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Mahmoud Kassem, Commercial Construction Manager - MEP Project Lead

Mahmoud Kassem

Commercial Construction Manager - MEP Project Lead ·Desert Depths Contracting LLC

Saudi Arabia

Master's degree, Mechanical Power Engineering

Work experience

Total years of experience: 20 years, 7 months

Commercial Construction Manager - MEP Project Lead

November 2022 - Present

Desert Depths Contracting LLC

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Hybrid

November 2022 - Present

Professional Profile
Project-Focused Construction Executive with over 20 years of progressive leadership in MEP and infrastructure mega-projects. Proven expertise in directing the technical and commercial lifecycle of Turnkey and Design & Build (D&B) projects for world-class organizations including Saudi Aramco, NEOM (Sindalah, Oxagon, Trojena), KAFD, and Riyadh Metro. A strategic leader specializing in the high-complexity commercial sector, including healthcare, ultra-luxury hospitality, high-rise developments, and data centers.

Executive Core Competencies
Commercial Strategy: Contract Negotiation, Risk Assessment, Variation & Change Control, FIDIC/CSI Standards.

Financial Governance: Multi-billion SAR Budgeting, Cost Estimation, Cash Flow Monitoring, LCC/CAPEX/OPEX Analysis.

Project Leadership: End-to-End Lifecycle Management (Initiation to TOC), Multidisciplinary Team Leadership, PMO Reporting.

Strategic Procurement: Giga-project Supply Chain Management, Long-Lead MEP Items, High-End Luxury Finishes.

Regulatory Mastery: SBC, Aramco Engineering Standards, HCIS, NFPA, ASHRAE, ASME, LEED, and ISO.

Elite Project Portfolio & Impact
NEOM Giga-Projects: Directed the construction and commercial lifecycle for Marriott Sindalah, ensuring aggressive delivery milestones were met for ultra-luxury specifications.

Hospitality Excellence: Led commercial oversight for Four Seasons Riyadh and Oberoi Al Madinah, managing complex stakeholder expectations and high-end MEP integration.

Healthcare & Infrastructure: Managed the Sahafa 5-Star Hospital and major MEP programs from design development through to final Commissioning and Handover.

Stakeholder Diplomacy: Represented the firm in high-level progress meetings with Owners (NEOM, PIF) and Lead Consultants to ensure project alignment with national strategic goals.

Key Strategic Duties
Contractual Oversight: Direct the negotiation of multi-million SAR contracts, ensuring all agreements align with the project’s commercial risk profile before final executive authorization.

Operational Integration: Coordinate between the Technical Office and Site Teams to ensure "Design & Build" projects are commercially feasible, profitable, and ready for mobilization.

Performance Monitoring: Plan, manage, and control project activities from Day 1 to ensure delivery is on time, on budget, and strictly to specification.

Talent Mentorship: Leading and nurturing multidisciplinary engineering and construction teams, implementing man-hour analysis and site productivity controls.

Company industry:
Construction & Building
Job role:
Construction and Building

Asst. Electro-Mechanical Manager

July 2020 - November 2022

MASAH Specialized Construction

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Hybrid

July 2020 - November 2022

Assistant Electro-Mechanical Manager | MASAH Specialized Construction
2020 - 2022

Role Overview:
Directing the Mechanical Division within the Engineering & Estimation Department, specializing in the technical and commercial lifecycle of high-complexity buildings and infrastructure projects. I provide high-level oversight for HVAC, Piping, and Pump Room design while ensuring the commercial viability of all mechanical works.

Key Responsibilities & Strategic Functions:

Commercial & Cost Governance: Directing project cost estimation during the bidding phase and implementing rigorous cost-control measures throughout the execution phase. I manage the critical transition from "Tender Award" to "Project Execution" by establishing actual costs for Project Managers and target budgets for Procurement.

Subcontractor Management: Leading the evaluation and selection of subcontractors during the solicitation and tender stages. I manage downstream awards to ensure all partners align with MASAH’s quality and budgetary standards.

Strategic Capacity Planning: Conducting "Make-or-Buy" analyses to evaluate project volume against internal capacity. I provide data-driven recommendations to top management regarding the strategic need for outsourcing versus in-house execution.

Technical Design Leadership: Designing and supervising the development of mechanical systems (HVAC, Piping, and Pump Rooms) for selective plants. I direct the engineering team through the design development stages of ongoing projects to ensure technical excellence.

Organizational & Team Leadership: Designing project-specific organizational charts and leadership structures. I am committed to mentorship and talent development, having designed and delivered specialized technical training programs for fresh graduates and Saudi Engineers.

Executive PMO Reporting: Serving as a primary contributor to PMO and steering committee meetings. I provide strategic reports and project health updates directly to the General Manager (GM), Operations Manager, and Estimation Director to ensure project alignment with corporate goals.

Company industry:
Construction & Building
Job role:
Construction and Building

Mechanical Engineering Manager

July 2012 - July 2020

Contracting & Construction Enterprises CCE Ltd

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Hybrid

July 2012 - July 2020

Mechanical Manager | CCE (Contracting & Construction Enterprises)
Strategic Oversight of High-Rise, Power, and Infrastructure Mega-Projects

01. Engineering Design & Technical Leadership

System Design & Optimization: Directed HVAC, Fire Protection, and Plumbing design for specialized plants and high-rise structures, ensuring full compliance with international codes (NFPA, ASHRAE, IPC).

Multidisciplinary Coordination: Led technical synchronization between Mechanical, Electrical, and Civil teams to resolve complex spatial and utility routing challenges.

Technical Feasibility: Conducted CAPEX, OPEX, and Life Cycle Cost (LCC) analyses to evaluate mechanical systems and provide data-driven engineering solutions.

02. Commercial Governance & Cost Estimation

Pre-Tender Strategy: Conducted rigorous design reviews to identify risks and Value Engineering opportunities, optimizing project budgets and proposing strategic alternatives.

Financial Controls: Managed Material Take-offs (MTO) and BOQs (CSI/BS standards), establishing cost breakdowns for labor, materials, and long-lead equipment.

Tender Management: Directed the techno-commercial evaluation of subcontractor bids and vendor proposals to ensure project viability and procurement alignment.

03. Project Technical Support & Contract Management

Contractual Baselining: Analyzed IFC documents and Scope of Work (SOW) to establish cost-control baselines and identify contractual/legal risks for the Project Director.

Execution & Procurement: Guided engineering teams in shop drawing preparation and managed the procurement of critical long-lead items, including FAT/SAT and commissioning spares.

Handover & Commissioning: Designed and executed comprehensive handover plans for high-profile projects (including PP13, PP14, and Tadawul Tower), securing all witness testing and final approvals.

Company industry:
Construction & Building
Job role:
Engineering

Senior Mechanical Engineer

April 2010 - May 2012

Al Kifah Contracting company

Dammam, Saudi Arabia

April 2010 - May 2012

Managing the mechanical department in the head office as well as responsible for tender and ongoing overall corporate projects.
main duties:
1- Estimation for biddings
2- Engineering of ongoing projects
3- Follow up the progress of ongoing projects.

Reporting to:

1- The General Manager for estimation and bidding
2- The Electro mechanical Manager for design works
3- Operation/Projects manager for execution reports

Company industry:
Construction & Building
Job role:
Construction and Building

January 2010 - January 2012

January 2010 - January 2012

At the early stage of each project, I have used to prepare a project road map in terms of project vision. This map represents the foundation stone, which is progressively elaborating over the course of the project life cycle. Such vision is based on sound visualization of the project scope, clients’ requirements, client’s nature, project duration, project budget and cost breakdown, milestones, type of contract, level of quality, and other considerations. The deliverables of such step is to decide at the early stage, weakness, strength and grey areas in between in the project as an operation, as well as the potential risk/loss if-any. One of vital deliverables of this step which basically outgrowth from it, is the draft of uncertainty /risk plan, which in turn treatise for discussion over the project-concerned parties for mitigation/elimination procedures. Usually, the most concerned party/department is the contracting/procurement department, which would be able to develop solicitation packages, including requests for quotations, requests for proposals and Invitations for subcontractors accordingly. Very often, an open dialogue takes place within the PMT prior to conducting the final report of project vision including queries regarding acquisition matters according to the client requirements and the legal conditions.

I have moved to Saudi Market since 2010, and hitherto, I’ve been dealing with international and national firms such as; ARAMCO, DOW, SADARA, TECHNIP, TECHNICAS REUNIDAS, FLURE, SAIPEM, TRSC, NEOM, SEC, MOH, MOE, GPT, AECOM, and others. However, I am dealing with different types of contracts including but not limited to; EPC, EPCC, LSTK, LSBP, BOOT. Nevertheless, I have an excellent experience in industrial projects in addition to the international standards such as: ASHRAE, ACCA, AWWA, IPC, ASME, NEC, IFC, NFPA, ISO standards in addition to the environmental regulations as well.

02 - DUTIES


0201- MEP DESIGN DUITES

•Preparing the mechanical design of district cooling plants, HVAC ducting system, HVAC piping system, Fire Protection system, and plumbing systems including design basis according to Client’s requirements, national, local, and international codes.
•Preparing design calculations, design reports based on software, design free hand drawings, and design check lists.
•Guide the draftsmen for detailed design drawings (layouts, sections, elevations, schematics, flow and riser diagrams, PID, details, notes, control sketches, etc.)
•Co-coordinating the utilities with electrical design groups, Arch. & Civil groups, the Program/project managers, and clients for completion of the co-ordinated services drawings.
•Preparing the equipment’s schedules.
•Specifying the mechanical equipment taking into consideration those which operates in hazardous areas according to ATEX and/or North America standards, in order to meet or exceed the minimum protection requirements. De-rating factors added according to the location of project and the site conditions.
•Selecting the proper electrical drives including VFD and the proper dedicated Harmonic Filters.
•Involve in Specifying the proper machine control methods and system control strategy with the BMS/instrumentation and the control team.
•Evaluating the feasibility of mechanical systems and comparing the different solution in terms of capital cost/expenditure running/operating “CAPEX” cost/expenditure “OPEX” and life cycle cost “LCC”.
•Identifying the probable uncertainty/risk potential as well as the material alternatives (value engineering), and the probability of change/variation orders.

0202- COST ESTIMATION DUITES
•Reviewing the mechanical design and reporting the Estimation Director with the deliverables of design review and the project study in terms of; probable risks, weakness (variation) points, probability of applying value engineering in order for proposing alternatives, the budgetary cost and the coincide prices.
•Preparing the Material Take offs and coincide BOQs in accordance with the applicable standard (BOQ according to BS, CSI or client standard).
•Specifying the project materials throughout open discussion with the client and the design team (as part of the CAPEX estimates) and guide the specifier to meet the design requirements by Reviewing & Revising part 2 (Products) of the CSI specs.
•Preparing lists of the Long Lead items, and material procurement schedule.
•Collecting the material quotations from vendors and OEMs.
•Preparing the cost breakdown for materials, labors’/activities’ man-hours, and the equipment.
•Evaluating the designed systems according to LCC analysis when necessary for applying value engineering.
•Identifying the probable uncertainty/risk potential as well as the material alternatives, and the probability of change/variation orders.
•Involved in preparing tender documents, particularly the technical proposal and the tender qualifications.
•Planning Man hours needed and suitable start and end for each process and activity so as to reporting the planner with the histogram information for mechanical works.
•Preparing the tender documents fo r the subcontractors as well as evaluating their quotations technically as well as commercially.
•Assist clients in tender evaluation & vendor selection (usually through the bidders Q&A).
•Evaluate the proposals of bidders.

0203- PROJECTS’ TECHNICAL SUPPORT DUTIES
•Studying the IFC documents as well as summarizing the SOW document in conjunction with drawings, specifications, execution & procurement plan, milestones & histogram, MTOs, priced tender BOQ, basis of design, quality & safety plans, and the general and special conditions of the contract in order to determine; 1- the specific project requirements, 2- type of contract, 3- compare the cost of each and every priced item with the item inclusions and exclusions, 4- reporting to the PD the: discrepancies, missed information, ambiguous contractual issues, probable risks, weakness points, probability of applying value engineering in order for proposing alternatives and the concluded legal/contractual vision. This process is the base line for the project cost control and contract management. Such review also include: reviewing the mechanical design.
•Involved in prepare the shop drawings by guiding the design/shop drawings team, co-coordinating the routing of utilities with the project’s different design disciplines, submitting the shop drawings for approval, performing the material take off, collecting reviewing and evaluating the material quotations from suppliers and OEMs, submitting the proposed materials for consultant approval and placing POs.
•Review and revise the procurement plan and submittals as well as stressing to place the POs. of long lead items as early as scheduled besides ensuring that POs integrated and including the commissioning, consumables, spares, and Site & Factory Acceptance Testing - If any.
•Set the minimum organization structure of the required execution crew (phase wise) to perform the opened activities in order to meet the project schedule in accordance with planning the man-hours needed and suitable start and end for each process and activity. The team requirements typically change according to the site conditions, professionality of labors and project changes.
•Review the project execution reports carried out on the construction site in order to accomplish site performance analysis, and the real productivity per man-hours.
•Coordinate the short-term; schedule of submittals, quality control, sub contracts, materials and cost control with the PMT in order to meet the long term schedules due to the weekly PMT meeting.
•Preparing and Executing the handover plan including witness and approvals of all types of initial and final acceptance tests in accordance with project ITP and ensures preparation of “as built” drawings, warrantees, maintenance manuals and other hand over documents while fixing and adapting the punch listing in project closeout phase.
•Preparing the final payment statement and the project closing report.

03 - ACHEIVEMANTS

•For design, execution and supervision projects please refer to the attached projects’ list

Technical Office Mechanical Engineer

September 2009 - March 2010

ProService, The Engineering Company for Projects Services.

Cairo, Egypt

September 2009 - March 2010

1- leading the engineering and design team in HVAC discipline,
2- The leader of MEP Handover & Projects Closing Board

Company industry:
Construction & Building
Job role:
Mechanical Engineering

HVAC Project Engineer

December 2006 - August 2009

Modern Engineering Group MEG

Cairo, Egypt

December 2006 - August 2009

HVAC Project Supervision Engineer

Company industry:
General Engineering Consultancy
Job role:
Consulting

Quality Assurance Engineer

October 2005 - December 2006

Egyptian Air Forces

Cairo, Egypt

October 2005 - December 2006

Preparing the Quality Manual according to ISO 9000-9001 & 9004 -2005 in terms of:

1- Quality Manual s per ISO 9001-2005
2- Quality Procedures as per ISO 9004-2005
3- Quality Records as per ISO 9004-2005
2- Quality Management Audit & Reviews

Company industry:
Military & Defense
Job role:
Management

Education

Zaragoza University

October 2017

October 2017

Master's degree, Mechanical Power Engineering

Spain

MSc. in Rotating Machinery
View attachment

Ain Shams University

October 2005

October 2005

Bachelor's degree, Mechanical Power Engineering

Egypt

Thermal, Power, Gas dynamic, Hydrodynamic, HVAC, Control and Turbomachinery,
View attachment

Skills

PMP
Expert
PMP
Expert
LEED
Expert
LEED
Expert
HVAC
Expert
HVAC
Expert
Fire Protection
Expert
Fire Protection
Expert
Senior Executives
Expert
Senior Executives
Expert
MECHANICAL DESIGN
Expert
MECHANICAL DESIGN
Expert
PMP
Expert
PMP
Expert
LEED
Expert
LEED
Expert
Senior Executives
Expert
Senior Executives
Expert
Budgeting
Expert
Budgeting
Expert
Project Control
Expert
Project Control
Expert
Risk Management
Expert
Risk Management
Expert
Strategic Planning
Expert
Strategic Planning
Expert
Scheduling
Expert
Scheduling
Expert
Construction Safety
Expert
Construction Safety
Expert
Scope Management
Expert
Scope Management
Expert
Cost Management
Expert
Cost Management
Expert
Sub contract Management
Expert
Sub contract Management
Expert
MEP
Expert
MEP
Expert
Construction Management
Expert
Construction Management
Expert
Project Management
Expert
Project Management
Expert
Agile Project Management
Expert
Agile Project Management
Expert
Cost Control
Expert
Cost Control
Expert
Resource Management
Expert
Resource Management
Expert

Languages

English
Expert
Arabic
Native Speaker

Memberships

PMI

PMP

January 2011

Saudi Council of Engineers

Engineer

May 2010

Hobbies

  • Reading
    1- Sociology and Political Science 2- Intellectual 3- Religious Philosophy 4- Civilization