Principal
Saudi Diyar Consultants
Total years of experience :0 years, 0 Months
In 2011 was presented with an opportunity to realize an ambitious vision by the organisation’s Chairman to grow beyond
1, 000 staff with a greater diversity of clients, from mostly government-based projects to an equal share of private sector
projects.
• Exceeded the vision by expanding the firm to over 1, 300 staff from 300 staff in just under four years. Core tasks performed
resulting to this achievement include:
o Conduct research on determining market opportunities for growth and evaluate strategies on how existing knowledge
can be expanded.
o Achieve greater delivery of quality and service. Initiated a ‘Unit of Quality’ that evaluated and refined efficiency and
quality of deliverables with a new client service approach (when established remained in the capacity of an advisor).
o Build a Business Development & Branding Department to structure the organisations exposure (when established
remained in the capacity as
global operations, through transforming existing operations by leading, strengthening and growing the
development of both design and operational approaches that create holistic developments where
economic returns and environmental and contextual design merge to provide increased Client and
Stakeholder satisfaction.
Motivational leader known for capturing new markets and building operations through recessionary
periods to deliver significant YoY increased returns and marked improvements on market positioning:
• Observe and grow trends to direct design studios to produce inspirational architecture. From
creating projects that act as living rooms of the surrounding urban fabric, to projects that are
regenerative to create more than an architecture, placing architecture as a tool fostering a better
place destination.
• Placed OBMI on a hiring spree through targeted business development with multiple wins in KSA
to build a new design studio in Dubai. Since creation of Dubai Branch Jan 2020, through the
pandemic, the studio stands at 13 designers by the end of Dec 2020. Includes growth of new
design typology capabilities, guiding the studio, to develop an urban hospitality through merging
resort with high-rise to craft the urban vertical resort.
• Spearheaded Diyar Consultants sustained growth, that made it the largest A&E design firm in
KSA including 3 years of continuous growth during the local oil recession.
• At Burt Hill through initiating more diversification of services and project typologies was the
international A&E firm least affected in the UAE financial crisis of 2008+.
• At RSP build multiple design studios from Vietnam to Dubai, direction the studio as a lead
designer in projects from master plans of new cities (China, India, KSA), to hotels, to high rise
towers, to schools, to hospitals and everything in between.
• Trained as an architect, remain a designer at heart, with the ability to merge architecture with
business that respects context, cultural, environment, and looks ahead to the future.
• Unique insight stems from experience working in the professions of consultancy, developer,
contractor and government. Leveraging know how on the full cycle of development, enabling the
creation of win-win strategies for all stakeholders.
• High thirst for data through market research combined with business acumen, yet remaining
hands on, enables establishment of strategies that are implementable.
• Actively involved in the management of selected key projects to understand the on the ground
needs to better set implementable strategies and resources.
• Diyar recognised in
proficiently developed Riyadh operations to better align with client expectations of delivering existing
workloads more effectively while concurrently strengthening the market position in the Capital City. Consequently, the branch
expanded to over 200 staff in 2013 and to over 300 in 2015. Given the challenging market conditions since 2016, the Riyadh
team remains over 200 strong.
• Through growing the design and build capabilities as an opportunity to provide clients with a wider range of options for
completion of each unique project with the most suited delivery platform, has led to partnering with KSA’s key contractors
including El Seif, SBG, MACC, Nesma, Drake & Scull, ACC, and many more.
• Never stop learning when faced with challenges. Given the environmental challenges faced on NEOM with fast track
construction in 2018, am undertaking further self-studies in environmental management to better direct the Client and
Contractors.
• Leveraging effective relationship management skills, by getting invited and also acquiring several projects that Clients had
assigned only to invite foreign consultancies. Due to the ability to demonstrate an enhanced structured and quality control
strategy/methodology to complete ambitious projects, have herewith earned clients trust that Diyar is a local firm with
international standards and capabilities.
Professional Development | Further Study
Project management and hospitality operations further study and freelance services to
Snohetta
and managed a professional team of 200 members including the design studio and
project delivery studio.
• With the economic downturn of end 2008, early 2009 volunteered to direct business development activities in the UAE and
MENA region, given the proven effective client business relationship skills. Focused securing new projects in the UAE, Oman,
Saudi Arabia and Bahrain in the known expertise sectors of Burt Hill, those of hospitality and healthcare.
• Played a pivotal role in ensuring the company was one of the least affected firms during the
Worked towards creating considerable presence for a Malaysian company in the UAE and was a key partner in the
establishment of an office of over 500 professionals in six months to facilitate the delivery of significant multi-billion dollar
project wins. These projects where secured just prior my employment. Build specialist design and site teams covering all
disciplines.
• Leveraged on previous experience in the hotel and construction sectors to generate multiple packages that could each be
managed by newly hired teams. Deployed integrators to link individual teams/packages together providing fast-tracked
deliverables.
• Further assisted in acquiring several major projects including additional building components of the multibillion-dollar Meydan
Grandstand, Meydan City, Palm Deira and the fast-tracked Meydan Theatre by winning design competitions or developing
pre-contract conceptual visions.
• Formulated the concept design and led construction management and delivery of Meydan Theatre in a record time of 79
days by using skills gained from a prior contractor job employment. Highly versatile with the ability to apply skill sets learned
in one field on another.
• Transformed the initial conceptual ideas for Meydan Hotel by directing a new team to reorganise and improve the design of
the Meydan Hotel, thus transforming it into one of the best hotels in Dubai.
• Won trust of Architrave, the Banyan Tree design arm to design the Banyan Tree Meydan - considered an almost impossible
achievement as design strictly developed within Architrave.
• Developed improvements to the existing and the expansion of the award-winning Bab Al Shams hotel and initiated the
construction of Phase 2. Resulting in Bab al Shams winning many coveted awards.
• Project managed the master plan of Palm Deira, an 80 sq km new city in the sea, leading to all authority buy-ins and
approvals, including concept designs for the sales offices, launch properties of a second 7 star hotel and high-end
residences.
• Facilitated innovative and creative solutions such as alternative wind and solar power to facilitate the opening launch of Palm
Deira prior to installation of a permanent grid supply, and solar technologies with ground water purification for the day-to-
day operations of the Meydan Theatre.
Senior Vice President (Senior Architect upon joining) |
RSP Architect, Planners & Engineers, Singapore/Vietnam/India/UAE/KSA/Oman/Qatar
(International Expansion & Principal Designer)
RSP Architects, Planners & Engineers, Singapore / Vietnam / India /
UAE / Oman / Qatar / KSA (Consultancy)
From a working career in the
and built a resourceful in-house team of 25 to undertake design and build projects.
• Evaluated tenders for potential projects wins by improving chances of acquiring projects by suggesting design and build
alternatives and other conventional modes of project procurement.
• Explored various avenues like value engineering for cost savings and methods for faster and easier accomplishment of
project details.
• Achievements
o Developed better and more efficient design practices reducing project completion time by 2 months on Savannah
Condo Park.
o Created numerous details which improved tolerances and delivered better quality finishes.
o Completed a project that achieved the best buildability score in Singapore.
o Designed the first City Developments Ltd (CDL) project in Singapore to be awarded the Green Mark for meeting
building environmental standards.
o Convinced the Buildings and Construction Authority (BCA) Singapore to accord stage approvals on the first design
& build project.
o The successful completion of the first D&B project led to the award of a second project from CDL, the Sail comprising
of 2 high rise towers with over 70 storeys. Secured the contract by reworking the design concept sketches by Peter
Pran to a refined design that facilitates effective construction based on Dragages construction systems to offer the
benefits of design and build. Through construction it became regarded as the most prestigious residential address
in Singapore.
Primarily managed the translation of the vision of developing Sentosa Island into a world-class tourist destination, into a
designed product of the initial phases through coordinating with 20+ specialist consultants from all over the world.
• Coordinated with all consultants, reviewed design proposals and managed an in-house team to achieve a unified master
plan with a budget of S$ 3 billion for a comprehensive revamp of the island.
• Identified and worked with product developers on projects acting as catalysts in achieving key objectives of the master plan.
• Identified the hospitality opportunities and set guidelines for the redevelopment of historical buildings into boutique hotels,
spas and a various hospitality products to cater to the various user groups. Over 10 land parcels where assigned for hotels
and resorts which each have been developed since and are operational.
• Conducted public review sessions for various proposed developments and acted as the principal spokesperson for design in
public feedback sessions.
• Achievements
o Managed pre-concept projects with the in-house team to test which would offer the best returns and increase
footfalls to the island to be then tendered out to international design firms.
o Implemented in close collaboration with the Ex Disney CEO quick fix schemes that boosted visitor numbers by 50%
in 6 months.
o Assisted in obtaining government approval for the full-scale makeover of the island and garner public buy-in.
and participated in new town development projects and the design of public housing and
commercial projects.
• Developed designs for improved public housing blocks with improved layouts and facilities and developed the first offering
of premium class social housing in the new town of Punggoll.
• Implemented pilot projects with new technologies for public housing, project managed commercial properties and design
managed public housing developments in Punggol, Sengkang and Teban Gardens
• Achievements
o Was a key member of a team of 10 that developed the master plan for Punggol offering an improved vision for
public housing in Singapore, making it a preferred choice for residence.
o Initiated a directive for changing the perception of public housing by introducing the concept of show flats for the
first time in government housing projects. This resulted in the initial phases of the new town in Punggol to be fully
booked/sold-out within days, as compared to other launches in other public housing developments.
o Studied and developed methods enabling provision of better facilities and better unit layouts in public housing within
the same budget. The recommendations were implemented in Punggol phases 1 to 3 and 6 to 8 as a test case and
later in most of the subsequent phases.
o Actively participated in committees working on improving public housing, including the use of newer technologies to
improve workmanship, safety and quality of buildings and better acoustical design of houses facing highways.
o Was selected as a key person for development of design standards for commercial properties developed by HDB
based on the positive reviews of the design for a retail mall.
o Participated in improving competitiveness of government commercial projects by introducing private sector design
standards and practices to establish improved returns on investment.
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