Kuwait Embassy in Spain

Issue 6, May - August 2008
Kuwait Embassy
in Spain
i-Rise Tower
Making waves in Dubai
Projacs Pakistan
Branching out in Islamabad
Contents
2
Note from Director
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3
i-Rise Tower Project
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5
Celebrating 10 years in Projacs
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Projacs Saudi
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Projacs Operations
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Feature Project
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Interview
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Healthcare in Kuwait
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Interview
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Developing your skills
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KSA Expo
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Expanding in the Middle East
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Projacs Statistical details
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Branching out in Islamabad
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Interview
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Hidden talent
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Nurturing sporting talent
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New Staff & Announcements
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Face2Face
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NOTE FROM
DIRECTOR
Jawdat Shawwa
*
China and
India are on
our radar screen
can clearly recall the day Projacs
was born in the hearts and minds
of three entrepreneurial individuals,
determined to build something big.
Yet, what started only as a simple
service to the construction market
in Kuwait has exceeded our wildest
dreams into one of the the largest
project management firm in the region
numbering over six hundred proud
professionals. Today, Projacs is the
leader, innovator and trendsetter in the
construction management and training
industry in the Middle East. We proudly
took part through managing projects
with most recognizable structural and
architectural icons.
Our staff and engineers have risen to
the many challenges of projects bearing
issues such as complex constructability,
tight schedules, design changes, material
scarcity and architectural constraints.
The proudest moments continue to
stem from the appreciation we get
from our many clients thanking us for
building their dreams, and in many cases
exceeding their expectations. This is a
testament to the effort exerted by every
individual in Projacs today.
As our industry continues to grow, the
difficulties of the past have made way for
us to converge to a new and different set
of challenges: such as ambitious clients,
cost escalation, contractors backlog,
labor and equipment shortages and so
forth. We live in an exciting time, in
the construction industry, and have a
unique opportunity to be a key player is
this era. We can leverage our qualities,
experience, and name to best serve our
clients, and continue the success rolling
forward; and this would only be achieved
through the strength, will, and talent
of the people of Projacs; a quality that
clearly differentiate us from the pack.
As Bertha Calloway once said: “we
cannot direct the wind, but we can
adjust the sails” . China and India, are
on our radar screen, and will certainly
be the most exciting new frontiers,
where our success story will continue
to evolve. Aligning our aspirations and
deeds can be achieved with your valuable
contribution, and we will make our
breakthrough.
May - Aug 2008
2
i-RISE
TOWER PROJECT
M a k i ng wa v es i n D ub a i !
4
ome of you will remember our
interview with Mr. Ihab Abbas
following his Star of Projacs
2007 award in the last issue of
Communiqué. In this interview we take
a closer look at the project on which he
is the Assistant Project Manager, the iRise Tower in Dubai.
The US$154 million project is a ‘core and
shell’ office tower comprising of three
basement floors and six podium levels
accommodating 2298 car parks. The 31
tower floors are divided into corporate
offices and executive offices with a
helipad landing area on the roof top.
Other premium facilities included in the
design are private high-speed elevators,
restaurants, coffee shops, retail space and
a fitness center. The tower itself features
a unique and distinctive curvilinear
design which has been tailored to allow
maximum exposure to natural light with
panoramic views of Dubai. It is located
in Dubai’s Technology, E-commerce
and Media Free Zone (TECOM) Site C
area and has been earmarked to become
the region’s landmark business tower. In
February 2008, the client, Realty Capital
3
May - Aug 2008
Middle East FZC, announced that the
project sales had already exceeded 50%.
The invitation to tender for the project,
preparation of the proposal, negotiation
with the client and the award of the
project was completed in almost one
week. The client was very impressed with
the level of professionalism displayed by
Projacs in the proposal and in handling
the process, especially considering the
short time provided to complete the
task. Projacs was duly awarded the
Design and Construction Management
in November 2006 although the project
had been ongoing since January 2005.
The Projacs team comprised Mr. Bashar
Meselmani, Project Manager, Mr. Ihab
Abbas, Assistant Project Manager, Mr.
Mohab Seddick, Construction Manager,
Ms. Aylin Peker, PCS Manager and
Mr. Mohamad Sajimon, Document
Controller.
In line with the short invitation to tender
period, Mr. Abbas declared that the
project is moving at a very quick pace!
The client made it clear from day one
that his target is to expedite the physical
execution of the project with completion
due by December 2009 and this is the
target that the Projacs team are working
towards. The enabling and main works
were awarded on time. However, the
authorities’ approvals took substantial
time to obtain so this is currently being
recovered in the main works duration.
One challenge the Projacs team faced
from day one was convincing the
consultant to change the structural
columns grid from being rectangular to
circular and to relocate the services on
the typical floors to increase the efficiency
of the building. It took a lot of time and
effort to do so but the client was more
than pleased with the revised layout
and achieved a floor efficiency of almost
78%. The second biggest challenge on
the project was during the enabling
works stage where the neighboring plots
owners would not grant a ‘No Objection
Certificate’ for the use of tie-back anchors
into their plots to support the secant pile
shoring wall. All possible strutting options
and alternative designs where studied
until finally a scheme was adopted. The
chosen strutting system had the least
cost impact and time impact on the main
works later on. The project team are now
continuing at a brisk pace to achieve the
client’s target completion date.
Having spent three years with Projacs,
we asked Mr. Abbas what he thought
were the main selling points for Projacs’
services. “I believe that two key selling
points for Projacs in the region are that
we are a Pan Arab Company yet we
perform to the international standards
of the industry. Another selling point is
that Projacs offers training in the project
management field for the public. This
gives the clients extra assurance that
we are capable of handling any project.
Finally, the ‘Client Satisfaction’ policy
that Projacs adopts starting from the top
management down to the most junior
staff on any project is definitely one of the
best selling points of Projacs’ services.”
the high profile and professionalism of
Projacs in the region. The presence of
Projacs offices throughout the Middle
East, North Africa and Asia, and our
associates in the USA and Canada,
further promote our position in the
international market. Mr. Abbas suggests
that obtaining more projects especially in
Europe and the USA will only enhance
Projacs’ international standing.
Projacs is constantly evolving, corporately
and locally. One recent internal change
in Dubai has seen the appointment of an
Operations Manager which Mr. Abbas
believes has had a positive influence
on the ongoing projects in terms of
technically supporting the projects and
ensuring proper and adequate staffing.
Another upcoming change in the Dubai
office will be the rollout of ProMIS.
Mr. Abbas is looking forward to this
implementation in all Projacs offices as
Our project is driven by our commitment to the timely delivery
of this high quality commercial tower, which is why we have
partnered with only first-class companies such as Khatib &
Alami for design and supervision, Al Naboodah Contracting for
main construction works, and Projacs for project management.
Our strong sales success reflects the investor trust we have
earned and the eagerness to invest in what will become one of
the region’s largest business towers.
- Marwan Mansour, CEO of Realty Capital,
in reference to the i-Rise Tower project.
According to Mr. Abbas, Projacs has
many advantages over its competitors
in the region. “We understand the Arab
culture since most of our operations
are in that region and we have a wide
diversity of experience collected since
1984 especially through joint ventures
with reputable international companies.
Internally, Projacs senior management
has a high profile in all the projects which
provides extra comfort to the clients and
extends their support to the staff. This
attention to our clients is also reflected
in our ‘Client Satisfaction’ policy that all
Projacs staff adopt.” He also believes that
Projacs is being recognized more on an
international level due to the construction
boom ongoing in the Gulf area. This
attracts
international
developers,
consultants and contractors who witness
When he joined Projacs, the move to
Dubai was very hectic and the local
traffic problems proved stressful. Yet Mr.
Abbas discovered a unique lifestyle in
Dubai that cannot be found elsewhere
in the region and this he enjoys. He
finds working in Projacs exciting and
enjoyable because of the new experience
and exposure that he is open to on a daily
basis, especially in a market like Dubai.
He enjoys the family-like atmosphere
in the office which is something very
unique in Projacs and helps loosen the
work tension.
Projacs is involved in many developments
and we asked Mr. Abbas which one he
found the most intriguing, “Of course
the Bawadi Project! I believe it is the
most interesting project currently
ongoing. The huge scale and complexity
of the project will definitely add to one’s
experience and engineering knowledge
especially since such mega projects come
perhaps only once or twice during the
career of an engineer.”
For the time being Mr. Abbas is tied
up with the i-Rise Tower project and
supporting the UAE head office when
requested. In the future he hopes to
be engaged on a bigger project and
exposed to new clients, consultants and
contractors to enhance his experience
and improve his managerial capabilities.
Communiqué wishes him and the iRise Tower project team a timely and
rewarding completion.
it is his view that ProMIS will facilitate
HR operations, increase interaction and
allow sharing of experience between the
various offices and employees.
Other potential changes were discussed
at the 2007 retreat and Mr. Abbas
agrees that any pecuniary changes
such as bonuses, more comprehensive
medical insurance or school expenses
will definitely enhance the employees’
moral; he is looking forward to hearing
the results of senior management studies
in this area. In addition, he suggests that
more social activities at the level of each
office would facilitate communication
between employees and strengthen their
relations which he believes will reflect
positively on the employees’ productivity
and quality of work.
May - Aug 2008
4
progressed to reach his current position
of Finance and HR Manager of the UAE
operations, now also supporting recent
operations in Oman and Pakistan.
Mr. Kurup explained that these
responsibilities are wide-ranging and
divided into two functions, Financial
and HR/Administrative. In this role he is
involved in meeting and communicating
with many Projacs staff. In fact, this is
one of the aspects of his work that he
most enjoys, “Since handling the joint
responsibilities of Finance and HR, my
interaction with the management and
staff members is frequent and essential.
I enjoy the trust and support they extend
to me to fulfill my tasks successfully.”
CELEBRATING
10 years
IN PROJACS!
An Interview with
Prakash Kurup,
Finance and HR Manager, UAE
*
n this interview, we congratulate
Mr. Prakash Kurup, on a decade of
employment at Projacs. Mr. Kurup
was initially introduced to Projacs
through Al-Falak, a sister concern at that
time. He was interviewed by Mr. Omar
Shawwa whose professional and humane
approach convinced him that Projacs
was the organization he was seeking. So
on February 1st 1998, he began work as
an accountant in our Dubai office.
As Projacs Dubai expanded so to did the
opportunities available to existing staff.
Building on his primary role, Mr. Kurup
was provided with the opportunity to
become actively involved in the HR and
Administration functions. Recalling this
time, he says this was a real challenge
for him. Yet even though it was tough,
performing different functions at the
same time, with the tremendous support
and encouragement of the management
team, he developed a system that
ultimately allowed the Dubai office
to integrate more easily with the new
corporate office structure. With the
continued support of management and
diligent work on his side, Mr. Kurup
5
May - Aug 2008
As Finance Manager, he continues
to develop his expertise in automated
accounting and financial management
systems. He prepares various financial
and HR reports as input to the Area
Manager whose decisions affect the
operation of the regions and has
developed a regional monthly reporting
system which evaluates the project
performance and cash flow. This
enables the Area Manager/Operations
Manager to improve control of the cost
/ time and thus achieve the budgeted
profit margin in line with the corporate
guidelines. With the support of other
team members, Mr. Kurup added that he
was proud that he consistently managed
to meet deadlines and adhere to the
corporate guidelines. He is particularly
proud of the regional Finance and HR
reporting system they developed. This
helped them to integrate with the new
corporate structure easily during the
transition period and Mr. Kurup was able
to train his team members and acquaint
them with the Projacs’ system and
culture successfully in a relatively short
span of time.
Dealing with the company finances and
accounts is highly sensitive but Mr. Kurup
has no problems with this. “Security and
accuracy is always a matter of concern
due to the sensitivity of the function but
since the management is professional
and supportive, we are always able to
resolve issues that arise through the
implementation of internal controls.
Regular guidelines from Corporate
Finance also serve to minimize the risk
factors.”
As HR Manager, he is involved in staff
time management, recruitment of new
staff , employee evaluations, staff training
and other staff benefit and enhancement
programs working closely with the
Corporate HR department. Mr. Kurup
believes that through his long period of
dedicated service he has developed a good
professional and personal relationship
with staff members by providing them
with the level of support to perform their
roles effectively and by gaining them the
maximum benefits offered by Projacs.
The transition of Projacs from regional
organizations to a corporate structure
has provided Mr. Kurup with the
opportunity to gain experience in new
reporting systems in financial, budgeting
and human resources. It has also enabled
him to participate in strategic discussions
at both regional and corporate levels
thus extending his skill base. Looking
back at the changes that Projacs has
undergone during his tenure, Mr. Kurup
highlighted with pride his experience of
being involved during the initial setting
up of QPI in Abu Dhabi, a joint venture
of Projacs and Al Qudra Holdings. This
has now become a large organization
having more than 150 employees from
its humble beginnings of merely 6 staff
in 2006.
Handling the positions of Finance and
HR must bring unique challenges. Mr.
Kurup agreed that in his case he had
developed a new perspective to support
the staff in a balanced way which
was indeed formidable. He explained
that as the HR Manager he has to
convey the employee’s problems to the
management and, at the same time,
alert the management to its financial
implications. Thus far, his expertise has
always succeeded in finding amicable
solutions that protect the interest of
the employee to the maximum without
harming the company policy.
After being with the company for 10
years Mr. Kurup has witnessed a dramatic
growth and many changes. He compares
the growth of Projacs over this period as
being similar to that of his daughter who
is now 9 years. When he joined there
were only 6 staff members in the UAE
and they were involved in professional
training programs. Additional support
“
Effective Leadership and Staff
empowerment are the key factors of
sustainable organizational growth…
came from staff at the Kuwait office as
and when required. Mr. Kurup explained
that the visionary leadership of Projacs
at that time foresaw the potential of
the upcoming construction boom in
the region and stepped into the market
confidently. This started the transition
of the organization from the status of
regional player into an international
corporate entity. The concept was totally
new to the market and competition was
tough as competitors were from western
countries with lots of experience in the
industry. Although in the beginning this
was very challenging and painstaking,
Mr. Kurup acknowledged that the
strong determination and dedication
of the leaders in Projacs succeeded in
achieving the necessary organizational
goals and as an employee he was proud to
contribute to this success with his skills
and capabilities.
In his opinion the transition was a winwin situation to both the organization
and employees. He considers that the
most noticeable change was the employee
recognition and empowerment policy
adopted by the management. In his
words, “This is a clear indication that the
leaders of our company are visualizing a
long-term sustainable growth instead of
the short-term maximum profit making
strategy that most of the companies
follow in the region.”
Having been through all these changes,
Mr. Kurup is confident that Projacs
will continue its growth prospects and
simultaneously provide him with the
ability to achieve more in his career.
He cites the results of the recent survey
done amongst senior staff members and
the subsequent action plan announced
during the retreat in Amman. Once the
action plan is implemented, he believes it
”
will improve even further the conditions
and working environment of staff. Also
the exploration and establishment of
offices in new markets will strengthen
the long-term strategy and encourage
employees and strategic partners to
remain with Projacs.
Mr. Kurup added that in his experience,
the more structural changes that
the company undergoes, the more
his department improves in terms
of performance and expansion. His
department has grown from one to five
in the past decade and is now supporting
the UAE, Oman and Pakistan regions.
Reporting systems have improved for
both Finance and HR by using new
techniques and terminologies to satisfy
the new corporate requirements. He
believes that once the new ProMIS
system is implemented it will reach an
advanced level. He is very excited by
this new system viewing it as a great
leap in our structural changes to have
comprehensive reporting on a global
platform. The current Finance and
Accounts module is only to upload the
reports which although limited will
improve the information available to
management. At his training session,
Baracci Solutions indicated that the
integration of all Finance and Accounts
functions could be done at a later stage
so Mr. Kurup believes that as Projacs
continues to grow, the ProMIS system
can evolve to meet our requirements.
Looking back at the last 10 years Mr.
Kurup is confident that his decision to
join Projacs was right. “I gained a lot
of knowledge and achievement in my
professional and personal life. It has been
a great experience to be with Projacs
during its growth from a regional player
into an international corporation with a
May - Aug 2008
6
staff strength of more than 600 employees.
My career with Projacs has also provided
me with a new perspective towards the
employer / employee relationship after
meeting Dr. Nabil Qaddumi and Mr.
Luay Khoury who are role models for a
new leadership.”
His advice to new staff is, “Try to
understand the vision and mission of the
company through open communication
and adopt the corporate culture which
will enable you to set long-term goals in
your career with Projacs. Also be honest
in your dealings and make use of the
employee training and enhancement
programs to sharpen your technical
7
and personal skills to meet the future
challenges and career advancement.
Remember Projacs hires employees not
to fire but to care.”
Mr. Kurup has lived in the UAE for 14
years and has seen many changes locally.
“It has become more hectic and more
expensive for middle income people to
live with their families and make savings
in Dubai.” With a wife and two young
children to support, his pecuniary goal
for this year is to expand the personal
development of his children. His daily
motivation is the well being of his family
and the realization of his personal dream
project. To relax he enjoys farming,
Name
Title
Ammar Sheta
Asst. VP - Operations Manager (Central Region-KSA)
Arif Hameed
reading and traveling with his family.
Given the busy life he leads it is no
surprise that the most recent book he has
read is ‘Oh Mind Relax Please! Routs of
Yoga, Wings of Management’ by Swamy
Sukhabodhananda.
Professionally, Mr. Kurup’s goals this year
are to successfully implement the ProMIS
system and a new accounting system
proposed corporately. With 10 years
at Projacs under his belt, we hope that
Projacs has the benefit of his knowledge
and expertise in years to come and wish
him the happy fulfillment of his dreams.
Date Joined Office Location
10/25/97
KSA
Public Relation Officer
1/4/94
UAE
Ashraf Al-Garf
Ex. VP Operations-COO
1/1/98
Kuwait
Ayham Al-Shawa
Senior Project Manager
12/1/97
Kuwait
Aylin Peker
PCS Manager
12/1/97
UAE
Gabriel D’costa
Messenger
8/23/97
Kuwait
Ihab Loutfy
PCS Manager
10/25/94
Kuwait
Jihad Usta
Senior VP & Area Manager (KSA, Lebanon & Syria)
12/1/96
KSA
Kalappurathara Hussain
Travel Coordinator
3/13/96
KSA
Mohamed Younis Virk
Document Controller
11/13/93
KSA
Mohammed Ashraf Rahman Office Assistant
7/11/93
Kuwait
Mustafa Al-Saleh
Administration Manager
7/15/97
KSA
Nael Barqawi
General Manager - QP
10/1/97
Libya
Nedungeril Shihabudheen
Secretary & Document Controller
10/30/96
KSA
Prakash Kurup
Finance & HR Manager
2/1/98
UAE
Rami Ghosheh
Head of MEP
9/20/97
Kuwait
Saeed Ashraf
Construction Manager
5/1/98
Pakistan
Sebastian Joseph
Senior Accounts Manager
7/1/93
Kuwait
Sonjit Deb
Office Assistant
2/2/98
Kuwait
Tarek Ahmed
VP - Area Manager (Egypt & Sudan)
7/1/97
Egypt
Veerasseril Ajimon
Secretary
9/20/97
KSA
Veerasseril Ashraf
Executive Secretary
8/23/93
KSA
Ziad Kamel
Project Manager
5/11/96
Kuwait
Yousef Al-Halwani
VP & T&D Operations Manager - T & D
2/14/94
KSA
May - Aug 2008
PROJACS
SAUDI
Profiling the Riyadh
and Jeddah Offices
Top: Dr. Fuad Al-Faleh,
Vice Chairman
#
ack in 1994, Projacs Saudi was
first launched in Riyadh to provide
project management services to
businesses throughout the whole of
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). We
spoke to Mr. Jihad Usta, Vice President and
Area Manager for Projacs Saudi, Syria and
Lebanon about the changes and subsequent
growth of Projacs in Saudi Arabia.
Mr. Usta joined Projacs in December 1996
and has worked for Projacs in Lebanon,
Dubai and Saudi Arabia. In 1997-1998,
he was involved in his first construction
management project for the Saudi
Investment Bank, their Western Region
headquarters in Jeddah. At that time he
had the profound belief that Projacs would
become a pioneer in the field of construction
management and a vehicle for project
delivery systems in Saudi Arabia. Projacs
had already built a high reputation in its
design review/value engineering services and
established itself as a leader in that field. As
a Projacs employee, Mr. Usta soon became
involved in larger-scale projects such as the
Al-Issa Showroom in Riyadh, Al Bank Al
Saudi Al Fransi, Centria and Le Meridian
Hotel in Mecca.
As Projacs became established and
recognized throughout the KSA, it became
imperative to reorganize so that valued
clients received our best service. Therefore
in 2005, Projacs inaugurated its Jeddah
office to provide services to Jeddah, Makkah
and Medina (western region) whilst the
Riyadh office continued to provide services
to clients in the central and eastern region
of Saudi Arabia. This year – 2008 – a new
office is being set up in Khobar as a unit by
itself and with a special focus on oil and gas
projects. Projacs Saudi currently employs
a total of 89 employees divided across the
three offices: 55 based in Riyadh, 32 in
Jeddah and 2 in Khobar.
Mr. Usta has a very diverse role within
Projacs Saudi today. Apart from performing
his duties as Senior Vice President and
Area Manager for KSA, Lebanon and
Syria, he continues to use his architectural
design and construction management
expertise by leading and participating
in value engineering workshops, getting
involved in the preparation of design review
reports and other activities such as project
management.
Seventy percent of his time is spent on
managing Projacs operations in the KSA
and with the help of Mr. Ammar Sheta,
Operations Manager for the Central and
Eastern Region, and Mr. Ghassan AbdulAziz,
Operations Manager for the Western
Region, he is involved in promoting Projacs
in Saudi Arabia and building a professional
team, capable of handling and managing the
expected work load and types of projects.
According to Mr. Usta, Projacs enjoys a
solid reputation in Saudi Arabia due to the
high level of professionalism demonstrated
by staff members, their dedication and most
importantly, in his view, their honesty in
advising the clients on the issues and matters
related to their projects. Facts he says that
are applicable to all other Projacs’ offices.
May - Aug 2008
8
Top: Jihad Usta, Vice President
and Area Manager for Projacs
Saudi, Syria and Lebanon
However, there still remain a number of
challenges that Projacs faces in the KSA
market place today. The biggest of these is
that, in general, the Saudi market lacks a clear
understanding of the added value of project
management services. Since establishing the
Riyadh office in 1994, Projacs Saudi staff
have worked hard, via their training arm, to
educate the local market about the benefits
of project management and of applying
its methodology whenever possible. The
general misconception is that the consultant
is capable of doing the project management
role and thus clients believe they can
save the fee paid to a professional project
manager. Recently, the construction boom
has brought the involvement of international
specialized firms to the Saudi market and
Saudi investors in Dubai have experienced
the benefit of a specialized project manager.
These factors have contributed to the start
of a change in attitude towards acceptance
of the idea of involving a project manager on
large projects. Nevertheless many challenges
still exist within the Saudi market. As well
as the slow acceptance of the CM/PM
approach by both the public and private
sectors, there are also problems with the
availability of large-scale contractors and
professional houses (Architectural Engineers
and Construction Managers). Contractual
problems can inhibit output due to the type
of contracts required by the government, the
quality of documents, the manner in which
contracts are administered by public agencies
and the arbitration of contract disputes.
Added to this is the availability and quality
of suitable labor and their treatment. In the
9
May - Aug 2008
last year after a decade of stability, inflation
has begun to rise reaching a 25 year peak
in recent months. This affects the cost
and availability of resources and it is not
yet clear what final impact this will have
on the construction industry. Therefore
forecasting and maintaining / refining of
the construction industry “Cost Index” is
much more difficult.
Mr. Usta also explained that the current
construction boom in Saudi Arabia is being
fuelled by the government embarkation
on a very ambitious development plan.
This plan contains massive construction
projects, the magnitude of which can only
be characterized as mega-type projects. For
example:
• King
Abdullah
Economic
City,
Jeddah – A total of 168 million m2 of
construction area, considered to be the
largest construction project in the region
with an expected construction budget
reaching about SR100 billion. This
development is being lead by Emmar.
• Abdul Aziz bin Mousaed City, Hael –
Considered as the second largest project
with 156 million m2 of development
area. This will primarily focus on
industrial projects.
• Knowledge City, Medina – This
development is led by a group of investors;
the main two investors are Safola with a
40% stake and Taiba with a 20% stake.
The city will provide 4.8 million m2 of
development area with an investment cost
estimated at SR25 billion.
• Jizan Economic City – This development
will focus on heavy industrial projects
due to its location on the Red Sea. It has
an expected investment cost of SR100
billion.
Besides this government investment, the
private sector is participating heavily in the
development sector in Riyadh with many
large projects being prepared; for example,
the King Abdullah Financial Center, a 1.6
million m2 construction area, Al Rajhi
Tower with a budget of SR1.3 billion, Al
Olaya Commercial Center with a budget
of SR600 million and Al Dabab Center
with a budget of SR500 million. There are
more than 1000 other new projects in the
education, healthcare, commercial and
infrastructure sectors.
Projacs Saudi are currently involved in
approximately twenty-five projects. The
most prominent of these are:
King Abdulaziz City for Science and
Technology (KACST) 19 New Technical
Laboratory Projects:
KACST is intended to promote and
encourage applied scientific research. To
achieve this goal, KACST are building up
science facilities within the KACST district
area and at other university locations. These
are detailed as nineteen separate projects.
Six examples of these projects are:
• Nanotechnology Research Laboratories
• Water Research Laboratories
• National Center Building for Technology
Development
• National Center for Mathematics and
Physics
• Five Technology Incubators at various
universities
• Ten Research Centers of Excellence at
various universities
The Letter of Intent date was 23rd March
2008. Projacs has been awarded the design
stage management and has assigned a
temporary team comprising Mr. Motaz
Latouf, Project Manager, Dr. Zaid AlFawares Fayez Al-Hamad, Senior Architect
and Mr. Jamil Jafar, Senior Architect. The
project budget is SR760 million (US$203
million) and the completion date is 23rd
March 2011.
Al Swailem Tower:
This SR180 million (US$ 48 million) project
comprises of a thirty level tower including
offices and 5-star hotel rooms with facilities
such as restaurants, health club, swimming
pool, business center and multi-purpose
hall. Every floor will have central elevator
cores and backside services. There are
also three basements floors including
parking and back-of-house facilities. The
site is furnished with landscaping features,
outdoor entertainment facilities and
external parking. The total built-up area is
28,156 m2.
Azhary Al-Bashier, Abdul Rasool
Chughtai, Ricarte Pascual, Hussain,
Arshad Ur-Rahman, Siyad, Imran
Akhtar, Ashraf, Mirza Naseerudhin,
Abdullah Raja, Nizar Abdulrahim,
Yousuf Al-Halwani, Khalid Al-Qassimi,
Jihad Usta, Dr. Fuad Al-Saleh, Ammar
Sheta, Mootaz Latouf, Dr. Ali Al-Fraiji,
Issam Hamdan, Yahya Abdullah AlFeefi, Mohd. Shihabudhin, Ahmed
Mohd. El-seoudy Abdo, Syed Munawar
Ali, Mohd. Othman Al-Nazeer, Raad
Abed Al-Hashimi, Jamil Jaffar, Abdulla
Bashier Adam, Tarek Fathy Hakam,
Sami Ali Khalil, Hussein Kassab, Khalid
Subh, Safwan Al Futaieh, Luay Alloosh,
Mamoun Osman Mustafa, Ahmed
Saadany, Mohd. Al Syed Hassan
Ibrahim, Michael David, Ghali Hisham
Al-Saddon, Salim Ansari, Mansor AlMusnad, Haitham Hassan Taha and
Khalid Ahmed Mahmoud
Projacs was awarded the project
management (from pre-design phase) and
construction management. Projacs will also
be performing value engineering services.
May - Aug 2008
10
This project began on 8th April 2006 and
is currently in the design phase. The scope
of work is to be completed in twenty-eight
months for both design and construction
stages with a completion date in March
2010. The Projacs team comprises Mr.
Motaz Latouf and Mr. Jamil Jafar.
Top: (Top left to bottom right)
Eng. Sayyed Siraj Ahmed, Mr. Aziz Ur
Rehman Khan, Eng. Adel Abdul Rahman
Ahmed Odeh, Eng. Sadek Hamed Hamade,
Eng. Mohammed Shahid Hassan,
Mr. Tagalsir Algaily Mohamed Ali,
Mr. Wahab Abdul Rassak, Eng. Hussam
Aldein Ahmed Saad, Eng. Mohammad
Hussein Khalil Sarrar, Eng. Ghassan Ahmad
Abdulfattah Abdelaziz, Eng. Jihad Usta,
Dr. Zaid Alfawares Fayez Alhamad
Bottom: CITC Project
Al Waha Educational Complex:
The owner (Advanced Educational
Company) wishing to convey an image of
friendship and strengthening education
with the hosting authorities intends to
build numerous educational buildings on
an 85,000m2 site in Al-Waha area, located
in Riyadh. The total built-up area will be
135,000m2 and will include a private school
for boys and girls, an international school
for boys and girls, a training academy, a
special needs center, a nursery school,
furnished apartments, two years college and
supporting facilities such as green land, gym
and sporting areas. The budget is SR400
million (US$107 million).
This project began on January 5th 2008
and is due to complete on August 9th 2010.
The Projacs team comprises Mr. Ammar
Sheta and Mr. Jamil Jafar. The project is
currently in the pre-design phase. Projacs
was awarded the project management
(from pre-design phase) and construction
management / supervision services. Projacs
will also be performing value engineering
services during the design stage.
Throughout his years of service with Projacs,
the company has undergone major grouping
and restructuring, moving from independent
offices to a fully fledged organization present
in all of the major Arabic cities and a few
11
May - Aug 2008
European ones. Mr. Usta acknowledged that
the shift from individual office management
style into a large organization mode entailed
lots of internal coordination, adaptation of
new procedures, application and changes to
the way we deal with daily business issues.
In his case, moving from KSA to Dubai
enriched his experience and knowledge,
especially in the field of high-rise tower
development. His return to the KSA has
allowed him to share his experience with
his colleagues in Projacs Saudi.
Mr. Usta added that a further benefit for
him in moving between offices was that
he was able to get to know different staff,
their capabilities and the best way to benefit
from Projacs’ resources. In his opinion, the
most important focus for Projacs should be
to encourage an increase in communication
between staff at different offices, to facilitate
the exchange of expertise and share lessons
learnt. In this respect he believes that the
new ProMIS system is of great importance
to our future growth. He pointed out that
with the new territories that Projacs is
conquering every day and the increase in
the projects being awarded that ProMIS
will help in numerous ways by facilitating
communication between Projacs members,
providing useful data for previous projects
and reports, simplifying HR communication
and procedures between employees and
the company, offering awareness on new
proposals and their status and by providing
technical support and feedback from all
Projacs offices and staff when needed.
Advice to New Comers!
Proactive in their new work environment and proud to be a member of Projacs
Responsible and responsive
Organized and well oriented to achieve their goals
Joyful in their overall attitude and pleasant with clients
Accredited in their dealings
Creative and communicative
Solving problem oriented and systematic
“As time goes by, I realize that it is not only
the sincere interest and the commitment
that is necessary for Projacs journey to
success but also the spirit of team work and
the importance of thinking big. Somehow,
between our thoughts and our efforts, we
at Projacs have always recognized that our
contribution to the industry is making a
difference. Like each and everyone in this
great company, I am enjoying the wave
of growth and find it both exciting and
fulfilling.”
Mr. Usta has lived for more than seven
years continuously in Saudi Arabia so
Riyadh has become a second home for him,
his wife and two children. Although life in
Riyadh has some constraints and difficulties
for a bachelor, he finds it an enjoyable and
relaxing living experience. His interests
include travel especially to new places
and listening to music (his favorite is the
Lebanese singer, Fairuz). He also enjoyed
watching Wimbledon when he was living in
London and would like to do so again!
As to job satisfaction, Mr. Usta enjoys
dealing with challenging issues every day
and thrives on the continuous learning he
gains from dealing with a variety of projects.
He finds that new daily experiences, which
offer him the self satisfaction of achievement,
are motivating in themselves. His approach
to handling these issues is “Always think
positively and simplify the problem to be
able to resolve it in your favor.”
With his architectural background we
wondered if there were any architects he
particularly admired. “My favorite architect
is the one who can design creative buildings,
efficiently and within budget though frankly
speaking no leading architect can achieve
that…. it is difficult to be creative with a
limited budget! From the projects I have
worked on, I liked the design of the Kuwaiti
embassy in Spain and I enjoyed dealing with
Christian de Portzampark during his visit to
Beirut for the Beirut Gate project.”
And what projects from the Projacs portfolio
caught his architectural eye? “Each project
has a different story to tell and a new
experience to learn. For example, the Centria
project in Riyadh is unique in relation to
the form and shape adopted in the design
yet is in harmony with its surroundings. In
another example, I found solving the design
problems of Infinity Tower with its 90
degree twist, very interesting. I remember
that during the design stage of Beirut Gate,
the Projacs scope was fascinating. We were
dealing and coordinating with five different
international architects for the design and
eight different adjacent buildings yet still had
to convey one architectural language in line
with the Solidere master plan guidelines.”
In the coming year, Mr. Usta aims to
strengthen our presence in the Saudi
market and establish new opportunities
with the help of his colleagues in Projacs.
He also wants to do the same in Syria and
Lebanon. Personally he is hoping for a quiet,
peaceful summer vacation in the Lebanese
mountains if the political situation permits.
Communiqué thanks Mr. Usta and extends
our best wishes to all the staff in our growing
Projacs Saudi offices.
May - Aug 2008
12
PROJACS
OPERATIONS
Interview with Robert Perkins,
Senior Project Manager,
Qatar Office
3
obert Perkins first contact with
Projacs was through mutual
contacts in the United States
with whom he had previously
worked on high-rise towers in Chicago.
Following an interview in December
2005, he joined Projacs under 3DI/PI, a
joint venture with 3DI in the USA, hired
for The Pearl project in Qatar. Two
years later, working as the Senior Project
Manager, we interviewed Mr. Perkins to
find out how he has settled into his new
role.
Robert, moving from the USA to
Qatar must have been quite a change
for you and your family, how have
you found it?
My wife and I have been in Qatar on our
own for a little over two years. It’s not
our first overseas posting, and we spent
the first few months of married life in
Tangier. Aside from the miserable heat
and humidity for three to four months of
the year we find Qatar enjoyable.
13
May - Aug 2008
Aside from work, we manage to stay
busy. I enjoy reading and computers.
I like to sing and am a member of the
Doha Singers who give concerts a couple
of times each year. I enjoy exercising and
water sports, but gave up football (the
American flavor) back in my college
days. My wife and I also enjoy travel
which makes this overseas posting very
nice.
And from the work perspective, what
challenges did you face when you
first began working in Projacs?
I came from a background of well
established US construction and
engineering firms, both over 100 years
old. Each had well defined procedures
and communication flow as well as ISO
certification.
Two years ago, I felt a little like I was in
the Wild West. Actually the freedom
was invigorating. Luckily I had the
experience, procedures and contacts that
I needed to put together my management
plan, incorporating much I had gathered
over the years with what Projacs
furnished me. Even though there weren’t
many established procedures and forms/
formats, Projacs did have a good number
of experienced people who I could draw
upon. I see that the situation is now
changing and would ask that Projacs
keep a bit of flexibility in their system
selections and procedures to more easily
adapt to changing job requirements.
When you initially joined 3DI/PI,
what was your first focus?
I was recruited as Senior Project
Manager on The Pearl project, which
was showcased in Communiqué Issue 2.
Briefly this is a large master development
located on reclaimed land north of the
business district in Doha. The island
when finished will provide housing
for 45,000 residents along with hotels,
recreation, shopping, health facilities,
etc. The project I am working on is the
construction of some of the residential
towers for one of the multiple developers
operating on the island. The towers are
part of a master development plan and
so the look of the island is very much
complimentary.
The project was awarded in November
2005 before I came on board with Projacs
and was a joint venture effort between
Projacs Kuwait who did most of the
proposal and marketing effort, and the
3DI/PI Abu Dhabi office who provided
the client requested American Project
Manager – me !
My first tasks were to identify the needs
of the client and the project, to establish
a management plan to facilitate and
control the program, and to assemble
and instruct my fellow staff in order to
handle our responsibilities. Once that was
accomplished the job settled down to the
day-by-day monitoring and controlling
of the project, handling client relations
and trying to steer them away from poor
decisions, making course corrections as
needed on the project with staffing and/
or procedures, and of course, supporting
my staff who do most of the work!
When I first joined Projacs they were
very supportive, especially considering
the large amount of projects that were
ongoing at the time. I received help
from both the local management and
the Kuwait and Abu Dhabi offices
in establishing my project staff and
program.
The project is in three phases, the
first of which is due to complete later
this year. How would you describe the
development of the various phases?
The project was originally four towers,
being built in three phases based on release
of the plot and design by the master
developer, UDC. These designs were
supposed to be ready-for-tender, which
they were, but unfortunately the design
was not feasible for marketing reasons
– the units were much too large to be able
to sell. This had the effect of changing the
project from one of design review, tender /
award and management to one that started
with redesign and tender / selection of the
redesign consultants. This was the case
with all three phases.
Were there any specific challenges or
difficulties you faced?
Like many major projects there were, and
are, numerous challenges. In this case,
these are the result of poor design and
specifications, a new client organization,
a difficult construction market, shortages
of concrete and other materials, and a
difficult master developer.
Initially, the client was a client on paper
for the first 6-8 months of the project,
leaving us to deal with the parent
organization who didn’t really offer
suggestions or support. We were able
to take the project through piling and
proceed with the main works tender,
which was crucial due to the significant
liquidated damages the client faced from
the master developer if the project wasn’t
handed over on time.
The main works tender was a challenge
for many reasons. Material specifications
were mostly US / European based and
some of the specified suppliers would
not even quote the materials. They were
simply not interested in doing work
overseas. We received two proposals and
one apology out of sixteen pre-qualified
tenderers. This was mostly due to the
ongoing commitments these contractors
had (the Asian Games construction was
well underway during this time) but also
due to the faulty material specifications.
We proceeded with negotiations and
tender evaluations for the client who had
by now come on board with a minimum
staff. They decided to bring in their
own contractor to negotiate with after
the event and it is this contractor who
is building the first tower. Luckily, this
contractor is one of the best in the Gulf
area but we have lost at least two good
contractors on future tenders.
Just as we were completing the tender
negotiations, the client decided they must
do a space planning redesign to increase
the number of units and reduce the size of
them overall. We were able to negotiate
a pricing cap based on BOQ unit prices
but, due to lack of information, we were
not able to avoid potential project delays
which could result from a redesign.
The contractor is now behind schedule;
mainly due to their early lack of labor and
supervision and later due to their MEP
subcontractor’s lack of performance and
an inability to obtain concrete.
The client has recently decided to make
major changes in the kitchens and
penthouses though we warned them it
would be costly and delay the project.
Right now we are trying to facilitate the
changes and minimize the project delay
resulting from the changes and hope
that the contractor’s delays are more
severe, thus minimizing cost impact to
the client.
The master developer released the
Phase 2 towers nearly a year later than
proposed and planned. We started on
these towers and successfully completed
the piling work. We were ready for the
main works tender when the client sold
those two properties. Luckily the Phase
3 tower is about to be released so we will
basically be able to maintain our current
staffing with a minor increase to handle
the projects.
In recap, its business as usual here in the
Gulf. Thankfully my staff and Projacs are
able to support the project and we have
been able, so far, to handle the client’s
needs and accommodate their changes.
It has certainly been interesting!!
The final phase is due to complete by
2011; have you any thoughts about
your next step in Projacs?
I would like the challenge of handling
multiple projects and the opportunity to
share with Projacs my management and
systems experience in developing new
systems and procedures.
What do you enjoy most about
your job?
Number one, I enjoy working with great
people in Projacs. Number two are the
challenges (up to a point!). Third are the
benefits of working in the Gulf – exciting
projects, good remuneration, travel
opportunities and working with people
from different cultures.
May - Aug 2008
14
As you mentioned earlier, Projacs
has many exciting projects in its
portfolio, which of these do you find
most interesting?
Besides the one I’m working on? Well,
I am sure there are more – the large
projects in Dubai and Abu Dhabi for
instance. The truth is that it is awesome
to look at all the ongoing or upcoming
projects Projacs is affiliated with when
we see the presentations on the company
retreats. But you must remember, all
of the projects are interesting, all are
important. We need not just a first
chance with a client but also the repeat
business. A ‘small’ or ‘uninteresting’ first
project could lead to so much more if
handled well.
With the continuing expansion
of Projacs and the opening of
new regional offices, are there
any countries that you would be
interesting in experiencing?
I would like to see them all, with a couple
of exceptions due to political situations.
I’m looking forward to seeing Bahrain,
Jordan and one day Oman. I’ve been to a
few of the others already.
So after being with the company for
two years, what do you think of its
growth and what changes have you
noticed?
Two years is not very long but a lot
has happened in that time. I am very
encouraged by the directions that Projacs
is going which have been outlined in the
two company retreats I have participated
in. There are numerous markets and
Projacs is dipping their toes into some
new ones. Considering that Projacs cares
about its people and their development
and well being, I believe they will be able
to gather the quality and experienced
people necessary to succeed in these
new markets. Projacs is not afraid to
take chances but does so with some
investigation and planning up front –
exactly what you would expect from the
‘Number 1’ PM/CM in the Middle East!
In my opinion Projacs is becoming more
known on the international scale since
15
May - Aug 2008
it is working with more international
designers, developers, contractors, and
is adding a broader international base
of staff to develop, manage and support
the projects. Projacs must show not only
the local experience, knowledge of the
markets and capability to supply the
needed staff, but that it understands and
supports the needs of the clients with
international, PMP-type systems and
management. It must be seen as more
than a ‘body shop’ and more of an equal
partner to the international players.
There must be a value added to our
services. Additionally we must strive to
maintain our reputation and the quality
and satisfaction of our staff which is one
of our major selling points.
have a favorite quote to share with
your colleagues?
Gosh, that’s a tough one but I would say
that this quote reflects my philosophy
and outlook about people. I would like
others to join me in considering this
thought in our challenging times –
“I know in my heart that man is good. That
what is right will always eventually triumph.
And there’s purpose and worth to each and
every life.”
-- Ronald Reagan, 40th President of the
United States (1911-2004)
In your opinion, what does Projacs
need to add to their “to do list” to
improve working conditions and
environments for its employees?
I am a great believer in, and supporter of,
Projacs efforts in training. Whilst working
at Projacs, I have earned my Associated
Value Engineer (AVE) and am hoping to
achieve my PMP certification this year.
One suggestion I have is that Projacs
might consider changing the training
sessions to be held earlier during the
day so that the staff are not too tired
to participate and learn. They would
then perform their work and learn at a
high quality level. Or the training could
be extended a few more days with less
contact hours per day. Another suggestion
is to give the same training materials and
instructors to the staff as they do clients.
I can only imagine a client learning of,
and expecting, a higher quality delivery
from Projacs staff than that they were
trained for!
So reflecting on your experience,
what advice would you give to new
comers to the company?
Work hard, be honest, look after your
fellow employees, participate in the
offered training and smile - because you
are having fun!
Robert, our thanks to you for
participating in this interview. To
conclude could we ask whether you
The Pearl PA11A Exterior
Elevation Progress
FEATURE PROJECT
The diplomatic mission
complex for the state
of Kuwait located in
Madrid, Spain
constant flux. Having settled into this
new environment, Mr. Hamady has
succeeded in obtaining a Masters
degree in Project Management from the
University Polytechnic of Madrid and is
following this with preparation for his
Project Management Professional (PMP)
exam.
1
rojacs is involved in offering its
services to support its clients
worldwide. One such project
is the new Kuwaiti Embassy
Complex in Madrid, currently being
Bottom: Main plaza towards the
embassy project managed by Mr. Bassam Hamady,
Assistant Vice President and Operations
Manager, Europe.
Top: (from left) Basilio Corujo,
Bassam Hamady, Jorge Tersse
and Jose Luis Fernandez
Mr. Hamady joined Projacs in May 1999
and has an impeccable record in project
management having worked in Europe,
the USA and the Middle East on a wide
range of building and infrastructure
projects. Living in Spain, with his
wife and three children, was certainly
challenging not least in understanding
and adapting to a multi-cultural country
with an abundance of history yet in
Looking at the history behind this
project award, Mr. Hamady explained
that Projacs was the first local Kuwaiti
project management company to start
working with the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs on new compound-type projects
for the Diplomatic Missions for the State
of Kuwait. Projacs submitted offers for
their two missions in Sofia and Madrid
and was later awarded a combined
contract for providing PM / CM services
on these in February 2001.
The USD 23 million project began with
an idea from the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs to design and build a compound
that housed all of the facilities of the
Kuwaiti Diplomatic Mission in Madrid,
including the Embassy, the Consulate,
the Ambassador’s Residence, four staff
villas and other support facilities such as
the guard houses, the substation and the
May - Aug 2008
16
site maintenance shop. Projacs took that
idea from its inception to its final form.
The first phase was to establish the needs
of the client, their requirements and their
vision, to develop a complete program to
reflect the client’s wishes that could be
used in the competition for a concept
design. The selection of the conceptual
design that finally produced the project
was highlighted by a sharp difference in
opinion between the selecting partners.
One group preferred a designer that
projected what appeared a safe and
reliable design office but with a weak
concept; against another group that
supported a smaller office that presented
a strong idea closer to the client’s wishes.
A second round of competition was
proposed by Projacs and the decision
came unanimously to select the concept
design of the architects Tersse &
Colmenares, a local Spanish company.
During the initial part of the third phase,
and after completion of the design
development process, the project suffered
a major setback. The municipality of
the city of Madrid stopped the project
claiming that the land should have been
placed on a list of protected sites because
of the existence of valuable trees.
Aggravated by the politically motivated
decisions in Spain and technical
limitations placed regarding the allowable
construction area, the project reached a
negative turning point. Mr. Hamady and
the Architect, Mr. Jose Tersse, drew
on all their commitment and resources
leading a two year battle to negotiate a
just agreement with the municipality.
Agreements, regarding the trees and
the allowable construction area, were
eventually reached. The repercussions
on the design were medium but were
absorbed successfully in a modified design
that kept the most valuable trees on site.
Following these agreements, a plan
of action was prepared identifying
the different problems to mitigate,
the parties involved, the entities or
persons who held the decision-making
power, the parties who influenced
the decisions, the political situation
(elections, political parties, etc), the
goals for the project in the negotiation
process, level and timing of the
involvement of the client and other
elements important for the process.
The plan established a persistent winwin strategy that was followed step by
step, making the right moves at the
Top: First floor - Ambassador’s Residence
Bottom: View from the porch
Opposite: Main entrance hall Ambassador’s Residence
May - Aug 2008
18
Left to right to left:
North Courtyard – Embassy
View from the gate
View from garden
19
May - Aug 2008
right moment and involving different
levels of governmental authorities and
the client.
Hamady is currently in the final phase of
the project, moving into the operation
and maintenance phase as an additional
support to the client.
The tender phase was not without
some turmoil, noted by a rough review,
negotiations and selection of the
contractor following the withdrawal of
one bidder at the moment of signing
an agreement. However, it was the
construction phase that was to prove the
most testing, hampered by unexpected
problems. An intense fight with the
contractor followed the encounter of
hidden civil war structural remains
and debris and the realization by the
contractor that a serious mistake was
made in the pricing. In the event the
construction phase proved the most
difficult and presented the biggest threat
to Projacs.
Reflecting on the project, Mr. Hamady
observed that the biggest challenge to
overcome was that the project had so
many reasons for it NOT to happen.
Under budget, under staffed, its
existence tied by forbidding regulations,
influenced and affected by tremendous
political, financial and regulatory
changes, threatened by the wishes and
attempts of the contractor to abandon
the project because of extensive losses,
the absence of proper support from the
main interested parties and bound by
other negative factors, the project had
to open and continue its way under very
rough conditions!
The Projacs team on-site comprised
Mr. Hamady, the Project Manager, and
Mr. Jose Luis Fernandez, the Quantity
Surveyor. Mr. Hamady acknowledged
the Architect’s personal help and
support which was extremely important
throughout the project. Each of the
phases had its difficulties and as a result
the schedule of the project almost
doubled in time. Despite the extension
of the project duration, the cost was
maintained at a level 35% lower than
the common market cost. The project
was delivered in December 2007 and Mr.
Asked to identify the main difficulty
during the project, Mr. Hamady
confirmed that this was how to face
and mitigate the problems that would,
in many instances, have terminated
the project and how to transform the
negative situations that followed into
constructive action. He emphasized that
in an environment that was unknown to
Projacs, extreme care was taken in all
the decisions and in the preparation of
the contractual documents. This gave us
a lead but not enough to face and win
the difficulties that appeared later in the
“
A project is an end result. Whatever challenges we
may face while building the project we should not loose
our focus on the project itself. This alone, would keep our
motivation and give us the ability to lead the way through
all difficulties to achieve our goal.
”
- Bassam Hamady
project. Mr. Hamady adopted a ‘piece
meal’ approach to problem solving; that
is breaking a big and overwhelming
problem into smaller, manageable subproblems. As he observed, a big problem
could become bigger and another one
on top would aggravate the situation,
so how about a multitude? In the end
through patience, negotiating skills,
problem solving techniques and the
constant brainstorming of ideas to reach
the best solution the goal was reached. Of
course, he added, another key concern
was to convince the different parties
that cooperation, positive thinking,
constructive actions and good work
were the only way to the success of the
common commitment made.
Mr. Hamady has no plans as yet following
the completion of this project. However,
he believes that the incorporation of
Projacs in the European construction
market would expand its international
cover in a global world whilst getting
access to new sources of investment
money and clients that are currently
looking to invest in East Europe, North
Africa, the Gulf and the Far East. He
cites Projacs’ experience on the level
of human resources and their diversity
of current and past work as valuable
assets in the international market.
Should Projacs be making further steps
in the European market, he expressed an
interest in working in a European office to
capitalize on the experience acquired in
this region and the contacts he has made.
He would also enjoy working on a project
in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar or Oman,
because of the dynamic development in
these countries and the uniqueness and
complexity of their projects coupled with
the opportunity to explore a new world in
architecture, engineering and advanced
project management techniques.
In conclusion, we had to ask Mr.
Hamady what motivates him on a daily
basis especially given the problems and
challenges of his current project. Ever
the optimist, Mr. Hamady replied, “The
thought that an achievement is in the
make.” And his advice to new comers
to Projacs…… “Seek experience in all
fields of Project Management. Be patient,
constant and determined to become a
capable Project Manager.”
The Architect, Mr. Jorge Tersse,
stated that for his company, this
project was one of their most
important. When they began to
work on the design, they focused
on its needs and requirements
in such a way that the resulting
design would transcend beyond
the mere resolution of functional
problems and turn the buildings
and outdoor spaces into bearers
of an architectural and landscape
message strongly rooted in the
Andalusian heritage of Spain.
The design manages volumes of
great clarity and weight, defined
with two-tone warm coloured
sand stone, within a layout that
encourages the creation of open
spaces of different scales and a
geometric layout of buildings
encompassing gardens. These
gardens were designed to use
not only their shape and colour
but also their fragrance. This
reaches its maximum expression
in the main entrance patio,
where 24 magnolias over a base
of jasmine turn the space into
a true ‘fragrance box’. This
provides visitors with a range of
sensory impacts reminiscent of
the Alhambra in Granada or the
Naranjos Patio in Cordoba.
Another elemental design feature
was the intensive use of water,
discrete but insistent throughout
the project, supporting or
configuring the composition
of the complex to complement
the contemporary design whilst
recollecting the cultural heritage
of Andalusian architecture. Thus
the final design defined a classical
layout of forms and blocks covered
with sand stone emphasizing
the culture of the past, weaved
together on a relatively small
parcel of land by a distinctive,
powerful, yet picturesque and
diverse landscape, softened by a
number of water features such as
fountains and water pools.
May - Aug 2008
20
Emirates Financial Tower – UAE
INTERVIEW
Ashraf Gomaa Seoudi
Senior Project Manager,
Projacs Dubai
"
prime example of how our training
services can act as a marketing
tool is surely in the recruitment
of Mr. Ashraf Seoudi, a Senior
Project Manager in Dubai. Mr. Seoudi
was working for the Tiger Steel Group,
UAE, as a PCS Manager and attended
a training course organized by Projacs.
He was attracted by the professionalism
exhibited by Projacs and when the
opportunity arose decided to join our
ranks. He began in November 1998
and has never looked back. Working on
numerous multi-million dollar projects
including hotels, shopping malls,
resorts, residential and infrastructure
projects throughout Dubai, Sharjah and
Abu Dhabi, he progressed from PCS
Manager to Senior Project Manager.
Whilst with Projacs he has achieved his
PMP certification and is an authorized
trainer for Primavera Project Planner for
Enterprise. Currently he is studying for
an MBA with Preston University.
We asked Mr. Seoudi what were his
first impressions of Projacs on becoming
a new employee? At the onset, he
recalled the need to become technically
and practically aware of the high-tech
construction software such as Primavera,
Expedition, Montecarlo simulation, etc.
He remembers indulging in self learning
to get adjusted to the new forms and
procedures. With the relentless support
received from Projacs, our excellent
training policy and his own hard work,
Mr. Seoudi reveals that he was moulded
into a better individual both technically
and professionally.
“Projacs is the largest Pan-Arab Project
Management firm and being part of such
a reputable organization with 18 offices
spread over the Middle East and Asia
has always been a matter of pride to me.
Working with a company, which has
shown tremendous growth in all aspects
and whose motto is to expand its horizons
into every corner of the globe brings me
immense pleasure.”
After being with the company for nearly
a decade, Mr. Seoudi noted that one
of the key changes he had seen was
the use of the latest computer software
and technology to enhance the project
management and professionalism of
Projacs’ services. He explained that
from the time Projacs was founded, it
has gained a reputation for providing
the highest level of project management
services through its expertise and deep
understanding of the local and regional
construction industry. It is his belief that
by offering a broad range of professional
May - Aug 2008
22
services, Projacs always ensures that
the client realizes their projects to their
expectations. He gave another example
of the recent introduction of the ProMIS
system which he hopes will assist Projacs
into a prominent position as a key player
in the project management field. He
believes it will have a beneficial impact
on his workflow “The ProMIS system is
an effective tool which will provide data
integrity and facilitate collaboration and
knowledge sharing between employees.
It will also help in increasing our
productivity as it is a web based solution
and can be accessed from anyway.”
Mr. Seoudi went on to identify his five
key selling points for Projacs’ services
as our professionalism, our high
caliber employees, our knowledge, our
adaptability and our ambition. On the
international stage, he believes that
to achieve a higher level of exposure,
the company needs to continue being
innovative and remain at the frontier of
identifying and responding to the needs
of both global and Middle East market
clients. To do this we need to capitalize
on the latest technological developments
and ensure that our clients receive from
us an unmatched level of client service.
Additionally, he would like to see the
selection of resources for the company
enhanced and stress placed in recruiting
highly experienced hands.
In comparing the advantages and
disadvantages for Projacs in the
international
construction
market
today against those of our competitors,
Mr. Seoudi feels that to outperform our
best competitors, we need to have a
better approach to make it happen. We
will succeed not by aiming at different
targets from our best competitors but by
devising better ways to reach those same
targets. His view is that we must develop
and adhere strictly to business ethics and
sound philosophies; the ways of doing
business and the ways of dealing with our
clients, our staff and each other.
He acknowledges that there are many
ways to make ourselves more valuable in
the market place; intellectual leadership,
better client counselling skills, greater
ability to run large projects, partnership
23
May - Aug 2008
“
A corporation or a company is a living
organism; it has to continue to shed its skin. Methods
have to change. Focus has to change. Values
have to change. The sum total of those changes is
transformation.
with consultants and stakeholders, and
so on. But for him, one stands above
all else; specialized industry knowledge.
“Regardless of your discipline, and your
command of it, I believe that each and
every individual should have one or more
industries that they know in depth, to the
level that the clients perceive you as upto-date in their industry as they are.”
Considering the working environment, he
believes that to increase employee output
Projacs should motivate staff through
the quality of work and by tailoring
benefits to meet the needs of employees
i.e. providing a work environment
that simultaneously achieves company
goals and employees’ goals. He suggests
providing and encouraging individual
development
with
training
and
educational programs. He believes that
the employee must be further empowered
to make decisions by management having
timely, open two-way communication yet
trusting employees and relying on their
knowledge. This should be coupled with
objective job performance standards with
measures fairly administered and suitable
motivational rewards for employees.
Mr. Seoudi is currently acting as the
project leader and managing the project
technical team for the US$ 150 million
Emirates Financial Towers project in
Dubai. This is a mixed development
project of offices, residential apartments
and a shopping center, located at the
heart of Dubai International Financial
District (DIFC), near Emirates Towers
and the upcoming world’s tallest building,
Burj Dubai. The development is made up
of two towers rising above the podium in
”
a dramatic elliptical form capped with
sloping roofs. It comprises three levels
of basement, three levels of podium and
twenty-six levels above the concourse
level. At level 16, a glass tubular sky
bridge is cantilevered between the two
towers. The development will also
comprise the installation of a Robotic
Parking Facility, the largest in the
Middle East with a capacity of 1200 cars
and a throughput of 360 cars per hour.
The project was awarded in February
2006 and is due to complete in August
2009. Projacs is providing the Project
Management Services.
The Projacs technical team comprises
Mr. Adrian Mihailescu, Senior MEP
Manager, Ms. Priya Mathew, Quantity
Surveyor, Ms. Nona Fernandes,
Document Controller, and Mr. Joseph
Varghese, Contracts Manager, who
provides timely advice and support to
the team. Mr. Seoudi has led the team
through all the project phases so far. He
oversees all aspects of daily management
as well as monitoring and coordinating
works performed by architectural,
engineering, and construction firms. His
duties include establishing performance
and delivery criteria, ensuring that
client and institutional / local entities
requirements and contractual obligations
are being met, authorizing the issuance
of contracts, purchase orders, change
orders, etc. and approving contractor
invoices for payment. Other tasks
include establishing and guiding the
project’s document control system and
the preparation of numerous reports.
Currently the enabling works are 100%
complete. The main works are in progress,
with the nominated subcontracts for
MEP, Curtain Wall and Cladding works
and Vertical Transportation works all
awarded to well-established, specialized
contractors.
The project has many features that make
it more prominent in comparison with
adjacent projects. These features come
with their own challenges for a Project
Manager. Mr. Seoudi explained that the
sky bridge at level 16 is one such feature
that has required specialized engineering
expertise. The robotic car parking facility,
being unique and the largest in the
region, presented issues in the finalizing
of contractual and technical matters.
There have also been delays in obtaining
approvals which has introduced much
more liaison between the TECOM
authority, the master developer and
Turner, the master planner. Happily
these were successfully resolved and the
project is continuing as planned.
Solving these problems is part of the
every day role of a Project Manager and
Mr. Seoudi referring to his job enjoyment
acknowledged that “Not every moment
is wonderful. There are times when the
frustration hits hard. But overall, I really
like my work and I feel good at the end
of the day knowing that I accomplished
something that made a difference. I
prefer to do what I like and what I know I
do best.” And therefore, he is continually
motivated by his work at Projacs. “I
love the field. I enjoy the people and
the challenges. The growth potential is
great and I feel like a valuable asset to
the company.”
Mr. Seoudi has lived, with his wife and
two young children, in the UAE for 11
years. During this time he has seen how
fast the country has developed bringing
with that development the stresses
of modern living such as increasingly
high living costs and traffic congestion
during peak hours. To relax, he enjoys
football, table tennis and reading.
His favorite sport is football and he
believes that the incorporation of
regular football sessions, encouraged by
Projacs corporately / locally, would help
Left to right: Ashraf Gomaa Seoudi, Nona Fernandes, Priya Mathew and Adrian Mihailescu
“
We need to be the best and perceived by
our clients as such.
improve interpersonal relations with
fellow colleagues.
With such a love of sport, it is not
surprising that the project he finds most
interesting from the Projacs portfolio
is the Sports City Project. “It brought
Projacs into the limelight world wide.
It is an architectural triumph that has
elevated Qatar and the entire team
involved in making this spectacular
sporting structure.”
”
His advice to newcomers is also a
sporting metaphor, “Success comes not
to those who swing for the fences every
time at bat, but those who commit
themselves to a continuous program
of constant improvement.” Following
his own advice, Mr. Seoudi is looking
forward to completing his MBA later
this year with the aim of becoming
part of the core management team.
Communiqué would like to thank him
for this interview and wish him well in
his endeavors.
May - Aug 2008
24
HEALTHCARE IN KUWAIT
Profiling Hospital Expansion Projects
4
ometimes to get business and build new relationships,
we must be able to act swiftly and provide flexibility
for our clients. We spoke to Mr. Tarek Al-Enany
who, as Assistant Vice President / Special Projects
Manager, has the responsibility for identifying and managing
strategic opportunities for business development in Iraq and
Kuwait, about one such opportunity in the healthcare sector
in Kuwait.
He explained that the history behind this project began
with Kuwait’s need to expand and enhance its healthcare
industry services and facilities. The Council of Ministers
and the Ministry of Health requested an urgent expansion
of four hospitals where the project duration was limited
to eight months. Projacs was awarded the project Design
and Construction Management due to its competency and
perceived ability to deliver the project successfully.
The urgency of the project was its major challenge since this
time constraint meant that the project could not undergo
its normal cycle i.e. there was no tendering and evaluation
phase to be followed by the design stage and construction.
Instead, the project was directly awarded to contractors
with active maintenance and renovation works contracts at
their respective hospitals. Design and construction had to
commence immediately and it was agreed that the DesignBuild, Fast Track approach be adopted. Another interrelated
challenge was controlling the changes as per the client
requests. In order to overcome the problems that might arise,
Projacs stated a date on which all changes must be frozen so
as not to impact the time factor. Another challenge was being
able to manage the procurement of long lead items over such
a short project duration.
Projacs accepted the challenge of this project to demonstrate
our professional capabilities and to open up the possibility of
managing future projects related to the healthcare industry.
Mr. Al-Enany informed us that Projacs have provided a full
team dedicated to the project to closely monitor and followup on the design programme and deliverables as well as the
construction, and for all the coordination required between
the various contractors and involved parties to ensure the
smoothest project progress. Projacs recommended that an
independent supervision entity should be on board as an
integral part of the team so the Council of Ministers entered
into a separate agreement with a local supervision firm;
Projacs is also administering this contract.
LEFT TO RIGHT: SHERIF ELSONBATY – Planning Engineer, MOHAMED ABDUL WARITH – Senior Mechanical Engineer, YASSER ABDUL RAZIK – Senior Project
Engineer, MAHMOD KHEDR – Supervision Architect, EMAD ELMELEGY – Supervision R.E., MARWAN ALHASAN – Project Engineer, TAREK ALENANY – Project
Manager, AHMED SHEHAB ALDEIN – Project Engineer, MAGDY ABDUL MAJEED – Supervision Mechanical Engineer, MOHMAED AYYAD – Senior Architect,
KHALIL ALHAMOURY– Supervision Electrical Engineer, MUSTAFA ANBAR – Supervision Civil Engineer, SHAHEED – Projacs Messenger, MOHAMED OSTAZ
– Project Engineer, HUZAIFA – Quantity Surveyor, KHALED FOFANA – Safety Officer
May - Aug 2008
26
The hospital expansion projects are all for the same client
(the Ministry of Health in Kuwait). Briefly they are:
The Emergency MOH Hospital Expansion at Al Adan
Hospital:
This project commenced on January 6th 2008 with a project
value US$14 million and is due to complete in September
2008.
At Al Adan hospital, the expansion building consists of one
basement floor and six typical floors, to be used as wards,
with an approximate built-up area of 8,400 m2. Each typical
floor has a 35 bed capacity, resulting in a total of 210 beds.
The basement floor will include a pharmacy and out-patient
clinics. A connecting corridor between the new expansion
building and the existing building is required at both the
basement and ground floor levels. The project scope also
includes the construction of an electrical substation and a
medical gas station to provide for hospital requirements. As
a Fast Track project with an urgent nature, following a study,
Projacs advised that a steel structural system be adopted to
reduce construction duration.
The Emergency MOH Hospital Expansion at Al Farwaniya
Hospital:
This project commenced on January 2nd 2008 with a project
value US$15 million and is due to complete on September
2nd 2008.
This expansion project at Al Farwaniya hospital comprises
three floors, with an approximate built-up area of 9,600 m2.
There are three wards per floor with a total of 87 beds. The
expansion will accommodate a total of 261 beds. The nine
wards shall include, two orthopedic, two ENT (ear, nose and
throat), two ophthalmology and three general wards. Both the
existing building and the expansion are to be connected by a
passageway. The conventional concrete structural system has
been adopted in this project. In addition, a medical gas station
is included in the project scope to serve the new expansion
requirements.
Al Adan Hospital
The Emergency MOH Hospital Expansion at Al Jahra
Hospital:
This project commenced on January 6th 2008 with a project
value US$13.5 million and is due to complete on September
6th 2008.
Al Jahra hospital expansion consists of four floors, with an
approximate built-up area of 8,000 m2. The ground floor
comprises of a single ward, whilst the remaining typical floors
are divided into two wards. Each ward had a bed capacity of
30 beds giving a total of 210 beds. A passageway is required
to connect the expansion building to the existing one. As in
the case for Al Adan hospital, Projacs recommended that
a steel structural system be adopted to reduce construction
duration.
The Emergency MOH Hospital Expansion at Mubarak AlKabeer Hospital:
This project commenced on January 6th 2008 with a project
value US$13.5 million and is due to complete on September
6th 2008.
The expansion building at Mubarak Al-Kabeer hospital
includes five typical floors, with an approximate built-up area
of 14,882 m2. The total bed capacity is 236 beds, where each
floor consists of two wards accommodating a maximum of
59 beds in total. As in the case for Al Adan and Al Jahra
hospitals, following studies by Projacs the advice was again
given for a steel structural system to be adopted to reduce
construction duration.
Al Adan Hospital
27
May - Aug 2008
Mr. Al-Enany reported that each project is being executed
under a single phase and that currently all four are on target.
We wish him and the Projacs team a successful and timely
outcome.
INTERVIEW
Rafik Nakhla
Vice President of HR and
Administration, Corporate Office,
Bahrain
*
n January 2008, Mr. Rafik Nakhla
joined Projacs Corporate Office
in Bahrain. Originally a graduate
pharmacist, he has been a freelance
consultant in human resources and
training since 1991. After achieving a
Masters degree in Quality Management
in 2001 from the University of
Wolverhampton in the UK, he joined
the Library of Alexandria, prior to its
official inauguration, as Director of HR.
Under his influence the library staff grew
from 500 to 2000 over the next five years.
At the same time he continued teaching
many courses, mainly in Strategic
Marketing and HR Management, at
the American University in Cairo and
as a visiting lecturer in Marketing and
Logistics to undergraduates at the Arab
Academy Graduate School for Business.
Throughout this period he continued
as a freelance Training Consultant with
world-renowned organizations such as
Mercedes, Kodak, AstraZeneca, Janssen
Cilag and the local Ministry of Education
in Egypt. His knowledge is sought
at various conferences where he has
appeared as a guest speaker and he has
numerous publications to his name.
Given that he has been with Projacs for
only three months we were delighted
when Mr. Nakhla kindly took some time
out to give an interview to Communiqué
to discuss his corporate role and his first
impressions of Projacs.
offices such as Dubai, Doha, Cairo and
our JV in Abu Dhabi. I found the same
spirit maintained in all of these.
Mr. Nakhla, welcome to Projacs. Can
you tell us how you first heard of our
company?
In your capacity as Vice President for
HR and Administration, what areas will
you be focusing on and what challenges
do you perceive?
My first experience with Projacs was
through personal contact with Projacs
PM in a development company in Egypt.
I was providing the company with HR
consultation establishing HR policies,
organizational design, job descriptions,
etc. and Projacs was the Project
Manager.
And when you joined Projacs what
were your first impressions?
I actually joined Projacs in January
2008, after honoring a HR consultation
contract until its expiry. I landed in
Bahrain on 12 January and started
working on 13 January. However, the
office environment was not a surprise to
me as I visited it twice before in August
and in December. Immediately I very
much liked the family spirit and the way
staff members interact with each other.
I stayed in Bahrain for one month then
started visiting some of the operational
The HR operation is in its early stages
which means there is plenty of room
for my input into developing a mature
system. Currently I am overlooking the
HR operation, including organizational
development, across all Projacs operations.
Initially the greatest personal challenge
is to get acquainted with the variety of
labor laws governing our operation.
The diversity that exists in Projacs staff
is really challenging, this multicultural
exposure is very fulfilling and there
is a great family spirit spread across
Projacs business units. However, for
the HR function the main challenge
lies in its ability to attract and retain
highly competent and committed staff
members.
How did you find the current internal
Projacs structure when it comes to the
HR Unit?
May - Aug 2008
28
The HR function is available in almost
all offices. The number of staff varies
according to the size of the operation
whilst the responsibilities range from
personnel administration and interfacing
with government authorities with regards
to labor requirements to fully fledged
HR functions that look at recruitment,
succession, staff development, etc.
Currently we have 17 staff members
in the HR Unit and their role is to
ensure the attraction, retention and
development of staff at their operational
level thus ensuring that all business units
are aligned with Projacs policy.
Although you have only been here a
short time, have you noted any strong
areas in the current HR Unit and can
you give us some idea of the challenges
ahead?
In my first few months, I could see that the
HR unit has a good infrastructure, a HR
policy exists and it is being implemented
but I need more time to get the complete
picture. Our documentation is satisfactory
to keep track of everything related to HR
however it needs to be transferred into a
reportable format which I think will be
provided by ProMIS.
Our main challenge is the attraction
and retention of staff which has a direct
impact on organizational efficiency. It is
known that efficiency increases with time
due to the ongoing ‘on-the-job’ learning
process. This learning represents an
investment in staff; losing anyone of them
means losing valuable investment. The
second challenge is the transfer of tacit
knowledge, that which people acquire on
their own while performing their job, into
explicit knowledge which can be shared
with other staff members.
You have been presented with
our new management information
system, ProMIS, what were your first
impressions?
ProMIS is a good system, building and
maintaining
overall
organizational
memory. For the HR function, it will
streamline a lot of HR reporting that is
29
May - Aug 2008
currently done manually. It will allow us
to keep track of all of our staff providing
alerts with regard to contract expiry, visa
expiry, etc. whilst reducing the amount
of manual work necessary to issue a HR
report.
As the system comes online, I expect our
current department work processes to be
beneficially affected. The HR part of the
database also has a self service module
for employees to apply for their leave, file
their time sheets, etc. and incorporates
other useful features related to training
development.
“
As the VP for HR and Administration
and bearing in mind your comments on
staff retention, what advice would you
give to new comers to the company?
My advice is to try to get the flavor of the
organizational culture and enjoy every
minute of your work. Projacs provides a
highly rewarding learning environment.
Take time to understand Projacs and
enjoy the diversity.
On a personal note, we were interested
to know you have a blog, how did this
come about?
The diversity that exists in Projacs staff
is really challenging, this multicultural
exposure is very fulfilling and there is a
great family spirit spread across Projacs
business units.
”
- Rafik Nakhla
What steps do you recommend that
Projacs takes to further develop and
enhance the HR Unit in the future?
The first step is to ensure training on HR
as well as ensuring the full understanding
of the policies. Secondly is to upgrade the
current policy; this should be a collective
effort from all HR staff. Thirdly is the
rapid deployment of ProMIS to all HR
staff so that a full database of our staff is
made available. Moreover, and in parallel
with ProMIS deployment, an additional
regional head of recruitment would be
needed to respond to the increasing
demand on staff by all offices.
By the end of 2008, I hope to achieve
the full scale deployment of ProMIS,
updating of the HR policies, validation
of job description training of HR and the
alignment of the HR function across the
14 countries in which Projacs operates. I
also aim to succeed in achieving the core
goal of any HR professional; to attract
and retain good employees.
Reading and writing are among my main
areas of interest. In fact I am currently
reading three books; ‘The New Biotec
Age’ by Richard L. Oliver, ‘Wealth
of Nations’ by Adam Smith and ‘The
Illusion of Progress in the Arab World’
by Galal Amin. I have authored and coauthored several publications in recent
years and I was encouraged by one
colleague at AUC to start a blog, which I
did. I currently publish my short articles
online at nakhla.wordpress.com. These
comprise a mixture of social, political,
scientific and business articles.
And finally, a question that we ask
many of our interviewees, what
motivates you on a daily basis?
The feeling that I did something
worthwhile!
Thank you Mr. Nakhla. We hope you
succeed in your goals and welcome you
into the Projacs family.
DEVELOPING YOUR
SKILLS
"
n anonymous quote wisely says
that “A person who graduated
yesterday and stops studying
today is uneducated tomorrow”.
With that in mind, the Projacs Training
Group continues to provide a range
of course options for Projacs staff to
contribute to their lifelong learning.
Courses are available at many Projacs
offices around the Middle East. Courses
on offer cover training in specialized
areas such as Value Engineering, PMP or
Primavera 6 or in personal development
areas such as Time Management and
Negotiation Skills and Managing Business
Meetings.
New courses are being developed by
the group as well. This year hails the
introduction of a course for Projacs
Projacs Training Courses for 2008
employees who have an active role in
Business Development. Power Prospecting
run by Mr. Abdulrazak Hajibrahim,
President of the Achievement Centre
Plus, held its second session in Kuwait
from March 24th- 26th. The course
objectives for attendees are to:
• Develop prospecting goals that help
employees to be more effective
• Identify high payoff clients and
know how to expand those clients'
accounts
• Develop clients and build stronger,
trusting relationships
• Take personal responsibility for his or
her own level of success
• Close more sales
So far, it has been very well received
by all 26 attendees who have attended
the course in Dubai and Kuwait. One
participant commented to the course
organizer, “I am writing to thank you for
an extremely helpful training workshop
held in Kuwait. The training was
very practical and hands-on and will
definitely positively affect our business
development efforts.” At present, the
course has only been offered internally
to Projacs staff but the response has
been such that there are plans to offer
this course in public sessions in the near
future.
Please contact your local training
coordinator for further details of current
courses and their schedule.
May - Aug 2008
30
From left to right: Nizar Abdulrahim, Khalid Al Qassimy, Dr. Fuad Al Saleh, Mr. Fayez
Althobaity (Airbase- Ministry of Defense-KSA), Safwan Futaieh and Ahmed Elsadany
KSA EXPO
'
ollowing Projacs highly successful
showing at last year’s 1st Project
Management Conference in
Riyadh, Projacs Saudi have
showcased our services once more at
the second event which took place from
April 5th - 9th 2008 at the Intercontinental
Hotel in Riyadh.
The conference under the patronage
of HRH Prince Salman Bin Abudlaziz
and the directive of the Saudi Council
of Engineers, the Project Management
Chapter, welcomed over 2000 visitors
and was reported widely in the local press
and television media; Arabia TV, 1st
Saudi Channel, Al-Ekhbaria Channel.
Projacs Saudi was one of sixteen
participants in the exclusive exhibition
linked to the conference. This year
Projacs increased our stand size by 100%.
31
May - Aug 2008
2nd PM conference in Riyadh
The 30m2 stand was situated in the most
strategic part of the exhibition area where
our near neighbors included well-known
brand names in the Saudi market such as
Binladen, Saudi Oger and ARAMCO.
Dr. Fuad Al-Saleh, Chairman of Projacs
Saudi, led the exhibition team from the
early stages in planning and organizing
our presentation stand. This year the
team arranged for several specialized
companies to present stand designs and
selected the design that represented our
requirements in the most professional
way. The chosen stand was designed to
be simple and flexible. It gave enough
space for visitors to circulate whilst also
providing a private meeting area for
quieter discussions with potential clients.
A flash presentation about Projacs was
clearly visible on three LCD screens (42in
width) and several high resolution images
were mounted and hung on two sides of
the stand.
The Projacs team was headed by Dr.
Fuad Al-Saleh and consisted of Eng.
Khalid Al-Qassimy, Dr. Ali Al-Fraiji,
Eng. Ahmed El Sadany, Eng. Hussein
Kassab and Mr. Nizar Abdul Rahim.
Numerous private meetings were
held with prestigious Saudi company
representatives and potential clients
throughout the conference duration.
The presentation of our services and
the supporting marketing material
was very impressive and over the fiveday period, 2500 pieces of marketing
material (brochures, booklets, etc.) were
distributed
Mr. Hussein Kassab, Architect, was
delighted with the new stand, “The
presence of Projacs and the design of
“
The 2nd PM Conference reflects the accelerated
growth and knowledge of the PM concept throughout
the Saudi market... Our participation this year was
extremely amazing because it reflected the spirit
of team work present in Projacs and the very high
standards and quality.
”
current boom in the construction field
in the Saudi market and funded by
the public sector organizations. There
is a lack of PM experience in the
governmental sector and the authorities
are making efforts to obtain PM in their
contracts. Through participation in this
exhibition, Projacs shall be there from
the earlier stages and will introduce the
importance of PM knowledge and the
PM approach to key decision makers in
the Saudi Market.”
Dr. Fuad Al Saleh and Khalid Al Qassimy
our stand in the conference reflect the
persistence of our company in strongly
encouraging our business strategy in
the Saudi Market. This year Projacs
presented its material in the exhibition
in an extremely different way. I would
like to thank our management for the
generous support which helped our
team in achieving such a successful
contribution. Our stand was really
paramount and distinguished compared
to well-known companies that. Our team
exerted great efforts to present Projacs’
image in its best shape.”
Mr. Khalid Al-Qassimy, Business
Development Manager was proud to
represent Projacs at the conference again.
Thanking all the team members and the
Projacs family for their great support in
introducing such a fantastic presentation
in the conference/exhibition activities, he
pointed out that, “This year’s conference
was directed towards the Governmental
/ Public sector, mainly because of the
The conference aimed to identify the
important applied aspects of professional
project management field, highlighting
the successful application of PM in the
Arabian Gulf region as well as reviewing
trends and developments in the field. This
year Projacs was proud to be represented
in the conference itself when Dr. Fuad
Al-Saleh gave a special speech in which
he presented an important paper related
to the successes resulting from using
Project Management methodologies.
Referring to the conference speeches,
Dr. Ali Al-Fraiji, Project Manager, said,
“The conference theme was Project
Management, Reality and Ambitions
which focused on the present construction
and real estate projects boom generally in
the Gulf region and specifically in Saudi
Arabia. Saudi Arabia is going through
a major increase in its construction and
building projects as a result of the high
and increasing price of crude oil in the
international markets and also the
increased government expenditure; the
current budget is well over 450 billion
riyals. The project management industry
is becoming more understood and
appreciated in many projects not only
for the private sector, but also for the
government ministries and agencies. It
is obvious that project management will
play a much bigger role in the future of
the kingdom.”
Mr. Ahmed El-Sadany, Planning
Engineer noted that, “The 2nd PM
Conference reflects the accelerated
growth and knowledge of the PM concept
throughout the Saudi market. Projacs, as
the largest Pan-Arab firm in PM, has to
be on the front line in major PM events
such as this conference. Our participation
this year was extremely amazing because
it reflected the spirit of team work
present in Projacs and the very high
standards and quality. Personally, it is
really a great honor to participate in such
events with the Business Development
Committee where I would like to thank
our management Dr. Fuad Al-Saleh,
Eng. Jihad Usta and Eng. Ammar Sheta
for their exerted efforts, their continuous
support and guidance.”
We join him congratulating Dr Fuad AlSaleh on his speech and all the Projacs
Saudi team for their efforts in bringing
Projacs Saudi services to the attention of
a wider audience.
Khalid Al Qassimy and the Mayor
May - Aug 2008
32
EXPANDING IN THE MIDDLE EAST:
FOCUS ON PROJACS OMAN
Interview with Issa Qumsieh, Operations Manager
1
rojacs Oman is one of our newest
offices in the Middle East. It
was established in May 2007.
Staff are currently located in
site offices whilst the search for
a suitable main office, which will serve
as an appropriate reflection of Projacs’
image, is underway. Heading up this new
office is Mr. Issa Qumsieh, Operations
Manager, who was responsible for
opening the branch and registering the
company with the different ministries and
local authorities. He is now engaged in
business development and submission of
proposals to potential clients and is proud
to be managing the first project awarded
to Projacs in Oman. He kindly agreed to
an interview with Communiqué to give
us an insight into this new market.
Mr. Qumsieh joined Projacs in June
2006, initially based in Dubai, where he
was involved in several projects including
the Knowledge Village Hotel as Project
Director. “Projacs is viewed as a company
driven by a clear vision for excellence and
love for the profession,” he said, “It was
always my dream to work in the project
management arena. So where better to
start than with Projacs! I have known
Mr. Luay since the eighties and have
in fact attended some courses with him
in USA. He always had this dream and
vision for providing project management
services and has successfully carried it
through in great strides.”
33
May - Aug 2008
Mr. Qumsieh believes that the corporate
office realized the great potential for
opening and expanding its operations
in Oman. “I truly believe that this was
the right step at the right time, as Oman
is experiencing a rebirth and has a lot
of potential to offer. It has 1700 km
of unspoiled beach fronts and several
unique tourist attractions such as the
turtle beach, the dolphins’ play area (just
6 km off the coast) and the Al-Hotta
natural cave.” Mr. Qumsieh was assigned
directly by Mr. Luay Khoury to open and
lead the Oman office - and hopefully to
expand it and turn it into a future profit
center.
Projacs Oman has already grown to
five staff and Mr. Qumsieh expects
to increase this to twelve by the year
end. Besides himself, the current staff
are Mr. Mohammad Naser, Assistant
Project Manager, Mr. Yousef Soboh,
Senior Contracts Manager, Mr. Ritayan
Biswas, Project Planner and Mr. Anil
Kumar, Document Controller. They are
engaged on two of the largest projects in
the country; the Tilal Complex and the
Intercontinental Hotel, both in Muscat.
The Tilal Complex project has a value
of US$1 billion for all three phases.
Interestingly, Mr. Qumsieh believes
our involvement in the Cityscape
exhibition led to Projacs being awarded
the Construction Management service
for this project. A letter of intent was
issued in April 2007 and the scheduled
From left to right: Rityan Biswas, Anil Kumar, Nasser Mohammad and Yousef Soboh
completion date is in July 2009.
This project is divided into three phases.
Phase 1, which is currently under
construction, is a 220,000m2 multipurpose complex comprising a two level
car park and a two storey mall covering
70,000m2 of retail area (the largest in
Oman). This phase also includes seven
residential and commercial towers.
Phase 2 is a five star hotel which is in the
design stage whilst phase 3 is a residential
complex.
The client not only provided Projacs
with its first award in Oman, they also
chose to award the contract to an
Indonesian company which has no
prior experience in the GCC. As such
Projacs Oman have acted as mentor and
advised them on how to operate in this
region which they have appreciated. An
additional challenge arose due to lack
of sufficient drawings and information.
Projacs staff had to work hard to resolve
many construction issues and have had
to shoulder responsibilities which are
beyond our scope in order to keep the
project moving.
The second project is the redevelopment
of the Intercontinental Hotel in Muscat.
This project is a very recent award.
The client, OMRAN (Oman Tourism
Development Company), intends to
redevelop the hotel as a five star hotel
providing 600 rooms and suites. Their
estimated budget is US$200 million. This
project is a part of OMRAN’s efforts to
increase the number of rooms in Oman
and enhance the quality of the tourism
industry in the Sultanate. The project is
in the design stage and has an estimated
duration of 36 months.
We asked Mr. Qumsieh what he
considered were the main selling points
for Projacs’ services in Oman. “Projacs
main power remains in its long history in
the area (Middle East), its understanding
of the local environment and of the
mentality of the developers, and the
fact that we have many regional offices
in the area. Developers are expanding in
regions beyond their home countries so
this gives Projacs a great chance to assist
them in their endeavors. A second major
selling point is the support of the upper
management in going the extra mile to
protect the client’s interests and a third
is the dedication and commitment of
all Projacs staff to deliver high quality
services.”
He believes Projacs has gained a lot of
exposure in the past few years but there
remains a lot to be done for us to achieve
full international status. Although he
expects this to be a tough mission, he
believes it is not an impossible one. In
his view, Projacs possesses the right
ingredients for acquiring a deserved place
in the international arena. Looking at
some of the advantages and disadvantages
for Projacs against those of its competitors
internationally, Mr. Qumsieh considers
that the main advantage over our rivals
is that we ‘deliver’, even with sometimes
Tilal Complex
painful results to our budget. Secondly
Projacs knows the market very well and
is becoming a brand name. However, one
disadvantage is that developers stereotype
us as a ‘local’ company and hence tend
to lower our fees compared with what
they would pay other ‘international’ PM
companies.
And what of the employee’s working
conditions and environments? We
wondered if Mr. Qumsieh had any
preferences for a Projacs ‘to do list’ to
improve these. “I believe the first item
on the ‘to do list’ would be to prepare
a comprehensive Project Management
Guide to unify our standards, procedures
and outputs that would serve all new
comers to Projacs and even the seasoned
staff. The second would be to complete
the ProMIS system and integrate it with
the daily requirements of the project
management operations. The third
would be to complete the PMCS website.
The fourth is to adopt the motto of the
three R’s; Recruit, Retrain and Retain
the best personnel in the market!” With
his preferences already underway within
Projacs, it looks like Mr. Qumsieh will see
improvements by the end of the year!
Mr. Qumsieh has lived in Dubai for
almost a year and in Oman for 10
months. He has noticed a huge difference
between the Dubai and Oman cultures
when it comes to business; Dubai clients
want their projects completed yesterday,
while in Oman, the pace is more relaxed.
As a self-confessed knowledge hungry
individual especially when it comes to
Project Management, he is always on
the look out for new PM software and
applications which might help him in
his career. He has recently read ‘Fast
forward MBA to Project Management’
which he thought was an excellent book
and highly recommends since it touches
on some points that other books seldom
refer to. He is motivated on a daily basis
by the sheer challenge of the position and
the fact that as Project Managers, Projacs
contribute to the success of the projects
and all parties involved with us.
Mr. Qumsieh thinks that the most
important aspect of Projacs is its
open door policy. He considers the
transparency of our upper management
to be unrivalled. “Every employee in
Projacs feels he is right at home and that
there is always room for assuming more
important roles.” The most enjoyable
aspect of his work is the exposure to the
business of the real estate developments.
“It is a fact that engineers, like myself,
are in general technical people and only
through project management are we able
to see the other side of the coin, which
is the business behind the projects.”
He feels sure that new comers will find
Projacs to be the right PM Company to
work for. His advice to them is “to enjoy
your work, expand your knowledge, feel
appreciated and develop a great career!”
Mr. Qumiseh is working towards his
PMP certificate and hopes to successfully
conclude this and lead the Oman team
to realize Projacs’ expectations in 2008.
We wish him and all the staff at Projacs
Oman, a prosperous year.
May - Aug 2008
34
35
May - Aug 2008
Syria
Lebanon
0
Libya
Pakistan
18
Bahrain
60
80
120
167
Technical
Support
T&D
71%
160
26%
140
Technical
3%
T&D
Projacs Staff
100
Support
Abu Dhabi
130
89
128
63
Qatar
40
27
Projacs Staff: 703
Kuwait
KSA
Dubai
20
17
Corporate
Egypt
13
17
T&D
Jordan
7
7
3
4
6
2
Europe
5
Morocco
Oman
PROJACS STATISTICAL DATA STAFF & PROJECTS
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
1
2
21
109
3
27
101
2000
4
89
0
9
5
54
2001
9
6
17
2002
2004
7
16
2
8
11
9
10 7
10
42
11
9 4
2005
Gender Status
2003
2008
Female
Male
Legend:
2007
12
13
14
15
16
5 2 6
1 2 1 4 0 2 0
2006
9) T & D 10) Pakistan 11) Jordan 12) Lebanon 13) Syria 14) Morocco 15) Libya 16) Europe 17) Oman
1) UAE - Abu Dhabi 2) Kuwait 3) Qatar 4) KSA 5) UAE - Dubai & Northern 6) Egypt 7) Bahrain 8) Corporate
25
142
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
Staff Growth
17
5
0
May - Aug 2008
36
20
25
40
60
69
80
30
20-25
26-30
31-35
36-40
41-45
79
83
20
15
Projacs Staff Age
10
46-50
25
5
84
0
0
Above 50
Age
Commercial Development
Corporate & Institutional
Educational
Government
Healthcare & Hospitals
Heritage, Cultural & Religious
Industrial
Leisure & Hotels
Mixed Use
Residential Development
Retail
Roads, Airport & Infrastructure
Special Assignment
Sports
Type of projects
94
40
102
100
35
45
0
Egyptian
Indian
Jordani
Filipino
Lebanese
Other Arabs
Pakistani
GCC
Syrian
Canadian
Others
American
Other Asian
Bangladeshi
UK
Tunis
Spain
Palestine
Sudan
Pakistan
Oman
Iraq
Syria
Morocco
Libya
Lebanon
Bahrain
Egypt
Jordan
Dubai
Qatar
KSA
Abu Dhabi
Kuwait
0
1
1
1
2
2
2
5
5
3
5
5
9
20
17
10
24
10
17
7
20
13
10
4
4
20
20
25
22
30
31
40
35
44
60
58
80
Nationality Status
15
16
87
99
35
100
35
Total On-going Projects: 195
40
120
115
45
128
46
140
50
“
EXCELLENCE is the result of caring
more than others think is wise, risking more than
others think is safe, dreaming more than others
think is practical and expecting more than others
think is possible.
etc. are likely to sell more. Projacs can
also sell its professional training which is
another area of services in demand and is
highly profitable.
Saeed Ashraf
Operations Manager – Projacs Pakistan
to Pakistan he was involved in performing
various tasks including contracts
management,
dispute
resolution,
mediation, estimating, planning and
certain specialty assignments. Recently
he has been assigned to focus on new
business opportunities in the emerging
market of real estate development and
operations in Pakistan which has such a
huge potential.
When looking to sell Projacs’ services in
this market, Mr. Ashraf explained that
with the accelerated development of mega
projects and involvement of international
investors, designers and contractors,
the local experts are not able to fully
comprehend the demands since they
lack experience and have incompatible
standards. Therefore Projacs can offer a
complete range of project management
services. In the short-term, a total project
management solution in a single package
(including management of design,
tender, procurement, construction and
supervision) is more desirable to clients.
However, the clients wish to transfer
the risks of time, cost and quality onto
the Project Managers! In the long-term,
with more awareness and practice of
project management as well as more
competition, separate specialist value
added services such as value engineering,
dispute management, feasibility studies,
37
May - Aug 2008
In addition, Pakistan has a lack of sufficient
power, oil / gas and infrastructure sectors
in many areas, so specialist services in
these areas are highly sustainable and
profitable.
However, the market place is not
without its unique challenges for
Projacs. As Mr. Ashraf outlined, the
immediate challenge is the availability
of skilled resources that are trained and
experienced in the project management
field. Currently local resources are more
attracted to the Middle East market
while Middle East stationed personnel
are less attracted to live in Pakistan.
Secondly, the sustainability of the real
estate development is always at risk.
This is due to the ever changing political
situation, foreign threats, security and the
shortage of infrastructure and utilities.
Finally, Projacs is not the only PM firm
in the market place. Our international
competitors are vying for business or are
already operating in Pakistan.
Reviewing the progress of Projacs’
operations in Pakistan, Mr. Ashraf
disclosed that Projacs was initially
employed to perform construction
management services for Karachi
Financial Towers as an extension to the
design management services performed
by our Dubai office. Further business
opportunities were explored, pursued and
two months after commencing operations
in Pakistan, another very prestigious mega
”
project (The Centaurus) in Islamabad
was awarded. He was pleased to reveal
that based on Projacs’ performance over
three months, another mega project in
Islamabad has been assigned by their
existing client. The scope of services in
Pakistan has now been further expanded
from construction management to include
due diligence, pre-design management,
design management, value engineering
and construction supervision.
Projacs Pakistan has also grown and
comprises six staff in Islamabad, including
Mr. Ashraf, and two in Karachi. These
are Mr. Nasrulla Khan (Construction
Manager for KFT), Mr. Kamran Siddique
(Document Controller for KFT), Mr.
Shahid Afendi (Contracts Engineer for
Centaurus), Mr. Adeel Aslam Khan
(Centaurus), Mr. Waseem Abbass
(Quantity Surveyor for Centaurus), Ms.
Samar Khurshid (Document Controller
for Centaurus) and Ms. Kubra Sherazi
(Executive Secretary).
The Centaurus Project, Islamabad: This
mixed use development is located in the
capital city of Pakistan, Islamabad. The
project comprises of a seven-star hotel
tower, an office tower, two residential
towers, a commercial mall and four
basement levels. The project is spread
over 6.5 acres of land that was purchased
at the highest price per ft2 in the history
of Pakistan, for such a purpose in private
sector. The built-up area (3.8 million ft2)
and the construction cost of this project
(US$ 357 million) are the highest among
projects currently being built in Pakistan
by private developers.
BRANCHING OUT IN ISLAMABAD
Profiling the Pakistan Office
1
rojacs Pakistan has been
established for less than a year,
arriving there in September
2007, but has already made an
impact on the local market.
In an interview with Mr. Saeed Ashraf,
Operations Manager for Projacs Pakistan,
he explained that the construction
industry in Pakistan has been recognized
as being the most rapidly expanding. The
stabilizing political situation, favorable
exchange rates and government
economic initiatives have fuelled a
huge growth in the economy. In 2005,
Pakistan achieved an extraordinary high
GDP growth rate of 8.4%, the highest
in two decades and second highest in
the world after China. The government
of Pakistan committed mass spending
on infrastructure development over the
next five years spurring private sector
spending and donor agencies support.
The shockwave of such continued growth
has had a direct impact on the Pakistan
economy and resources.
However, with recent investment by
foreign investors, projects with short- term
return such as commercial complexes,
residential buildings and high-rise
office towers are being announced and
constructed on a monthly basis.
Having observed the continuity in
favorable political policies for the past
five to six years, major development
groups from the Middle East have
entered into the Pakistani market and
commenced various mega construction
projects. Before this era, the construction
industry in Pakistan was within its natural
pace of growth and dependant on basic
construction materials i.e. cement, steel
reinforcement, aggregate, block work,
etc. Construction was mainly focused
on housing and infrastructure projects.
Mr. Ashraf joined Projacs in 1998
and prior to his move to Pakistan was
employed in our Kuwait Office as the
Contracts Manager on a variety of
major projects including the Olympia
Mixed-Use Project, Hilton Resort
and the HQ for Kuwait National
Petroleum Company. He holds a range
of certifications including Project
Management Professional, Certified
Cost Consultant and Associate Value
Specialist which allow him to be flexible
in his work role. On his initial assignment
May - Aug 2008
38
The Centaurus Project
The project is designed by Atkins from
the UK up to the Detailed Design Intent
phase and is then being further developed
and executed by a Chinese State-owned
construction company (China State
Construction Engineering Corporation).
Projacs has been assigned to perform
the total project management services
covering design management, value
engineering, construction management,
procurement
management
and
supervision. We have begun a joint
venture with a reputable local consulting
company who will work for Projacs and
assist in the supervision activities. The
project is due to be completed in mid
2010.
motivates himself daily, he replied “I pose
a challenge to myself every day to see if
things can be done more efficiently and
satisfactorily.” This is exemplified by his
favorite quote, “EXCELLENCE is the
result of caring more than others think
is wise, risking more than others think is
safe, dreaming more than others think is
practical and expecting more than others
think is possible.”
So what advice would he give to new
comers? Not surprisingly, he replied, “I
would advise all new comers in Projacs
to work hard and experience working
beyond their usual job description. This
would certainly accelerate their career
growth.”
And finally, setting his goal for 2008, Mr.
Ashraf would like to see himself living
and enjoying a balanced life. I’m sure
many of our readers would agree! We
thank him and extend our best wishes to
all the staff in Projacs Pakistan as a new
branch of the Projacs family tree.
Karachi Financial Towers Project,
Karachi: This project is located in the
center of the financial capital of Pakistan,
Karachi. It consists of two 42 storey twin
office towers, a commercial mall and
three basements. The total built-up area
of the project is 2.4 million ft2 and the
project cost is US$ 166 million.
The project was designed by a Singaporean
design firm. The contractor who built
the Burj Dubai has undertaken the
execution and completion of the project.
The project is due to be completed in
mid 2010.
Projacs’ expansion into Pakistan is
another great step for the company. Mr.
Ashraf acknowledged that for himself,
all the structural changes in Projacs
have benefited him and provided him
with opportunities to pave the way
for further career advancement. As to
any suggestions for improving working
conditions, his view is that if Projacs
continues to place stress on adopting a
corporate culture and strict compliance
with corporate policies in all matters
then all employees will be confident that
their treatment is fair. “I believe that
Projacs’ offering is great to its employees
in general.”
On a personal note, Mr. Ashraf enjoys
performing every variety of task and
trying out different methods. He enjoys
a challenge and successfully completing
it! In fact when we asked how he
Karachi Financial Towers
May - Aug 2008
40
INTERVIEW
Sohair Al-Khalil
Business Development Manager,
T&D Group, Kuwait
.
s. Sohair Al-Khalil joined
Projacs Kuwait as a Training
Coordinator in April 1996.
Since then her career has
progressed steadily and she is now the
Business Development Manager in
the Training and Development Group
operating from our Kuwait office. In Ms.
Al-Khalil’s position, it is not surprising
to learn that she places a high value on
her own learning too. Recently she has
achieved her bachelor degree in Business
Administration from Belford University
in the USA and has followed this with
a Professional Diploma in Management
from Newcastle College in the UK.
Ms. Al-Khalil, when you first joined
Projacs, what was your primary role?
As a training coordinator my major tasks
were to fulfill our current clients’ training
needs and to keep them active in their
participation. Also I had to regularly
41
May - Aug 2008
follow up with potential clients and
research and update the database when
any potential new clients appeared the
market place. I found this information
from several sources e.g. newspapers,
directories,
Kuwait
Chamber
of
Commerce.
After many years of building up your
expertise with the company, your
role has evolved and you are now
Business Development Manager. What
responsibilities does this role have?
My main responsibility is to set the
strategic marketing plan for the T&D
Group in Kuwait and to manage the
activities of the group both locally and
internationally (with other T&D Groups
across the Middle East). This includes
the management of financial affairs
such as setting the annual budget and
continuously monitoring the expenditure
and profit. I am involved with all the
T&D Groups across all Projacs branches
(Qatar, Bahrain, Dubai, Saudi Arabia,
Egypt) to set our yearly training plan
depending on each region’s training
needs. The can be quite challenging as a
suitable training plan must cover as many
training needs across the Middle East
regions as possible.
Another major responsibility is the
management and supervision of
the local and international training
course coordination. This involves
the preparation, supervision and
enhancement of training courses and
their related activities. I also organize and
coordinate international conferences and
events sponsored by the company.
Of course, as my job title suggests, I am
involved in developing new business
opportunities. I market Projacs’ services
and provide feedback on our market
status so that we can expand our client
database by opening new business
channels. This involves meeting clients
from both the public and private sector. I
aim to fulfill their training needs from our
public courses (our yearly training plan)
but sometimes clients require customized
or in-house training depending on their
needs and budget.
“
My philosophy as regards competition
is that “You can’t manage anything you
don’t measure because measurements
are the eyes and ears of any business.”
Finally, I am always looking to create
new ideas to develop T&D activities to
improve the quality and success of our
business.
How important do you believe training
is in our working lives?
to go through many steps and changes
to reach that level but I believe we are
heading the right way to reach this.
Training is very important for everybody
but for different reasons; to update
information, to share information, to
obtain new ideas, as a refreshment of
existing knowledge, to relax the mind
from stress, to break the daily work
routine and as a chance to meet other
people with different cultures and
thoughts.
In your opinion, what are the most
successful selling points for Projacs’
T&D services to its clients?
I believe job rotation and training
opportunities are very good for personal
creativity.
Does Projacs have any advantages /
disadvantages over its competitors in
the training market place?
There must be constant changes in the
training plans, instructors, venues, etc.
How do you deal with these sudden
changes?
One advantage is that very few companies
have different offices around the Middle
East and this gives us the chance to
market our training courses in different
countries.
We always try our best to measure every
step in our work, trying to control and
resolve any unexpected problems with
auxiliary actions. We have been in the
business of training course provision for
so long that we often have alternative
plans.
After being with the company for so
many years, how do you see its growth
and what changes did you notice the
most?
From the time I first joined Projacs, there
have been a lot of changes both inside
and outside of the company which have
forwarded our progress to becoming an
international company. We still need
We regularly maintain and update our
database and always follow up with our
clients. This is critical in maintaining
their business and obtaining feedback on
our performance.
We usually monitor our competitors to
keep updated and aware of everything
new in the market. At the same time,
throughout the year we go through many
steps and changes to remain flexible
which is important for any business to
protect their stature in the market.
My philosophy as regards competition
is that “You can’t manage anything you
don’t measure because measurements are
the eyes and ears of any business.”
Do you see the new ProMIS system as
beneficial for your workflow in T&D?
”
share information and our database with
all Projacs’ offices and clients.
What do you enjoy most about your
job and what motivates you on a daily
basis?
I enjoy working with T&D Group as one
system (all T&D offices), sharing our
ideas and solving problems. I also enjoy
dealing with existing clients and looking
for new clients.
I am a ‘day’ person and always wake up
early which gives me a nice feeling for the
whole day. I am motivated by continuous
challenges I face on a daily basis that
require quick and creative actions.
And what advice would you give to
new comers to the company?
Firstly I would advise them to find
out everything about the company
procedures, rules, activities and job
description. This will give him/her a lot
of support in knowing how and where to
start. Secondly, you need to like the job
in which you are employed!
Thank you for answering our questions,
Ms. Al-Khalil. Could we ask you what
you are looking forward to achieving
by the end of this year, 2008?
I hope to achieve my target for this year
- and every year! - and to create new
ideas all the time since it is my belief
that “Creativity gives us more control
over the future!”
Yes, ProMIS will give us the chance to
May - Aug 2008
42
HIDDEN TALENTS
“
It’s about life
and its ups and downs;
A Poet in Our Midst
love, desires, tenderness,
frustrations, pain, hurt,
.
betrayal. It is even about
any of you may know Ms.
Samar Al Ashqar, Business
Development Manager through
her current role as the Head of
the Training department in Qatar. But,
did you known that she has a hidden
talent as a poet?
Born in Jordan with a Palestinian heritage,
she moved with her family to Qatar
when she was very young. After finishing
high school, she went back to Jordan to
earn her bachelors degree in law before
coming home to work professionally in
Doha. She joined Projacs in 2001 and
is currently studying for a master degree
in International Merchandizing and
Navigational Law.
Inspired by her father, who loved poetry
and literature, Ms. Al Ashqar began
writing poems in the early 80s; her first
poem was about Palestine. The creation
of her poetry is influenced by her reading,
her frequent travel to different countries
and cultures and through meditation
that she has practiced since childhood.
However her poetry covers a wide range
of themes. “It’s about life and its ups
and downs; love, desires, tenderness,
frustrations, pain, hurt, betrayal. It is
even about the teeny weeny details in
life, including the small world I live in.”
Ms. Al Ashqar classifies her writing style
as modern contemporary. She compares
it to the Japanese Haiku style which
always contains a philosophical element.
All her poems are written in Arabic,
though the French Cultural Center has
translated some into French and English.
She is a prolific reader and enjoys many
writers and poets including Edgar Allen
43
May - Aug 2008
the teeny weeny details in
life, including the small
world I live in.
Poe, Biswa, Dante and T.S Elliot. One of
her favorite poets is Mahmoud Darwish,
Poet Laureate of Palestine, and she is
currently reading one of his books, ‘The
Butterfly’s Burden’.
Ms. Al Ashqar has herself had two books
published in Arabic; ‘That’s Me and
This is What Worries Me the Most’,
December 2005 by the Arab Institute for
Studies and Publication in Amman and
‘Curtains Cloud Me off You’, February
2008, by the Oktob Publication House
in Cairo. She is also working on material
for her third book. For interested readers,
copies can be ordered through www.
neelwafurat.com.
We asked Ms. Al Ashqar if she had
to select one of her poems to read for
an audience, what would she choose?
She gave us three intriguing titles; ‘My
Father’s Garden’, ‘Curtains Cloud Me
Off’ and ‘That Farmer Woman’. For
those who want to view some of her work
further, she has a personal website at
www.samarashqar.com.
”
Ms. Al Ashqar is motivated by recognition
and appreciation so it is no surprise that
one of her favorite quotes acknowledges
the importance of both giving and
receiving ‘Be honest with praise and be
over elaborate with gratitude!’
Looking to the future we wondered what
Ms. Al Ashqar hoped to achieve by the
end of the year. “Personally, to establish
my own family which has been postponed
so long and professionally to be on top
performance”
Ms. Al Ashqar would like to thank
Mr. Luay Khoury for giving her the
opportunity to talk about the other side
of Samar Al Ashqar, apart from her role
as a Projacs professional. She also extends
her congratulations to fellow author,
Mrs. Huda Al Shawwa Al Qaddoumi
who recently won the Sheikh Zayed
Book Award for Children’s Literature.
On behalf of all Projacs employees,
Communiqué thanks her for sharing her
talents and wishes her every success with
her third book
Projacs Sponsors Junior Squash Player in the Egyptian National Team
continued to show great prowess and last
year he was the champion of Al-Ahli Club
and was ranked third nationally in the
under 11 age group. He has now started
playing for the under 13 category.
Omar’s success involves a lot of hard
work and practice. As well as his usual
school work, he practices for three hours
every day. Two hours are dedicated to
squash and one hour for fitness training.
His squash training is coordinated by
international coaches, Mr. Abas Qaude
and Mr. Medhat Galal whilst the fitness
training is organized by Dr. Mohamed
Aref. All of Omar’s coaches are delighted
with his performance and single-minded
approach.
*
n a chance conversation between
Mr. Ahmed El-Sherbini, newly
appointed PCS Manager in Projacs
Egypt, and Mr. Tarek Ahmed,
Operations Manager, Mr. El-Sherbini
explained that after many years working
in Saudi Arabia, he had returned to his
native Egypt in order to support his son
who is a talented squash player. When
Mr. Ahmed related this news to Dr. Nabil
Qaddumi at an Iftar gathering during
Ramadan, he was very impressed and
determined that Projacs would provide
help and support for this extraordinary
talent.
Omar Ahmed El-Sherbini was born on
June 1st 1996 and is currently in the
6th grade at primary school. His father
explained that as a young child, he
himself had enjoyed tennis with his best
friend, Ahmed Taher, who later become
a champion squash player. He noticed
that his son, Omar, enjoyed catching and
playing with a racket so he introduced
him to squash in June 2005 when Omar
was 9 years old. He hoped that Omar
might one day emulate his best friend
and be successful in sport.
Omar showed great skill and dedication
to the sport. Within a few months his
I would like to seize
this opportunity to thank
our sponsor, Projacs
International, for their
complete support
father noticed that he was demonstrating
a strategy beyond his years by thinking
ahead when hitting the ball so that it was
difficult for the opposing player to return.
He encouraged Omar to join a squash
club and receive formal coaching. Omar
Omar’s heros are Mr. Amr Shabana
(reigning world champion) and Mr. Ramy
Ashour (current world no.2) who are both
Egyptian. His ambition is to become
the world champion himself one day
but for now, he aims to continue
playing all the national champions
with Al-Ahli club and hopes to become
no.1 in the under 13 age group by the
end of 2008.
His father, Mr. ElSherbini said he
was very happy
when Dr. Qaddumi
said he wanted to
provide assistance
for Omar, “I would
like to seize this
opportunity to thank
our sponsor, Projacs
International,
for
their
complete
support”.
May - Aug 2008
44
NEW STAFF & ANNOUNCEMENTS
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May - Aug 2008
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FACE2FACE
Meet some of our staff
Wael Mahgoub El-Kashef
Raghida Azar
Lilibeth Aljentera
AVP for Contracts / Project Manager
Joined April 2001
Egypt
Training Coordinator
Joined June 1999
Kuwait
Executive Assistant
Joined October 1998
Dubai, UAE
What do you do at Projacs and what
are you currently working on?
What do you do at Projacs and what
are you currently working on?
What do you do at Projacs and what
are you currently working on?
I’m working as Project Manager for The
new Kuwaiti Embassy and Diplomatic
Mission H.Q. in Cairo currently in
negotiation phase with the contractor
regarding the extension of the contract
due to modification of interior design
as requested by the Owner. I‘m also
working as Project Manager of The
Renovation and Development of Tozeur
Stadium - Southern Tunisia, which is a
project based on the donation made by
H.E the Prince of Qatar to develop ,
renovate and double the capacity of the
local stadium of the Southern Tunisian
State of Tozeur .
To market Projacs services and expand
clients data base, open new channels,
provide feed back on market status while
at the same time preparing, supervising
and enhancing training courses and its
related activities.
I have just been promoted to the post
Executive Assistant for Projacs-Dubai
functioning as assistant to the VP/ Area
Manager & Operations Manager and to
the SVP for Special Projects. This role
involves managing their daily schedules/
appointments, travel arrangements,
correspondences,
filing,
reports,
proposals, and other administrative
needs. I also assist in setting-up project
files and document control system
for new projects in Dubai, including
briefing of new incoming secretarial and
document control staff for new projects.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I used to enjoy practicing construction
and project management originally as
a hobby that eventually evolved into a
job. Ever since I joined Projacs Egypt,
I developed a new sort of appreciation
and enjoyment of this field based on the
healthy working atmosphere and the
multi-tasking approach implemented by
the Company that keeps one always busy
achieving different stages of projects and
involving different cultures and countries
at the same time, thus acquiring intensive
expertise over a relatively short span of
time. It ‘s more like living several lives in
one’s lifetime.
Handle particular operational duties
and special projects, tasks, duties as and
when required by BDM.
Handle
the
training
brochures
production and corporate with Training
team to finalize and sent it to the printing
press than to the post office to be mailed
to all territories clients which exceed till
now almost 33,000 clients.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
Dealing with different clients.
What are your goals?
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I enjoy the varied and challenging
nature my job, and each accomplished
task no matter how small gives me a
sense of achievement, but what I like
most is when a Client accepts one of the
proposals that I have contributed my
humble bit in preparing.
To achieve our Target.
What are your goals?
To always improve my professional and
personal capabilities in away that keeps
me able to contribute to the company’s
progress and further growth either by
increasing its share of current markets
or by extending its pioneer existence to
new grounds.
If you would like to be considered for Face2Face,
email us at
[email protected]
May - Aug 2008
46
XXXQSPKBDTDPN
CONTACTS
Projacs Bahrain (Corporate Office)
Projacs Kuwait
Tel: + 973 17228066
Tel: + 965 2439255/6/7/8
Fax: + 973 17228099
Fax: +965 2409897
Manama Centre, Suite 607
P.O.Box 25944 Safat, 13120, Kuwait
P.O.Box 21674, Manama, Bahrain
E-mail: [email protected]
E-mail: [email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Projacs KSA – Riyadh
Projacs KSA – Jeddah
Tel: + 966 1 4640345
Tel: + 966 2 6689231
Fax: + 966 1 2164709
Fax: + 966 2 6689235
P.O.Box 93401, Riyadh 11673
Al-Aqeel Building, 1st Floor
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Al-Hamra District, Palestine St.,
E-mail: [email protected]
Jeddah, K.S.A
[email protected]
E-mail: [email protected]
Projacs Dubai
Projacs Qatar
Tel: + 971 4 3439122/3432339
Tel: + 974 4420902
Fax: + 971 4 3439771/3432098
Fax: + 974 4420857
P.O.Box 31155, Dubai, UAE
P.O.Box 7286, Doha, Qatar
E-mail: [email protected]
E-mail: [email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Projacs Abu Dhabi
Projacs Sharjah
Tel: + 971 2 6711121
Tel: + 971 6 5321400
Fax: + 971 2 6717619
Fax: + 971 6 5321404
P.O.Box 29287, Abu Dhabi, UAE
King Abed Al- Aziz St.,
[email protected]
1/F Khaled Gomaa Al-Majid Bldg.
E-mail: [email protected]
Projacs Jordan
Tel: + 962 6 5544344
Projacs Iraq
Fax: + 962 6 5544345
Tel: + 964 790 1915601
P.O.Box 1667, Um Al-Sumaq
Al-Mansour District,
11821, Amman, Jordan
Baghdad, Iraq
E-mail: [email protected]
E-mail: [email protected]
[email protected]
Projacs Egypt
Projacs Lebanon
Tel: + 202 7924674/5/6
Tel: + 961 1 301741/2
Fax: + 202 7924672
Fax: + 961 1 301743
20 Aisha Al-Taimoria Street,
P.O.Box 14/5329,
Garden City, Cairo, Egypt
Beirut, Lebanon
E-mail: [email protected]
E-mail: [email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Projacs Syria
Projacs Libya
Tel: + 963 11 6110328
Tel: + 218 214870062/64
Fax: + 963 11 6110329
Fax: + 218 214872346
Al-Salam St. B20, Mazzeh,
Palm City, Janzur, Libya
P.O.Box 12600 Damascus, Syria
E-mail: [email protected]
E-mail: [email protected]
Projacs Pakistan
Projacs Morocco
Tel: +92 512650723 / 24
Tel: + 212 22 473439/40
Fax: +92-051-2650725
Fax: + 212 22 204759
House No. 7, Bhittai Road, F-7/1,
5 Mohamed Fakir
Islamabad - Pakistan
St, Casablanca, Morocco
E-mail: [email protected]
E-mail: [email protected]