CBNME’S Power Hour Annual List of the Middle East’s Top 60 features the most prominent Contractors, Real estate Developers, Consultants, Architects, Facilities Management, Asset Management Companies, and so much more that encapsulates the construction industry.
These influential leaders have reshaped the industry with their introduction of new innovative strategies and thought leadership that makes them stand apart in 2020.
You can check out the full coverage of the Power Hour here.
6. DR. NAJIB KHATIB, CHAIRMAN AND CEO, KHATIB & ALAMI
Under the leadership of Dr Najib Khatib, K&A has established itself among the leading consultants in the Middle East & Africa region. At any given time, the company is supporting the delivery of critical infrastructure projects which are improving the lives of millions of people.
Highlights over the past year include the company’s role as main consultant for Al Mahsama Water Reclamation Plant in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula. With a capacity of 1 million m³/day, the project is one of the largest of its kind in the world, and is able to treat and recycle mixed-use wastewater to provide irrigation for up to 100,000 acres of agricultural land east of the Suez Canal.
K&A remains extremely active in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with around 3,000 locally based staff. Key ongoing projects include the Ministry of Finance’s Project Management Office (PMO), which is responsible for implementing international best practice standards in project management for mega-projects including the expansion of the Two Holy Mosques in Makkah and Madinah, which will benefit around 30 million pilgrims a year by 2030.
The company’s high regard in the Kingdom was recognized last year by the Saudi Ministry of Housing (MOH), which named K&A as the Best Consultant of the Year for Design and Supervision following its work on a vast housing project involving 75 sites totaling over 104 million m² of land, which will house more than 500,000 people.
K&A has continued to invest in its capabilities, and has made significant progress in extending its expertise to support clients with project finance. The company’s Infrastructure Development & Advisory team is focused on the advisory and co-development of infrastructure projects that are privately-funded, including PPPs.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, K&A was quick to offer its expertise to support governments dealing with the crisis, including the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health. Its Geographic Information System (GIS) experts assisted in the development of a countrywide web portal to monitor the spread of the virus at a district and nation level.
Other current projects include the upgrade of Route 30 Fahaheel Expressway in Kuwait, Dubai Maritime City infrastructure development, and an urban planning framework for 70 villages along India’s Mumbai-Pune Expressway.