Advisory Board

Dr. Ali O. Melibari is a distinguished expert in civil engineering and project management with over 27 years of experience spanning academia, the public sector, and leading global corporations. He holds a PhD in Civil Engineering, a Master’s in Electrical and Computer Engineering, and two Master’s degrees in Business Administration, reflecting his multidisciplinary expertise.

Currently, he serves as Chairman of the Board for both the Transportation Planning and Traffic Safety Division of the Saudi Society for Urban Sciences and the Civil Engineering Division at the Saudi Council of Engineers. He is also CEO of the Saudi Society for Civil Engineering at King Abdulaziz University and sits on multiple boards, including the Saudi Society for Traffic Safety and the Industrial Advisory Council at King Abdulaziz University.

Dr. Ali O. Melibari previously worked as Program Director of the PMO for Jeddah Municipality under Dorsch Holding Company and spent 27 years at Saudi Aramco, where he supervised IT operations. His international experience includes a secondment to Wipro in London, supporting oil and gas operations globally.

He is also a consultant member of the Saudi Council of Engineers and has delivered numerous training courses and seminars in project management, civil engineering, business administration, and traffic safety.

Laeeq Hassan is a Fellow member of RICS and is currently Chair of the RICS KSA Advisory Board. He is working with Mace Arabia as an Associated Director. Laeeq is an accomplished Chartered and professional Quantity Surveyor with a robust record of multicultural experience of 30 years in accomplishing several projects in Pakistan, UAE, Oman, Qatar and KSA across quantity surveying and commercial & contracts management. He has acquired extensive experience in working with leading Cost Consultant, Consultants, PMCs & Contractors while managing various large scale construction projects.

Dr Madhu P. Pillai is a Project Management specialist with 4 decades of broad-based Oil & Gas, Petrochemical and Power industry experience in Operations and Project Management with a geographical spread of India, Nigeria, USA, Bahrain, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. He has been associated as Project Director and Advisor with leading Multi-National EPC organizations.

Dr Pillai is an Electrical Engineer with MBA (International Business) and Ph D in Strategic Project Management. Holding multiple professional certifications, he is also a Fellow of many leading international organizations.

Dr Pillai serves on the Director Board of International Cost Engineering Council (ICEC), head quartered in Australia and Water Air and Food Awards (WAFA), Denmark. He is the Honorary Global Ambassador for World Project Management Forum (WPMF) and Advisor to Center for Public Policy Research (CPPR), India.

Dr. Pillai had earlier served on the Director Board of Association for Advancement of Cost Engineering International (AACEI), USA as its Vice President for all international regions; and also served on the International Board of “Project Managers Without Borders”.

Dr Pillai has spoken at more than 40 International events; and Chaired many.

Linkedin Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madhupillai/

Moen serves as the Executive Director at AEB, bringing unparalleled expertise in smart cities, urban design, and strategic project planning. Renowned for his thought leadership, he has authored numerous research publications in international journals and is a sought-after speaker at global seminars, where he champions the integration of innovative design, policy, and technology.

As a prominent figure in the industry, Moen advises on national committees and advisory boards, advocating for smart design principles and pioneering solutions that shape sustainable urban futures. His extensive portfolio includes high-profile projects across the Middle East, with a specialized focus on sports arena planning and large-scale urban developments.

Moen led the design and planning of Al Thumama Stadium, a key FIFA World Cup 2022 venue in Qatar. His leadership also delivered transformative projects such as the Mushreib Tram, the planning and design of Mohammed bin Zayed City in Abu Dhabi, the Al Mogran Central Business District in Khartoum, the master planning of Al-Shifa District in Riyadh, the Haima city master plan in Oman, and the station area planning for the Delhi Metro.

Babar is a Chartered Quantity Surveyor and Chartered Construction Manager working for Rua Al Madinah Holding, developing 47000 Hotel keys near Holy Mosque in Madinah, owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF). Babar comes with the worth of 17 years of Quantity Surveying experience on large scale construction projects. Prior to joining Rua Al Madinah, Babar has strong and valuable experience of working in the likes of Mace Arabia for Engineering Consultancy and El-Seif Engineering Contracting Company on their different Projects Kingdom wide. Currently based in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, Babar has Bachelor’s Degree in Quantity Surveying and Construction Management from Sheffield Hallam University, United Kingdom. Babar is an active RICS Counselor, an Assessor, mentoring and motivating tens of young Surveyors in his connection to become future Chartered Surveyors. He is also a speaker and has delivered lectures in various Webinars and Seminar on the topics related to Commercial and Contracts. Babar supports sustainability and is working towards increasing the numbers of young Saudi Chartered Quantity Surveyors in the field.

Khasan is a Harvard-certified professional with over 15 years of experience. He has worked extensively as both a Management Consultant and Project Manager.

He brings deep expertise in strategy planning and execution, as well as project management. His background also includes market research, needs analysis, and organizational restructuring.

Khasan has led initiatives in change management and business process improvement. This includes the development of policies, procedures, and workflows.

He is well-versed in regulatory compliance and quality assurance standards.

Throughout his career, Khasan has collaborated with both public and private sector institutions across various global regions.

Shane Forth has played a key role in major projects across Oil & Gas, Nuclear, Power, Infrastructure, Steel, Pharmaceuticals, and Manufacturing over his 50-year career. As a project controls leader, he has consistently driven innovation through the early adoption and implementation of advanced project control techniques.

Known for his inspirational leadership, energy, and ability to motivate others, Shane has made a lasting impact on the project controls community. A respected thought leader, he has shared his expertise widely, mentoring professionals, collaborating with academia, serving as consulting editor and author of the Practitioner Handbook of Project Controls and formerly speaking at international conferences,

A Fellow of both APM and ACostE (where he served two terms as Vice-President), Shane also chaired the BCECA Project Control Managers Committee. He helped establish industry standards, career pathways, competency frameworks, and professional recognition. He is particularly known for championing apprenticeships, as Chair of the Project Controls Technician Trailblazers (Level 3 and Level 6), after previously leading the UK’s first project controls apprenticeship in 2007.

In 2012, Shane received the ECITB Award for Outstanding Contribution in the Leadership of Training and Development. The following year, he earned an MSc in Project Management, winning the APM award for best Master’s dissertation. In 2023, he was honoured with the Project Controls Lifetime Contribution Award at Project Controls Expo UK.

Now semi-retired, Shane continues to support the industry by delivering ECITB Virtual Classroom training in Project Controls, Estimating, and Risk Management through his consultancy, GO FORTH.

With over 30 years of experience delivering mega and giga infrastructure and real estate programs across the GCC, Kayane Mahrejian has led iconic projects across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and Oman ranging from metro systems and ports to large-scale mixed-use developments. Her expertise spans program and project management, stakeholder alignment, commercial and risk management, and strategic procurement across PMC, PMO, EPM, and EPC environments.

Kayane is recognized for her ability to push boundaries and redefine industry approaches to commercial strategy and risk leadership in complex, high-stakes projects. She brings unmatched experience in aligning execution plans, governance models, and risk-based frameworks that drive results in today’s interconnected and uncertain world.

Now a full-time entrepreneur, Kayane serves as a senior advisor, strategist, and builder. She designs tailored advisory and transformation programs for both public and private sector clients. During her 13+ years with Bechtel, she held critical roles including Senior Contracts Manager on the $500B NEOM project and Consortium Risk Manager for the Riyadh Metro where she led G20 Summit Readiness planning amid the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A champion of innovation, digitalization, and knowledge transfer, Kayane has consistently elevated project delivery practices across the region. She is featured in the Riyadh Metro Project Book as a recognized female leader in the industry and is known for navigating risk landscapes with confidence and resilience.

Today, Kayane empowers founders, executives, and governments to unlock clarity, build resilient systems, and scale sustainably merging strategy with creativity to deliver lasting impact.

As Partner at RSIPM, Bal Raju leads the delivery of tailored project and program management solutions for complex infrastructure developments across the Middle East and beyond. RSIPM’s approach combines deep technical expertise with strategic oversight, enabling clients to navigate the unique demands of giga and mega projects with confidence. Bringing a global perspective, an uncompromising commitment to quality, and a proven ability to deliver results in high-stakes, multi-disciplinary environments.

With a career that spans over three decades in civil infrastructure, rail systems, ports, and industrial zones, holding senior leadership roles on globally significant programs such as NEOM, Riyadh Metro and Khalifa Port & Industrial Zone. His experience covers the full project lifecycle—from strategic planning and governance through EPC delivery, commissioning, and operational readiness.

He is recognized for shaping and executing robust delivery strategies, aligning diverse stakeholders, and optimizing operational structures to achieve program objectives. His leadership blends rigorous technical management with a collaborative style that drives performance, innovation, and continuous improvement.

At RSIPM, the focus is on guiding clients through complex delivery environments, integrating governance frameworks, risk management, procurement strategies, and stakeholder engagement into cohesive execution plans. His ability to anticipate challenges, resolve critical issues, and maintain alignment with client vision has positioned RSIPM as a trusted advisor to customers including the public and private sector leaders

Edward Sanders is an RICS Chartered Surveyor and a senior real estate leader with more than 25 years’ experience delivering complex, high value built environment programmes across Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain.

He is currently Estate Management Senior Director at Qiddiya City, where he is helping shape the operational readiness, estate management strategy and long-term service delivery approach for one of the Kingdom’s most ambitious giga developments, bridging master planning intent with practical, scalable operations.

Edward’s regional track record spans the full asset lifecycle, from development delivery and handover planning through to operational governance, lifecycle planning, cost recovery and performance optimisation.

In Dubai, he has supported major destination and community portfolios including Jumeriah Beach Residences (JBR), Dubai Marina and Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT), as well as work across Nakheel’s portfolios and large-scale mixed-use developments.

In Bahrain, he has contributed to city-scale development initiatives, navigating the realities of multi-stakeholder delivery, interfaces, phasing constraints and live-environment operations.

Known for translating complexity into clear decision pathways, Edward brings a pragmatic, outcomes-driven lens to project leadership, aligning owners, developers, consultants and contractors around governance, data and accountability.

At the Global EPC Project Leaders Forum in Riyadh, he will moderate the discussion group “Overcoming Project Complexity in Large Scale and Giga Projects,” drawing on hard-won lessons from the region’s most demanding delivery environments.

Bandar M. Alshammari is the Technical Services Department General Manager, Capital Projects Division, National Water Company (NWC) headquarter, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. With over 15 years of experience, he has supported the water and wastewater infrastructure projects across Saudi Arabia through meticulous project planning and engineering. Bandar is a mechanical engineer who graduated from the engineering faculty at King Saud University in 2007. He worked for many organizations, such as the Ministry of Commerce and Al Jomaih Holding, before joining NWC.

Bandar has led projects focusing on expanding the sanitation services all over Saudi Arabia, transforming wastewater treatment plants into carbon-neutral facilities, developing roadmaps for sustainable water utilities, introducing decentralized solutions for wastewater treatment in rural and mountainous regions, resource recovery, such as energy generation from sewage sludge, and initiatives to establish unified standards, directly impacting service quality and sustainability.

Bandar is also recognized for presenting workshops and guiding his team on implementing green technologies in challenging environments. He has collaborated with national water authorities, aligning projects with Saudi Vision 2030 goals for sustainability, circular economy, and climate resilience. His recent achievements include publishing vital standards for wastewater treatment facilities and spearheading agreements that set national benchmarks.

Currently, Bandar focuses on strategic leadership and delivering innovative solutions, and his dedication to operational excellence reflects his commitment to customer satisfaction and environmental stewardship as they move forward at NWC.

Mikhael Makhles Al Kurdi is a dynamic Business Development & Relationship Manager at Al Bawani Construction Company (ABCC), one of Saudi Arabia’s top contracting groups and a key semi-governmental entity. With a strong background in business development, marketing, and strategic partnerships across giga-projects and public-private initiatives, Mikhael plays a pivotal role in advancing ABCC’s footprint in the Kingdom’s rapidly evolving construction and infrastructure landscape.

He began his career in London, managing ultra-high-net-worth real estate portfolios, where he gained first-hand experience working with private investors and family offices. This early exposure to sophisticated asset management and international deal-making shaped his ability to navigate complex transactions and build trust with elite stakeholders.

Building on this foundation, Mikhael transitioned into the Middle East’s construction sector, where he has consistently engaged with C-suite executives globally to drive strategic partnerships, joint ventures, and investment collaborations. He has played a central role in high-profile engagements with leading clients and PIF-backed entities, including NEOM, Qiddiya , Diriyah Gate Company, Royal Commision for Riyadh city and many more

Recognized for his ability to foster long-term relationships with clients, partners, and stakeholders, Mikhael combines commercial acumen with technical understanding to guide prequalification, tendering, and strategic planning processes. Fluent in multiple languages and culturally versatile, he thrives in multinational environments, leveraging his insights to champion innovation, build connections, and contribute to the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 transformation.

Jade Marjurum is an experienced commercial and procurement leader with over 15 years of experience across public and private sectors. She has led large-scale, complex construction programmes with expertise in procurement, supply chain, governance, stakeholder engagement, commercial strategy, and contract management. Jade is passionate about driving excellence and transformation, building high-performing teams, and delivering practical, results-focused solutions in challenging environments.

Dr.Aboelgheit is a Senior Consultant specializing in Management, Supply Chain Management & Project Management. He is internationally recognized as an inspirational speaker, trainer, coach, facilitator and conference presenter. Dr.Aboelgheit has over 25 years of work experience in the field of strategic management, procurement, supply chain management & Project management in major multinational companies.

After earning his Bachelor degree in Engineering- Electric power section, Followed by a master degree in Business Administration- Marketing Specialization- From the Arab Academy for Science and Technology, Dr. Aboelgheit earned a Doctorate degree in Business Administartion – Management specialization- From Ain shams University on the other hand, Dr. Aboelgheit is certified as International Supply Chain Manager from IPSCMI and Certified as a member of the chartered Institute of Procurement and supply (MCIPS)

He currently holds the position of Procurement Senior Manager at National Marine Dredging Company ( NMDC Energy Abu dhabi). This added to his experience in the different functions of Procurement & Supply Chain Management including purchasing, contract management, logistic, inventory management as well as supplier performance management in addition to various HR avtivities.

Gerry O’Toole an experienced water business leader and has led the delivery of major infrastructure projects across Asia and Australia and the Middle East. He brings over 35 years of wide-ranging experience in delivering major water projects. He has been particularly involved in delivering Singapore’s One Water approach.

He specializes in developing major projects, establishing, and managing multi-disciplinary teams for the planning, design, and construction of major facilities for the desalination of seawater and water recycling, the production of drinking water from surface water sources and wastewater treatment. He has led the delivery of some of the world’s most advanced treatment plants.

Nael AlQarra is a senior finance and investment executive with over 17 years of experience leading multi-billion-dollar portfolios across Saudi Arabia and the UAE. He has held leadership roles at prominent and leading real estate developers such as Qiddiya, MERAAS, and Al Ghurair investments, shaping some of the region’s most ambitious giga-projects. Nael is recognized for aligning financial strategy with long-term development goals, bringing expertise in investment appraisal, corporate governance, and change management. He combines global perspective with deep regional insight to advance transformative growth.

Nael’s career is distinguished by his ability to integrate financial and technical disciplines, delivering value through robust financial models, feasibility reviews, and technology-driven performance dashboards. He has overseen significant financial investment portfolios, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives while optimizing financial outcomes.

Certified in M&A, International Financial Reporting, and Change Management, Nael brings a global outlook with strong regional expertise.

Javier Diaz Gomez  was born in Spain in 1976. He holds an MSc degree in Civil Engineering and various post graduate programs. Double Nationality Spanish/French.

Specialized in Water Infrastructures with more than 15 years in water business. Since 2014 managing Aqualia business in KSA (Country Manager) and previously in Eastern Europe for 5 years. He has a vast experience in water resources like Desalination Plants as PM at Chennai RO Plant with Abengoa, WWTP in Spain and different projects for irrigation and potable water.

Amir Yar is the General Manager of Tamimi Pre-Engineered Buildings (PEB), a regional leader in industrial and modular construction across Saudi Arabia and beyond. With over two decades of strategic and technical leadership, Amir has consistently positioned Tamimi PEB at the forefront of the industry. His forward-thinking vision and dynamic leadership style have driven the company’s expansion into new markets while championing digital transformation, offsite construction, and sustainable building solutions.

Renowned for always staying ahead of market trends, Amir is a catalyst for innovation, continuously introducing cutting-edge technologies and practices that shape the future of construction and development. His ability to anticipate shifts in the industry and translate them into actionable growth strategies has earned him a reputation as a transformative leader in the region.

Moussa is a chartered cost and commercial management professional (MRICS, 2016) with extensive experience leading multi-billion-dollar developments across the Middle East. Currently based in Riyadh, he oversees the cost and commercial strategy of landmark mixed-use projects central to Saudi Arabia’s transformation.

With a career spanning top developers, consultants, and clients in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt, Moussa brings deep expertise in pre- and post-contract management, procurement, sourcing, and contract administration. His sector experience covers residential, retail, infrastructure, hospitality, leisure, heritage, and culture, working with high-profile organisations such as Meraas, Al Futtaim, Emaar, AECOM, and Gleeds.

A strong advocate of benchmarking and data-driven decision-making, Moussa focuses on delivering cost efficiencies and empowering procurement strategies with robust analytics and tools. He is also an active supporter of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors’ mission, championing the development of future surveying talent and promoting best practice within the built environment.

Bandar is the General Manager (GM) and a Researcher at the Advanced Manufacturing Technologies Institute (AMTI) at the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST). KACST is both the Saudi Arabian national science agency and its national laboratories. Before being named GM in December 2022, Bandar was the director and a researcher at the National Center for Advanced Materials Technologies (NCAMT) and at the National Center for Building and Construction Technology (NCBCT), contributing leadership skills in the scientific and technical elements of major projects.

Bandar earned a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and Building Technology from King Saud University (KSU) in Riyadh and a Master of Architecture from the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) in Los Angeles. His master’s thesis project “New Flexibility and the Architecture of Time” researched the possibility of designing adaptable buildings that evolve over time in response to their users’ needs and requirements. Bandar received his Ph.D. from Virginia Tech in which his research focus and interest is in the area of Automation in Construction.

Dr. Raman Nathani is a distinguished professional with over 22 years of experience in procurement and supply chain management across various multinational & Government organizations.

Throughout his career, Dr. Nathani has held key senior procurement roles in diverse sectors, including global manufacturing, federal government, airport authorities, entertainment, construction and healthcare industries. He is widely recognized as a pioneer in procurement transformation and for his consistent ability to enhance organizational and people performance.

Currently, Dr. Nathani works as Associate Director- Procurement at Red Sea Global, a prestigious PIF project. Additionally, he serves as the Chairman of the CIPS Dubai branch, demonstrating his leadership and commitment to advancing the procurement profession.

Tamim El Abed is a seasoned Project Director with twenty-five years’ experience across the full spectrum of the construction industry.

One of his most notable recent achievements was his delivery of the Lusail stadium for the 2022 FIFA World Cup QatarTM where he was in charge of the full project life-cycle from development to operation of the stadium during the Tournament.

This domain brings together two of his greatest passions, engineering and football.