Six consultants working on major construction projects in Kuwait: George Abi-Hanna, Sandy Macmillan, Ahmad Awad al-Jihayem, Adam Holland, Najla Alghanim and Faisal al-Ostad
George Abi-Hanna
Position Chief executive officer, Dar SSH International Engineering Consultants
Biography George Abi-Hanna began his career with the local Dar SSH International Engineering Consultants in 1984 as an electrical design engineer. In 1990, he became the head of the electrical design department and shortly afterwards took on the role of project manager on a variety of building projects. In 1995, Abi-Hanna was appointed as an executive director of the company. He went on to become managing director in 2003 and has been in his current position since 2008. Abi-Hanna graduated in electrical engineering from the University of New South Wales in Australia in 1983. He has a master’s degree in business administration in technology management from the Deakin University, Australia. He is a chartered engineer registered with the Institution of Engineers in Australia. Dar SSH was established in 1961 and has offices in Oman, and the UAE, as well as Kuwait.
Contact Tel: (+965) 2226 5666
Sandy Macmillan
Position Kuwait country manager, Langdon Wilson International
Biography Sandy Macmillan is Kuwait country manager for US architecture firm Langdon Wilson International. He graduated in 1972 from the UK’s Liverpool University as a building services engineer and moved to London to work on the Wellington and St Thomas hospital projects. After a short spell with Milton Keynes Development Corporation, he went to Iraq to work for a local contracting company. In 1979, Macmillan moved to Kuwait to work as an engineer for several local and international consultants. He was involved with the construction of the Liberation Tower and with the Al-Salem Hospital projects. In 2003, Macmillan returned to the UK to become an associate at Mott MacDonald’s Sheffield office. In 2006, he joined Langdon Wilson International and was posted to Kuwait to work as project manager for the Jaber al-Ahmad al-Jaber hospital, currently under construction.
Contact Tel: (+965) 6613 2698
Ahmad Awad al-Jihayem
Position Managing director, Al-Jazera Consultants
Biography Ahmad al-Jihayem is the managing director and founder of the Kuwaiti architecture and consultancy firm Al-Jazera Consulants. He graduated in 1968 with a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Montana State University in the US. In 1969, he took up a position as an architect and planner for Kuwait Municipality. In 1971, Al-Jihayem studied for a post-graduate diploma in town and regional planning from the Szczecin Technical University in Poland. He also received a diploma in physical and regional planning from the Kuwait Institute of Economic and Social Planning in 1972. Al-Jihayem later became managing director of the building department of the Kuwait Municipality. Between 1976-78, he worked as a director and partner for Middle East Consultants in Kuwait. In 1978, Al-Jihayem set up Al-Jazera Consultants.
Contact Tel: (+965) 2243 1110
Adam Holland
Position Director of architecture and engineering services, design division, KEO International Consultants
Biography Adam Holland is the director of architecture and engineering services for the Kuwait office of KEO International Consultants. He graduated in 1995 from Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, in the US, with degrees in architectural engineering and facilities planning & management. From 1995-98, he worked as a facilities manager for the Boston Market Terminal Company, before becoming project coordinator for Standard Electric, the largest supplier of electrical distribution equipment in the northeast of the US. Holland moved to Qatar in 1999 to work as project manager for the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs. From 2001-08, Holland was a buildings group manager for Australian consultancy firm GHD Global, also based in Doha. Holland moved to Kuwait in 2008 to join KEO.
Contact Tel: (+965) 9406 4980
Najla Alghanim
Position Chairwoman, Gulf Consult
Biography Najla Alghanim is the chairwoman of the local Gulf Consult. Alghanim joined the firm in 2000 as an associate director and has worked on several major projects. Prior to joining Gulf Consult, she worked as a relationship officer with National Bank of Kuwait. Before this, she worked as an intern at Banque Worms in Paris and BFI in Geneva. In her current role, Alghanim is responsible for overseeing all the projects undertaken by the firm and is involved in defining strategies and operational policies. In partnership with US-based Cambridge Seven Associates, Gulf Consult designed the planned College of Engineering and Petroleum, which will be built at Kuwait University’s new $3bn Sabah al-Salem campus. Alghanim holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and finance from the University of Arizona in the US and a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from San Jose State University, also in the US.
Contact Tel: (+965) 2484 3565
Faisal al-Ostad
Position Acting director of consultants department, Public Works Ministry
Biography Faisal al-Ostad is the acting director of the consultants department at Kuwait’s Public Works Ministry. He graduated in 1997 from the Milwaukee School of Engineering in the US with a bachelor’s degree in architectural engineering. After returning to Kuwait, he started his career at the Public Works Ministry in the design department of the construction projects administration. In 2000, he joined the consultants department as a project engineer and architect in the special projects administration. After working in this role for seven years, Al-Ostad was promoted to team leader for the consultants department. In 2009, he took up his current position as acting director of the unit. The Public Works Ministry is in charge of the majority of Kuwait’s major building and infrastructure projects, including the estimated $2.6bn Subiya causeway scheme.
Contact Tel: (+965) 2530 4000
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