Welcome to the eighth Construction Week Power 100, our annual ranking of the most influential individuals currently working within the Middle East’s construction sector.
This special edition of the magazine has now firmly established itself as a celebration of those with most influence over how the region’s landscape is reshaped.
Few would deny that it’s been another difficult year for the Middle East’s construction community. With the oil price still in the doldrums, regional policy-makers are having to think long and hard about their developmental priorities. Consequently, there remains a certain degree of uncertainty over which projects will proceed and in what form.
While the current economic climate is less than ideal, particularly for those who’ve been around long enough to remember the heady years before the 2008/09 global financial crisis, our industry is gradually adjusting to a new norm.
Without exception, the individuals profiled in this issue are those who are meeting market challenges head on, finding innovative ways to improve the robustness of their businesses, and identifying promising avenues for sustainable, long-term growth.
Perhaps more importantly, the members of this year’s Power 100 are pushing ahead with some of the most ambitious construction projects on the planet, in spite of a multitude of challenges.
As usual, this year’s Power 100 is dominated by main contractors, but it also features a diverse selection of sub-contractors, consultants, developers, and representatives from construction-related conglomerates.
In terms of geography, the GCC region remains the list’s primary focus, although many individuals are also active across the wider Middle East and on the global stage.
Finally, some housekeeping. The individuals included in the 2017 Power 100 – and their respective positions – have been selected in line with publicly available information and details submitted directly to Construction Week. The editorial team has spent months engaged in heated discussions about who deserves to be featured, and in what order.
Ultimately, the final rankings reflect our collective decision, which was made based on the most pertinent information available. Nevertheless, this list is, to some extent, subjective, in that it attempts to capture and quantify that most elusive of concepts, ‘influence’. While we have taken great pains to remain as objective as possible, it’s important to note that other opinions are available.
[Ref: constructionweekonline.com]
