Al Habtoor Leighton Group

Transcription

THE NEWS OF THE AL HABTOOR LEIGHTON GROUP
ISSUE NO. 27 – 2008
Building on excellent standards at
Downtown Jebel Ali
An innovative tourism destination
Leading our future
An Alliance for Excellence
The flexible life of an
area engineering manager
Sustainability in the Middle East
Bridging communications
A tribute to a gentleman
and much more...
CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE
“Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want
done because he wants to do it.” Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dear Colleagues,
In our endeavor to achieve excellence in 2008, an initiative communicated
to you through my last message (refer issue 26), I would like to take this
opportunity to dwell on the facets of successful leadership, and change,
if I could, the paradigms we set ourselves in managing our every day personal
and professional life.
The most important quality of leadership, the one quality for which you
want to be known, is extraordinary performance, with the goal of achieving
extraordinary results. These results then serve as an inspiration to others to
perform at equally exceptional levels. People ascribe leadership to those men
and women who they feel can most enable them to achieve important goals
or objectives.
An important measure of a leader’s own success is the success of his or her
followers. The strength of a leader is measured by the ability to facilitate the
self-leadership of others.
Leading others is not simply a matter of style, or following some how-to guides
or recipes. Ineffectiveness of leaders seldom results from a lack of know-how or
how-to, nor is it typically due to inadequate managerial skills. Leadership is even
not about creating a great vision. It is about creating conditions under which all
your followers can perform independently and effectively toward a common
objective. As an element in social interaction, leadership is a complex activity
involving: A process of influence, people who are both leaders and followers
and the range of possible outcomes – the achievement of goals, but also the
commitment of individuals to such goals, the enhancement of group cohesion
and the reinforcement of change of organizational culture.
Leaders shape goals, develop new ideas and reach people on an emotional level
whilst managers on the other hand react to events. While managers
solve problems leaders take on challenges.
Let us resolve ourselves to be leaders and great ones in doing exactly that!
Riad T. Sadik
Editor-in-Chief
Lina Sadek
Managing Editor
Shahnaz Imam
Editors
Vanessa James
Reagan Creado
Yasaman Tahmasebi
Nisrine Khadra
Hootan Zadeh
Michael Assad
Design
Benny Varghese
Hina Imran
Distribution
Usha T. Bai
Sameer Sekathuveettil
Contributors
Brendon Baines
Nabil Izzat Chahoud
David McCarthy
Walid Kharbat
Eihab Kamal Hussein
Contact us: akhbaraldar@habtoorengg.ae
Disclaimer: Akhbar Al Dar is the newsletter of
the Al Habtoor Leighton Group. Its purpose is only to establish internal and external communication links. A bulk of the matter contained
herein is based primarily on verbal accounts. Hence, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of data used. Neither the Al Habtoor Leighton Group, nor its associates, can be held responsible for
any inaccuracies arising or implied herein.
MANAGING DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
There has been a flurry of activity within the Al Habtoor Leighton Group since
the last issue of Akhbar Al Dar. We have secured a number of new projects
to add to our growing portfolio of work and we have some exciting new
prospects in front of us.
The highlight of the last few months was the award of the prestigious Trump
Tower in Dubai. Trump Tower has broken records for the sale price per square
foot, and continues our tradition of building landmark structures. It will also
help reinforce our position as the leading construction contractor in the UAE.
In May, we secured the Esplanade mixed-use project in Al Barsha, adjacent
to the Mall of the Emirates, and have already commenced work.
In Abu Dhabi, we recently secured the Paris-Sorbonne University, and were
also awarded a series of projects for TDIC worth a total of AED 1.6 billion.
More recently, we secured the AED 6.5 billion Tameer Towers project and
AED 2.25 billion Al Bustan Complex in Abu Dhabi, plus Abyaar’s Olgana and
Hilliana Towers in Dubai. These projects have taken our work in hand to over
AED 24 billion – a new record for the Group. We are confident that this will
further increase by the end of the year, as we are poised to convert a number
of major prospects over the next few months.
Of course, all this new work requires the continued commitment and dedication
of our people, many of whom are new to our organisation. As part of our
continued efforts to encourage teamwork and develop our people, we held
the inaugural Al Habtoor Leighton Group Leadership Summit in June. The
Leadership Summit, which will become an annual event, was a great success and
highlighted the importance of working together to achieve a common goal.
Let’s continue to work together to ensure we remain number one in 2008,
and in doing so move towards our goal of becoming the leading contractor
in the Middle East and North Africa region, and one of the top 50 in the world.
David Savage
CONTENTS
04 Project in Focus
08 Project Updates
10 Associated Business
16 Corporate Development
20 Business Development
22 Upclose and Personal
25 Safety
26 Sustainability
27 Quality
28 Seminars and Exhibitions
30 In conversation with
32 In and Around HLG
34 Hear it from the Experts
40 Competition
42 Tributory
47 Last Word
Building on excellent standards at
Downtown Jebel Ali
04
ISSUE NO. 27 – 2008
PROJECT IN FOCUS
Stretched across Sheikh Zayed Road for eleven kilometres between Jebel Ali
Free Zone and Dubai Waterfront, Downtown Jebel Ali will eventually cater
for around 235,000 people...
The four buildings at Downtown Jebel Ali
Downtown Jebel Ali is the first major
project in the Downtown area, and
Al Habtoor Engineering is currently
constructing four buildings in this
mammoth project. Limitless, the real
estate development arm of Dubai
World, unveiled the details of its first
development project in Dubai back in
November 2006.
Less than two years later, the project
- Downtown Jebel Ali – is rapidly
taking shape. Stretched across Sheikh
Zayed Road for eleven kilometres
between Jebel Ali Free Zone and Dubai
Waterfront, Downtown Jebel Ali will
eventually cater for around 235,000
people. With 326 buildings, 237 of which
will be residential, the development’s
design includes pedestrian walkways
and congestion-free areas.
AL HABTOOR LEIGHTON GROUP
05
PROJECT IN FOCUS
The erection of the
common façade was
a complex process
involving two 250
ton cranes. “We had
to place three major
trusses in between
the buildings, and
then hang a further
12 individual windbraced trusses
before we could
even think about
fitting the glass.
Downtown Jebel Ali consists of four
quarters - East Quarter, East Central, West
Central and West Quarter. Each quarter
is divided into three individual districts
with business, residential, shopping,
dining and entertainment facilities.
Al Habtoor Engineering was selected
to begin the construction of the first
four commercial buildings. Akhbar
AlDar met with Brendon Baines, who
at the time was the Project Director
for the first phase of development and
also the Operations Manager for Al
Habtoor Engineering Dubai, to find out
a little more about how the project has
progressed. He is now the Operations
Manager for the Sorbonne University
project in Abu Dhabi.
The scope of the construction required
comprises four Class A office buildings
and the project value totals AED 580
million. Each structure has two basement
levels, a ground floor, a podium level
and 12 floors, and the four towers are
linked by a glass façade which connects
the frontage and conceals the extremely
fancy design of the lobby interior.
According to Brendon, the erection of
the common façade was a complex
process involving two 250 ton cranes.
“We had to place three major trusses in
between the buildings, and then hang a
further 12 individual wind-braced trusses
before we could even think about fitting
the glass.
It was all completed relatively smoothly,
once the initial logistics had been dealt
with. ” The glass cladding had been
specially shipped in from Italy so it was
essential there were no problems, as
to reorder items would have caused a
lengthy delay.
Brendon ensures the project runs like
clockwork with daily meetings in which
06
ISSUE NO. 27 – 2008
he briefs on-site staff, which include two
project managers and four construction
managers. Brendon says he likes to keep
them in healthy competition with each
other, encouraging them all the way
and empowering them to make strong
decisions and further their careers.
The project also utilised a new stone
cladding system for the first time in the
UAE. The MASA system was developed
by Spanish company, Sistema Masa, and
is an innovative way of applying stone
cladding to the frontage of a building.
The weight resistant and durable fixings
can be adjusted in 3D without forcing
the cladding panels. They are also safe
and easy to mount, plus require no
maintenance. This pioneering method
of attachment effectively creates
ventilation, as an ‘air chamber’ is formed
between the two elements, providing
continuous insulation.
Construction is progressing well, and
two of the buildings have had lighting
installed. However, the area does not
currently have access to power from
the main grid, so the development
is running on temporary generator
power. The development features its
own dedicated chilled water plant and
sewerage treatment plant, both of which
will eventually be available to other
Downtown Jebel Ali projects in the
vicinity as they come on board.
In addition to the construction
contract, Al Habtoor Engineering has
been awarded the additional AED 80
million contract for the surrounding
landscaping, which includes rooftop
gardens. Furthermore, Al Habtoor
Interiors has secured the interior
design of the building’s common areas,
installing wooden doors, feature walls
and the lavish reception area. Stone has
been imported from Italy, with ceramics
from China; a truly global operation.
PROJECT IN FOCUS
Al Habtoor
Engineering has
been awarded the
additional AED 80
million contract for
the surrounding
landscaping, which
includes rooftop
gardens.
Brendon Baines, Operations Manager HEE Dubai & Project Director at site
Safety is paramount at Al Habtoor
Engineering, and Downtown Jebel Ali
is no exception. There is a tremendous
emphasis on safety issues, and the UKbased project management company,
Bovis Lend Lease, has additionally
implemented a special Injury and
Incident-free system.
With up to 2,500 personnel on site at
any one time, it is essential that safety
standards are strictly adhered to; hence
the scheme includes regular workshops
for project managers and engineers, and
rewards employees with certificates and
prizes for initiative.
Building standards are also key, and Burt
Hill, the American project engineers
and architects, has incorporated the
UL - or Underwriters’ Licence - system.
This classification has extremely high
standards and is another excellent
system being brought to the local
construction industry. With time
critical on the project, a challenging
development schedule was proposed at
the outset, which was even more testing
when you consider that there were
almost twenty subcontractors working
at the development. But despite the
short timelines, the project has been an
interesting one.
Brendon and his team are enjoying the
process of working with Limitless and
he is hoping that this may be the start
of a longer term relationship. Limitless
is the developer of the Arabian Canal,
the biggest and most complex civil
engineering project ever undertaken in
the Middle East.
To work on such a high profile project
would be a great challenge for many
of the employees at the Al Habtoor
Leighton Group, so the team is hoping
they will have the opportunity to
replicate the successes of Downtown
Jebel Ali for the Arabian Canal.
Brendon joined the project
in March 2007, when it was
already well underway. As the
first construction site to open
on the entire Downtown Jebel
Ali project, there was heavy
scrutiny from all parties, and
Brendon freely admits there
were a number of problems to
overcome.
“Architecturally, the project has
been very challenging as we
have been implementing new
standards never before used in
the UAE. It took us a little while
to get all our systems in place,
but the expertise we have now
gained will be invaluable for us
in the future,” he says.
07
PROJECT UPDATES
Project Updates
An innovative tourism destination
Gulf Leighton: TDIC and Gulf Leighton entered into a joint venture agreement
in December 2007, creating a major new force on Abu Dhabi’s construction
scene: TDIC-Leighton. TDIC-Leighton has now been awarded a series of new
projects for TDIC. The contracts - worth a total of AED 1.6 billion - are the first
of a series of major projects that TDIC is developing as part of its aim to turn
Abu Dhabi into a world-class tourism destination. David Savage, Managing
Director of the Al Habtoor Leighton Group, said the projects represent just
the start of a long-term relationship between Gulf Leighton and TDIC.
“Our relationship with TDIC is one of Al Habtoor Leighton’s most significant
partnerships, and will underwrite the company’s business in Abu Dhabi for the foreseeable future,” he
said. “TDIC is one of Abu Dhabi’s largest, most respected developers. These projects are just the start of a long-term relationship,
and we are delighted that it has selected us as its partner for its exciting development programme.
Habtoor grand in the heart of the palm
Dubai: The Al Habtoor Leighton Group is renowned for its tradition of fine
hotel hospitality, so it came as no surprise when Habtoor Hotels recently
announced its intentions to construct a new Habtoor Grand Hotel, Resort
and Spa at the heart of The Palm – Jumeirah. The new property will feature
217 spacious rooms and suites, 91 luxurious apartments and four exclusive
villas. It will also boast extensive conference and events facilities with stateof-the-art technology, a spa and gym, a shopping arcade and abundant
leisure facilities.
The project will additionally feature numerous themed and signature food and
beverage outlets, including a two-tier floating seafood restaurant and a rooftop fine dining restaurant.Commenting on
this new venture, Rahim Abu Omar, Chief Executive of Habtoor Hotels, said “We are proud to announce the development of this
property in one of the most coveted locations on the world map.
Keeping Doha in suspense
Qatar: The Qatar division of Al Habtoor Engineering has a lot to celebrate with the construction
of Al Faisal Tower. This architecturally-stunning commercial building, owned by Al Jazi Real Estate,
is currently underway in the Towers district of Al Dafna. When completed in 2010, the tower will
stand 227 metres high and feature 52 storeys. It will also have two levels of underground parking, a
ground floor, a single mezzanine level and a helipad. The total building area is over 65,500 m² with
a built-up footprint of 4,000 m².
The distinctive design of the building will make it a local landmark thanks to its truly unique shape
whereby the main body of the building looks as if it is suspended in the middle of a frame. This
distinguishing feature has caused a few challenges for Al Habtoor Engineering, as the top and
bottom of the suspended building require special attention for decking and cladding. Al Habtoor
Engineering is confident that the company is capable of rising to the challenge.
08
ISSUE NO. 27 – 2008
PROJECT UPDATES
Business is blooming at acacia avenue
Dubai: The Al Habtoor Leighton Group recently won a AED 700 million construction contract
at Dubai’s prestigious new Acacia Avenue development. Awarded by Abyaar Real Estate,
the contract entails the construction and maintenance of two residential towers, Hilliana
Tower and Olgana Tower. Both companies are eagerly anticipating the commencement
of the project. “This is our first project with Al Habtoor Engineering and it is part of our
commitment to our investors to deliver high-quality products,” said Dr. Abdul Elbilly, CEO of
Abyaar. “The Hilliana and Olgana projects are currently our most luxurious products and we
hope that our alliance with Al Habtoor Engineering will be on the long-term.”
The development occupies a prime position, just minutes from Dubai Media City, Dubai
Internet City and Knowledge Village. Jumeirah’s public beaches are a short stroll away,
and the extensive amenities of Madinat Jumeirah, Burj Al Arab and Mall of the Emirates
are also within walking distance.
Let the games begin
Abu Dhabi: Football fans across the UAE were cheering with delight last year when it was
announced that Al Jazira Club would be building two towers - one residential and one
commercial – at the North and East corners of the Abu Dhabi Club’s Mohammed Bin Zayed
Stadium. Some of the loudest cheers came from Al Habtoor Engineering, proud recipients of
the construction contract for the two 15-storey towers. Regardless, Al Habtoor Engineering has
assured Al Jazira Club that this particular match won’t go into extra time, and the project is well
on schedule.
The two towers feature a ground floor, mezzanine level and an additional 15 floors, and
together occupy a 2,200 m² plot of land. One of the two towers will be dedicated commercial
office space, while the other will comprise luxurious residential apartments. When the
buildings are finished, the lucky inhabitants will overlook the pitch, truly enjoying the best
seats in the house!
An alliance for excellence
Abu Dhabi: The Al Habtoor Leighton Group, through the Abu Dhabi division of Al Habtoor
Engineering, has entered into a record breaking alliance. The Group has been awarded an
AED 6.5 billion contract for the construction of a major mixed-use development in Abu
Dhabi, the biggest ever single project the Group has ever been awarded. The project has
been awarded by Tameer Holdings and will be carried out in joint venture with established
local contractors, Murray & Roberts and Al Rajhi.
The joint venture will deliver the project under an alliance structure with Tameer Holdings,
one of the first such alliances in the region. The project is currently known as Tameer Towers
and comprises four residential towers ranging in height from 11 to 40 floors. Al Habtoor
Engineering will also be responsible for the accompanying five-star business hotel and
adjacent office tower, featuring 74 levels. Work commences in September.
09
ASSOCIATED BUSINESS – AL HABTOOR STEEL FABRICATION DIVISION
A steely determination to succeed
The Al Habtoor Steel
Fabrication Division
was awarded a
significant amount of
work for Emaar’s Dubai
Mall – and ended up
impressing the client
so much that the
scope of work was
increased by 150%.
With its rapid growth – both in expertise
and financial turnover – the Al Habtoor
Steel Fabrication Division (AHS) has been
handling numerous prestigious and
large scale projects over the last couple
of years. As a result, Emaar selected AHS
to provide some structural steel work for
Dubai Mall. Once completed, Dubai Mall
is set to be the biggest shopping mall in
the Middle East, and has already been
described as a mall of epic proportions.
Located at Downtown Burj Dubai,
in the shadow of the world’s tallest
building, this mall occupies an extremely
prominent location, and is likely to attract
an incredible number of visitors when it
opens its door on 28th August 2008.
Initially, AHS was awarded a contract
to complete the project’s light boxes
and some miscellaneous metal work,
originally worth an estimated AED 10
million, increased to AED 15 million.
After impressing the main contractors
– CCC and Balfour Beatty – with their
performance and on-time delivery, AHS
Steel work at Dubai Mall
10
ISSUE NO. 27 – 2008
was awarded additional work worth
in excess of AED 25 million. AHS was
extremely proud to have been given
the opportunity to further demonstrate
their expertise. Dr. Raymond Ho,
General Manager of the Al Habtoor
Steel Fabrication Division, commented
“AHS was awarded the additional work
because of our high performance, our
commitment to the job and our ability to
deliver on time.”
Once appointed as the main steel
subcontractors, AHS was in charge of
providing the steel framework to the
mall’s grand entrance, Park Avenue, the
structural work of five car parks, the
entrance to the prestigious Gold Souk,
and the ESS building – home to the main
location of the company logo. AHS also
looked after part of the roof system in
conjunction with another subcontractor.
AHS expressed its commitment to the
project by dedicating their entire steel
fabrication team to the development.
The company is now estimating that the
job, started in September 2007, will be
finished this year.
ASSOCIATED BUSINESS – AL HABTOOR INTERIORS LLC
Its all about quality and
attention to detail
Behind the scenes at Business
Bay’s Executive Towers with
Al Habtoor Interiors
Every day we walk or drive past
developments which are reaching higher
and higher into the sky. People are
astounded at the pace of construction
in the region, but often forget that this
dizzying speed of external development
is being matched on the inside by a team
of expert interior designers.
Al Habtoor Interiors is currently
managing an immense task in the form
of eleven buildings at Executive Towers
in Dubai’s Business Bay. This flagship
project has been in the pipeline for quite
some time, as AHI was commissioned as
the development began to take shape
at the end of 2006. AHI is looking after
the fitted wardrobes, integrated kitchens
and window sills across the entire
development. With 2,192 kitchens, 4,639
wardrobes and a staggering 19,000 linear
metres of window sills to contend with,
AHI Project Manager Hassan Chediak
has got his work cut out. “It’s certainly a
big project, and there have been some
challenging moments, such as when
the shop drawings and materials were
unexpectedly changed. But we’ve got
an excellent team in our workshop and
they were able to accommodate these
amends without problem,” smiles Hassan.
Each item mass produced in AHI’s
workshop conforms to a specific design.
But that does not mean they are all
identical, says Hassan. In fact there are
an almost inconceivable 46 types of
wardrobe and 64 types of kitchen. Each
of the numerous designs benefits from
the utmost attention to detail. “We only
work with quality wood to make sure the
client has the best possible finish,” Hassan
states. “The wardrobes and wooden
kitchen fittings are all made from walnut
laminate, sourced from Mediterranean
regions such as Spain and Italy. ”
With eleven towers rising simultaneously,
AHI GM Basel Ahmad commends the
timely completion of the project despite
An open kitchen and wardrobes
built by AHI at Business Bay
the sophisticated logistical approach
required. Almost 350 AHI employees
work at the development, ensuring the
Executive Towers are on track for their
July 2008 completion date. In addition
to Hassan, there are five further project
management staff, five foremen, 14
chargehands, and the remainder is made
up of skilled carpenters and labourers.
AHI is currently handing over three
floors every week on each of the towers.
Production is complete and the team
is now concentrating on installation –
which starts at the bottom of each tower
and works its way upwards – and very
soon, handover.
1121
ASSOCIATED BUSINESS – AL HABTOOR PLANT AND MACHINERY
The sand
blasting
room
If you have ever been
caught in a Shamal
wind, spare a thought
for employees of
the Al Habtoor
Leighton Group’s
Plant & Machinery
division for whom
sandblasting is a daily
occurrence.
12
ISSUE NO. 27 – 2008
Sandblasting is a generic term for the
process of smoothing, shaping and
cleaning a hard surface, by forcing a
mixture of compressed air and solid
particles across it. The effect is similar to
that of using sandpaper, but provides a
smoother finish that extends to corners
where sandpaper would be almost
impossible to apply. Al Habtoor Plant &
Machinery has a dedicated sandblasting
room to keep the Group’s machinery in
perfect working order.
Over time, many of the tools or machines
used in construction become coated
with a layer of concrete which is
extremely difficult to remove.
The concrete build-up affects the
efficiency of the machine and hence
the sandblasting room is used to strip
away this layer. The sandblasting room
is also useful for cleaning machinery
prior to repainting, and enables large
items such as JCBs to be easily stripped
of old or peeling paint. A sandblasting
room historically used uniformly sized
particles of sand to blast clean an item,
but Al Habtoor Plant & Machinery today
uses metal particles instead. This mixture
can be reused as many as 100 times.
Sandblasting must be performed in a
controlled environment, which is why
Al Habtoor Plant & Machinery has a
dedicated sandblasting room.
The sandblasting room must be
completely sealed when in operation
to prevent any metal particles escaping.
Workers must wear protective clothing,
and use special breathing apparatus.
All Sandblasting Room operatives of
the Al Habtoor Leighton Group have
been issued with special safety outfits
that are equipped with innovative ‘air
conditioning’ functionality.
This keeps the internal temperature of
the suit at 23 degrees Celsius, which
provides a protective shield from the
heat being produced in the sandblasting
room.
ASSOCIATED BUSINESS – AL HABTOOR STFA SOIL GROUP
Building the foundation of the
Dubai Pearl
The Al Habtoor STFA Soil Group, or HSSG,
has recently been awarded a contract
for one of Dubai’s most prestigious
ventures –Dubai Pearl. This enormous
development is situated at the foot of
The Palm – Jumeirah, and is yet another
of Dubai’s awe-inspiring real estate
projects.
Bordered by Dubai Media City and
Knowledge Village, Dubai Pearl is in an
enviable location, just seconds from the
beach and affording superb, panoramic
views of The Palm – Jumeirah. When
complete, Dubai Pearl will be home
to six five-star hotels, a retail mall
measuring over one million square feet,
a performing arts theatre which will seat
over 1,500 visitors per show, an array of
luxury commercial space, and a wide
choice of residential options, including
sky villas and penthouses. The size of this
development is impressive, with four 67-
storey towers and a cluster of 25 ten-floor
buildings, plus a central podium.
Dubai Pearl project will have up to seven
piling sites working in tandem.
The remarkable nature of the project
is matched only by the sheer scale of
the work required to be completed
by HSSG. Almost certainly one of the
largest enabling and piling contracts ever
executed in the Middle East, the area
involved spans in excess of 15,000,000 ft².
The contract scope consists of the piling
and enabling works, which includes but is not restricted to - piling, shoring,
excavation, dewatering and pile head
breaking.
As you would expect from such a
large project, there are some dizzying
numbers involved. The total volume of
excavation is 1,500,000 m³, the shoring
stretches a full 1.5 km, and there will be
a total of 4,487 piles with lengths varying
from 20-45 metres.
Furthermore, HSSG has committed to a
challenging schedule, which allows just
285 days for delivery. To hit this delivery
date, peak times will see 15 piling rigs
working at a time. Considering that most
piling sites usually feature an average
of two or three rigs, this means that the
HSSG is understandably extremely
excited about undertaking such a
challenging project, and is proud to
have been selected for the job by Pearl
Dubai FZE, a consortium led by the Abu
Dhabi based Al Fahim Group. Project
Management is courtesy of PMDC
and the lead consultant is Meinhardt
of Australia, in conjunction with local
consultant MEECON.
The Al Habtoor
STFA Soil Group
is the Al Habtoor
Leighton Group’s
specialist piling and
excavation division.
This company is
responsible – literally
– for building the
foundations of the
UAE’s construction
boom.
HSSG working on the Dubai Pearl project
13
ASSOCIATED BUSINESS – AL HABTOOR SPECON LLC
Al Habtoor
Specon makes
its mark
Our turnkey MEP
services contracting
partnership goes from
strength to strength,
winning the Kempinski
Hotel on The Palm
– Jumeirah, and a
residential development
for Abyaar Properties.
Pier 8 Residential Development at
Dubai Marina for Abyaar Properties
In the last issue of Akhbar Al Dar, we
announced that Al Habtoor Specon had
been awarded the MEP contract for the
residential phase of the Emerald Palace,
located at The Palm – Jumeirah.
and underground drainage, as well
as containment of hotel specialised
systems. As with The Residences, chilled
water will be provided by The Palm
District Cooling system.
Al Habtoor Specon has subsequently
been awarded the MEP works for
the second phase, which is for the
new six-storey Kempinski Hotel. A
deluxe property on one of the most
prestigious locations on The Palm –
Jumeirah, the value of the Kempinski
Hotel project is expected to be in the
region of US$ 40 million. The MEP
scope of work includes the supply,
installation, testing and commissioning
of building services including HVAC,
the building management system,
electrical installation works, standby
diesel generators, indoor lighting, fire
detection and fire alarms, and plumbing
The challenge of this project – as with
The Residences – is that the entire
construction is planned on a critical
path with interim milestone completion
dates and an overall completion set for
September 2009, only one month after
The Residences. Al Habtoor Specon has
also been awarded a US$ 20 million
contract from Abyaar Properties to
execute the MEP works for the Pier
8 Residential Development at Dubai
Marina. The 41-storey building has a
rapid turnaround of just 15 months, with
a completion date set at August 2009 – a
very tight timeframe which has been
escalated due to the replacement of the
14
ISSUE NO. 27 – 2008
previous MEP sub-contractor with
Al Habtoor Specon.
Abyaar Properties is a very prestigious
and well established group in the
Middle East and Al Habtoor Specon’s
direct involvement with the client
constitutes the beginning of a longterm and extremely fruitful business
relationship. These recent developments,
coupled with the imminent successful
completion of some of the existing
projects, are fast catapulting Al Habtoor
Specon into becoming one of the
dominant MEP players in the region.
Over the next two to three years the
company intends to double its workforce
from its current 2,500 employees,
cementing its position as a leading MEP
contractor.
ASSOCIATED BUSINESS – THIESS SERVICES MIDDLE EAST
Presenting
thiess services
The recent merger
between Al Habtoor
and Leighton has
resulted in the
appearance of a
number of new
divisions: meet Thiess
Services Middle East.
Thiess Services Middle East is a joint
venture company between Al Habtoor
Engineering Enterprises and Thiess
Services Pty Limited, an Australian
company that is part of the Leighton
Holdings Group.
Thiess Services Middle East brings
together the strength of the Al Habtoor
Leighton Group, one of the region’s
leading construction and engineering
companies, with Thiess Services, one
of Australia’s most versatile, innovative
and diverse environmental, facilities and
utilities contracting organisations.
The company was founded in February
of this year, and is part of the Al
Habtoor Leighton Group’s Associated
Businesses. Headquartered in Dubai,
UAE, it specialises in waste management,
facilities and utilities management,
contaminated site remediation, industrial
and transport infrastructure maintenance
and telecommunications infrastructure.
Thiess Services Middle East aims to
provide a ‘one-stop shop’ solution, taking
responsibility for multi-disciplinary
works, and integrating them to operate
and maintain our clients assets with
maximum efficiency. These include
managing the various environmental,
health and safety compliance
requirements which may impact on a
project.
The company is currently providing a
range of facilities management services
to Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Development
Investment Company (TDIC) through
TDIC Leighton. As part of this work,
the company is undertaking audits
of existing TDIC assets, reviewing the
design of new developments from an
FM perspective and providing facilities
management services. In the waste
management sector, Thiess Services
Middle East is actively pursuing a
number of large projects with clients
across the region, and has successfully
pre-qualified for a number of waste
management and contaminated land
remediation projects.
Thiess Services Middle East’s mission is
to establish a sustainable and profitable
business focused on safely delivering
long-term operations and maintenance
contracts to the rapidly developing
markets in the Middle East, with
particular emphasis on Dubai and
Abu Dhabi.
Utilising the experience and systems
gained from projects in Australia - and
combined with the extensive local
knowledge of the Al Habtoor Leighton
Group – Thiess Services Middle East
is well placed to successfully grow its
operations in the future.
15
CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT
David Savage makes a presentation at the Annual
Leadership Summit, while the panel looks on
Leading our future
Thursday 26th June, 2008 was a busy day for the Al Habtoor
Leighton Group, as the first Annual Leadership Summit took
place at the Grand Millennium Hotel Dubai in Al Barsha. Around
one hundred of the Al Habtoor Leighton Group’s business
leaders assembled early in the morning for a full day of speeches,
presentations, workshops and seminars.
16
ISSUE NO. 27 – 2008
After a continental breakfast and plenty
of piping hot coffee, the delegates took
their seats in the spacious conference
centre. Corporate Commercial Manager,
Crawford Dunn, opened proceedings
and welcomed Group Chairman Riad T.
Sadik to the podium, who introduced the
event with a discussion regarding the
importance of strong leadership.
After Mr. Sadik’s words, Managing
Director David Savage took to the stage
and delivered a passionate speech.
Further introducing the purpose of the
event, he asked each leader to share the
lessons learned from the day and to pass
the message along to the Group’s 30,000
members of staff. Charting the Group’s
progress, Mr. Savage revealed that the
Group had almost doubled its ‘work in
hand’ over the last few months, from AED
12 billion to a staggering AED 23 billion.
This achievement means that the Group
is currently ranked as the 89th largest
contractor in the world. If the growth
trend continues, then there is a strong
likelihood that by 2010 the Group could
rise to be the 28th largest contractor in
the world, a challenging but possible
feat. Staff projections show that to
achieve this feat the Group would need
over 82,000 members of staff, including
labour. As a result, the Group is actively
incorporating a series of strategies to
manage this phenomenal growth.
Mr. Savage outlined a number of key
challenges the Group faces – mainly
the sourcing of manpower – and
assured the assembly that the outlook
is extremely positive, which translates
into tremendous opportunities for the
Group’s personnel.
Everyone here is
a member of one
family. There are no
Leighton guys, no
Habtoor people; we
are a new family and
must work together.
– Mr. Riad T. Sadik
Next up on the podium was the Group’s
Business Development Manager, Richard
Corish. He introduced 12 projects that
have recently been awarded to different
sectors of the Group, including the
vast Tameer Towers development. This
project has been awarded as part of a
Attendees listening to the panels presentation
17
Do I think the first
Leadership Summit
is a success? Just
listen to the noise in
here – I think today
has sparked plenty of
discussion!
– Mr. David Savage
joint venture with Murray Roberts, and is
almost certainly the biggest single award
that the Group has ever had. Mr. Corish
also discussed new projects that are in
the pipeline for the Group, including
developments for Nakheel and Bawadi.
sparked plenty of inter-group discussions
– Nigel Poole stepped up to the podium.
As the Deputy Managing Director of
the Al Habtoor Leighton Group, he
introduced a workshop that would
involve the audience.
Mr. Corish’s speech was followed by
project presentations from some of the
Group’s companies. David Sharpe, Project
Manager for TDIC-Leighton,
took the audience through the details
of the Saadiyat Island project, which is
currently underway in Abu Dhabi.
Entitled ‘Working Together’, the session
revolved around the Group’s five guiding
principles: Leadership, Accountability,
Recognition & Reward, Communication,
and Developing Our People.
He discussed some of the challenges
the development faced, and, crucially,
how using internal resources from the
other Group companies was able to
help TDIC-Leighton fast track the project.
Mr. Sharpe was followed by Mahmoud
Ghandour, who demonstrated the
process required to build a project
like the under-construction JAFZA
Convention Centre.
After a coffee break – where the noise
levels indicated that the day had
Five business leaders each took one
of the principles and held miniworkshops around the conference
room, discussing what each principle
meant to each team, any issues that
the team raised, and possible solutions
available.
Mr. Poole was in charge of Accountability,
and the other four leaders looked
after Leadership (Nasr Nasr),
Recognition & Reward (Graeme Dunn),
Communication (David Leonard)
and Developing Our People
(Hassan Bazzi).
After the workshops, the team leaders
took to the stage and summed up the
key learnings gained from each session.
The overall comment was that the
sessions had provided some very clear
insights into the business, and – most
importantly – a variety of suggestions
as to how to make improvements.
The aim of the day had been clearly
achieved, as the Leadership Summit
was intended to foster two-way
communication amongst the Group.
Judged as a success by all that attended,
the Leadership Summit will grow into
an annual event that will undoubtedly
become a valuable business tool for
the Group.
The African drumming got everyone in the mood for an afternoon of fun
18
ISSUE NO. 27 – 2008
Leadership in the workplace
Nigel Poole chairing a group discussion on Accountability
Leadership is an issue that continues
to be a topic of discussion in the Al
Habtoor Leighton Group. Research
across a range of industries indicates that
effective leadership, at all levels of the
organisation, can contribute between
10-15% to bottom line performance.
Better decision-making, optimising use
of resources, and maximising motivation,
are just some of the benefits of effective
leadership.
Given the importance of leadership
for driving bottom line results, Senior
Leaders from across the Al Habtoor
Leighton Group have established a set of
principles about how we work together.
These principles highlight how working
relationships provide the foundation for
our future.
To support these principles, a series of
new development programmes, focused
on enhancing leadership capacity and
performance, will be rolled out across the
business. The programmes are based on
information gained through a businesswide training requirements analysis, as
well as interviews with Senior Project
Managers. The first of these programmes
will be held shortly in Abu Dhabi and
Qatar.
The programme will build leadership
capability and performance across the
business by providing participants with
feedback on their leadership strengths
and development opportunities, as well
as providing practical tools and guidance
for building effective teams.
Central to the leadership programme
is the Al Habtoor Leighton Group
Leadership Framework. This framework
describes the key behaviours and skills
that are required for effective leadership
at different levels in the organisation.
Awareness that different levels of
leadership require different skills and
values provides guidance for structuring
development activities, enabling
smoother transitions from one level of
management to another.
The programme emphasises the
importance of adapting leadership
behaviours to different situations, and
the benefits derived from the effective
coaching and performance management
of employees. Participants also take part
in a ‘360° leadership survey’, which will
provide feedback from their manager,
peers and direct reports.
Transferring learning back into the
workplace is the most important
component of the programme. Research
into adult learning indicates that learning
is most effective while on the job, not
in a classroom. The learning philosophy
encourages participants to view work
as development assignments, not “work
to be done”. Participants will identify a
development plan targeted at trying
new behaviours and approaches in the
work place. Individual achievements
and changes will be reviewed a few
months after course completion. Based
on nominations provided by Senior
Business Managers, this leadership
programme will also be rolled out across
the Al Habtoor Leighton Group over the
coming months.
19
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
The presentation panel consisting of representatives
of each of the Associated Businesses
Our Associated
Businesses
July saw the launch of
the first ever Roadshow
for the Al Habtoor
Leighton Group. It was
a road show to promote
our Associated
Businesses to everyone
involved. Akhbar Al Dar
goes in depth on the
Roadshows, and takes
a look at the
proceedings and their
outcomes.
20
ISSUE NO. 27 – 2008
“Stop profits from leaking out of the
system”
The Road show was held to highlight the
value of using our Associated Businesses,
and in turn to generate internal business.
As part of the Al Habtoor Leighton
Group, these businesses have the ability
to support various construction sites in
the company.
The panel was chaired by Paul Watson,
General Manager, Associated Businesses
Manager of Associated Businesses for
the Al Habtoor Leighton Group. They
were planned as a series of events,
so that a majority of the company’s
decision makers were invited, including
location heads, project directors, project
managers, and etc.
Yet their potential is not completely or
fully utilised. In order for HLG to reach its
full potential as a company, its internal
assets need to be maximised. Value
addition, increased profits, improved
planning processes and upgraded quality
are just some of the benefits that can be
accrued.
Day 1: The first day of the Road show
was held at the Millennium Hotel, Dubai,
and was specifically for participants
from Dubai. The evening began with
an introduction by Paul Watson. He
was focused on the concept of the
Roadshow, and explained its significance.
He presented a business – flow model,
showing how our Associated Businesses
could be maximised.
Getting the show on the road
The Roadshows were organised by the
Corporate Affairs Department, at the
request of Paul Watson, the General
This was followed by presentations
made by the General Managers of
each business. The presentations were
followed by discussions and questions
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
from the audience. Serious business
matters came out, and people expressed
their true opinions.
Day 4: The fourth and final Road show
was held in Doha Qatar, at the stunningly
beautiful Al Sharq Hotel and Spa.
The atmosphere was one in which free
discussion was encouraged, and no
one was silenced from making their
point, no matter how direct or critical
(of a company) it was. Past experiences
came to light, as part of the animated,
yet civilised discussion. It was indeed
excellent to have such a discussion in
the open, where each business spoke for
itself and for its other associates.
Qatar is a new and yet unexplored
market for many of our Associated
Businesses, so it was interesting to see
the discussions that prevailed. It did
however prove to be a huge success,
as many people were unaware of the
services and products offered by the
various Associated Businesses.
These discussions were the main focus of
the Road show, and were very effective
at pinpointing actual problems that had
come up in the past, so that they may
be dealt with effectively in the future.
Paul concluded the discussions with a
summary of what had preceded, and
everyone was invited for dinner at the
Atrium.
Days 2 & 3: Following the success
in Dubai, the next two days of the
Roadshow were held in Abu Dhabi.
These events also attracted a number of
comments and questions, which were
discussed and thrashed out formally.
Attendees included employees of both
Al Habtoor Engineering and Leighton
International.
The outcome:
With large contracts and portions of
work having been generated from them,
the results of the Road show have been
truly amazing. Several of our Associated
Businesses announced new projects and
offers that they have received, which
were a direct result of the contacts made
at the Road show.
The Roadshow Schedule:
24th July:
Dubai – Millennium Hotel
26th July:
Abu Dhabi – Radisson Hotel
27th July:
Abu Dhabi – Millennium Hotel
29th July:
Doha – Al Sharq Hotel
Participants in the Roadshow:
Al Habtoor Interiors LLC
Al Habtoor Steel Fabrication
Division
Al Habtoor SPECON LLC
Al Habtoor STFA Soil Group LLC
Thiess Services Middle East
Al Habtoor Plant & Machinery
Ejar Cranes & Equipment LLC
According to Paul Watson, “The
Roadshow was by all standards a total
success, and allowed the objective
to be met by organizing a strategic
presentation of our Associated
Businesses to the operational staff of the
Al Habtoor Leighton Group”. Based on
its success, a follow-up is planned in the
near future.
A lively discussion was sparked among the attendees and presenters
21
UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL
The flexible life of an
area engineering manager
Akhbar Al Dar recently
interviewed Dubai
Area Engineering
Manager,
Dr. Nabil Izzat
Chahoud. As one
of the Al Habtoor
Leighton Group’s
longest serving
employees,
Dr. Nabil told us a few
interesting stories
about ‘back in the day’,
when Akhbar Al Dar
was just a twinkle in
the editor’s eye.
AAD: Dr. Nabil, we’ll start with a little
personal history, if we may.
Where were you born?
Dr. Nabil: [Laughs] Well, this question
is easy enough to answer – I was born
in Syria, in a city called Tartous. It’s on
the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean,
not far from Cyprus, and has a beautiful
climate.
AAD: Did you study in Syria?
Dr. Nabil: No, I left Syria in 1979 and
went to study in Bucharest, Romania.
I did my masters degree in Structural
Engineering, and completed my PhD in
the design of high rise buildings within
high intensity zones. We specifically
looked at the structural elements
needed to allow buildings to withstand
earthquakes of up to magnitude nine on
the Richter scale. Bucharest has a vested
interest in researching earthquake proof
buildings, as the city was ravaged by a
7.4 magnitude earthquake in 1977.
AAD: What was your first job after
graduating?
Dr. Nabil: I left University in 1989, and
spent a couple of years in Syria working
on a number of projects for local
construction firms. We mainly looked
after villas and other small developments.
I had met my wife, Maria, while studying
in Romania and in 1991 we relocated to
the UAE, where I accepted a position as a
Consultant. I still remember the date we
arrived – 8th November 1991.
22
ISSUE NO. 27 – 2008
AAD: Is your wife Maria Romanian?
Dr. Nabil: Yes, she is. We have three
children and we have given them both
Arabic and Romanian names to mark
their dual heritage. The eldest is our 19
year-old son, Izzat His Romanian name
is Laurencio, but we call him Azo. He is
studying Structural Engineering at the
University of Sharjah, so who knows,
in a few years time you might be sitting
here interviewing him instead of me!
We also have two daughters, 17 yearold Chaza – or Christina – who is in the
twelfth Grade, and Rim, also known
as Ramona. She is ten years-old and is
currently in Grade five.
AAD: When you moved to Dubai, did
you work for Al Habtoor Engineering
straight away?
Dr. Nabil: No, I was working for another
company, but I worked in tandem
with Al Habtoor Engineering from the
day I arrived. I was consulting on the
construction of Sheikh Zayed Road’s
Crowne Plaza hotel, which was being
constructed by Al Habtoor Engineering.
It was their first high rise building, so I
was very heavily involved. Dubai was
a very different place then - with the
exception of the Trade Centre, there were
very few high rise towers on the skyline.
I also looked after the construction of
88 villas in a compound near what is
now Interchange Four of Sheikh Zayed
Road. You can’t see them from the
road any more but back in those days
they were a landmark on a very empty
stretch of highway. Additionally, I worked
on the Metropolitan Palace Hotel on
Al Maktoum Street in Deira, and the Al
Reemal building – the first prefabricated
building to be built in Dubai. It was a
series of concrete slabs and walls which
we simply erected in place, and we were
able to put it together incredibly quickly.
AAD: When did you join Al Habtoor
Engineering?
Dr. Nabil: I officially began working with
them on 20th June 1995, when I was
invited to take a position as Engineering
Manager. Since then I have worked
on many projects for the company,
including Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Burj Al
Arab, the Dusit, and the Shangri-La.
I also managed the construction of
Dubai Airport Free Zone (DAFZA), eight
towers in Jumeirah Beach Residence,
twelve towers in Business Bay, oversaw
a number of projects in Qatar, and most
recently, have been working in Abu
Dhabi on the Feature Tower.
AAD: What makes it your favourite?
Dr. Nabil: Well, in many respects it
was actually the most difficult of all the
projects I have been involved with. I
had just joined Al Habtoor Engineering
and insisted on the introduction of
AutoCAD software in my department. It
is a programme that we take for granted
today, but back in 1995 it had never been
used by a contractor before in the UAE,
or even the wider Gulf region.
As a result, many of the people on the
team had no experience with it, so there
was a steep learning curve to negotiate.
In addition, W.S. Atkins - consultants
for the development - was extremely
strict, and we literally had no margin for
error. If a drawing, or a measurement, or
anything at all was even a fraction of a
millimetre out, then they would reject
the entire drawing outright.
At the time it was incredibly frustrating
but W.S. Atkins’ attention to detail
ensured a fantastic end result and taught
the entire team a great deal. It sounds
like it was very hard work. It was, but
that’s what ultimately makes the results
so satisfying. I remember sitting on site at
4am with the entire team, finalising plans
for a concrete pour which was due to
happen at 7am. For the first two or three
months, none of us had any sleep. But I
only have to look at the building now to
know it was all worth it. It was only the
third tower that Al Habtoor Engineering
had built, and it really helped pave the
way for the success the company is
witnessing today.
AAD: So, after 13 years with Al
Habtoor Engineering, you must have
a favourite building?
Dr. Nabil: [Laughs] That’s like asking
me to choose my favourite child! That’s
a tough question and a hard decision
to make; all of the buildings are like my
babies! I suppose if I had to choose,
it would be the first project I worked
on, the Jumeirah Beach Hotel. It was a
replacement for the Chicago Beach Hotel
and construction began in February
1995. I began working on the project
on my very first day with Al Habtoor
Engineering.
23
After 13 years with Al
Habtoor Engineering,
you must have a
favourite building?
That’s like asking me
to choose my favourite
child! That’s a tough
question and a hard
decision to make; all of
the buildings are like my
babies! I suppose if I had
to choose, it would be
the first project I worked
on, the Jumeirah Beach
Hotel.
L to R: Christina, Maria, Ramona, Dr. Nabil and Laurencio
24
ISSUE NO. 27 – 2008
AAD: What projects are you working
on currently?
Dr. Nabil: Well, as you can see, we are on
site at the Feature Tower in Abu Dhabi. I
have been brought on board this project
due to my specific knowledge regarding
complex structural designs. The Feature
Tower is a unique building – it has a
striking ‘twist’ half way up the steel
structure.
This results in an extraordinary and
eye-catching design, but it also
means it requires expert construction
management, as the drawings are
extremely hard to produce.
I have been working in Abu Dhabi for
about three months now, and I am very
close to having successfully dealt with all
the problems I came here to solve.
AAD: Is working in Abu Dhabi any
different to working in Dubai?
Dr. Nabil: Not really. Many of the
team are also usually based in Dubai
and Al Habtoor Engineering has the
same working practices wherever the
project may be located. But the traffic is
noticeably better, so there is less stress for
us. I live in Sharjah and getting to Dubai
can be an issue during rush hour. Having
said that, there was a big improvement
when Salik was introduced, so it is not as
bad as it used to be.
AAD: Do you commute from Dubai?
Dr. Nabil: No, I am staying in a hotel for
now. I will not be on the project long
enough for me to relocate, plus my
family need to be in Sharjah for school
and university. So at the moment I am in
Abu Dhabi during the week, and then at
home with my family on weekends.
AAD: You have seen many changes in
your time here. What would you say
was the biggest?
Dr. Nabil: [Winking] That’s easy. Last
time I was interviewed for Akhbar Al Dar
in 1999, it was a photocopied, double
sided A4 piece of paper. Now look at the
scope of it. That’s what I call progress!
SAFETY
David McCarthy with the safety team on the Jebel Ali Convention Centre project
Safety
matters
Akhbar Al Dar
recently donned
a hard hat and
met with David
McCarthy, Project
Safety Manager at
the site of the new
Jebel Ali Convention
Centre complex.
The Al Habtoor Leighton Group recently
signed a US$ 517 million deal with Jebel
Ali Free Zone Authority (JAFZA) to build
their Convention Centre complex. The
Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority complex is
located on Sheikh Zayed Road, and will
comprise of an office complex with a
twin-tower commercial building housing
1,274 offices, a food court, and a 322room hotel, all spread over an area of
72,700 square metres.
We met with David McCarthy, Project
Safety Manager at site 611, and he told
us how he was keeping safety high on
the agenda during the tight timelines of
construction. “Our Safety team comprises
a reasonable mix of experience and
youth, and has now settled in to support
each other. Moulding the strengths of
different nationalities into one team
has been an important step, but I am
enjoying the challenges.”
“On a typical construction site anywhere
in the world, the site engineers wait
until the safety officers are not looking
and then try to push things through.
The safety officers then catch them out
and the shouting match begins,” laughs
David.But as David knows only too well,
safety is not a laughing matter. “We know
that we will always get our way, and
that safety will prevail, but we feel that
arguing is not productive, so we have
employed a different approach.”
David and his team have put together a
series of strategies in order to ensure the
project is completed safely. “Each day the
Team Leader from the safety team meets
with the engineers from each particular
zone and discusses what the programme
is for the day. This way safety can help
set up the work area for the work to
be carried out in a safe and efficient
manner. What has happened is that the
construction guys have seen that safety
- used sensibly – can actually improve
production.”
The success of this strategy has now
resulted in a proactive approach
to safety, according to David. The
construction team have taken onboard
the importance of safety, and now
regularly come to the safety officers
asking for help to solve an issue before
starting work. Both groups are now
starting to respect each other’s abilities,
and with a little help, this process of
combining these skills will lead to
the next stage- the combining of
Work Method Statements with Risk
Assessments to produce a Safe Work
Method Statement.
25
SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainability in the
Middle East
As part of a continued
initiative towards
sustainable and
green buildings, the
Al Habtoor Leighton
Group participated
in Construction
Week’s ‘Building
Sustainability into
the Middle East’
conference as an
Event Partner.
The Jumeirah Beach Hotel was the venue
for a conference in May, which was
organised by regional industry magazine,
Construction Week. Entitled ‘Building
Sustainability into the Middle East’, the
conference focused on the importance
of sustainable building practices in the
region and highlighted some of the
projects which have employed these
techniques. The conference organisers
had invited several industry experts
to speak at the event, and delegates
were invited to attend discussions
between a number of panel members,
each renowned as an authority on
the subject. Senior management from
sustainable construction companies
were also in attendance, and a lively and
beneficial debate ensued.The Al Habtoor
Leighton Group has been focused on
the importance of sustainability for a
significant period of time, and displayed
an exhibition stand at the conference
to enable delegates to find out more
about the Group’s sustainable practices.
A number of senior delegates from
the Group attended the conference,
providing a great opportunity for HLG
attendees to network with like-minded
others in the industry.
The morning gave rise to a number
of presentations, including a notable
26
ISSUE NO. 27 – 2008
speech by leading architect, Hazel Wong.
An alumnus of MIT, Wong discussed
aesthetics for sustainable design, and
highlighted several completed projects
that have effectively incorporated
sustainability. She also argued the point
that while iconic architecture does have
a place, Dubai should look to creating
more sustainable buildings throughout
the emirate. “Dubai is too focused on
individual buildings and projects,” she
stated. “That’s very dangerous. We need
to do things in context.”Her views were
echoed by Dr. Sadek Owainati, founder
and chairman of the Emirates Green
Building Council. “Icons put us on the
map, but we really need to develop the
rest of the cities,” he said.
In the afternoon, the delegates were
taken through a presentation about
the new Head Office of the Al Habtoor
Leighton Group, one of the first Platinum
LEED Certified buildings in the region.
The Group’s new ‘green’ headquarters
- located in Jumeirah Village, Dubai - is
aiming for Platinum rating as a further
proof of the Group’s commitment to
sustainability and environmental factors.
The construction of the new G+19
headquarters is already underway and
plans to cater for 1,500 employees by the
end of 2009.
QUALITY
Quality control
Al Habtoor Engineering
Enterprises Training
School introduces
ISO 9001:2000 quality
awareness seminars.
Quality is paramount when it comes to
the construction industry. As a result,
the Al Habtoor Engineering Enterprises
Training School (HEETS) has recently
implemented a series of seminars to raise
awareness of the importance of quality,
and in particular, of ISO 9001:2000.
ISO 9001:2000 is a quality management
system that is intended for use in any
organisation that designs, develops,
manufactures, installs, or services any
product, or provides any form of service.
It provides a number of requirements
that an organisation needs to fulfil if
it is to achieve customer satisfaction
through consistent products and
services. Companies are taught a set of
procedures that cover all key business
processes, such as monitoring processes
to ensure they are effective, keeping
adequate records, checking output for
defects, reviewing individual processes
and the quality system itself for
effectiveness, and facilitating continual
improvement.
Many of the Al Habtoor Leighton
Group’s companies already have
ISO accreditation, and HEETS has
been providing additional quality
management system training. Walid
Kharbat, Projects QA/QC Manager,
conducted two awareness seminars in
April and May this year. These seminars
are vital to ensuring that the delegates
understand the purpose of a quality
management system.
Twenty-two QA/QC Managers and QA/
QC Engineers attended the full day
seminars, in which they learnt the basic
concepts and associated vocabulary of
the quality management system, the
eight management system principles,
the benefits of establishing the quality
management system in accordance
with ISO 9001-2000, and the purpose,
contents and interrelationships of the
ISO 9001:2000 series. They also spent
time discussing the requirements of
ISO 9001:2000, and how to conduct a
successful audit.
In order to relate what the delegates
were learning to actual situations, Walid
provided specific examples as to how
the Al Habtoor Leighton Group has
implemented the ISO 9001:2000 system.
Each of the 22 staff members now
possesses an in-depth understanding
of the elements required to successfully
implement a Quality Management
System across the company’s
departments and sites.
Walid Kharbat conducting a two day awareness seminar on ISO 9001:2000
27
SEMINARS AND EXHIBITIONS
Promoting a national
recruitment
drive
The Al Habtoor Leighton
Group recently participated
in Careers UAE 08, a career fair
aimed at attracting talented
UAE Nationals into private
sector employment.
The HLG stand at the Career Fair
April saw a hive of activity in the Al Habtoor Leighton Group
as it participated in its first ever Careers UAE exhibition.
Held at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition
Centre between 15th and 17th April 2008, the 8th annual
Careers UAE exhibition was organised by the Dubai World
Trade Centre, in conjunction with TANMIA, Emirates Nationals
Development Programme, Higher Colleges of Technology,
Zayed University and UAE University.
As a high-calibre event which enables talented UAE nationals –
in all fields – to meet directly with recruiters, Careers UAE
was the perfect place for the Al Habtoor Leighton Group
to participate in its first local employment fair. The Group has
been present for the last three years on the Al Habtoor Group
stand, under the banner of HEE.
The Group’s eye-catching blue and yellow stand was located in
Zabeel Hall, and attracted a large number of visitors. Career Fair
attendees were extremely keen to meet employees and obtain
general company information whilst learning about training,
career opportunities, or networking possibilities.
Many of the visitors to the HLG stand applied for job positions
or internships – application forms were freely available at the
front desk.
HLG employees from the HR Department and Corporate Affairs
Department provided handouts and explained more about
the nature of the company.
Top: H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum passes by the HLG stand
Bottom: Representatives of HLG and Al Habtoor Group
28
ISSUE NO. 27 – 2008
They also talked people through the specific roles on offer,
of which civil engineering, interior design and administration
were the most popular.
SEMINARS AND EXHIBITIONS
Taking part in
towertech
March saw a flurry of
exhibition activity in
Qatar as Al Habtoor
Engineering Qatar
took Platinum
Sponsorship of the
Qatar TowerTech
Exhibition.
Qatar is a vital market for the
Al Habtoor Leighton Group, and so
Al Habtoor Engineering Qatar was
delighted to participate in the Qatar
TowerTech exhibition. TowerTech
was held at Doha’s brand new Qatar
International Exhibition Centre, during
the 25-28th of March 2008. Organised
by the Economic Group, TowerTech is a
leading international trade fair for tower
building and furnishing technologies.
The fair presents products, services,
technologies, innovations, and trends
for trade markets, and provides an
international meeting place for the
building and construction industry.
As the Platinum Sponsor of the
exhibition, Al Habtoor Engineering Qatar
also had the largest and most
impressive stand at the show. At the
centre of the highly-visible stand was
a scale model of the Doha City Centre
project, which is currently underway in
the capital city.
It attracted a great deal of attention
from visitors, and Al Habtoor Engineering
Qatar representatives on the stand were
inundated with enquiries about both
the company, and our Qatari and other
Gulf projects. As a growing market for
Al Habtoor Engineering, the company
is looking forward to having an even
stronger presence at the next TowerTech
Exhibition.
29
IN CONVERSATION WITH
Engineering progress
with eihab
Akhbar Al Dar talks to
Eihab Kamal Hussein,
a Jordanian Project
Engineer at the Iris Bay
site in Dubai. Eihab
has just completed his
fourth year with HEE
and has seen many
changes on the Dubai
horizon.
In 2004, Eihab Kamal Hussein was sitting
with friends, laughing and chatting
together.
One of them thrust a newspaper under
his nose and joked “You used to work in
Saudi, why don’t you try Dubai?” Eihab
looked at the recruitment advert his
friend was pointing at, and thought “Why
not?”
Fast-forward four years, and now it is us
sitting with Eihab, laughing and chatting
as he tells the story of how he ended up
in Dubai.
AAD: Tell us a little about yourself,
Eihab: I’m 37 years old, and was born
and raised in Jordan. My three brothers
and two sisters spent our childhood in
Jordan, apart from for a couple of years
when my father moved the family to
Libya as part of his accountancy job. I
was quite young at the time and don’t
really remember much about Libya.
AAD: Did you study in Jordan?
EKH: No, after I left school I headed for
Syria where I studied Civil Engineering at
Aleppo University. While I was there I met
Khadija Kayali, a legal undergraduate,
who is now my wife.
AAD: When did you get married?
EKH: It was not smooth sailing in our
relationship – we were very much in love
but our parents were not so keen on the
idea. I also took engineering positions
in both Jordan and Saudi Arabia while
Khadija stayed in Syria, so there were
many obstacles. But after being together
for seven years our families relented and
we finally married in 2002.
We’ve now got two beautiful children;
Loay was born on 4th August 2003,
followed by Abdul Rahman – exactly one
year later – on 4th August 2004.
AAD: When did you move to Dubai?
EKH: It was just after Abdul Rahman was
born, in 2004. I saw Dubai was offering
30
ISSUE NO. 27 – 2008
IN CONVERSATION WITH
some great opportunities, so I relocated
my family and joined HEE as Site
Engineer at Jumeirah Beach Residence.
By the time the JBR project finished I
had been promoted to Project Engineer,
and this is now the position I hold at
Iris Bay, the development I am currently
working on.
AAD: Do you enjoy Project
Engineering?
EKH: I love it; I genuinely love what
I do for a living. When you work in a
theoretical field, you don’t get tangible
results. But when you convert and
build concepts and ideas into physical
structures, it brings out the practicality of
what you do.
I also believe that no problem is too
tough to be solved. If you just take
the time to analyse it, you will arrive at
several solutions.
So you should always think beyond your
capabilities in order to get ahead in life.
AAD: What do you do on a typical
day?
EKH: I prepare for a long day ahead with
dawn prayers at the mosque near my
Sharjah home. Setting off for work shortly
afterwards, I reach the site, which is next
to Business Bay, at around 6.00am.
I leave the site after an hour to check
on things at the office, before heading
back to the site at around 11am where I
check progress, conduct inspections and
obtain client approvals.
After a break for lunch, I complete the
schedule plan for the night shift and
the next day, so everyone knows where
they should be and what they should
be doing. At around 5.30pm the site
engineer for the night shift arrives and
so we discuss the plan for the evening’s
work. At 6.30pm, I leave the site and
make my way home, where I spend
time with my family, enjoying dinner or
sometimes a movie at the mall. By 11pm
it’s time to go to bed, ready for the start
of a new day.
My favourite food:
– Mansaf & Koubeh
My favourite book:
– History of civilzaton
My favourite past-time:
– University
My favorite artist:
– Leonardo da Vinci
My most treasured moment:
– Graduation
My most prized possession:
– Yet to come
I am passionate about:
– The Sea
What I dislike:
– Lies
Eihab with Khadija, Loay and Abdul Rahman
31
IN AND AROUND HLG
If you’ve noticed a
team of cameramen
buzzing overhead in a
helicopter, hanging out
of moving vehicles, or
negotiating rugged site
terrain, then it sounds
like you’ve spotted our
corporate video film
crew. We go behind the
scenes with the team
that go...well, behind
the scenes.
With a constantly expanding portfolio,
the Al Habtoor Leighton Group felt it was
time to make a new corporate video.
After a number of presentations, HLG
selected production company MacMillan
Adam to produce the video. While the
main video would run for approximately
20 minutes, there would also be a shorter
5 minute version. In order to agree
upon content, the production company
undertook a recce, (or reconnaissance)
of proposed locations, taking reference
photographs and ascertaining the best
angles and positions from which to film.
A large team is required for a project
of this magnitude, which consists of
a Producer, an Assistant Producer,
a Creative Director, a Director of
Photography, and finally a number of
cameramen, grips and helpers. The
film crew moved around several HLG
sites, shooting the video footage at
construction sites in Dubai, Abu Dhabi
and Qatar. Several completed iconic
projects including hotels, offices,
clubs, colleges and residences, were
also caught on 24mm. Being a labour
intensive process, it required almost two
months of shooting. The crew will also
head for the skies in a helicopter to take
Playing
aerial shots of completed and current
projects in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
The best time to shoot outdoors is early
in the morning or approaching sunset,
as this is when the direction of sunlight
creates the most attractive natural
lighting. Unfortunately this involves a
4am start to the day, and an end time
well after 7 pm to allow for sunset and
night shooting. Filming is definitely not
as glamorous as it seems! During the
middle of the day - when it is preferable
to be shooting indoors - a series of
interviews with senior management
were lined up in a variety of locations,
including site offices, hotels and
corporate offices.
Whilst the shooting is nearing
completion, the next phase is editing,
which is a time consuming art form.
Hundreds of individual shots would
need to be combined together with
interviews, and held together with
voice-overs and dramatic music, to
create a colourful and inspirational visual
feast. But the wait will be worth it – we
have numerous iconic projects under
development and we know our video
will generate the same pioneering spirit.
video games
The film crew on top of the Doha City Center project, waiting for the sunrise at 4.00 am
32
ISSUE NO. 27 – 2008
IN AND AROUND HLG
Riad T. Sadik
Wal King
David Savage
All on board at a special
cocktail party
June saw a social
event which
was marked in
everyone’s calendar
– the Al Habtoor
Leighton Group
cocktail party.
Al Habtoor Leighton Group was
celebrating the fact that the members
of the Leighton Holdings Board were
visiting Dubai.
To commemorate the occasion, the
Group invited key clients, consultants,
and Senior Management to enjoy a
sophisticated evening of drinks and
canapés at the Grand Millennium
Dubai Hotel.
The cocktail party began with a
welcoming speech from the Managing
Director of the Al Habtoor Leighton
Group, David Savage. This was followed
by an introduction by the Group’s
Chairman, Riad T. Sadik, whereby he
spoke at length about the combined
strengths of the two companies, and
introduced the evening’s special guests –
the Australian ambassador and his wife.
Finally, before the festivities got fully
underway, the Chief Executive Officer
of Leighton Holdings, Wal King, took to
the podium to give a speech in which
he thanked everyone for the hospitality,
and expressed his personal interest and
corporate appreciation towards the
unique projects which Dubai and the
wider Gulf region are spearheading. It
was a great event that was enjoyed by all.
Riad T. Sadik, Khalaf Al Habtoor, and other attendees listen to the speakers
33
HEAR IT FROM THE EXPERTS
Bridging communications
- An overview of the Corporate Affairs
Department
Traditionally, each issue of the Akhbar Al Dar carries
a feature on any one of the company’s functional
departments. This practice educates staff on the
working of each department and the explicit roles
of the various key members. It helps employees
understand whom to approach in relations to specific
requirements. As the last of the series, the focus this
issue is on the Corporate Affairs department.
34
ISSUE NO. 27 – 2008
The Corporate Affairs department has
been in operation for the last seven
years and has gained a very strategic
role within the organisation. It operates
within the organisation’s larger
framework of goals, strategies and plans.
Post the Al Habtoor Leighton merger the
demands on its activities have grown
fourfold. The team has significantly
increased in size and may continue
to expand. The Leighton International
Corporate Affairs’ team also draw support
and work in close co-ordination.
The functions of Corporate Affairs
department can be distinctly categorised
as corporate communications, media
relations, stakeholders’ relations, investor
relations, community relations, employee
relations, reputation management, crisis
management and issues management.
Corporate communications serves as
the liaison between an organisation
and its employees, clients, shareholders,
communities, media, suppliers, subcontractors and governments. It helps
the organisation to share information,
build commitment and manage change.
The Corporate Affairs department since
its inception in 2001 has encoded and
promoted a strong corporate culture,
strong branding, corporate identity,
corporate philosophy and corporate
citizenship, as well as an appropriate and
professional relationship with the press.
It has developed and created multiple
communication tools and technologies,
and is in the process of developing
35
sophisticated approaches to global
communications.
Lina R. Sadek
Corporate Affairs Director
The founding and
growing of the
corporate affairs
department has been
a personal labour of
love for me, especially
as the totality of our
work and our reason
for existing has
been to educate and
communicate to our
stakeholders, the great
work and achievements
of our much loved and
respected company. In
a nutshell: It’s been a
great experience and
the best is yet to come!
The communications function is
divided into internal communications
and external communications. Internal
communication is the process of
developing communication channels
within the organisation. It facilitates
sharing information with employees
through a host of conduits, such as the
company newsletter Akhbar Al Dar, email
newsflashes, intranet, circulars, bulletins
boards and other communiqués.
Effective and timely dissemination of
information is critical to the success of
our organisation.
External communication involves
building and maintaining a positive
relationship with the media, whether
it is drafting and disseminating press
releases, organising press conferences, or
meeting with media professionals. It also
includes endorsing our brand through
sponsorships, advertising and similar
initiatives.
It is critical for the company to have
a respectable image and reputation.
Therefore, the department takes care of
the company and media spokesperson
profiling. It is also in the process of
developing a separate newsletter for
external constituents, as well as building
and maintaining the company’s web
portals and other external touch points.
In order to maximise its productivity and
function effectively, the department
created four internal divisions, each
specialising in a certain set of core
activities.
Team collectively execute the various
tasks involved. Led by Lina Sadek, the
Corporate Affairs Director, the current
team includes Shahnaz Imam, the
Corporate Affairs Development and
Strategy Manager; Vanessa James,
36
ISSUE NO. 27 – 2008
the Corporate Affairs Manager; Benny
Varghese, the Design and Graphics
Specialist; Yasaman Tahmasebi, the
Assistant Brand Manager; Nisrine Khadra,
Assistant PR and Events Manager; Reagan
Creado, Assistant Communications
Manager (focus on Associated
Businesses); Hootan Zadeh, Market
Research Executive; Michael Assad, PR
and Events Executive and Hina Imran, the
Graphic Design Executive. The team is
also supported by Usha T. Bai, Executive
Secretary and Sameer Sekathuveetil the
department’s Office Assistant.
Brand Management and Graphic
Designs
The brand management division
develops and conserves the company’s
corporate identity by ensuring
adherence to corporate brand guidelines.
Often, a project may have marketing
restrictions imposed by a client. The team
including Yasaman Tahmasebi, Hootan
Zadeh, Benny Varghese and Hina Imran
ensures that it provides customised
solutions.
In order to maintain consistency of
display and branding protocols, the
division provides on-site training on a
regular basis. Being the creative and
design specialist wing of the department,
it develops all the advertisements,
brochures, marketing collateral, and
company videos and presentations.
They also collectively with additional
assistance from Vanessa and Reagan
produce the Akhbar Al Dar, working
on the new intranet as well as a new
website development. Hootan has the
added responsibility of maintaining and
updating the project data repository.
Reagan also has the added responsibility
of assisting and meeting the
communication needs of the Associated
Businesses. The division ensures high
standards and authenticity in its output
through regular market research and
analysis.
PR, Events and Media Relations
The public relations, events and media
relations division is responsible for
strengthening the corporate culture
of the organisation. This team led by
Nisrine includes Michael and supported
by the others, organises events for
employee motivation, team building, and
learning and development, including
conferences, seminars and summits. It
also arranges events and activities for
smooth and positive relationships with
stakeholders and clients.
In today’s increasingly competitive
environment and with easy access to
information, reputation management
has gained a lot of importance. This
division works on building media
relations, media-buying, sponsorships,
participation in exhibitions and other
market communication channels.
Corporate Social Responsibility
Currently at the inception phase, this
division has the mammoth responsibility
of ensuring that the company develops
ambitious and effective CSR programs
that resonate with its brand values,
mission and vision.
To keep pace with the size and growth of
the business, it is imperative for the team
to develop a proper reporting structure
so that the corporate social responsibility
indices are developed and measured.
This department is working towards
streamlining this process.
Crisis Management
Currently managed by the senior
personnel of the department, this
division is responsible for activities that
are part of the department’s broader
aims and objectives. When we talk about
the crisis management plan, we are
Shahnaz Y. Imam
Corporate Affairs & Strategy Manager
“Managing a constantly growing team is a big
challenge, but I enjoy the exhileration that comes
with bringing about progressive change.”
Vanessa James
Corporate Affairs Manager
” The opportunity I have been given to use my
expertise and knowledge and to be a part of a
great organization is an experience on its own.”
Reagan V. Creado
Asst. Communications Manager
“Challenges which involve working with so many
people from the company, external creative
agencies, the media, and different walks of life,
makes my job interesting.”
Yasaman Tahmasebi
Asst. Brand Manager
“Logos are what I live by,
and I enjoy both being in the
office and getting out on site.”
Nisrine Khadra
Asst. P.R. & Event Manager
” I am not sure if it’s the excitement of organizing
an event or the mere atmosphere at the event that
is so lovable about my job.”
37
The Al Habtoor
Leighton Group
merger has resulted
in significant growth
in many aspects of
our organisation,
including manpower
and projects. Therefore,
the department is
currently looking at
creating stronger
internal communication
channels by optimising
the vast pool of
resources and skills that
the company enjoys.
Benny Varghese
Senior Graphic Designer
“The lines and colors, illustrations and designs... are
different every day and challenging. It provides me
with the opportunity to be creative and to make
the readers’ face shine.”
Hootan Zadeh
Market Research Executive
“It is self motivating to know the Habtoor Leighton
Group will be one of the top 50 contractors in the
world in the very near future.”
Michael Assad
PR & Event Executive
“To be able to contribute and be a part of the
companies’ growth and success, enables me to
develop my potential to the fullest.”
Hina Imran
Graphic Design Executive
“I love to create new ideas and designs, and take
on the challenges that each new day brings.”
Usha T. Bai
Executive Secretary
Sameer Sekathuveettil
Corporate Affairs Assistant
“I love my job because I love
& admire the progress of
our company, especially our
Corporate Affairs Department.”
38
ISSUE NO. 27 – 2008
“I love being part of the Corporate Affairs
Department, and to be involved and assisting with
different events and exhibitions.”
discussing our interface with the media
and media handling.
to add several sections that guide, inform
and educate the employees.
The process defines the flow and
content of communication in order to
avert a possible publicity disaster. This is
critical from a reputation management
perspective. The department operates
only at the corporate level. However,
to optimise its performance, it has
developed a relationship management
system. Select team members have been
appointed as relationship managers for
particular divisions, thereby functioning
as divisional communications managers
for the divisions and associated business
units. Structuring the department in
this manner has helped smooth its
operations.
An external newsletter is in the offing,
though it may be a while before it takes
off. A critical ongoing activity is the
development of the new corporate
identity for the Group, as well as a facelift
to the HEE and Associated Businesses’
corporate identities.
The Al Habtoor Leighton Group merger
has resulted in significant growth in
many aspects of our organisation,
including manpower and projects.
Therefore, the department is currently
looking at creating stronger internal
communication channels by optimising
the vast pool of resources and skills
that the company enjoys. The immense
popularity of the company magazine,
Akhbar Al Dar, has encouraged the team
Online communiqués, an increased
number of teambuilding and motivation
events, and further development
programs, are some things to look out
for. An enhanced version of the staff
suggestion scheme that will be available
on the company intranet is also being
developing.
Employees may also look forward to a
friendlier intranet before the year ends,
making it more extensive by adding
several new important components
and functionalities. The much awaited
corporate video that is currently being
developed will be displayed in reception
areas as well as during major events.
Chris Gordon
General Manager,
Corporate Affairs & Strategy
While it’s daunting at
times, I like the speed
at which things happen
here. With so much
activity and such a
variety of people in our
organization, there’s
never a dull moment.
Comprising a diligent and dedicated
group, the Corporate Affairs team aims
39
to support the broader objectives of
the company. Employees interested in
sharing their ideas may send an email to
corportaeaffairs@habtoorengg.ae.
The other functions like investor
relations, stakeholder relations, issue
management are under development
and would soon be more structured and
disciplined.
The Leighton International’s Corporate
Affairs team is headed by Chris Gordon,
General Manager Corporate Affairs and
Strategy. With work increasing day by
day, they face challenges and diversity.
The team includes Michelle Thomas,
Brand Manager; Rebecca Trott, Corporate
Communications Manager and May
Martel the Corporate Affairs Officer.
Working on similar functions like the
HLG team, their focus is on the overall
Leighton International requirements.
Their work involves a lot of overseas
travel as they strive to meet the needs of
each geographical location.
Rebecca Trott
Corporate Communications Manager
“Working in such a diverse and fast-paced
organization makes my role both challenging and
interesting.”
Michelle Thomas
Brand Manager
“I’m part of a great team and the projects I get to
work on are varied, which keeps my job interesting
and exciting.”
May Martel
Communications Officer
“Working in the industry for 7 years now is a proof
of how I truly love what I do. Now working with a
multicultural team is a new spice for me.”
Brain teaser of the month
Send in your answers
to akhbaraldar@
habtoorengg.ae or mail
them to Corporate Affairs
at the HEE Head office by
the 30th of September
2008. All the best.
The goal of this competition is
to solve these math problems
by applying simple math
techniques. You are given 3 digits
and a result; you must put all the
signs necessary to restore the
equality.
eg: 6 + 6 - 6 = 6
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
COMPETITION # 27
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Hint: for finding the solution you can use the following +, -, x, /, !,
40
ISSUE NO. 27 – 2008
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
IN AND AROUND HLG
Inaugurating the New
Plant & Machinery
The inauguration of
the much awaited
Plant & Machinery
Division was a
grand affair.
On Thursday the 19th of June, Al Habtoor
Plant & Machinery held the inauguration
of its much awaited new facility at Al
Qouz, Dubai. The ceremony was held
in the evening and was attended by
400 personnel from the Al Habtoor
Leighton Group. This marked the Plant
& Machinery’s shift from their previous
location in Rashidiya, to Al Qouz.
others. Everyone present was entertained
by an oriental band and singer.
The facility is state of the art, and the
largest of its kind for a contracting
company. It is designed and equipped
to handle a vast array of jobs and
works, including painting, tower cranes,
automatic car washing, etc. A list of the
facilities available at the workshop is
alongside.
Facilities available at the New
Plant & Machinery Workshop
include:
A large tent was specially erected for
the function. It began with a round of
speeches by senior personnel of the Al
Habtoor Leighton Group. These included
the Managing Director David Savage, the
Chairman Riad T. Sadik, and the Senior
Plant Manager Naschat Issa, among
The highlight of the evening was a dance
performance. This was performed by a
traditional folklore dancer (Tanoura), and
it got everyone shaking and moving to
the beat. Dinner followed, and brought
an end to the celebrations of the day.
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Painting Bay
Sand Blasting Bay
Automatic Car Washing Bay
Hydraulic Jack System
Vehicle Service Area
Tyre Shop
Vehicle Repair
Body Shop
Electrical Workshop
Transport Department
Stores Division
Tower Crane Department
Upholstery Division
41
TRIBUTORY
A tribute to a
gentleman
Mr. Ibrahim Huneidi
passed away after a
long illness. Ibrahim
was a well-loved and
respected figure and
ran the Procurement
Department of the
Al Habtoor Leighton
Group for many
years. In this issue
of Akhbar Al Dar, we
have dedicated this
section for Ibrahim’s
colleagues to
commemorate his life.
From the Procurement
Department
Since the moment I was interviewed to
be his Deputy, I knew I was in the right
place and with the right man. I have
learned a great deal from him and his
experience as he was full of knowledge
in all aspects of his work. I will miss
Ibrahim Huneidi in many ways - as a
manager, and as a mentor - but mostly as
a friend. He will be always remembered
by all of us in the Procurement
Department and his image will stay
in our hearts forever, may God rest his
soul in Heaven and bring patience and
comfort to the hearts of his beloved
ones. Goodbye Mr. Ibrahim Huneidi and
may God bless and rest your soul. Your
friend and Deputy. – Ahmad M. Jaafar,
Procurement Director
Mr. Ibrahim was a dear friend and
a mentor. He not only possessed a
charismatic personality, but was an
intellectual with unfathomable genius.
As a boss, his approach in addressing
various subject matter was optimistic,
polite, solution-oriented and mature.
I would always treasure the moments
spent with him among the best fortunes
in my life. May God bless and rest his soul
in Heaven. – Kashif Najam Naqvi
Dy. Procurement Manager
To this day, I’ve not met a man who was
as honest, hardworking or goal oriented
as Mr. Ibrahim. I learned a great deal
from a great man - not so much through
his words, but through his actions. His
passing left a huge void - one that can
never be filled. I like to imagine that he’s
still here and running the department,
deciding what direction to take. I could
write volumes about the man. Suffice
42
ISSUE NO. 27 – 2008
to say that I feel very honoured and
privileged to have worked with Mr.
Ibrahim - to have been managed by him,
and made a part of his team. Mr. Ibrahim
– Boss – I thank you for those wonderful
memories! – Carlos Bognot, Purchaser/
Logistic Coordinator
He was a man of honour and dignity:
a good leader and a good teacher. He
created a department with procedures
and made sure this process was adopted
by his staff. Moreover, you could always
count on him in every aspect of life. His
motto was “life is too short to be wasted
on trivialities,” and he was right. Mr.
Ibrahim, your spirit lives on in our hearts,
minds and souls. May God grant you
eternal rest. – Marjorie P. Jacinto,
Sr. Procurement Material Engineer
Ibrahim was such a kind and delightful
person, loved by everyone. I am
proud to have spent three years in the
Procurement Department with him,
where he helped improve my knowledge
with his skills and experience. May God
grant him eternal rest and comfort.
– Wissam Haider, Sr. Procurement
Engineer
As a Director, Mr. Ibrahim respected
everyone with his words and deeds, and
this was one of his greatest strengths as
a boss. He was like a friend to all of us; he
was very approachable and received full
support from everyone. The personality
that he left behind in our hearts will
always be alive. – Moh’d Usman Zaffar,
Purchaser
In the two years I worked with Mr.
Ibrahim he was like a father, a brother, a
teacher and a friend. He truly exhibited
love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self control.
TRIBUTORY
Ibrahim was a very well
respected member of the HL
team and will be sorely missed
by us all. I personally will miss
our regular chats in which we
discussed company affairs
and the woes of the world in
general, as we were very much
of the same mind on many
issues. My thoughts are with
his wife and family at this time,
mourning their sad loss.
– Nigel B. Poole
Deputy Managing Director
Ibrahim Huneidi at his desk
When I think of Ibrahim, I think
of an incredibly decent human
being – kind, funny, principled,
hardworking and inspirational in his
work ethic. I feel very lucky to have
interacted with Ibrahim at work and
socially and have personally learnt a
lot from him. He will always occupy
a warm place in my heart and I am
grateful for the nice memories I
have of him.
Ibrahim was a good sport and
up for anything and it is that
adventurous spirit that made me
take note of him when he first
joined the company. His legacy
will always remain imprinted in my
mind…
– Lina Sadek
Corporate Affairs Director
43
TRIBUTORY
Reminences of good times
Working with Mr. Ibrahim was both a
pleasure and an honour for me. He was a
good man and a great manager, always
ready to lend a helping hand, either in
our work or in our personal lives. His loss
is a hard pill to swallow and I will truly
miss him. May his soul rest in paradise.
– Deanno F. SanJuan, Asst.
Procurement Coordinator
Mr. Ibrahim taught us how to be
professional and how to handle the
challenges and responsibility of our work.
He was not just a boss to us, nor just a
manager; he was a friend. His passing is a
big loss for all of us, and we pray that he
now has peace and happiness. He will be
missed and not forgotten.
– Nino Marco Magsumbol, Asst.
Mr. Ibrahim had a great personality with
a friendly nature. He was understanding,
helpful and a problem solver with
amazing capabilities. He was able to
really get things done, and developed
a peaceful working atmosphere in the
Procurement Department, maintaining
good relationships across the board. I
pray that the Almighty will grant eternal
peace to the departed soul. – Haridas
Gopalan, Sr. Procurement Coordinator
Mr. Ibrahim was not only a manager, but
he was a teacher and a father figure to
everyone in the department. It was a
great honour for me to be a part of his
team. He is the most decent person I’ve
ever met, and everyone in the company
admired him for his respectful character.
May his soul rest in peace.
– Abbas Kleit, Purchaser
Ibrahim Huneidi in various roles and company events
44
ISSUE NO. 27 – 2008
Thank you, Mr. Ibrahim, for the impact
you have had on the Procurement
Department and on my life. You will be
sorely missed. – Maamoun Abdul Hadi,
TRIBUTORY
The procurement team on Ibrahim Huneidi’s birthday
Mr. Ibrahim was a wonderful person, so
kind and considerate. He will always be
in my heart and I am honoured to have
spent three years working alongside
him. May his soul rest in peace. – Moh’d
Kamaruddin, Procurement Coordinator
His every action reflected a glorious
chapter in the Procurement Department.
From In & Around HLG
Mr. Ibrahim was an excellent manager
and a superb mentor. A thorough
gentleman, he advised me and guided
me through the ups and downs of
my time in Dubai. I am extremely
grieved to hear that a man who was
so humble, like a father figure to me,
is not amongst us anymore. Ibrahim
had real character, in terms of attitude,
management, skills, knowledge, career
path and love of life. Anyone who has
ever interacted or worked with him, or
even knew him to some extent, would
never forget him. May God grant him a
place in Heaven. – Ali Naqvi
It was with deep regret that I learnt the
passing away of Mr. Ibrahim Huneidi.
He was a remarkable person and will
always be remembered affectionately
and I will always cherish the memory of
meeting such a wonderful person. His
pioneering work will go a long way to
We could visit him at any time, on any
day of the year and he would happily
help us solve our problems. May God
grant him eternal peace.
– Abdul Jabbar
Mr. Ibrahim was a very dedicated person,
and working with him was a pleasure.
This is a great loss personally for me, and
benefit the Al Habtoor Leighton Group.
My deepest condolences. – Jafar Khair
Ibrahim was always so kind and
considerate that we always welcomed
seeing him at every opportunity. He was
a great man who will be missed but not
forgotten. He was more than a colleague;
Ibrahim was a friend, philosopher
and a guide. We extend our profound
condolences and sincere sympathy to his
family. With deepest condolences and
the highest respects - may his soul rest in
peace. – Naghman Rafique Akhter
(on behalf of the IT department)
Ibrahim was a real family man, who led
his life with his wife and family in mind.
May God bless his soul; he left us with
good memories. – Walid Kharbat
Our deepest sympathies go to the Al
Habtoor Engineering family at the loss of
Mr. Ibrahim. We were so very sad to hear
about Ibrahim, he was such a wonderful
I extend my heartfelt condolences to the
bereaved family.
– Manoj Raju, Secretary
Mr. Ibrahim was a great manager, a true
professional and a wonderful human
being. We pray that Allah will rest his soul
in peace. – Shiju Azeez, Document
Controller
man. I had the honour and the pleasure
to know him and I was very sorry to hear
about his passing. I had the greatest
respect for him even though I never
had the opportunity to work with him
directly.
But the way that my colleagues who
worked with him expressed their
feelings, makes me feel that I know him
as much as they do for his generous
nature and sharing his remarkable sense
of humour. You and your family are in
our thoughts and prayers. – Lutfallah
Jabbour (on behalf of the Qatar
Procurement Division)
Ibrahim was such a kind person that I feel
happy whenever I remember him. Happy
to have had the chance to know such
a person. He was a good manager and
was devoted to his department. Ibrahim’s
family - we are so proud of him and are
so sorry for your loss. May God have
mercy on him. – Rajab Younis
45
TRIBUTORY
In memoriam
When the
hands of nature
implement their
own rules, the
results may leave
a deep impact
on the hearts of
many.
On Saturday 17th May 2008, a tragic
traffic incident occurred in Qatar which
resulted in fatalities of three of our
colleagues. It was 4.45am and the night
shift from the Doha City Centre expansion
project was just preparing to leave work.
Team members were lining up to board
the shuttle bus home, and the day shift
crew were arriving to start their day on
the site. Two HEE buses were parked
up, dropping off and collecting staff at
this busy site. Without warning, a large
articulated truck spun out of control on
the adjacent road, and hurtled towards
the waiting buses.
The truck broke though the road barriers,
crashing into the site area and hitting a
number of bystanders. Twelve people
were struck that morning and tragically,
three of them died at the scene. They
were 29-year old Joseph Doma, a Filipino
Safety Officer from Manila, Eddie Layson,
a 30-year old Tower Crane Operator from
Cagayan De-ore city in the Philippines,
and 37-year old Alex Barabar, a Tower
Crane Operator hailing from Davao, also
in the Philippines.
HEE acted without delay and repatriated
the deceased immediately. The
company ensured an HEE representative
accompanied the bodies and belongings,
and met with the men’s family members
at the airport in the Philippines. Nine
other colleagues – a Filipino, an Egyptian,
and seven Indian nationals - sustained
injuries that day, ranging from cuts to
broken bones.
They were all rushed to hospital and five
of the men were discharged the next day
whilst the other four remained in medical
care. The driver, who was not associated
46
ISSUE NO. 27 – 2008
Joseph Doma
Eddie Layson
Alex Barabar
with the Al Habtoor Leighton Group in
any way, was taken in for questioning and
remains in police custody awaiting trial.
HEE remembers those who lost their lives
in service, and offers prayers for them and
their loved ones.
Akhbar Al Dar pays tribute to our dear
colleagues who lost their lives that
fateful day.
LAST WORD
Developing
communications for the
work place
The ability to communicate is essential
to the success of the work place like any
other undertaking, and an important
factor in the achievement of its
objectives. We have entered an age of
knowledge, and the key to accessing and
harnessing that knowledge lies in the
ability to communicate.
For example; when the undertaking is
a research project that has achieved
good results, it becomes imperative to
disseminate those results — otherwise
the work will have been in vain. But,
how do we communicate those results?
How can we convert the data into
knowledge? Data that are not shared or
are shared with only a few people are not
very valuable.
Successful communication within
the work place will enhance the
value of your research considerably.
Communication does not just happen. It
must be organised, developed, built and
implemented.
Good communication within the work
place allows you to exercise better
control over your work, and to frame
the issues in a perspective other than
research.
Good communications removes doubt,
emphasizes planning, and involves all the
project participants in raising the visibility
of the research and the organization.
Defining communications within the
work place as a policy or strategy is a
task that is best carried out as a Team.
In addition to pooling expertise, a team
approach has the even more important
advantage of building on interactions
between the participants.
There is much to be gained by
making the effort for development of
communications within the work place
a collective process / team effort.
With new challenges to communication
comes a new vocabulary. Indeed a whole
new lexicon is appearing alongside a lot
of the more familiar phrases.
Defining
communication
shows attention to
understanding of
the situation, an
ability to actively
listen, speak, carry
out the work, and
clear identification
of the goal.
Unfortunately not everyone means the
same thing when they use the same
phrase. It is worth clarifying terms
in all strategic conversations about
communication, rather than assuming
that what you believe is right.
Even small-scale communications with
understanding, listening, clarity, will
facilitate your work and guarantee you
success in getting your word or at least
you’re ‘LAST WORD’ across.
After all, small-scale communication is
better than no communication at all, and
you may be able to develop and perfect
it as you go along.
Shahnaz Y. Imam
47
Al Habtoor Leighton Group
www.habtoorleightongroup.com
Al Habtoor Engineering Enterprises - Dubai
P.O. Box 320, Dubai – United Arab Emirates
Tel: +971 4 2857551 – 2857215 – 2857555
Fax: +971 4 2857479 – 2852843
Al Habtoor Engineering Enterprises - Abu Dhabi
P.O. Box 4284, Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates
Tel: +971 2 6262036 – 6263114
Fax: +971 2 6263073
Al Habtoor Engineering Enterprises - Qatar
Area Office, P.O. Box 22478, Doha - Qatar
Tel: +974 4130044 – 4130549
Fax: +974 4130055
Gulf Leighton Dubai (L.L.C)
P.O. Box 123065, Dubai – United Arab Emirates
Tel: +971 4 3046333
Fax: +971 4 3046369

Al Habtoor Leighton Group

Transcription

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