Mohamed al-Assam

Position Chairman and managing director, Dewan Architects & Engineers

Biography: Mohamed al-Assam is the chairman and managing director of the UAE-based architecture and engineering firm Dewan.

Mohamed al-Assam left his native Iraq in 1974 and resettled in Dubai. Since then, he has built Dewan into one of the largest architectural firms in the world. It now has offices in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Qatar, the Philippines and India. His work covers urban masterplans, mixed-use developments, government buildings, residential and commercial towers, and education facilities. Al-Assam continues to be a hands-on manager in the Dewan design process. His recent work includes the Media One hotel in Dubai, the Marina hotel on Yas Island and the Fairmont in Abu Dhabi. He also worked on the Strata Tower at the Al-Raha Beach development in Abu Dhabi, Ibn Battuta mall in Dubai, and the Yukta islands, part of Dubai’s The World archipelago. He has done extensive work in Iraq, including masterplanning the 1-million-square-metre Najaf city

Al-Assam has 33 years’ experience in private practice in Iraq, the Philippines and the UAE. Al-Assam has a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Baghdad’s College of Engineering.

Prior to joining Dewan in 1984, Al-Assam worked as a project manager for the UAE’s Wigmore Assam & Partners Consultancy from 1976-80. He then worked for four years as project manager at Kuwait’s Rowais Contracting. Al-Assam has worked on projects in UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

He is a member of the UAE’s Emirates Green Building Council and the Society of Engineers. He is also a member of the Iraqi Engineering Union.

Contact Tel: (+971) 2 665 5599
Company website www.dewan-architects.com/