is a pleasure to welcome Kevin, Frank, and Jake to Chestertons and given the incredible depth and breadth of their skills and their wide-ranging knowledge, we are excited about seeing this new division go from strength to strength.” Climate Change Conference (COP27), the UAE launched the National Net Zero by 2050 Pathway highlighting several measures to address the challenge of climate change. With decentralised energy resources (DERs) playing a significant role in the energy transition, Positive Zero’s launch comes at the ideal time. Its customers will benefit from a range of solutions to help decarbonise their operations and reduce their energy costs to support their journey to net-zero. Bringing together strengths and synergies of these three market leaders in generation, efficiency and mobility, Positive Zero aims to accelerate this transition with a more holistic and practical approach. Positive Zero targets a diverse range of customers including industrial facilities, shopping malls, hotels, schools and universities, hospitals, transport and logistics providers as well as residential and commercial buildings. It operates as a fully integrated company that designs, builds, owns, operates, and finances a diverse range of sustainable solutions that enable its customers to a more flexible model. Positive Zero has recently launched its operations in Saudi ArabiaOPINION 14 December 2022www.fm-middleeast.com Traditionally, cleaning has been viewed as a costly workstream and was left out of strategic FM discussions. Thanks to advances in smart cleaning tech, this is no longer the case. Offering an informed, data-driven approach to hygiene, cleaning is fast becoming one of the most innovative areas of FM and as a result, is supporting optimum environments for end users. Supporting the FM profession and expertise in helping companies achieve their training targets, the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) claims to be the world’s largest association for facility management professionals, with over 22,000 members in more than 100 countries. In the Middle East, we are ahead of the game when it comes to smart infrastructure. Developers and organisations recognised many years ago the competitive advantage that SMARTER FM The shift to smart has provided an unprecedented opportunity for FM teams. It has shaped the way the industry works. Access to real time data and insights on a range of touch points, facilitated a much more informed and strategic way of thinking. With optimum living environments front of mind, this smarter approach to FM and the benefits it brought with it, were never more apparent than when Covid struck. FM teams found themselves suddenly responsible for the extremely important challenge of adhering to rapidly changing guidance in a number of areas and the pressure was on from regulators, government, and the general public, to deliver. Overnight, teams were expected to monitor people numbers, manage social distancing, and reduce public touch points, often on a very large scale. GETSMART Smart spaces offer, not only in terms of energy efficiencies and economic advantages, but for the safety and comfort of the end user. As a result, our skyline is dominated by smart buildings that help FM teams to make sustainable, data-driven decisions. And thanks to the increased uptake of the Internet of Things (IoT), coupled with retrofit additions, in recent years there has been a huge shift toward smarter FM across many functions in the region. Connecting everything from lighting and cooling to lifts and doorways, FM teams can access data on just about anything, such as the palm of their hands. Insights allow them to manage and measure numerous aspects of a building’s environment, and ensure the very best performance, not only achieving optimal efficiencies, but providing the best quality of living, working, or social space possible. Smart cleaning is now firmly a strategic element of FM By David King, managing director, VERTECOOPINION December 2022 15www.fm-middleeast.com CLEANING UNDER SCRUTINY Maintaining elevated levels of hygiene and sanitation in public spaces was perhaps the function under the most scrutiny – and required the biggest change. Traditional approaches to cleaning quickly exposed FM teams to many issues as they simply couldn’t keep up with the increased demands that the pandemic presented. But FM teams that had smart cleaning in place quickly rose to the challenge. With access to integrated and connected technology, strategic plans could immediately be devised for adapting cleaning and hygiene practises, and as a result, teams could quickly and efficiently provide the safest, most hygienic space possible for the public. For smart buildings, connectivity and optimum levels of cleanliness went hand in hand. FM teams were empowered to orchestrate a critical response to the virus - a response which turned out to be an exemplary one. MAKING CLEANING STRATEGIC Whilst cleaning hasn’t traditionally been included in strategic discussions within the industry, the data driven shift to tackling hygiene has brought it to the very forefront. No longer seen as a costly part of FM which can cause high-risk resource challenges, smart cleaning has facilitated a drastic shift in mindset within the industry. Accelerated by innovation, and necessity during the pandemic, an abundance of data means FM teams can make informed, educated decisions based on real time insights, allowing businesses to work smarter, save money, and elevate hygiene standards to the next level. HOW EXACTLY DOES IT WORK? Relying on the latest internet of things (IoT) technology, smart cleaning ensures almost every aspect of cleaning and hygiene becomes streamlined, informed, and cost-effective. With the use of integrated operational and environmental IoT sensors, which can be retrofit to a wide range of variables, vast amounts of data can be collected, allowing cleaning to become highly strategic. For example, washroom occupancy sensors can inform teams of actual visitor numbers, allowing cleaning to be scheduled exactly when and where it is needed and ensure social distancing is maintained. Sensors on essential consumables such as anti-bacterial soap ensure it is always stocked up, supporting better hand hygiene, and improving customer satisfaction. EMBRACING PROACTIVE CLEANING Smart cleaning shifts hygiene from a reactive to proactive response. This was crucial during the pandemic and with a wealth of data available, supports a dynamic, needs-focused approach to FM. From doorways to lifts, toilets to soap dispensers, smart cleaning allows data to be centralized and integrated into a dashboard straight into the palm of the hand. Whether this is a tablet or wearable device, team members know exactly what needs attention, where and when. This empowers teams to increase and improve their performance, work smarter and in turn, elevates hygiene standards. IT’S ALL ABOUT THE END USER By embracing data driven cleaning, hygiene now sits alongside functions such as air conditioning, maintenance, and security when it comes to a building’s FM strategic planning. Thanks to advances in tech, cleaning is no longer considered a costly headache, but is viewed as an innovative workstream. The benefits of smart cleaning are enormous, and it offers many efficiencies. Perhaps most importantly, it drastically improves the experience for the end user and ensures the safest, most comfortable environments for us to live, work and play in. NO LONGER SEEN AS A COSTLY PART OF FM WHICH CAN CAUSE HIGH- RISK RESOURCE CHALLENGES, SMART CLEANING HAS FACILITATED A DRASTIC SHIFT IN MINDSET WITHIN THE INDUSTRY. David King, managing director, VERTECO. COVER STORY 16 December 2022www.fm-middleeast.com THE REGION’S TOP 50 FM ENTITIES IN 2022COVER STORY December 2022 17www.fm-middleeast.com And the most coveted FM Power List is finally out! We see a lot of new entrants in this year’s list, which I would say signifies a healthy competition. Before compiling this year’s list too, a questionnaire was sent out to various participants; the responses that we collected from this questionnaire made us understand how FM firms were performing over the last 12 months. As I always say, the list is both objective and subjective in nature. By objective we mean we look at the total revenue, profits, company size – all of these have high weightage in ranking. At the same time, by subjective, we mean, the firm being active over the past year in terms of news, CSR and other initiatives. Again, this list does not reflect in anyway how your firm is truly performing. Your client know you better. The list is eternally debatable and open to improvement, and perhaps even open to new ranking methodologies. It's an evolutionary process. In the end, the purpose of collating and compiling such a list is to showcase the top active FM players in the region. One thing I noticed is that the challenges faced by most of the firms were unanimous in nature, which was growing inflation and geopolitical uncertainties. In such tempestuous times, being in the list is an achievement in itself. Once again, I thank all participants and non-participants the very best over the coming years! About the author Rajiv Ravindran Pillai is the editor of Facilities Management Middle East. POWER 50 www.fm-middleeast.com18 December 2022 Approximately 60% of revenues for the next year has already been secured through Imdaad’s long-term contracts. A further 25% of the projected revenues is expected to be secured from contract renewals, leaving approximately 15% of its projected revenue to be secured from new tender awards. Jamal Abdulla Lootah, group chief executive officer, says: “We have a significant pipeline of submitted tenders and opportunities which provides us with strong confidence in achieving our projections for 2023.” Imdaad’s workforce is a vibrant community of 9,178 people who shape the company’s collaborative work environment and help position it at the forefront of the FM industry. Its diverse and highly skilled teams comprise over 45 nationalities and include 3,464 laborers and 448 qualified operators and engineers. As a company committed to supporting the development of an inclusive and prosperous society, Imdaad places special importance on the empowerment of women. In addition to creating an enabling working environment for female employees, Imdaad has been actively contributing to the UAE’s many initiatives aimed at the betterment of women and boosting their participation in the growth of the national economy. Lootah adds: “As a result of these efforts, we have been successful in increasing the number of female workers in the company. We currently employ a total of 570 women in a wide range of roles.” Emerging from the global Covid pandemic and the effects it had on the business landscape worldwide, Imdaad reported outstanding performance over the past year despite the challenges presented across sectors. Its award- winning facilities management solutions were in high demand, yielding AED93m worth of contracts secured in Q1 2022 alone. Imdaad has been able to capitalise on the positive momentum to advance its business growth objectives and consolidate its reputation as an FM leader. Talking about the challenges, Lootah says: “The prevailing global geopolitical uncertainties cast a shadow over business growth prospects in various industries worldwide. We are also faced with macroeconomic challenges such as inflation, which has led to fuel price increase, which in turn has had an adverse impact on our cost base.” In terms of opportunities, Lootah adds that Saudi Arabia is emerging as one of the high-performing markets across various economic sectors in the region. He says: “We at Imdaad are excited and inspired by this promise and have set our sights on expanding our strategic presence in the Kingdom. We are targeting inorganic growth through mergers and acquisitions while also striving to unlock the potential of technology and innovation in creating new possibilities in product development and delivery.” JAMAL ABDULLA LOOTAH GROUP CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Number of years in his role: 15 Total number of years in the company: 15 Number of years in the Middle East: 31 IMDAAD EMPLOYEES: 9,178 OPERATORS AND ENGINEERS: 448 FEMALE STAFF: 570POWER 50 www.fm-middleeast.comDecember 2022 19 The most significant opportunity for Emrill over the next 12 months is to continue to develop, implement and utilise innovative strategies and technologies to best meet the needs of the organisation and its clients. Emrill is an early adopter of cutting- edge technologies, home-grown innovations and initiatives which aim to continuously improve its outstanding customer experience. All Emrill’s initiatives are rooted in providing best- in-class facilities management services across the diverse range of sectors the organisation serves. The firm has been committed to and invested in ensuring the organisation’s future readiness for a number of years and remains dedicated to managing clients’ evolving needs in compliance with world-class standards and regulations, for which Emrill is best- known for. As part of the organisation’s Future- Ready mandate, empowered by Emrill’s executive leadership team, every employee is encouraged to identify new innovations and technologies that improve efficiencies, provide value and continue to raise industry standards. Despite economic pressures and uncertainty impacting the Middle East, Emrill’s core foundation of internal and external transparent communication and the delivery of high-quality services have enabled the organisation to identify concerns in the FM sector and implement initiatives to resolve and confront these matters. To promote a culture of innovation, Emrill holds regular continuous improvement workshops which encourage staff to share innovative ideas to benefit the business/operations. In 2018, Emrill achieved unparalleled efficiencies in soft services with the development and launch of its Efficiency Enhancing App (Effy App). The app was utilised in horizontal communities and enabled Emrill to achieve a 20% increase in manpower efficiency/optimisation required and a 10% reduction in manual task supervision while improving customer satisfaction. After the success of the Effy App in horizontal communities, Emrill built on the success of the award-winning app for horizontal communities, shifting its focus to vertical communities to provide a technology solution for the complete visibility of staff and tasks within its contracts that cater to multi-storey buildings. Stuart Harrison, chief executive officer, Emrill, says: “The biggest challenge that Emrill, as well as other FM service providers around the world, is economic pressures and the impact they are having on clients’ budgets. Global market conditions have resulted in the need for clients to reduce budgets while still receiving the same world- class, industry standard level of FM service delivery. The global economy is still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. As markets rebuild and businesses start to thrive again, there is still the need to recoup revenue which was lost during the pandemic.” STUART HARRISON CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Number of years in his role: 3+ Total number of years in the company: 7 Number of years in the Middle East: 10 EMRILL EMPLOYEES: 8,233 OPERATORS AND ENGINEERS: 1,792 FEMALE STAFF: 916Next >