Bentley System’s CEO Greg Bentley first visit to Dubai has been a satisfying one. As the head of a business that develops software that helps engineers deliver major infrastructure projects around the world, he has found a city that he can relate to.

“For the UAE, especially Dubai, infrastructure is the strategy,” says Bentley.

That strategy, which has involved billions of dollars of investment in new infrastructure projects over the past decade, has benefited Bentley Systems as its business in the region grows. “We are long established in the Middle East and we have seven offices here,” says Bentley. “What has happened in the past 10 years is Dubai has become the largest and the fastest growing, and the Middle East region is our fastest-growing region in the world over the past year growing at over 20 per cent.”

Balanced business model

That growth has outstripped other emerging markets. “Our business is equally balanced between the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Asia. Asia has been fastest-growing as of late, but during the past year the Middle East and Africa has been growing faster than the BRICs [Brazil, Russia, India and China] countries, so the region is certainly a large part of our growth.“

The result of that growth is physical infrastructure, which is making Dubai a global engineering centre in its own right, as its infrastructure makes it an attractive place for professionals to live. “The quality of life created here [in Dubai] determines who will visit, who will return and who will live and work here,” he says. “[Dubai is] accomplishing that with engineers from everywhere who come to work on projects here.”

Dubai’s position as a hub for engineering has been further strengthened by international engineering firms establishing global centres in the city. The most high-profile example is US-based Bechtel, which opened a global centre for engineering to support its rail business in 2013, an office that will support Bechtel’s work on Riyadh Metro and other rail schemes around the world.

“Our engineering firm clients have now gone further and relocated global centres of excellence here in the UAE for the servicing projects elsewhere. Why is that?” says Bentley. “It is because the quality of life [in Dubai] attracts young engineering talent.”

Although Bentley Systems already has an extensive presence in the region, Dubai and the UAE’s growing position as a global engineering centre is changing the way the company operates in the region. The firm currently has about 70 people working in the region out of a global workforce of 3,000, and Bentley wants the number to be higher.

“Every year, I do a colleague update to our 3,000 people around the world and I like to talk about talent mobility. This year, I’m going to make a pitch for people to come to Middle East and particularly Dubai,” says Bentley. “I believe we will get some takers from around the world. I will testify myself that the physical infrastructure here is something our people will appreciate.”

Technology adoption

The region also offers opportunities for software professionals to work on cutting-edge projects. Bentley Systems is currently working with the contractors building the midfield terminal building at Abu Dhabi International airport, one of the largest and most innovative BIM (Building Information Management) projects in the world.

Bentley says the region’s governments support the adoption of new technologies. “[Governments] take a long view and they are increasingly interested in making sure that the best practices in information technology bring them advantages right through construction and into operations,” says Bentley.

That is different to other parts of the world, where clients and governments are not as receptive to the latest technology. “What is now feasible for information mobility over the breadth of the asset life cycle is a tough sell for some owners in some places and even governments can be reticent about applying technology aggressively foe smart asset outcomes,” says Bentley. “But the Middle East governments, led by the UAE and Dubai, are ambitious and apply the best technology.”