Atkins announces new Middle East and Africa business structure, aligned to market and client needs

Atkins, a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group, today announces a new market-focused structure for its Atkins, Faithful+Gould and Atkins Acuity brands in the Middle East & Africa.

The new business structure, which will take effect from 1 July 2020, will be based around two core markets of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) with services and propositions aligned to country priorities and respective client projects.  Providing a simpler and focused structure will ensure Atkins is agile and responsive to customers’ needs with a services delivery model that is more efficient and responsive to evolving local market dynamics.  

Cris Dedigama, CEO of Atkins, Middle East & Africa, commented: “The Middle East and Africa region continues to offer great opportunities for our business and this new structure will enable us to be laser-focused in our services and delivery to very localized and dynamic market and client needs. Our new business structure will help us achieve focused future growth, through a robust local presence in key markets. This market-facing structure is underpinned by over 50 years’ regional track record, strong client relationships, a powerful global network and innovative, technology-enabled delivery capabilities.”  

Johan Hesselsøe and Ian Redmayne will lead these markets as Managing Director, UAE and Managing Director, KSA respectively. Together with a seasoned leadership team dedicated to supporting existing and prospective clients in each market, Ian and Johan will manage the Company’s business growth strategy tailored to each country’s local requirements. 

Johan Hesselsøe, Managing Director of Atkins, UAE, has over 13 years’ experience in the region, most recently as Managing Director, Middle East and Africa for Faithful+Gould. Previously, Johan also held the role of Managing Director, Atkins Acuity, for over three years where he successfully grew the business while working collaboratively with other Atkins business lines to maximize client opportunities. In addition, he worked with McKinsey for 10 years before joining the Company. Johan holds a Master of Science from London School of Economics.    

Ian Redmayne, Managing Director of Atkins, KSA, has been with Atkins for over 30 years leading flagship projects in infrastructure, transport, aviation and mixed-use developments in the UK, Europe, Middle East and Asia. Over the past nine years, he has led key projects in Saudi Arabia such as The King Abdulaziz International Airport and Riyadh Metro. Throughout his career, he has developed strong client relationships and provided a focus on operational excellence and project delivery. Ian holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Imperial College Business School, UK, and he is a Chartered Civil Engineer from the Institution of Civil Engineering, UK.

Over the past 50 years, Atkins has delivered many flagship projects in the Middle East. In the UAE, Atkins is currently supporting clients such as The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), MODON and Miral on a number of transformational projects designed to meet current and future market demands. In KSA, Atkins is currently supporting a number of mega projects from developing masterplans, providing engineering for the built environment, providing PMO and cost management services, as well as strategic privatization advice and digital asset management to major government entities.