Construction Week Viewpoint

US consultancy Parsons has been in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) for well over forty years and is working on many of the region’s most high-profile projects – including Riyadh Metro and the King Abdullah Financial District, both of which are in Saudi Arabia.

In this latest episode of the Construction Week Viewpoint podcast, host Jack Ball, senior reporter at Construction Week, recaps on his recent one-on-one interview with Gary Adams, president of Parsons MEA.

The US consultancy’s regional chief outlines some of the firm’s latest tech priorities, noting too some of the key challenges he sees for the group as it continues to ramp up capabilities across MEA, notably in Saudi Arabia.

“We see a lot of growth in Saudi right now, particularly in the programme management space,” Adams explained. “We’ve had double-digit growth in Saudi Arabia for the last couple of years.

Other topics include the fight to source top talent and the ongoing drive to secure healthy cash flows.

To volunteer yourself or a colleague as a guest speaker on Construction Week Viewpoint, please contact Jack Ball at [email protected].

US consultancy Parsons has been in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) for well over forty years and is working on many of the region’s most high-profile projects – including Riyadh Metro and the King Abdullah Financial District, both of which are in Saudi Arabia.

In this latest episode of the Construction Week Viewpoint podcast, host Jack Ball, senior reporter at Construction Week, recaps on his recent one-on-one interview with Gary Adams, president of Parsons MEA.

The US consultancy’s regional chief outlines some of the firm’s latest tech priorities, noting too some of the key challenges he sees for the group as it continues to ramp up capabilities across MEA, notably in Saudi Arabia.

“We see a lot of growth in Saudi right now, particularly in the programme management space,” Adams explained. “We’ve had double-digit growth in Saudi Arabia for the last couple of years.

Other topics include the fight to source top talent and the ongoing drive to secure healthy cash flows.

To volunteer yourself or a colleague as a guest speaker on Construction Week Viewpoint, please contact Jack Ball at [email protected].

Barry Ebrahimy, senior vice president of commercial at Al Hamra, a UAE-headquartered development giant, talks to Construction Week's senior reporter, Jack Ball, about the long-term prospects of Ras Al Khaimah's real estate sector, and the projects that the group plans to pursue in H2 2019 and beyond.

Barry Ebrahimy, senior vice president of commercial at Al Hamra, a UAE-headquartered development giant, talks to Construction Week's senior reporter, Jack Ball, about the long-term prospects of Ras Al Khaimah's real estate sector, and the projects that the group plans to pursue in H2 2019 and beyond.

As one of the UAE’s largest contracting firms, ALEC is one that is eyeing – and taking advantage of – all manner of innovations in the region’s building sector.

In this latest episode of the Construction Week Viewpoint podcast, special guests Hercu Viljoen, managing director for related businesses at ALEC, and Imad Itani, ALEC’s innovation manager, sit down with host Jack Ball, senior reporter at Construction Week.

Together they break down why ALEC is doubling down on advanced construction technologies and novel building methods when approaching its projects.

“Innovation is a survival thing – if we don’t innovate or adjust what we do today, we will be extinct tomorrow," said Viljoen, noting that the contractor would look to hire employees in the future that can dabble in a variety of skills.

“You need a civil engineer with data analytics skills, for example,” Viljoen explained.

"There might be robots doing the work and you have to analyse how to do it better. That’s where we are going, and that’s very exciting. The industry is going to be transformed in the next five years.”

Other topics include the construction industry’s approach to next-gen technologies more generally, and why having a workforce of multi-taskers is key for the firm moving ahead.

As one of the UAE’s largest contracting firms, ALEC is one that is eyeing – and taking advantage of – all manner of innovations in the region’s building sector.

In this latest episode of the Construction Week Viewpoint podcast, special guests Hercu Viljoen, managing director for related businesses at ALEC, and Imad Itani, ALEC’s innovation manager, sit down with host Jack Ball, senior reporter at Construction Week.

Together they break down why ALEC is doubling down on advanced construction technologies and novel building methods when approaching its projects.

“Innovation is a survival thing – if we don’t innovate or adjust what we do today, we will be extinct tomorrow," said Viljoen, noting that the contractor would look to hire employees in the future that can dabble in a variety of skills.

“You need a civil engineer with data analytics skills, for example,” Viljoen explained.

"There might be robots doing the work and you have to analyse how to do it better. That’s where we are going, and that’s very exciting. The industry is going to be transformed in the next five years.”

Other topics include the construction industry’s approach to next-gen technologies more generally, and why having a workforce of multi-taskers is key for the firm moving ahead.

The oil and gas sector has seen some drastic changes in the past year, with engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractors following suit to cater to an ever-changing industry.

As the region’s national oil companies have moved to integrate vertically and boost their downstream portfolios, so, too have EPC contractors.

In this latest episode of the Construction Week Viewpoint podcast, special guest Carla Sertin, editor of Oil and Gas Middle East, sits down with host Jack Ball, senior reporter at Construction Week.

Together they run through the 2019 iteration of Carla’s Top 30 EPC Contractors 2019 list, touching on the opportunities, challenges, and major moves for EPC contractors such as McDermott – a big jumper in this year’s list – and Larsen and Toubro (L&T) as we near the 2019 halfway mark.

The oil and gas sector has seen some drastic changes in the past year, with engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractors following suit to cater to an ever-changing industry.

As the region’s national oil companies have moved to integrate vertically and boost their downstream portfolios, so, too have EPC contractors.

In this latest episode of the Construction Week Viewpoint podcast, special guest Carla Sertin, editor of Oil and Gas Middle East, sits down with host Jack Ball, senior reporter at Construction Week.

Together they run through the 2019 iteration of Carla’s Top 30 EPC Contractors 2019 list, touching on the opportunities, challenges, and major moves for EPC contractors such as McDermott – a big jumper in this year’s list – and Larsen and Toubro (L&T) as we near the 2019 halfway mark.

A name that is working on construction projects in Saudi Arabia such as the Riyadh Metro and Mall of Saudi, UK-headquartered construction consultancy Atkins is no stranger to some of the kingdom’s most ambitious construction projects.

Indeed, Saudi Arabia is exactly where the group’s Middle East practice sees a real push for growth, as Adrian Lindon, the company's managing director for engineering, design, and project management in the Middle East and Africa, explains.

Joining Jack Ball, Construction Week’s senior reporter, in the CW Viewpoint podcast studio this week, Lindon outlines how the group hopes to double the headcount of its recently opened office in the kingdom’s capital Riyadh by the end of 2019 – buoyed by ongoing work on megaprojects such as Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) and the Diriyah Gate development.

Other topics include Atkins’ ongoing project portfolio in region, and those projects that the consulting heavyweight is looking, or has already started, to tender for.

A name that is working on construction projects in Saudi Arabia such as the Riyadh Metro and Mall of Saudi, UK-headquartered construction consultancy Atkins is no stranger to some of the kingdom’s most ambitious construction projects.

Indeed, Saudi Arabia is exactly where the group’s Middle East practice sees a real push for growth, as Adrian Lindon, the company's managing director for engineering, design, and project management in the Middle East and Africa, explains.

Joining Jack Ball, Construction Week’s senior reporter, in the CW Viewpoint podcast studio this week, Lindon outlines how the group hopes to double the headcount of its recently opened office in the kingdom’s capital Riyadh by the end of 2019 – buoyed by ongoing work on megaprojects such as Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) and the Diriyah Gate development.

Other topics include Atkins’ ongoing project portfolio in region, and those projects that the consulting heavyweight is looking, or has already started, to tender for.