Michel Abu Jawdeh, is a civil engineer holding a Master’s degree in Engineering Management. He has over 30 years of experience in the construction field and the management of large-scale projects, working with leading regional and international firms in the Middle East, North and West Africa. Throughout his professional journey, Michel has successfully assumed diversified roles covering a large spectrum of the construction disciplines, including: structural design engineer, project manager/project director, contracts’ manager, manager of the PMO department and business development manager.

Samih Ahmed is a PMO Director with 15+ years’ experience leading mega projects across energy, infrastructure, and real estate. An expert in delivery excellence, governance, and strategy execution, he transforms PMOs into catalysts for impact and value creation.

Sagar is an astute project controls and risk management professional with over 16 years of industry experience. He is a civil engineering graduate with a master’s in construction project management and an LLM from RGU (UK) specialising in construction law & arbitration and a PG diploma in alternative dispute resolution from NALSAR, India. Frequently, he acted as a forensic delay/claims expert for in-house assignments. Not only is he certified by PMI (USA) in the portfolio and programme management knowledge areas but also in the scheduling & risk management knowledge areas. He achieved advanced-level credentials in cost management as well as planning & scheduling offered by AACE, USA. Considering his contribution in built environment projects and proven leadership in the industry, he received Fellowships from the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) and the Association for Project Management (APM), UK. Throughout his career, he has supported a range of industries in ensuring that their approaches to project controls & risk management are sufficient to support effective decision-making. Sagar has been involved in managing the Project Controls & Risk function in several high-value and high-profile projects, including: + SADARA Petrochemical Project, Polyethylene Package (L&T), Saudi Arabia + Gas Refinery, storage & Sulphur recovery units in Iran + Exxon and BP Oil Wells drilling program by Halliburton, Kuwait and Iraq + Crude Oil refining & process unit construction projects by Al-Ghanim Co, Kuwait + Vida – five-star Hotel & Villas project in Fujairah, UAE + King Salman International Complex for Maritime Industries & Services, Ras Al-Khair, Saudi Arabia + Jeddah Central Development, PIF Company, Saudi Arabia Sagar has experience in a range of tools for developing risk data into valuable decision-making information for project teams and organisations to ensure a clear understanding of their risk exposure and trends and derive required contingencies. Specialities: Primavera

Mohamed Atia is a Director of Project Controls at Aecon, one of Canada’s leading major infrastructure contractors, specializing in project controls and commercial management for complex transportation and infrastructure megaprojects across North America and the Middle East. He brings deep expertise in cost and schedule controls, commercial strategy, collaborative delivery models, and dispute avoidance and resolution. Under his leadership, project teams have delivered award‑winning outcomes, recognized for excellence at the Project Controls Expo 2025 in the USA. Mohamed is known for transforming controls from reporting tools into decision‑enablers. He was nominated among Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 in 2024

Peter Benton specialises in project, program and portfolio management, assisting organisations to improve the business outcomes from their projects and the capability of their people. Peter has over 30 years’ of international project management experience in a range of industry sectors including oil and gas exploration, production and decommissioning; electricity supply; public water supply and treatment; hospitality and software and technology development. Peter introduces and embeds recognised best practices and behaviours into organisations. Working with a focus on people, and having excellent relationship, communication and organisational skills, Peter has held project management, departmental management and operations roles, working both nationally and internationally. He is a Chartered Project Professional (ChPP), a Chartered Engineer (CEng) and a Chartered IT Professional (CITP).

Hareesh Bhargavan is seasoned industry professional with more than 25 years of experience in diverse fields ranging across Manufacturing, Real Estate, Consulting and Projects with leading organisations in India and abroad. A graduate in Mechanical Engineering, he holds PGDM in Finance and Professional Certification in Data Science. He works as Manager Planning and Reporting with Dammam Airports Company.

Javier Celis is a Project Controls and Program Management specialist with international experience across mining and infrastructure projects in Australia and Latin America. He currently works in Australia in senior Project Controls and Program Management roles, supporting large, complex programs and advising multidisciplinary teams on cost control, scheduling, forecasting, and performance management. Javier holds a Master of Project Management from the University of Sydney and an engineering background, with hands-on experience in project controls implementation within consulting and delivery environments. Throughout his career, he has worked closely with engineers, project managers, commercial teams, and stakeholders, bridging technical rigor with practical execution. He is the author of “Project Controls: Beyond the Spreadsheet”, a professional book that goes beyond tools and templates to explore the real-world challenges of project controls in consulting and delivery environments. The book focuses on lessons learned, common mistakes, and best practices, enriched with insights from international industry experts. A central theme of his work is the importance of the human factor in project controls—communication, leadership, trust, and emotional intelligence—as critical drivers of project success. As a speaker, Javier brings a practical and relatable perspective, combining technical knowledge with real project stories. His presentations highlight how project controls professionals can add greater value by adopting a people-centred approach, improving collaboration, influencing decision-making, and supporting project teams under pressure. Javier is passionate about knowledge sharing, mentoring, and advancing the role of project controls as a strategic and human-focused discipline within modern project delivery.

Maged El Hawary is a Project Management Consultant with over 25 years of experience in Project Management, Strategic Management, Cost Control, EVM, Technology, and Innovation. Maged is currently the Managing Director of Analytica, operating in UAE, KSA and Egypt; He was CIO/CCO of ASGC Group. Started his career in 1998 as a Site Engineer, then as a Planning and Control Engineer in The Arab Contractors -Egypt; later on, Maged held several managerial positions in critical international companies and managed major projects in Residential, Commercial, Oil, and gas, social infrastructure and Industrial sectors. Maged is an Assistant Professor and Research Supervisor at Heriot-Watt University, Member of the Industry Advisory Board of AUD Past President of AACEI, UAE- section Maged is a professional speaker and panellist in international conferences on Project Management, Project controls and technology forums. Maged has received the following international awards: - Charles Kean for distinguished service award – AACE International-USA 2014 -Team Leader of the Year – 1st UAE PM Conference – SOE -2015 -Controls expo global Award- UK-2018 -H.H. Hamdan Bin Mohamed Award-Innovative PMO Manager-DIPMF 2019 - Male Construction Leader of the Year 2021 – Big5 Egypt – 2021 Maged holds the following degrees: - 1998: BSc. in Civil Engineering- Cairo University- Egypt - 2002: PGD. in Construction Engineering and Management - Cairo University - 2013: MSc. Construction Project Management – Heriot-Watt University - UK - 2020: MRICS - UK - 2021: AF-Higher Education Academy - UK - 2023: PhD. Construction Technology& PM– Heriot-Watt University - UK - Project Management Professional (PMP) -PMI/USA - Certified Cost Professional (CCP) - AACEI/USA - Planning & Scheduling Professional (PSP)- AACEI/USA - Earned Value Professional (EVP) - AACEI/USA - Registered Expert - CRCICA- Egypt

My name is Mohamad Faiad, I am a Forensic Claims Specialist and Contract Manager with extensive experience in major construction and infrastructure projects across the Middle East. My expertise bridges project planning, claims management, and dispute resolution under FIDIC and other international frameworks. Over the years, I have led forensic delay analyses, extension of time submissions, and claim strategies on high-profile developments including luxury hotels and large-scale infrastructure. My focus is on transforming complex project data into clear, contractual arguments that protect entitlements and withstand scrutiny. In addition to my project work, I actively contribute to the professional community through training, workshops, and thought leadership on LinkedIn. I am also honored to be a confirmed speaker at the Engineering Arbitration Conference 2026 in Riyadh, where I will present on forensic delay analysis in dispute cases

Anil is passionate about Project Controls and working in multiple capacities for implementation and enhancement of this growing subject i.e., Managing Director of Projcon Group (Project Controls Consultancy), Founder of Project Controls Online (Global Project Controls e-network and knowledge base), Project Manager for Project Controls Expo (Largest Project Controls event/- show) and finally, Founder and Program Director at Project Controls Institute (Blended Project Controls learning platform), Anil's professional experience spans over 19 years at corporate and field offices offering diverse and in-depth exposure to implementation of Project Controls on a range of EPC Projects (Oil & Gas- upstream and downstream, CCU - Carbon Capture Units, Power Projects and Pipelines). Registrations, Certifications, Publications & Voluntary Contribution. IEng registration with Engineering Council, UK Holds Certified Cost Engineer (CCE) and Planning & Scheduling Professional (PSP) certifications.

Co-Founder and CTO at WiiGroup, delivering tailored BIM and Digital Project Control solutions to the global AEC industry. Our team collaborates with clients to implement advanced ConTech tools that optimize construction processes, enhance collaboration, and ensure seamless project execution. By leveraging the expertise of our passionate staff, we consistently provide innovative, high-quality solutions that address complex challenges across Ireland and Europe. Additionally, as a lecturer in the Global BIM Management Master’s Program at ZIGURAT Institute of Technology for over three years, I specialize in integrating cost data with BIM systems to enable real-time budget control and transparency. Using tools such as Power BI, I focus on improving financial planning and reducing project overruns. My overarching mission is to advance digital transformation within construction management and foster knowledge sharing across the industry.

Rana Hendawy leads BIM Research & Development for Digital Delivery at ZFP (Zuhair Fayez Partnership), where she turns complex model data into practical, production-ready tools and workflows for multidisciplinary project teams. Previously with ECG (Dorsch Global), she helped scale digital delivery and automation across large programs. Working at the intersection of engineering and software, Rana builds Revit-API and .NET (C#/Blazor/WPF) solutions integrated with SQL/Azure and business intelligence. Her portfolio includes automated BoQ/QTO by division and parameters, model health and ISO 19650 compliance checks, parameter governance and standards, standardized exports for coordination and handover, and live dashboards that surface cost, progress, and quality signals. Rana’s showcases emphasize “quick wins” that remove repetitive work, de-risk deliverables, and improve traceability—backed by maintainable architecture (clear data contracts, validation rules, versioning, and audit trails). She partners closely with discipline leads, PMs, and site teams to embed change management, documentation, and training so new workflows land smoothly and stick. On stage, Rana shares concise case studies and live demos—from the problem and design constraints to the architecture and measurable impact—helping audiences align on outcomes, not just features. Her goal is simple: make digital delivery faster, clearer, and more reliable so engineers can focus on creating value while the tooling handles the heavy lifting.

Eng. Usman Islam is a seasoned Risk and Project Controls Leader with nearly two decades of international experience driving risk governance, assurance, and performance improvement across major infrastructure and giga projects. As Senior Manager – Risk (Implementation) at Qiddiya Investment Company, I am playing a pivotal role in embedding enterprise risk frameworks and integrated controls systems that strengthen delivery confidence and align with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 transformation agenda. Usman’s career spans senior leadership roles with KBR (Diriyah Gate Development Authority Program), Parsons (NEOM – The Line), Ashghal (Qatar), Egis, and Hitachi ABB, where he has implemented cutting-edge risk management processes, digital reporting tools, and program assurance frameworks that elevate project predictability, governance maturity, and stakeholder trust. His expertise covers risk-based decision-making, cost and schedule risk analysis, assurance integration, and project governance transformation. Renowned for his strategic approach, Usman transforms traditional risk and controls functions into proactive business enablers that drive performance and value creation across complex project environments. A passionate advocate for professional excellence, he regularly contributes to industry knowledge-sharing and capacity-building initiatives, emphasizing the importance of integrated risk and controls in achieving sustainable program outcomes. Usman holds engineering and risk management qualifications and is certified in ISO 31000 Risk Management. His work continues to shape the evolving landscape of risk and assurance practices within Saudi Arabia’s giga projects and beyond.

Hussein Ismail, a dedicated Project Controls Manager, boasts over +15 years of expertise in steering engineering and construction projects to success. Hussein is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Business Administration, and Master's degree in Business Psychology. Holding both a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (BS.CE), Hussein's robust academic foundation, coupled with practical experience, underpins a strategic approach to project management, ensuring excellence in every endeavour. Holding the esteemed titles of Certified KPI Professional and Strategy Planner, Hussein specializes in developing standardized controls that ensure the seamless delivery of projects. With a wealth of certifications, including the P3O® Foundation Certificate and multiple PMI credentials such as PMI-ACP, PMI-PBA, PMI-SP, PMI-RMP, and PMP.

Phil is the Sales and Marketing Director at 20/20 Business Insight, an independent provider of project management and project controls training and consultancy. Phil joined 20/20 in July 2018 as a Business Development Manager following 6 years at Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) as a Head of Skills Strategy. Previously, Phil’s background is originally in the Construction Industry which saw him then share his skills and knowledge delivering construction courses in a FE College. In 2008 he became a Project Manager for a consultancy on a multi-million-pound Project for the Department for Education before progressing to Programme Manager in 2011.

Youssef, a passionate project and contracts manager, started his career as a field engineer on construction sites, moving towards construction and project management for multi-million dollar projects in various types, from oil & gas, buildings, airports, power generation, and infrastructure, in many countries around the world and for both contractors and consultants. Member of Project Management Institute PMI since 2008 and a member of World Commerce and Contracting (formerly known as IACCM), Youssef had his PMP (Project Management Professional) designation in 2014 and PMOCP (Project Management Office Certified Professional) since 2024, he is a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) in the Province of Manitoba (Canada), LEED Green Associate, and certified contract management professional (CCMP) since 2019. He has bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, post graduate degree in structural engineering, Masters in Project Management from the University of California Los Angeles, Certificate in Business Communications (in French) from Université de Saint Boniface (Canada), and an associate degree in Contract Management from the University of Southampton (UK). Youssef was elected as Council member at World Commerce and Contracting representing Western Canada for the term 2022-2024 and member of the Global Advisory Board for the term 2024-2026.

Transformative Leader in Global Advisory and Strategy Execution Grace Najjar is the CEO of Align Management Solutions, established in 2010, with a focus on driving and aligning innovative solutions through AI, technology, data, knowledge, and Management frameworks towards value creation. With nearly 29 years of global experience in national and international advisory managerial roles, Grace has positioned herself as a distinguished leader in driving strategy execution, regional growth, government engagement, and strategic partnerships, as well as transformative solutions on a global scale. Her expertise spans modernization & value creation, digital transformation, people empowerment, and aligning strategies with ESG and UN SDG goals. In her role as the Regional Manager Director for the MENA region at the Project Management Institute (PMI) over the past four years, she led PMI's mission of growth, fostering influential partnerships, unlocking potential, and empowering people, communities, and organizations in the MENA region towards better and improve project value delivery. An active participant in global events, Grace serves as a moderator, conference chair, and speaker, contributing insights to influential gatherings such as Cityscape -KSA, Forbes Sustainable Innovation Summit, and the World Government Summit. Holding a Master's in Systems Engineering and Network & Telecommunications, Grace is certified in PMP, PgMP, DASM, Safe Agile, and is a 2013 PMI Leadership Institute Master Class graduate.

Neal Panchuk is a senior infrastructure and construction leader with more than 20 years of experience delivering complex institutional and infrastructure programs valued at up to $15 billion. He is Senior Director of Continuous Improvement and Preconstruction at Aecon, based in Toronto, where he leads Lean, preconstruction, and collaborative delivery practices supporting large‑scale Progressive Design‑Build projects. Neal is recognized as a Canadian leader in Lean Construction and collaborative contracting, with hands‑on experience delivering landmark IPD and PDB projects. His work focuses on Target Value Delivery, lean project controls, risk management, and preconstruction strategy to drive cost certainty and best‑for‑project outcomes. Neal is a frequent international speaker and founder of the Lean Construction Institute of Canada GTA Community of Practice.

Adrian provides strategic advice to asset-intensive organisations, guiding them in delivering capital project portfolios that meet strategic and operational goals. With 17 years of experience in programme management, project controls, PMO, and digital transformation, he helps clients enhance efficiency, optimise capital spend, and strengthen governance. His proven track record spans multiple sectors, including rail, aviation, nuclear, utilities, real estate, high-tech, pharmaceuticals, and natural resources such as oil & gas and mining.

Mostafa is Senior Enterprise Risk Management Expert with over 22 years of experience (20 years in the UAE) in various sectors including Consultancy, nuclear energy, oil & gas, construction & Investment. He is the Regional Head of Risk Management for AtkinsRealis in the Middle East and the MENA Regional Director for the Enterprise Risk Management Academy (ERMA) in Singapore. He is also the Winner of the Global Risk Award provided by The Institute of Risk Management in the UK. and the Middle East & Africa (MEA) Risk Manager of the Year Award. He is accredited with delivery of multiple presentations as a keynote speaker and facilitated master classes at many international conferences and forums in addition to internal and external trainings. He has established and implemented the Enterprise Risk Management and Business Continuity frameworks for the corporation and the program of the Emirates Nuclear Energy Company.

Jose Gabriel Rosas is a Project Director at Beaver & Ibex, specializing in advanced project controls, digital construction delivery, and performance intelligence for large-scale industrial and infrastructure projects. With over 20 years of experience across EPC and owner organizations, like NEOM and McDermott, Jose has led the implementation of Advanced Work Packaging (AWP), 4D planning, Earned Value Management (EVM), and integrated execution data ecosystems on complex, multi-billion-dollar programs. His work focuses on transforming the 3D model into a single source of truth, connecting engineering, procurement, construction, cost, and schedule data into unified decision systems. Jose’s recent work explores the practical application of AI and data agents, leveraging structured execution data to move from reactive reporting to predictive performance intelligence. Rather than approaching AI as a standalone technology, his methodology emphasizes execution structure, data governance, and process alignment as prerequisites for automation and advanced analytics. He is a frequent speaker at international project controls and construction technology conferences and the author of Precision Planning: Construction Excellence through Advanced Work Packaging. Jose holds advanced degrees in engineering and management and has delivered projects across the Middle East and North America.

Project management professional with more than 20 years of experience in project planning & control. Vast experience in the Rail and Metro projects, worked on mega projects cumulatively worth more than $10 Billion such as Dubai Metro Route2020, Doha Red Line Underground, Delhi Metro and the Etihad Rail programme. Worked with leading corporates such Larsen & Toubro, Laing O'Rourke,Salini Impregilo ,Acciona and Jacobs.Has Masters degrees from the prestigious IIT Delhi and IIM Lucknow. Has completed Leading Strategic Projects Programme from the Said Business School, University of Oxford. He is also a Certified Reference Class Forecasting (RCF) Practitioner from Oxford Global Projects Academy, UK. Currently pursuing his Doctorate in the field of Construction 4.0 from SP Jain School of Global Management.

I'm Mohamed Talaat, and I'm currently a Senior Contracts & Claims Engineer with China Petroleum Engineering & Construction Corporation (CPECC), deeply involved in the dynamic oil and gas sector for ADNOC here in the UAE. My journey in engineering began at Mansoura University (Egypt), where I specialized in Building & Construction Engineering (BCE) with a keen focus on Project Management. After gaining valuable on-the-ground experience as a Site Engineer for three years post-graduation, I recognized the critical impact of effective contractual frameworks on project success. This insight led me to shift my career to Contracts and Claims Management. I initially honed my contract expertise with various contractors, contributing to projects like the Mosque in Uptown Cairo and the H1-Hotel in Marassi with EMAAR as the Employer. Before making the move to the UAE in December 2024, I further developed my skills as a Contracts Section Head with a highly reputable employer in Egypt. In that role, I lead the delivery of high-profile projects such as Telal Al Sokhna (Residential), The Hills (Residential), and The Big District (Commercial). This diverse background, spanning both contractor and employer perspectives across large-scale and varied developments, has provided me with a comprehensive understanding of project lifecycle challenges. Beyond my daily project responsibilities, I am genuinely passionate about contributing to the professional community. I regularly deliver training sessions, particularly in Contracts Management, sharing practical insights and best practices. Furthermore, I believe that strong project delivery is underpinned by robust soft skills, which is why I also provide guidance on essential competencies like presentation skills, negotiation strategies, and leadership skills. I look forward to sharing my experience and insights with the Project Controls Expo audience.