ASSYSTEM STEPS UP ITS PRESENCE IN SAUDI ARABIA INTERVIEW WITH STÉPHANE AUBARBIER, Executive Vice-President of Assystem and CEO of the division Energy & Infrastructure
In January this year, Assystem, an international engineering company, completed its acquisition of 75% of the Saudi Arabian design company Radicon Gulf Consult. Stéphane Aubarbier, Assystem Vice-President explains why it was a “win-win” for all parties. “As the 4th independent nuclear engineering company worldwide, Assystem wanted to strengthen its footprint in the GCC region- which is currently developing strongly in the nuclear energy sector. The company’s business model relies on building long-term links with local clients, which only an acquisition enables. Radicon, a 400-strong Saudi engineering company, fulfilled this need; since they understood the local market and had a reputation for quality and excellence, they were the natural choice.”
© Photo Credits: Assystem
“Radicon was enthusiastic too as some of its main clients wanted them to join forces with a western engineering company to bring in complementary skills. Today, Assystem - Radicon together are winning contracts that neither could hope to win alone.” Assystem-Radicon brings a new engineering offer in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. “In the Gulf, there is still enormous potential for investments in energy, infrastructures and transports. Our strategy is to build a high-performance engineering company that is destined to last.” “Indeed, Radicon will strengthen
the group’s outreach in Saudi and more globally in the Arabian Gulf, enabling us to support our clients locally in this region. Moreover, the
strong technical expertise of Radicon in infrastructure’s design as well as its understanding of the local environment combined with Assystem’s international reputation and historical expertise in complex project management, namely in nuclear, will enable us to be a reliable and efficient partner to our Saudi clients.” Assystem’s model is to transfer its expertise to local delivery centers. “We aim to place a strong emphasis on recruiting local engineers and implement different training programs to transfer Assystem’s historical expertise
namely in the fields of nuclear but also in project management and systems integration to local experts.”
Assystem was first active in the Gulf in 2011 through its participation in the UAE nuclear programme and its technical assistance subsidiary, MPH Global Services. In September 2013, Assystem relocated its energy and infrastructure division’s global headquarters to Dubai. Today, Assystem has more than 1200 employees in the MEA region across its offices in the UAE, Qatar, Yemen and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia... www.assystem.com www.radicongulf.com @Assystem