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Mott MacDonald’s Ian Clarke has been elected chair of the Association for Consultancy and Engineering’s new Middle East Group. Simon Harden of Waterman Plc has also been elected the group’s secretary.
ACE responded to industry demand for representation in the region by forming the ACE Middle East Group. Informally set up in April 2009, the group is composed of more than a dozen members and includes non member firms that are active in the region. It holds monthly meetings in the UAE, alternating between Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Nelson Ogunshakin, ACE chief executive, said: “Ian Clarke and Simon Harden both have experience and expertise in consultancy and engineering services in the Middle East. They will be invaluable as we establish a significant role for the group in the coming year.”
The ACE Middle East Group was created in order to influence the commercial environment in which ACE members operate in the GCC region. The group’s aim is to improve the business performance for its member firms and increase the opportunities available to them. It should also provide continuous support extending to the Middle East region. It was particularly apt that it formed in the year that Dubai World’s financial troubles rocked markets around the globe, showing the significance of the region’s affairs.
Nelson Ogunshakin explained: “The UAE is a strategic market for consultancy and engineering projects and we need to ensure the sector is fully supported there. This new group helps to make that happen as we deal with issues such as late payment, fair condition of engagements, risk management and health and safety there.”
The new group has been proactively involved with the annual ACE GCC Conferences to endorse relevant training for professional consultancy and engineering staff. A major task for the group is to ensure that ACE is kept abreast and ahead of regional changes. That should strengthening ACE as the voice of the industry in the Middle East. One of the key issues over the past year has been to promote fairer contracts throughout the region and to deal with non payment of fees. There is particular need to raise the principles of equitable risk sharing and prompt payment for services. ACE has and will continue to work with all relevant parties to advocate effective resolution of the long term problem facing the industry in the Middle East and beyond.
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For press information please contact Simon Goldie on 020 7227 1892 or 07905 279328 – sgoldie@acenet.co.uk
Notes to editors
Ian Clarke
As Mott MacDonald’s country manager for Abu Dhabi, Ian Clarke worked there with 450 staff until he took the lead in running the firm’s business across the whole of the Middle East. Since then he has dealt with transport, energy, buildings, management services, education, health and water projects.
Mott MacDonald is working on projects in the region ranging from Palm Jumeirah Monorail in Dubai, Masdar city in Abu Dhabi, and Dilmunia Health Island in Bahrain. They are also working on large scale power projects such as the Ras Laffan Power and Desalination Plant in Qatar.
Simon Harden
Simon Harden has worked in international projects across Europe and China, as well as helping to develop the Al Raha Beach development in Abu Dhabi. He was a long standing member of ACE’s International Business Group before he moved out to Abu Dhabi in 2006.
Simon’s effort alongside ACE helped to get the UAE ACE Middle East group going over the past year, and he hopes to develop the group strongly in the year ahead.
Photographs available on request.
ACE Middle East Group – Objectives.
To improve connectivity between ACE members in the region and ACE UK for better understanding on what the regional issues are through regular dialogue with companies and headquarters and vice versa.
To keep abreast of and ahead of regional changes, including regional spending plans and to identify the key priorities facing ACE members' businesses in the region and to develop strategies to address these impacts.
To be the regional voice of ACE to stakeholders and clients by influencing client bodies, government bodies and utilizing relevant press and media outlets.
To endorse relevant training for professional consultancy and engineering staff.
To promote the standardisation of fair contracts throughout the region with particular emphasis on FIDIC terms and conditions, NEC, ACE Agreements and prompt payment for services.
To promote the services, capabilities and expertise of ACE members to relevant entities in MENA region.
To promote awareness between ACE members of companies’ respective skills, expertise and regional presence as a means of facilitating collaboration in joint pursuit of projects.
To connect with non member firms in the region and encourage their participation in ACE activities and through this approach, ultimately, membership of ACE.
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