Laing O'Rourke's decision to seek a buyer for its Middle East business marks the end of an era for UAE construction.

In the early 2000s, the contractor was among the leading names in the market. Its work at Dubai International airport, the Atlantis hotel on the Palm Jumeirah and the ski slope at Mall of the Emirates made it arguably the UAE's most prominent contractor during pre-global financial crisis construction boom.

Its activities were not limited to Dubai. A partnering agreement with Aldar for Al-Raha Beach then made it the most active contractor in Abu Dhabi almost overnight.

The global financial crisis changed its fortunes. The Aldar Laing O'Rourke joint venture ended. Unsettled by payment problems and wider stress in the industry, the company took a more cautious approach to clients and projects the region. One executive at the time told MEED: “You might see lots of tower cranes, but none of them are doing work that we would want to do.”

The contractor’s appetite partially returned in the late 2010s, when it won Al-Wasl Plaza at the Expo 2020 site in Dubai. It also became a leading player in the growing data centre market, delivering facilities for repeat clients including Khazna and Equinix.

Data centres have since been its focus. These are significant projects, but they lack the public profile of the airport, Atlantis and Al Wasl Plaza. As its profile faded, the company sold its UAE joinery arm to Dubai-based Arco Turnkey Solutions in 2025.

Laing O'Rourke now looks set to follow other international contractors that have for various reasons left the region, including Murray & Roberts, Balfour Beatty, Multiplex, Carillion and Bam. With a record £17.2bn order book anchored by UK and Australian infrastructure, the group's priorities clearly lie elsewhere.

Whoever buys the business will inherit strong data centre credentials. For much of the market, however, Laing O'Rourke will be remembered for the landmark projects that defined the UAE's boom years.