Business Review Middle East magazine - July 2017

July 2017

www.businessreviewmiddleeast.com

SSH: Using

tech to innovate building and design

GPTW AND THE UAE’S DRIVE FOR HAPPINESS DUBAI WORLD CENTRAL(DWC) SOON TO BE THE WORLD’S SMARTEST AIRPORT?

TASNEE

Real cost value in procurement

Symposium 2017 Bright Lights, Big Ideas and You. Uptime Institute Certifies the World’s Digital Foundation for Business.

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September 18 The Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada

FOREWORD WELCOME TO THE July issue of Business Review Middle East.

Our cover star this issue is SSH Design as we examine how the company’s collaboration with key leaders in the technology sphere has helped bring about rapid business growth that has seen the company expand five times beyond its original size.

Also in this issue, we take a look at the UAE’s drive for happiness through Great Place to Work, the global research, training and consultancy firm.

We also profile arguably the world’s smartest airport to be, as Dubai World Central is undergoing an enormous expansion project of around $32 billion to handle more than 240 million passengers a year.

And finally, sticking with airports, what are the top 10 airports across the Middle East? We profile some of the biggest and best airports operating today.

Enjoy the read, and as always, tweet your feedback @BusinessRevME

Enjoy the issue!

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F E AT U R E S

PROFILE

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The UAE’s drive for happiness

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THE WORLD’S SMARTEST AIRPORT? 4

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LIST

Top 10 Middle East Airports

C O M PA N Y PROFILES SSH Design

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TECHNOLOGY

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Trimble Solutions Middle East CONSTRUCTION

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VTTI Fujairah Terminals Ltd

TASNEE

SUPPLY CHAIN

ENERGY

National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD) Supply Chain

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Inma Steel Fabricators Co Ltd ENERGY

The UAE’s drive for happiness W r i t t e n by: T O M WA D L OW

PROFILE

PROFILE

Great Place to Work recognises the efforts of businesses around the world for keeping their workers happy and motivated. We spoke to UAE Managing Director Maha Zaatar “WHAT DEFINES A great place to work is one which fosters high levels of credibility, respect, fairness, pride and camaraderie,” explains Maha Zaatari, Managing Director of Great Place to Work in the UAE. “What that equates to is a high trust environment.”

Great Place to Work (GPTW) is a global research, training and consultancy firm that recognises the best workplaces in over 50 countries worldwide. Central to its evaluations are three key drivers which Zaatari has noted: communication and ownership of culture; cultivation of teamwork and nurturing of mental and physical health and wellbeing.

Maintaining the number one position on the annual benchmarking list for the fourth consecutive year in the UAE is DHL, which GPTW says “provides a family experience that makes employees want to stay and prosper within the organisation”.

This year’s runner-up was Omnicom Media Group, which advanced one 8

July 2017

spot from last year, followed by Splash which also moved up one spot to take third. In fourth place was THE One, a position it has held since the list was launched, while Weber Shandwick came in fifth, climbing two places from 2016.

Ranking from sixth to 10th place on the list were Estee Lauder Companies, HILTI Emirates, FedEx, Hilton and MARS respectively. Rounding out the final 14 positions on the list were Biz Group, Hyatt, Eros Group, WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff, Leminar, UAE Exchange, Al Fakher Tobacco, Dulsco, NMC Healthcare, Philips, Delta Partners, Danzas AEI Emirates, Mundi Pharma and Redington.

GPTW’s annual study takes the best part of eight months to complete, and is based on employee perceptions which are gathered through a Trust Index survey of 57 statements that goes to all workers in the organisation. This accounts for two thirds of the result. A Culture

THE UAE’S DRIVE FOR HAPPINESS

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PROFILE

Audit of existing people policies and practices accounts for the other third.

A happier workforce Zaatari mentions a Government focus on happiness which has correlated with an increase in GPTW applications. “We are seeing among the Top Companies a greater emphasis on CSR initiatives as employers respond to employees’ desire for meaning, to be part of 10

July 2017

something bigger,” she says. “People who have meaning and purpose in their lives are happier, feel more in control and get more out of what they do.”

Top of the class is logistics giant DHL, praised for its family feel and recognising that motivation and happiness drives profit. “But what created the competitive advantage is DHL’s close monitoring of the application of these HR practices

THE UAE’S DRIVE FOR HAPPINESS

“We are seeing among the top companies a greater emphasis on CSR initiatives as employers respond to employees’ desire for meaning, to be part of something bigger”

and policies, leaving no room for deviation or bias,” Zaatari adds.

“A company’s position on the list is never guaranteed. While we do find a pattern of the same companies consistently appearing on our worldwide lists year after year, this has more to do with the simple fact they recognise the value of their human capital as their most important asset.”

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PROFILE

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THE UAE’S DRIVE FOR HAPPINESS

Leader of the Year GPTW also recognises individuals who go above and beyond to ensure their workplaces are motivated and happy ones.

Elie Khouri, CEO of secondplaced Omnicom Media Group, won the accolade of Leader of the Year for 2016/2017, and Zaatari is quick to explain why he was a deserving recipient of the award. “This year we gave special recognition for his efforts in keeping Omnicom Media Group on the Top Companies list for seven years and for achieving the highest Trust scores from direct reports amongst all leaders in the Top Companies program.

“Khouri’s efforts to continuously improve Omnicom’s workplace experience has elevated employees’ perception of management and bettered the financial and non-financial performance of the company.

We are always keen to recognise companies and individuals who are contributing to the HR industry in the UAE. We look forward to recognising other leaders in future programs.”

Momentum GPTW is in its seventh year in the UAE, and Zaatari remarks that 2016/2017 has seen the strongest competition to date. The list has increased to 24 companies, with Al-Fakher Tobacco, Biz Group, Danzas AEI Emirates, Delta Partners, MARS, Mundi Pharma, NMC Healthcare, Philips and Redington making being recognised for the first time.

And despite a challenging financial year, most companies that have been on the list previously maintained their position as great workplaces.

Zaatari finishes with a nod to the future: “The next decade will mark the post-oil transformation of the UAE and the government has made clear the importance of developing, attracting and retaining the best talent to achieve sustainable growth.

“We need more companies contributing to this mission through cultures that nurture and develop their employees in terms of their capabilities and wellbeing. This focus on human capital has been proven to improve the happiness quotient of people and will make a significant contribution to helping the UAE realize its ambition to be the happiest nation in the world.”

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The world’s smartest airport?

TECHNOLOGY Dubai World Central is undergoing an enormous expansion project that will enable it to handle more than 240 million passengers a year. The $32bn development will also see the airport become one of the most advanced Wr i t t e n by : TO M WA D LOW

240m 100 mbps Annual passenger capacity at DWC postexpansion

The maximum speed of free WiFi at Dubai Airports

TECHNOLOGY DUBAI IS ALREADY home to one of the world’s busiest airports. By 2018 Dubai International (DXB) will be able to handle another 47 A380s at any one time, helping it to serve more than 103 million passengers a year by 2020.

It is also the second largest freight handler, already with enough capacity to handle 2.5 million tonnes of cargo.

Surely this monster of a travel hub is enough to provision the aviation needs of the city? Apparently not, for another airport is rapidly on the rise.

Dubai World Central (DWC) is, for the time being, DXB’s smaller sibling.

At the moment it serves around a tenth of the passenger traffic seen at its larger companion, but it is a sibling in the middle of a serious growth spirt. The 850,633 passengers welcomed in 2016 represents an 84.5 percent growth on the previous year, and this trend is only going to continue thanks to a massive $32 billion expansion project.

Indeed, capacity is set to quadruple to 26 million passengers within a year according to Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths.

Once the whole project has been completed within six to eight years, DWC will consist of an additional 16

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two runways, a brand new terminal and four concourses able to handle 100 aircraft each. This translates into 240 million passengers a year.

Bigger, smarter Any visitor or resident of Dubai will know the city is familiar with huge construction projects. The surrounding expanses of land are awash with building sites and the developments show no sign of letting up. While size certainly appears to matter, technology and smartness is equally as important, and DWC’s expansion is no exception.

Its vision is to become the next generation airport, futureproofing for the latest technological innovations.

This is evident from four major targets publicised to date.

The first is to install biometrics and smart passenger tracking.

This will include iris scans, palm scans and RFID boarding cards, among other innovations, to help speed up the flow of passengers through departures and arrivals.

Second, is a bid to reduce passenger walking distances within terminals and concourses, which compliments the third objective

THE WORLD’S SMARTEST AIRPORT?

‘While size certainly appears to matter, technology and smartness is equally as important, and DWC’s expansion is no exception’

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TECHNOLOGY of reducing queueing by taking passenger/baggage processes away from the terminal. Finally, a new baggage handling system that allows passengers to separate from their bags as early as possible, with a personalised collection upon arrival, is also on the cards.

Wi-Fi is another service for which DXB is claiming world-beating status.

In March it announced the release of the fastest free airport Wi-Fi in the world, reaching up to 100 mbps.

DWC is already following suit.

To ensure the speed and reliability of the new service, Dubai Airports

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is currently investing in over 6,000 new Wi-Fi access points across both airports to upgrade the entire wireless network infrastructure.

It has also enhanced the internet links to over 5Gbps to provide the required bandwidth capacity, sufficient to power a small city.

New web applications have also been specially developed for each terminal and concourse to improve information for passengers.

A smart rail system will also be built at DWC. A six-track structure will connect the airport’s two terminals with its four concourses in such

THE WORLD’S SMARTEST AIRPORT?

a way that allows the arriving and departing passengers to reach their destinations without interruption.

For the aircraft pilots, a stateof-the-art Instrument Landing System (Cat IIIB) will be installed, allowing operations to progress under low visibility conditions.

Global gateway The expansion of DWC will bolster Dubai’s status as being one of the most well-connected hubs in the world. Having received its first A380 in March - a Korean Air flight from

Incheon - the current average of 108 flights a week to 44 destinations will no doubt skyrocket in the coming years.

Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s vision to attract 20 million tourists per year by 2020 is common knowledge, and with the World Expo coming to town in the same year, the city is busier than ever in its bid to impress the world. Getting the visitors to Dubai certainly won’t pose any issues – DWC’s expansion will allow it to hit the 20 million target 12 times over by the time it is finished.

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TOP 10

Top 10 Middle East Airports

Business Review Middle East explores the best airports in the region, as outlined by the 2017 Skytrax World Airport Awards W ritte n b y: STA FF W RITER

When it comes to international flights, every world traveller probably has a favourite airport. Rankings can rise and fall based on several different variables, but some airports rank consistently high in terms of customer satisfaction and airline efficiency.

The 2017 Skytrax World Airport Awards are based on survey questionnaires completed by 13.8 million passengers between July 2016 and February 2017.

These ‘passenger choice awards’ offer a comprehensive comparison of airports worldwide. The 10 best in each region scored high in all categories, from check-in to departure, including arrivals and transfers, in-airport experiences including security, customs and immigration, and shopping.

TOP 10

10 TEL AVIV ISRAEL The modern Ben Gurion Airport makes it relatively easy for travellers because there is a single main terminal. Except for a few charter or budget flights that arrive and depart from Terminal 1, everyone goes through Terminal 3.

But you can expect long lines and a thorough screening process during high tourist seasons, so don’t get impatient. Despite the delays, the airport security staff are efficient and businesslike and customs and immigration are courteous and helpful, but at the same time very professional.

Passengers - more than 16 million who arrive or depart on the 100,000 plus flights in and out of Tel Aviv each year - may not like the lines, but they wait patiently, for the most part. And there are perks, including reliable, free Wi-Fi, free baggage trolleys and 24-hour duty-free shopping. The best part? Once you’re through security and immigration and have your bags, a quick taxi ride has you in the city in no time; it’s only nine miles away.

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09 DAMMAM SAUDI ARABIA King Fahd International Airport is unique for several reasons. Located in the oil-rich eastern province, Dammam is less well known than other Saudi cities, and not as frequently travelled. Only a fraction of the acreage has so far been utilised.

The terminal itself is a six-story building, and the airport mosque is situated on the roof of the adjacent car park, connected to the terminal by air-conditioned bridges. It was also the first airport in the country to feature duty-free shops; a fact which is no longer important, because the Kingdom levies no taxes or import duty on goods.

Fewer than 10 million passengers are served annually on 72,000 flights.

07 RIYADH SAUDI ARABIA 08 DUBAI WORLD CENTRAL UAE An ambitious expansion plan now underway will make this second Dubai airport, located some 23 miles south of the city, the world’s largest, designed to serve at least 160 million passengers and 12 million tons of cargo each year. Even today, the facility is hardly small, with a total area of 35,000 acres, but it still operates as a primarily regional smaller-aircraft port.

The planned expansion, which was to have been complete by 2017, has now been delayed until 2027. Al Maktoun International Airport, as it is now known, opened in 2010 for cargo service; it opened officially for passenger service in 2013. More than 410,000 passengers were served in the first half of 2016.

This is another airport that gets mixed reviews. The consensus is that recent improvements have boosted the airport’s position somewhat, but it is better for in-country flights than for international travel, and a lot of the customer experience depends on timing. While there are five passenger terminals, in addition to a separate Royal Terminal that is also used by foreign heads of state, only three are currently used.

The airport’s land area is the secondlargest in the world, so there is plenty of room for expansion. The total passenger estimate for 2014 was just under 21 million. In addition to the normal airport facilities, King Khalid Airport in Riyadh has a mosque that is central to all the terminal buildings, and a system of skybridges that eliminates the need for buses or other forms of shuttle service between terminals.

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TOP 10

06 MUSCAT OMAN The main airport of Oman was formerly known as Seeb Airport and is located just over 30 miles from the capital city of Muscat. A second runway, new terminal building and new tower were completed early in 2017, but it is still one of the more modest airports in the region, with about 12 million passengers and slightly more than 103,000 flights for all of 2016. It is capable of handling wide-body 747s and the Airbus A380. Like other Middle Eastern airports, Muscat features live arrival and departure information online for the convenience of travellers.

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05 MEDINA SAUDI ARABIA Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport is the fourth busiest airport in Saudi Arabia, and one of only two that passengers arriving for the Haj and Umrah may fly into. Medina Airport handled 6.5 million passengers in 2016, many of them pilgrims on charter flights.

The airport was developed under a unique public/private partnership with a 25-year operating concession, and it is a model of architectural beauty and sustainable construction, having earned LEED gold certification for energy and environmental design. The new airport has been operating since spring 2015.

TOP 10 MIDDLE EAST AIRPORTS

04 BAHRAIN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT BAHRAIN Bahrain International Airport is situated on an island about seven miles from the capital, on land that saw its first commercial flight arrive in 1932.

The airport was used by the US Army Air Forces Air Transport Command during World War II, and today it sees more than 8.7 million passengers pass through its gates each year.

The number of aircraft movements in 2015 surpassed 101,000. Gulf Air, the national carrier, has its hub here and a major expansion has begun that is supposed to boost passenger capacity to more than 20 million. Interestingly, individual customer reviews note the airport’s age, inefficiency, and lack of adequate facilities, even though some like its current small size.

03 ABU DHABI UAE The airport of the United Arab Emirate capital is currently its second-largest, but it’s one of the fastest-growing and most innovative in the world. It was voted Airport of the Year in its size class for 2016, and that year became the first airport in the region to launch a SmartTravel system for customer processing. The fivestep process includes self-check-in and baggage drop, E-registration and an E-boarder gate, and selfboarding. In 2015, the airport served 23 million passengers; it is the home of the state airline, Etihad Airways.

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02 DUBAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT UAE Dubai International is near the top of the list of busiest airports in the Middle East, if not the entire world, and it has a full range of amenities to keep passengers happy, well rested, well fed and entertained. These include a new, “Sleep ‘n’ Fly” lounge that offers Scandinavian-designed pods and family cabins for naps as short as an hour, up to an overnight stay.

More than 66 million passengers are served by the 140 airlines that fly to 260 destinations across the globe, and that number is expected to increase to 100 million by 2020. A $7.8 billion expansion and refurbishment is currently underway.

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01 HAMAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT QATAR Completed just over three years ago to replace the old airport in Doha, Hamad International Airport moved up quickly. In January 2017, the airport became the sixth in the world and the first in the Middle East to receive the Skytrax 5-Star Airport designation. Currently, a single terminal with five separate concourses moves more than 37 million passengers through the airport annually, with almost 266,000 flights. Expansion plans are already underway, due to increases of 20 and 15 percent respectively for passengers and aircraft.

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Driving technological innovation within building and design Written by Catherine Rowell Produced by Craig Daniels

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We speak with Change and IT Director Sean Dewhurst about SSH’s rapid business growth, achieved whilst collaborating with key leaders in the technology sphere

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rom a small, local company, to one which has grown to five times its original size within five years is no easy feat for any business. With significant revenue growth and an aggressive transformation strategy, SSH has implemented cloud services and embedded innovative technologies, with an aim to continually expand its presence within the Middle East.

“You need to build efficiency into everything,” explains Change and IT Director Sean Dewhurst.

Upon joining the company in 2015, SSH was in need of a complete overhaul of its IT operations and processes. The company is keeping up with upcoming trends and keeping an eye on what will prove advantageous within construction and design.

Through utilising cloud services, SSH has built effective strategies to cater to clients and operations, and continues to evaluate more and more options, such as Microsoft’s Azure Rendering for 3D modelling. SSH continually looks at how virtual, augmented and mixed reality will provide

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TECHNOLOGY

w w w. s s h i c . c o m

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DIGITIZING THE CONSTRUCTION SITE

Shaping the future of building the Middle East with SSH International Consultants

Autodesk makes software for people who make things.

If you’ve ever driven a high-performance car, admired a towering skyscraper, used a smartphone, or watched a great film, chances are you’ve experienced what millions of Autodesk customers are doing with our software.

Autodesk gives you the power to make anything.

“As one of the early adopters of collaboration technologies like Collaboration for Revit and BIM360 Team, SSH is seamlessly connecting our various offices in the region.

As a proud supplier of technology to forward-thinking and progressive organizations like SSH, Autodesk is able to empower them as a leader in shaping the built environment and infrastructure of the modern Middle East, a region that demands exceptionally high standards of both quality and value. Through the conceptualization, design, construction and delivery phases, Autodesk software plays a vital role in helping SSH to raise their international and regional profile through innovation and proficient delivery of landmark projects.

We continue to work with Autodesk to explore even more ways to make SSH competitive in the markets we are operating in by researching disruptive technologies like augmented and virtual reality, computational design...among others.”

Sean Dewhurst, Change and IT Director, SSH

Kuwait Children’s Hospital The SSH design team on this project called on specialized teams from across the globe, using Autodesk REVIT and A360 applications to empower international team collaboration and manage the vast amount of information and modelling required to deliver the world’s largest children’s hospital.

Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmad Cultural Centre Complex geometric forms inspired by Islamic architecture were used to create the textured outer skin of each building. Autodesk 3D Studio Max and REVIT were used to map out the eventual geometric forms, the Islamic-inspired patterning that covers them, as well as to compute the calculations needed to make such a structure work in the real world.

Al Salam Palace, Kuwait

Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre

Explore more: www.autodesk.com/BIM

Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Cultural Centre

AutodeskMiddleEast

Autodesk and the Autodesk logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries.

All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

SSH DESIGN

“We try to pick up the innovations that are out there and bring them together to bring advantages to what we do. That’s where we have to be, especially in the technology space” SEAN DEWHURST Change and IT Director

a multitude of benefits, enabling the company to collaborate with prospective clients to develop built models and concepts. “We haven’t found the sweet spot yet for us, so we’re still exploring all of them. It’s a very interesting space at the moment,” adds Dewhurst.

Increased Collaboration With Microsoft providing SSH’s main platform, SSH also work

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with local partner Diyar, who have become instrumental to the company’s delivery and development of the company’s Microsoft Azure capabilities. This has been augmented with cloud-managed solutions like Cisco Meraki which has provided greater visibility and simpler, consistent configuration across offices in all geographies. SSH’s main ERP platform (Deltek Vision) and HR platforms are being moved, so

TECHNOLOGY

that they will be based on Software as a Service (SaaS), rather than maintained as applications in SSH’s own technical domain. “We’re moving all the things that don’t really provide competitive advantage but can take up a lot of time, energy and money to manage and maintain, and then buy them back as services,” explains Dewhurst. “The economies of scale of the service provider outweigh the benefit of retaining them in house.”

In order to stay abreast of technological innovations, SSH has created a number of internal strategic groups to discuss new ideas to increasingly drive the business.

Externally, the company uses any channel available to stay abreast of new products and services that might be of interest. “A lot of technologies emerge in in the consumer market, there aren’t many apart from augmented reality or mixed reality

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Bentley is Advancing Infrastructure

Bentley is Advancing Infrastruc Advancing infrastructure is now a world priority. We need high performance infrastructure that can meet the demands of a global population while preserving a vital and healthy environment for generations to come.

Bentley’s mission is to provide innovative software and services for the enterprises and professionals who design, build and operate the world’s infrastructure — advancing the global economy and environment, for improved quality of life.

Advancing infrastructure is now a world priority. We need high performance infrastructure that can meet the demands of a global population while preserving a vital and healthy environment for generations to come.

Find out more at: www.bentley.com

Bentley’s mission is to provide innovative software and services for the enterprises and professionals who design, build and operate the world’s infrastructure — advancing the global economy and environment, for improved quality of life.

Find out more at: www.bentley.com © 2017 Bentley Systems, Incorporated. Bentley and the “B” Bentley logo are either registered or unregistered trademarks or service marks of Bentley Systems, Incorporated or one of its direct or indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries. Other brands and product names are trademarks of their respective owners.

Going Digital for Infrastructure Bentley Systems has helped firms accelerate project delivery and improve asset performance by supporting projects with innovative software and services for over 30 years. As engineering firms seek a digital strategy, the term “going digital” is being realized as infrastructure professionals take advantage of digital engineering models that contain inherent data about how an asset was designed, which can then be shared, consumed, and analysed by other software and processes. Leveraging a cloud computing platform enables a connected data environment that digitally connects and converges people, processes, data, and technology to yield significant results.

cture

Another exciting aspect of going digital is the technology and the proliferation of reality modeling, which fills the gap of not having a digital engineering model in the first place. Capturing existing site conditions with the use of digital photographs or point-cloud data – across infrastructure project delivery and asset performance is now widely adopted by infrastructure professionals. Reality modeling describes the potentially continuous capture of infrastructure assets’ as-operated conditions for processing into engineering-ready reality meshes, and their “enlivening” for immersive interaction. These models can now be referenced throughout the full lifecycle of an infrastructure asset, improving performance, safety, and sustainability.

For many years, through reality modeling digital photos have been processed into 3D models, but its capabilities have evolved to offer available point clouds from laser scanning that can be combined with available photos, as “hybrid inputs,” for reconstruction into a reality mesh.

This enables the capture of assets in a digital format, further converging the virtual with the physical and offering new potential. A reality mesh can also be seamlessly used within engineering CAD environments, enhancing BIM methodology as digital engineering models can improve the context of reality capture with greater understanding of 3D collaborative software as the necessity for engineering design gains value.

Going Digital for CAPEX For capital projects, a digital workflow can take advantage of better decision making with immersive design and collaboration in construction. For engineers, going digital can mean some new activities, such as conceptioneering – the process of creating various iterations of a design discipline with engineering content, at the beginning of a project, to constructioneering - the process of bringing engineering data directly to the field to drive construction workflows and construction equipment, during construction while leveraged in operations.

It can also mean inspectioneering – the process of bringing as-operated and continuously surveyed, engineering reality meshes into digital engineering environments, enabling engineers to inspect and evaluate infrastructure assets from any location.

And, lastly, to optioneering, which is the process of creating multiple iterations of a detailed infrastructure model and/or its subsystems in such a way to enable “what-if” scenarios and evaluate design trade-offs with the aim of producing an optimal engineering strategy. In these cases, we use the digital model to make better operations and maintenance decisions.

These are all examples of going digital, and Bentley is providing the solutions for our users to get there.

PROVEN, CONNECTED, AGILE, FUTURE-PROOF Deltek is the trusted Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) partner of SSH and over 12,000 other leading engineering services firms.

Streamline your key business processes including business development, project and resource planning, financial management and reconciliation. Deltek’s integrated project-based ERP software seamlessly connects people, processes, and information.

Discover more > www.deltek.com

Deltek is SSH’s ERP of choice

TECHNOLOGY

1,500 The total number of SSH employees

that aren’t really in the consumer market yet, and are only in the enterprise space,” comments Dewhurst. “We try to pick up the innovations that are out there and bring them together to bring advantages to what we do. That’s where we have to be, especially in the technology space.”

To further increase collaboration, SSH is specific about calling vendors partners, especially as the company increasingly works with them to innovate.

For example, the company works collaboratively on the technology design for all its offices with BIOSME who provide quality technology infrastructure management, to high standards and strong service levels agreed prior to an outsourcing agreement which both parties signed in December last year.

SSH has also developed its partnership with Autodesk, which was historically a transactional relationship, in order to increase collaboration and find potential uses of augmented, mixed and virtual reality technologies and other areas of innovation that Autodesk are bringing to the market.

Explaining that transactional relationships no longer hold any real value, Dewhurst adds that there are mutual benefits to explore different technologies and work together on practical applications. “We’re not one of the big players in the industry globally, but nonetheless we are trying to work with them at the leading edge. We try to work with all our vendors more strategically, who then become

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SSH DESIGN

partners. I think it’s very important and the industry understands that these value-add relationships are far superior for both parties.”

Continual Challenges Whilst SSH is perhaps less likely to be subject to a cyber-attack than some, it is always something the company keeps in mind. Upon joining SSH in 2015, Dewhurst immediately appointed an Information Security Manager, and has been behind the

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significant investment the company has undertaken in placing essential controls to mitigate potential risks.

Dewhurst explains: “We continually evaluate risks and controls to try and strike the right balance. You can spend millions of dollars on cyber security and still get it wrong – nothing is ever totally secure – but you have to invest, and invest wisely.” The intellectual property the company has also does not hold the same attraction to cyber criminals as

How SSH achieved IT as a Service In the olden days…..

It used to be that SSH bought its technology. They went through basically the same motions as every other company. They would go through the tried and tested motions for procurement that most companies follow in the Middle East. Check out the products and providers on offer, construct an RFP, vet the vendors, negotiate the contracts, implement the solution, train the staff and guess what?

“Sometimes SSH got all the value it wanted and sometimes it just got a taste of it”.

The majority of services ran from its HQ based in Kuwait. “Sometimes it had downtime sometimes it didn’t”.

A few years ago SSH’s business began to really take off. The company started winning engineering contracts not just in Kuwait but across the Middle East; it opened engineering offices in Africa and rapidly expanded from 200 to almost 1000 users. The business had basically become a high growth dynamic business that had outgrown ‘the old way of doing IT’.

For SSH, like for most businesses, the allure of a technology was the business outcome it produced, not the headaches and complexity that came along with that journey. SSH had two fundamental wishes from IT: • They wanted to get straight to the value • They wants that value to increase over time With this in mind SSH’s Technology leadership decided to embrace a new model of consuming IT, IT-a-a-Service, a stunningly simple model that

centers on the following value propositions: • Technology benefits with minimum IT involvement • Accelerated technology solution implementation • Variable, lower risk OpEx purchasing models • Supplier managed or optimized technology BIOS Middle East and CloudHPT, which has been building its business around providing ITa-a-Service for many years now, were able to provide SSH with an approach to consuming digital services using a hybrid cloud infrastructure allowing it to run every workload in its optimal place — at optimal cost and business performance.

The solution consisted of moving some services like email and active directory to Microsoft Azure. However, SSH needed to run some applications on a cloud that was low latency for the Middle East, so these were positioned on CloudHPT (a BIOS Middle East cloud company based out of the UAE). In addition some of SSH offices required huge engineering files to be local, so a modern managed storage solution from NetApp was positioned for the branch offices.

The above hybrid cloud solution, a cloud consisting of private cloud on premise, regional cloud from CloudHPT and Global Cloud from Azure needed to be managed. This was provided by BIOS Assured, a managed service provided by BIOS out of their NOC and SOC in Dubai. BIOS Assured provided daily operational support, infrastructures managed services and application services like SCCM. The entire IT-a-a-Service model was positioned with a fixed monthly cost against a set of SLA’s.

Office 1603, Boulevard Plaza Tower 1, Downtown Dubai, UAE T : +971 4 3789000 | F : +971 4 3789001 | info@biosme.com | Toll Free 800 BIOSME www.biosme.com

SSH DESIGN

“We try to work with all our vendors more strategically, who then become partners. I think it’s very important and the industry understands that these value-add relationships are far superior for both parties” SEAN DEWHURST Change and IT Director

PARTNERS IN TECHNOLOGY Diyar is a leading regional System Integrator and Gold Microsoft Partner who Provides high-businessvalue solutions, Managed and Security services by embracing selected people, processes and partners.

www.diyarme.com Sales@diyarme.com

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TECHNOLOGY

other corporations, such as banks, but the company remains aware that it would have significant issues with delivering on its commitments to clients if an attack occurred.

Transforming into a regionalised company has not been without its challenges. US products, such as Autodesk’s and Microsoft’s have been built with a western environment in mind, which have quick, easy and scalable access to the internet, incorporating big pipes and low latency. “Simple things like

latency, and the fact these products aren’t designed for low latency, alongside increasing bandwidth requirements means that they are not optimised for us in the Middle East,” explains Dewhurst. “One of the things that’s going to hold us back in this part of the world is the internet connectivity. It’s just not as good and it’s more expensive in comparison to the US and Europe and it introduces an extra challenge.”

Disruptive technologies have also become an increased focus.

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SSH DESIGN

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Dewhurst discusses the creeping rise of 3D printing and modulisation, where these technologies will ultimately transform the entire industry. However, he notes that “on the creative side with concepts and design, this still requires human creativity to drive, although computing technology can enhance it. The computer is doing the heavy lifting on generating options on the parameters given, but it’s not driving the creativity yet.”

Moving Forward The move to cloud has enabled SSH to undergo a cost-effective transformation, outsourcing operations to increase value and provide high quality services to clients. Aligned with the company’s cloud strategy, operations will become simpler and easier and collaborative partner relationships will enable SSH to become a leader in the Middle East. This will allow the company to further explore new and innovative technologies which will shape the future of construction and design.

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Trimble: providing worldclass software solutions Written by Catherine Rowell Produced by Jon Bennett

TRIMBLE SOLUTIONS MIDDLE EAST

We speak with Regional Director Paul Wallett, who discusses how new technologies are supporting the delivery of leading projects

T

rimble is one of the most renowned construction solution providers in the world. Combining a mix of hardware, software and mobility technologies to enable construction companies to hit the ground at the earliest stages, Trimble has cemented its growth across a number of markets.

Acquiring Tekla back in 2011, the company has furthered its expansion into the construction sector, bridging the gap between physical hardware positioning and measuring tools, to the virtual building information construction modelling (or BIM as it is widely known today).

Providing innovative technologies and ensuring strong partnerships with stakeholders and clients, the company supports the delivery of international projects through a number of software and hardware solutions worldwide.

With a diverse portfolio, Middle East & India Trimble Buildings Regional Director Paul Wallett explains that such an investment in providing key software and hardware solutions has ensured that Trimble remains a key player in areas such as

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BIM, mechanical electrical design and robotic total station layout, contracts management, amongst a number of different segments.

“Through our general contracting, construction management division, we offer Vico Office which works directly with BIM models to perform constructability analysis and a unique 4D location based scheduling and 5D flowline cost estimation.

This is coupled with project cost control and document management platform Prolog, enabling all project participants to capture and retrieve information from anywhere at any-time,” explains Wallett.

“Our newest collaboration platforms are Trimble Connect and ProjectSight as a field and project

management mobile application tool, unifying the field and office together on a single source platform.”

With cloud based collaboration growing in prominence, Wallett explains that this has become an integral part in developing successful partnerships and the delivery of international projects.

“With a combination of contract documents and vast 3D repository of objects which are being placed on our Tekla or 3D Warehouse clouds from customers, partners and suppliers, these downloadable objects can easily be placed into BIM models,” he says.

HoloLens The company is utilising Microsoft HoloLens

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technology, which works to support the its cloud based collaboration platform, Trimble Connect. Here, 3D models can be successfully hosted onto the web, alongside embedding Microsoft’s SketchUp Viewer, which further supports the visualisation of 3D models. “These were the two first available commercialised products on HoloLens which were launched last year,” adds Wallett.

Entering the market at the end of last year, Microsoft’s SketchUp Viewer became the first commercial HoloLens application to support professionals undertaking 3D modelling within a multitude of industries, with construction becoming a main area. Lorraine Bardeen, General Manager of Microsoft HoloLens and Windows Experiences explains that the application “allows people to create improved collaboration and a better understanding of designs in real scale, empowering companies to be more innovative and efficient.”

With a number of quality software solutions, the company’s software, Tekla Structures, enables designers

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“WITH A COMBINATION OF CONTRACT DOCUMENTS AND VAST 3D REPOSITORY OF OBJECTS WHICH ARE BEING PLACED ON OUR TEKLA OR 3D WAREHOUSE CLOUDS FROM CUSTOMERS, PARTNERS AND SUPPLIERS, THESE DOWNLOADABLE OBJECTS CAN EASILY BE PLACED INTO BIM MODELS” and architects to provide a detailed 3D model of any building by providing a model based workflow.

Building Information Modelling software has also enabled increased collaboration with clients and improved coordination in projects through providing a visual with the HoloLens technology, resulting in increased engagement, reduced risk and further efficiencies. The company’s software has also provided room for personalisation within construction and design.

Tekla Structures further enables designers to automate or programme certain processes,

CONSTRUCTION

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“Whilst many contractors still use traditional tools for construction in this sector, one key area we are focusing on heavily is introducing construction specialised solutions to key areas of the construction verticals�

Pleasnigtn

SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS

D

e Softwar

Interoperability between CADMATIC and Tekla Structures enables better projects.

Communication, planning and coordination with a visual, 3D model-based design tool brings advantages; more precise scheduling, fluent information share, cost efficiency, improved construction safety and better overall workflow.

The virtual model even enables you to monitor and do risk analysis when operating the offshore and onshore plants.

Feel Empowered

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www.cadmatic.com

eliminating unnecessary manual regional tasks. This has therefore reduced arm for the time taken and delivered cost distributing efficiencies, creating a seamless Trimble’s approach to construction and state of the design, and improved coordination. art survey The company has stated “from and scanning preconstruction to site management, applications. A Tekla offers a complete solution for direct partnership concrete contractors. With Tekla’s with CAT has ability to handle pours also proven and manage pouradvantageous, related information alongside a effectively, the partnership with software is also an Hilti throughout essential tool for the company’s TRIMBLE improving concrete operations.

SOLUTIONS MIDDLE pour planning Trimble also has a EAST IS BASED and management number of suppliers, IN THE UAE on site.” such as Aerial Data, who supply applications which Partner power enable sensoring, client design and To drive the business forward, modelling solutions. Furthermore, Trimble has a number of partnership a partnership with Materalise agreements. One is with Sitech enables 3D models to be hosted and Gulf, which Wallett describes as “a converted into 3D printable objects. regional distributing channel which “3D printing is something that’s deal with heavy highway positioning beginning to become geospatial solutions and machine more commonplace controls,” and is the company’s now,”

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Paul Wallett

CONSTRUCTION

Regional Director

Paul Wallett is a 30 year veteran to the construction Industry, a civil & structural graduate, having worked directly in construction for eight years and 22 years with construction solution providers. With international experience in Europe, United States, the far east and for the last seven years in the middle east. As a strong BIM advocate for changing processes in the construction Industry Paul has consulted with many leading construction companies across the globe.

Wallett says. “From an industry perspective, Trimble is also a member of BuildingSMART alliance helping to develop industry standards in support of Building Information Modelling.”

Growth potential Although Trimble is now established within a number of segments, and whilst Building Information Modelling solutions are becoming increasingly commonplace within a number of projects, the company aims to further utilise technologies whilst growing its customer base in the general contractor arena. “Whilst many

contractors still use traditional tools for construction in this sector, one key area we are focusing on heavily is introducing construction specialised solutions to key areas of the construction verticals,” adds Wallett.

Additionally, the company’s venture into data within handheld devices, including tablets or smart devices, such as mobile smart phones, these mobile technologies enable workers to have the information to hand wherever they are. Wallet concludes: “Individuals can review, record or return information back from the field to the office in seconds.”

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REAL COST value in procurement Written by Dale Benton Produced by Heykel Oluni

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Through a combination of strategic organisational realignment, comprehensive supplier management framework, a Center of Excellence and a strong commitment to structured category management approach, Tasnee continues to deliver real cost value to stakeholders

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S

ince its inception over 20 years ago, Tasnee has created a network of diversified industries by working with prominent companies across the globe. One of the significant factors behind Tasnee’s success has been the way the company has transformed the procurement organisation to accelerate the process of capturing synergies and creating an organisation capable of supporting the company’s growth to deliver unrivalled value to stakeholders.

Organisational realignment Tasnee has re-designed the organisation to support the Business Units at operational level and, at the same time, affirm the strategic direction of the company. With the aim to deliver the highest quality of service at the optimal cost level, Tasnee focussed on: • Monitoring cost and spend • Implementing structured and robust processes • Focussing on customer service by processing transactions quickly and effectively Tasnee has also established Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to monitor the performance of the global procurement organization at the SBU and operational levels. This has allowed the procurement leadership to set clear and focused objectives, provide clear understanding of the roles and responsibilities throughout the business, and ensure empowerment and ownership at lower levels.

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Supplier Management Framework focus on supplier segmentation Tasnee’s supplier management has allowed the company to: framework enables the company to • Better understand the supply base look at Prequalification, Segmentation, • Optimise resource allocation on Relationship Management and performance management, risk Performance/Risk Management management, and development when selecting potential suppliers.

• Focus on building relationship Through this process, the company with the most critical suppliers works with suppliers to establish responsible sourcing, reduce the The sourcing strategy is developed supply chain risk and ensure consistent based on the segment of its suppliers. standards across its supplier base.

A high spend, high criticality supplier Once a supplier meets the standards will have a deeper and more strategic set out by Tasnee, the company then relationship than a low spend works towards building a supply low criticality tactical supplier. chain strategy through a companyTasnee has also initiated a Supplier wide Supplier Performance Survey.

Performance Management mechanism “Depending on the criticality of the to evaluate the performance of commodity, suppliers go through a a supplier over a period of time. multi-stage qualification process.

The survey includes the rating of This allows us to select our supplier suppliers from people within the partners carefully, ensuring that they company, as well as the response understand our requirements and are a of the suppliers themselves. good cultural fit for the business,” says “The survey covers strategic Saleh H. Al Suwaiti, General Manager, Procurement Center of Excellence.

Tasnee also carefully segments its suppliers based on the The year spend and criticality to the that Tasnee business. A dedicated was founded

1985

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TA S N E E

commodities and is planned to be rolled out to more commodities and services down the road.

The survey uses the same set of questions across all strategic suppliers of a particular commodity to gain a better understanding of the performance of certain suppliers,� Al Suwaiti says. “It will create a full 360-degree view of the relationship between our company and our suppliers and we can engage with the suppliers and the business to drive improvement opportunities.�

The company also works from an internal perspective applying a strict code-of-conduct on the way its employees engage with suppliers, providing a clearly defined set of ethics that ensure a fair, honest and transparent working relationship.

To further streamline its relationship with the suppliers, the company has implemented a Vendor Invoice Management (VIM) system. This enables suppliers to submit invoices electronically, streamline the invoice processing and allow Tasnee to improve its on time payment performance overall.

Center of Excellence (CoE) It is not only through the Organisational Realignment and Supplier Management Framework that has allowed Tasnee to transform its procurement organisation and work with key suppliers. The company has also setup a Procurement CoE, a global effort that has complete responsibility over strategic initiatives, statistical benchmarking, performance analytics, KPIs, policy and

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“The survey uses the same set of questions across all strategic suppliers of a particular commodity to gain a better understanding of the performance of certain suppliers�

Tasnee introductory video

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SUPPLY CHAIN PARTNER OF THE CHEMICAL AND PETROCHEMICAL INDUSTRIES IN SAUDI ARABIA OUR SERVICES Handling of all kinds of liquid and dry chemicals and petrochemicals.

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S U P P LY C H A I N

procedures, and the supplier management process. The CoE aligns with the company’s central procurement strategy, which is focused on the delivery of parts and services at the highest specification but at the lowest costs possible.

“The Center of Excellence provides the essential oversight over the procurement organisation globally, manages procurement processes, monitors performance and implements strategic initiatives and the supplier management program. This has allowed Tasnee to have a classleading procurement organisation and furthered its ability to develop a strategic and value-added relationship with its suppliers and internal customers,” Al Suwaiti explains.

As with everything with Tasnee, the overarching goal is to identify and deliver real cost value in the supply chain and procurement process and it does this through an all-inclusive approach to procurement directed toward both internal as well as external stakeholders.

Technology Through the implementation of technologies such as Ariba, Spend Visibility, e-Auctions and the VIM system, Tasnee is very much a company that is embracing the technological shift of the modern supply chain industry.

“Technology is one of the keys to procurement being able to deliver best value goods and services from our suppliers across the globe,” Al Suwaiti says. “We need to automate as much of the transactional activity as possible to ensure that we have time to devote to value-added activities.”

Tasnee has invested heavily in procurement technology solutions, particularly for automation of processes on SAP, introducing spend visibility tools and improving SAP reporting functionality. “By

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“Technology is one of the keys to procurement being able to deliver best value goods and services from our suppliers across the globe” SALEH H. AL SUWAITI General Manager, Procurement Center of Excellence

In a career spanning 25 years, Salah Al Suwaiti has worked extensively across the procurement and supply chain domain. After obtaining a Bachelor degree from King Fahad University of Petroleum & Minerals, he joined Ar Razi (SABIC) as Procurement and Contracts Representative.

During the initial 10 years of his career, Al Suwaiti has been promoted to Procurement Manager and was responsible for overseeing all Procurement and Contract function and end-to-end SAP Procurement implementation for operational performance enhancement. Post this time, he moved to SABIC HQ to engage in the SAP and Shared Services transformation projects. He was then assigned as the Project Manager for the EMDAD Supply Chain Project which was a strategic project aimed at implementing an integrated supply chain. In 2013, Al Suwaiti moved to the National Industrialization Company – TASNEE as the Logistics Manager.

During that time he obtained a Master Degree of Global Business Administration.

When TASNEE was starting its Procurement Transformation program in 2015, he was promoted as the General Manager, Procurement Center of Excellence to oversee the entire program and ensure strategic focus globally, and was also selected as the Vice-Chairman for the Gulf Petrochemical and Chemical Association (GPCA).

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introducing automation in SAP functionality, Tasnee has come up with innovative ways to speed up the procurement process and improve overall performance,� Al Suwaiti says.

The company has also signed an agreement with SAP Ariba to tap into the leading cloudbased procurement platform and implement a comprehensive tool to cover the entire P2P chain.

Already, the company is reaping the rewards for investing in technology, with an additional 20 percent savings generated in some categories as a direct result of implementing reverse e-auction capabilities.

Sustainability As a global player in procurement, Tasnee invests a significant amount of money into ensuring that the company operates an ethical, sustainable supply chain. As a company that oversees large volumes of imports and exported goods, Tasnee prides itself on the accountability of itself and its suppliers. “Through the procurement transformation, we were able to implement a category management structure, introduce BUYER approach which laid out standard sourcing guidelines, strengthened our organisation through recruitment of qualified resources and providing extensive training, developed standard reporting, and rolled out strategic technology initiatives.� adds Al Suwaiti.

The Tasnee procurement transformation program has been immensely successful and continues

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to deliver results in the form of: • Average savings of 10 percent for services, 8 percent for MRO and 3 percent for chemicals and packaging amounting to total realised savings of 150+Mn SAR to date since the inception of the program in 2016 • Enhanced the transaction time by 24 percent • Increased coverage of framework agreements “More and more collaboration between companies in the form of Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs) aimed at leveraging

purchasing power and enhancing service efficiencies is also one of the trends in procurement.” adds Al Suwaiti.

Running alongside these initiativesis the company’s Centralised Procurement Manual, a series of policies and procedures which detail the way in which the company operates. Tasnee has taken great strides in holding its employees accountable to complying with the policies laid out in this manual and acts on this through audits and further training opportunities.

As a company, Tasnee values the importance of Corporate Social Responsibility deep within its central mission. “Our mission is to achieve the interest of the society by preserving the environment and

< Tasnee

has been recognised for excellence in social responsibility 70

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“The key is to know when it’s appropriate to invest in a new technology, implement new initiatives and engage right resources to extract the full value out of existing investments”

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contributing to the human development through raising awareness, education, qualifications and skills development,” he says.

This commitment to CSR stretches wide and incorporates Tasnee’s approach to its supplier base, ensuring that its suppliers share similar CSR ambitions and values.

“We work closely with our colleagues in Sustainability, Product Stewardship, Risk and Legal, to ensure that we are all fully aligned on these issues,” comments Al Suwaiti. “We are even engaged with some third-party audits to ensure that we are fully compliant and that we can demonstrate continuous improvement.”

Concluding thoughts As Tasnee continues to advance its procurement strategies and deliver true cost value, efficiency and quality, Al Suwaiti believes that the company must find a balance in order to remain successful.

“The key is to know when it’s appropriate to invest in a new technology, implement new initiatives and engage right resources to extract the full value out of existing investments.”

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Procu place rement in ban â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s king Writt en by Wed Prod a uced

by He eli Chibe lu ykel Ouni shi

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N AT I O N A L B A N K O F A B U D H A B I ( N B A D )

WE SPEAK TO JASON BROWN, HEAD OF GROUP PROCUREMENT AND COMMERCIAL MANAGEMENT AT THE NATIONAL BANK OF ABU DHABI ABOUT PROCUREMENT, ABOUT WHY THE DEPARTMENT IS IMPORTANT TO BANKING

T

he National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD): leading Middle Eastern bank, among the world’s safest banks, and has one the strongest combined ratings ever. These details can be gleaned from a simple web search, but what is known of the inner workings of the Bank? What processes lie behind the ATMs, the cashier desks and advisory helplines?

We want to know how procurement and a low visibility department contributes to NBAD’s international success, so we speak to Jason Brown, Head of Group Procurement and Commercial Management.

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Brown tells us that procurement has a strategic value for any company it’s in, let alone NBAD. “We contribute to the bank, we’re not just a service department,” he continues. “We actually value add to what we do to our customers internally.”

Brown heads procurement for all of NBAD’s services, which comprise personal, commercial and private banking. The bank spans five continents, operating in countries like Malaysia, the UK, Brazil and the US. Alongside his department, Brown helps manage these procurement operations too. “The team that I run

S U P P LY C H A I N

Jason Brown

Head of Group Procurement and Commercial Management Jason Brown Joined NBAD in 2012 with the remit to set up and run centralised procurement.Since his time at the bank he has led the team where it is today as a leading procurement organisation within the Middle East. The team was awarded the best Sustainable Procurement Award from CIPS in 2016. His previous role have been with major organisations such as Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Downer EDI, British American Tobacco and Dana Corporation. His experience is financial, pharmaceuticals, FMCG, automotive and electronics.He currently has MCIP’s and is working towards getting FCIP’s.

is full strength; we’re 41 people. I’ve just lost three good people in the last year and a bit, but they’ve all gone on to senior roles in other companies. It’s very hard to retain when you’re top of the game, unless they want my job,” he laughs.

“The good thing is that we’ve got the right people, because obviously, they’re moving on to bigger and better things,” In total, Brown’s team manages around 45 percent of the operational spend and has one core strategy – to reduce NBAD’s operating costs. By reducing spending the bank can maintain a lower operating base and an increased net profit ratio. The procurement department is split into four sections:

• Invoice, processing and payments (procuring low-value, everyday items) • Strategic (sourcing large spend, large cost items, such as software and hardware) • Supplier relationships (managing vendor onboarding, governance, business compliance and operational risk) • Market data

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S U P P LY C H A I N

“THE BANK HAS VERY STRONG TIES ON SUSTAINABILITY. WE DO A REPORT EVERY YEAR, AND PROCUREMENT IS A LARGE PART OF THAT IN TERMS OF HOW WE MANAGE THE SUPPLIER DATABASE, AND HOW WE DO BUSINESS WITH PEOPLE”

Market data is a relatively new interest for the procurement department.

To make sure that bankers remain informed, the procurement team sources financial data feeds from a broad range of data providers such as Bloomberg and Reuters. “For us, market data is the key thing that drives all of our traders,” Brown explains.

“If you’re looking at the trading floor, moving commodities and moving money around the trading market, we need accurate, up-to-date information about how trends are moving, so traders need to have the right information we deliver that to them.”

The procurement team also provides NBAD traders with feeds from NASDAQ, FTSE, and other global stock markets. These, along with the data feeds from Bloomberg and Reuters etc., allow the staff to carry out their jobs to the highest standards.

“If we don’t ensure that they’ve got the right tools (and there’s multiple tools and multiple data feeds) they can’t make informed decisions as to what to do with the global market,” Brown adds. Procurement uses a

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complex IT infrastructure to handle all this data. So, not only does procurement source the data, it manages it and controls it within the bank. Jason and his team are able to work closely with the IT department, as NBAD’s IT is mostly in-house.

“It is our largest spend unit that we deal with within the bank; they’re accountable for over 40 percent of NBAD spend,” Jason adds.

Safety first NBAD may invest a lot in IT, but Brown stresses that operating costs must be kept as low as possible. Among other results, this contributes to NBAD’s ‘safest bank’ accolades. It has been ranked by Global Finance as the

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Safest Bank in Emerging Markets and the Safest Bank in the Middle East.

“We’re the safest bank because we have high capital, we meet the certain requirements in terms of how much capital we have in reserve in certain areas, in case there was a run on the bank and things like that,” Brown says.

“By keeping costs low, procurement helps maximise that return to the bank.

The less money we have outgoing, the more we can reinvest into capital and assets. And by having a strong asset base and a strong capital base, that helps us be a safe bank. So, the more influence we can have on our operating costs and keeping our operating costs down, the more that influences our position on the bottom line.”

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Corporate citizen How does procurement push costs down without forsaking ethics and sustainability? Brown explains: “The bank has very strong ties on sustainability. We do a report every year, and procurement is a large part of that in terms of how we manage the supplier database, and how we do business with people.

Our policy is clearly mandated.”

Brown’s team conduct investigations with suppliers to make sure that NBAD isn’t associated with practices such as slave labour and child labour. “We take those seriously and we will investigate if it is brought up to us, we have a supplier portal where we do

a lot of supplier due diligence, making sure we’re dealing with the right partners,” he explains.

The procurement team is also committed to supporting local Abu Dhabi companies wherever possible. Brown explains: “Quite a chunk of NBAD spend is spent locally with Abu Dhabi companies to keep the money sustainable within Abu Dhabi and the UAE.”

7,500

Number of employees at National Bank of Abu Dhabi

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Khalaf Sultan Bin Rashed Al Dhaheri

Group Chief Operating Officer Mr. Khalaf Sultan Bin Rashed Al Dhaheri joined NBAD in 1997. Mr. Al Dhaheri previously served as General Manager and Chief Risk Officer. Throughout his career with NBAD, Mr. Al Dhaheri has held senior positions and gained comprehensive knowledge of the Bank’s operations. In July 2012, he was promoted to Group Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Al Dhaheri supervises a range of functions such as Operations, Information Technology, Enterprise Projects & Architecture and Group General Services. Mr. Al Dhaheri is Deputy Chairman of Abu Dhabi National Islamic Finance (ADNIF), Chairman of Abu Dhabi National Properties (ADNP), Chairman of Massar Solutions, a Member of the Audit Committee in Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), and a Board Member of Masraf Al Rayan, Drake & Scull and the Emirates Institute for Banking and Financial Studies (EIBFS).

Mr. Al Dhaheri graduated from the UAE University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and has earned an MBA from Zayed University. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) through the California Board of Accountancy.

Future growth Brown reveals further progressive plans: “So the West East corridor, that’s been our strategy for the last couple of years. The corridor is where some of the megacities of the world are going to be and they’re the most important markets coming up, and the idea is that we support those companies in the UAE that are actually investing in those areas; in Singapore, in Africa, in Hong Kong, those sorts of areas.”

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Brown uses the example of Etihad, the second-largest airline in the UAE. “We want them to bank with NBAD, not only in the UAE, but in Singapore and Hong Kong as well, for example.” For NBAD to support its customers and investors in this way, Jason recognises that the procurement team delivers its strategic value.

“We get the best commercial deals that help the bank maintain its competitive advantage in some areas, but make life easier for the people getting the service as well,” he states. Jason plans for the procurement team to continue pushing the bank forward in the next few years. “We do a lot of good things and we’re seen in the community as not only banking, but procurement. We’re known in the Middle East, especially as a team that’s doing what we do, in the right way.”

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LEADING THE INDUSTRY IN FUJAIRAH Written by Nell Walker Produced by Robert Gray

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V T T I F U J A I R A H T E R M I N A L S LT D

MD OF VTTI FUJAIRAH TERMINALS LTD, SIAVASH ALISHAHPOUR, EXPLAINS THE REASONS WHY THIS FACILITY IS AMONG THE MOST TRUSTED IN THE INDUSTRY ACROSS THE UAE

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ENERGY

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TTI is a forerunner in the energy storage industry. With 15 terminals existing already and one under construction and commissioning, the company has established itself as a trusted choice for its high storage capacity and flexible options.

Its Fujairah terminals facility has one of the largest capacities VTTI offers, and has become a hub of growth and stability for the business.

Located at the entry and exit point of the Straits of Hormuz, more than 1.6 million cubic metres of storage capacity is available, with access to nine flexible jetties meaning that any size of vessel can be accommodated up to a partly laden VLCC. Siavash Alishahpour is the Managing Director of VTTI Fujairah Terminals Ltd, and discusses with us the many advantages of this particular facility.

“This terminal is the pioneer of all the industry facilities here in Fujairah,” he says. “It was the first one here, and is renowned for that reason, plus it’s located on a very prime plot of land. VTTI is known by everyone in the energy and utilities industry.”

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Head Office 21 Shipyard Road, Singapore 628144 T +65 6268 9788 F +65 6268 9488 E info@peceng.com Audex Pte Ltd (Dubai Branch) Office No. 215 The Binar y Tower Al Abraj Street, Business Bay, P.O. Box 117477, Dubai, UAE T +971 4 3682901 F +971 4 3682305 E infoUAE@audex.com.sg

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An industry leader As a terminal group, VTTI designs, builds, operates, and owns tank storage as the core service of its business. While this is standard practice for the industry, Alishahpour believes there are small but essential elements of VTTI which differentiate it from others.

“When you go into great detail, you see the differences,” he explains. “Customers look at how well equipped a facility is, how health, safety and environment is managed, how flexible the team and operations can be, what types of different products you can handle, what KPIs you have as a company, and how you deliver those KPIs. All of those things set businesses apart from one another.”

The main strength of VTTI, specifically in this case,

Number of countries VTTI operates in

11

is its dedication to safety, reliability and customer satisfaction. Alishahpour believes the success in this area can be attributed to smart management and intelligent thinking, which culminates in a streamlined business model where all staff work to maintain the image the business is so proud of.

“We strive to be the best we can be when it comes to health, safety, environment, quality, and security,” he states. “This is very important.

We try our own best to make sure the

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highest level of all of these matters can be defined and implemented, and we have a track record to prove our success which is visible to everybody with facts and figures. But history isn’t enough – you have to focus on present and future as well. It’s about how you can further improve what you’ve got, and how you can keep that up.”

Safety as a service VTTI Fujairah Terminals uses

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HSEQ (Health, Safety, Environment, and Quality) guidelines to ensure a properly defined system of health and safety management, enabling the organisation to focus on targets and key performance indicators – a top priority for Alishahpour as a leader with so much responsibility over potentially high risk operations.

“It’s very important for the customer to see that we have a very safe, secure site,” he says. “How do we prove

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we are a good operator? How can we show that we’re competent and can deliver targets while handling multiple complex operations? That comes down to the quality of the people we have in our organisation, and how we are investing in their training, developing them in their positions, and making sure they are always major part of the business.

“Then you come to the hardware factor, which is about flexibility, and customers know that very well

“It’s very important for the customer to see that we have a very safe, secure site”

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when they work with us. We put ourselves in their shoes and can see exactly what they desire when it comes to their business requirements. If you show all of that as one global picture to them, the trust follows.”

The company’s dedication to its staff is blatant and admirable. “The most valuable asset any organisation has is the people,” Alishahpour says, “because everything else is going

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to be run by those smart, skilled, qualified people.” VTTI’s need to show its credentials as HSEQ-compliant and secure is for the benefit of employees, customers, and stakeholders alike, to prove that while this industry holds specific risks, that doesn’t make it perilous.

“I believe when you’re managing correctly and making sure the check list is ticked properly, it’s not dangerous,” Alishahpour says.

“It’s very important how we manage

Design & Manufacture of Heat Exchangers Shell & Tube Type and Air Cooled Fin Fan Coolers

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9.1

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MILLION CUBIC METRES VTTI’s storage capacity

risk, and how we make sure risk is totally in our control. That way we give comfort to everyone and they know they have our support. When it comes to HSEQ, it’s not the job of one individual or department – it’s the duty of everyone to make sure we are updating activity, otherwise it’s very difficult to deliver the service.”

Customer relations Another vital element of the VTTI is the customer relationship: customers are treated as partners. Rather than simply following customer instructions, VTTI Fujairah Terminals work closely with them in order to develop more efficient plans together. “That’s what your customer needs,” Alishahpour explains.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;An advantage of being ahead of our time with our facilities is the main drive to make changesâ&#x20AC;?

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The future The future for VTTI and its Fujairah facility looks bright. The Crude Tank Terminal Project commissioned in April last year fully displays the breadth of VTTI’s flexibility and range of offerings. A sophisticated facility, in the year since its inception it has already shown high levels of efficiency and performance, and has gone above and beyond its mission and defined targets. Like the Fujairah terminal – and every other one of VTTI’s top-of-the-range facilities – flexibility truly is key.

“An advantage of being ahead of our time with our facilities is the main drive to make changes,” Alishahpour says. “We are ready to change if and when necessary.

“We have always strived to be

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flexible, and looking back at the last 10 years and the expansion and modifications we’ve done, we prove that we are. We have a standard to make sure we are keeping ourselves on top of the market and making sure our customers are satisfied.”

The Fujairah terminal specifically is sitting in a very competitive market, but thanks to its dedication to expansion and the highest quality, it ensures VTTI remains the most popular choice for the customers.

Alishahpour concludes: “We at VTTI Fujairah Terminals Ltd always try to make sure we keep ourselves at the height of performance, meaning that when it comes down to it, we remain the preferred location for traders, trading companies, and customers alike.”

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Inma Steel: Steeling for success Written by Catherine Rowell Produced by Robert Gray

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We speak with Managing Director Ibrahim Almubarak regarding the company’s long history, investment in new technologies and increased drive to remain a key player in the market

F

rom a desert landscape, to one which has grown substantially, the Middle-East has gone from strength to strength. Aligned with this growth is manufacturing company, Inma Steel, which has been behind a large number of megaprojects in the region. Actively working with clients such as Saudi Aramco and SABIC (with all its subsidiaries), the company is responsible for the production and utilisation of custom-built process equipment. Services the company undertakes include mechanical repairs, equipment installation and maintenance works, alongside shutdown, turnarounds and outages.

Incorporating a long history and significant expertise, Managing

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Director Ibrahim Almubarak explains, “We have been quite successful in business of this scope and have worked on a number of shutdowns, which are now taking approximately 50 percent of our focus. We’re still actively pursuing fabrication, but we’re equally focusing on shutdowns and turnarounds.”

Although Inma Steel has a large client base, an increased competitive market has persuaded the company to rebrand. A curious move for a business of such long standing, yet Almubarak explains, “We chose not to be in a price war, but to hold fast and provide value.” Ensuring the company remains a key player, he says, “we decided to actively engage in working

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with clients that appreciate working with a company who focus on quality, expertise and professionalism in repairing the equipment which we build.

“There tends to be more problematic issues with older plants, so companies need a good contractor or partner to work with and ensure that they are around to operate in the next few years.”

Increased investments With this in mind, Inma Steel is investing in a new facility, alongside new technologies which will provide value to clients and provide the ability for increased fabrication. The company’s investment in heat exchanger repair, automated welding machines and related manufacturing equipment is a result of its expanding business growth. “We’re also looking at working on the licensing for repairing high profile or high value equipment, such as valves,” comments Almubarak.

“We’re working with European and American manufacturers in order to be a licensed contractor; maintaining, replacing and repairing equipment.”

To support this further, Almubarak is aware that there are a large number of valves incorporated into traditional plants, which Inma Steel is fully taking advantage of. The company is currently building a ‘state of the art’ valve repair shop, which will be situated in the company’s new facility. This technology will be placed alongside a mobile valve repair shop, which can be taken onsite to support the recondition,

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repair or replacement of valves.

“We’re actively working with German manufacturer EFCO to build the valve repair shop,” adds Almubarak.

Embedding a Zero Defects Policy, the company undertakes extensive testing and inspections of all welding and fabrication to ensure world-class results and provide value to clients.

Staff safety The subject of health and safety is paramount to any business. Inma Steel provides staff with the confidence and necessary tools to complete work to a high standard, and all are encouraged

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to stop a job if there are any concerns.

Almubarak explains that whilst the company is comfortable with a loss of investment or time on occasion to ensure exceptional levels of security and safety standards, he adds that this perspective and culture is also shared by their clients. “We have invested not only in the safety of when workers are outside repairing a column or pressure vessel, but also provide training when it comes to safety in their homes and everyday lives,” he says.

“We even teach people how to drive. We teach them how to be safe at home, at work, on

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the road, on the go and through their travels.

It is our culture to be safety aware.”

Strong partnerships A focus on quality and commitment to staff development and quality products has enabled the Inma Steel to develop strong partnerships, which has become embedded within the company culture. “We believe in partnerships and not to take advantage of our clients when they are in need,” Almubarak explains. “Clients know us, the quality of the services which we provide, and clients know the ethics, professionalism and standards of which we hold ourselves to. I believe, and our clients believe that we approach our relationship in a two-partnership way.”

His passion even filters down to the Inma Steel’s

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Number of satf at Inma Steel Fabricators Co Ltd

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investment in staff development and training.

With a strong belief in the value of human capital, staff have been sent to prestigious educational centres and schools, such as London Business School, with investment placed in all levels of the company. “We train people, because if you don’t train them, they will not be engaged, performance will decrease and they will take these experiences with them,” Almubarak says.

The future Despite the current situation in the economy, Inma Steel has not turned away any ventures it was considering prior to the market shift, but is looking at current cost structures in order to drive efficiencies and provide the same quality to clients. “We are here to stay,” comments Almubarak. “This is a new reality, but one in which we are doing well. We are not in the position of waiting for the cloud to pass - we are ready to work in this new reality and remain successful.”

Whilst local competitors compare themselves to other businesses, Almubarak concludes that to drive further future progress, Inma Steel compares itself to its previous self. “Hemingway said, ‘There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.’ That is something I strongly believe in.”

“We also want to become better. We’re not just waiting for others to catch up and be better than them - we continually want to get better than even our previous selves.” w w w. i n m a s t e e l . c o m . s a

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Our Capabilities. Our People

Our Capabilities Our People Blueprint Technologies (www.bpterp.com) is an ERP company of professionals focused on providing services on SAP and SAP related services on cloud. Started in the year 2010 with Headquarters in Bangalore, India, with offices in Chennai and Dubai. Blueprint Technologies has partnered with Al-Russaid Technologies(www.al-rushaid.com) in Saudi Arabia and Bin Butti International Holdings(www.bbih.ae) in Abu Dhabi. Blueprint Technologies is a preferred SAP vendor for Companies in Saudi Arabia with strong SAP delivery capabilities. Blueprint Technologies has successfully executed end to end complex SAP projects and have extensive experience in providing SAP solutions for various industrial verticals like Oil & Gas, Petrochemical, Manufacturing, FMCG, Real Estate and Construction. With a strong understanding of the market requirements in various industrial verticals.

Blueprint Technologies is also involved in executing projects on cloud with SAP SuccessFactors and Ramco ERP/HCM.

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