What business development means to me
It happened that I had almost always joined starting companies, or at least companies starting a new branch in some country.
I recall having been the very first employee of the Saudi INARA's branch of Lebanon, ARCAN's branch of Lebanon, KVA SAL in Lebanon, and Rawabi BUTEC in Saudi Arabia.
Being the first to join the office, I was involved in every step of the company's settlement and then developing its business to ensure growth and continuity.
I recall having been the very first employee of the Saudi INARA's branch of Lebanon, ARCAN's branch of Lebanon, KVA SAL in Lebanon, and Rawabi BUTEC in Saudi Arabia.
Being the first to join the office, I was involved in every step of the company's settlement and then developing its business to ensure growth and continuity.
Market studiesSites / Vendors / Partners assessment. Finding partners. |
Market intelligenceFinding new customers. Getting to know the competition. |
Licenses & PermitsObtaining licenses. Liaising with local authorities. |
Images might be subject to copyright, from left to right: Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Dubai Municipalities
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Presentations
Developing the company's brochure and marketing material.
Live or remote presentations.
Live or remote presentations.
TendersRegistration / prequalification. Establishing JVs and Consortiums. Participating to job explanation meetings. Managing invites to tenders / Go NoGo Contract signature. |
MobilizationFinalizing office rental contracts. Procuring office furniture / IT equipment. Procuring vehicles / staff uniforms, PPE, tools and equipment. Software implementation. |
Staff trainingIntroducing the project to new comers. Specific trainings. Encouraging personal development. Organizing collective trainings. Work environment improvement |
Recruitment
As I was developing seniorship after a few years of my career start, I have actively participated in recruitment efforts, which I still do, and will continue doing.
Between 2000 and 2003, I had participated to the interviews of dozens of staff for Maintenance Management Group in Lebanon, as the company was growing at quite a significant pace. Maintenance activities are labor intensive, thus the need to hire technicians upon each contract signature.
Being an engineer, I had to develop short tests that techicians complete as an evaluation, which allowed to check their practical knowledge of good practices in particular.
During my next job and all along 2004 and 2005, althoug being the Procurement Manager of ARCAN, an electrical contractor based in Saudi Arabia, with links to Al-Khodari and Al-Mabani general contractors, I was assigned for the recruitement and training of engineers at India's office. Such office was created by Arcan in Chennai, for hiring locally engineers who would perform the projects pricings, prepare submittals, develop shop drawings, etc. before eventually joining the company's operations in Saudi Arabia. The recruitment, integration and training of a bit less than 20 engineers followed, as I was travelling to Chennai office regularly all along the mentioned years, and extending my stays up to a full month when needed.
Between 2000 and 2003, I had participated to the interviews of dozens of staff for Maintenance Management Group in Lebanon, as the company was growing at quite a significant pace. Maintenance activities are labor intensive, thus the need to hire technicians upon each contract signature.
Being an engineer, I had to develop short tests that techicians complete as an evaluation, which allowed to check their practical knowledge of good practices in particular.
During my next job and all along 2004 and 2005, althoug being the Procurement Manager of ARCAN, an electrical contractor based in Saudi Arabia, with links to Al-Khodari and Al-Mabani general contractors, I was assigned for the recruitement and training of engineers at India's office. Such office was created by Arcan in Chennai, for hiring locally engineers who would perform the projects pricings, prepare submittals, develop shop drawings, etc. before eventually joining the company's operations in Saudi Arabia. The recruitment, integration and training of a bit less than 20 engineers followed, as I was travelling to Chennai office regularly all along the mentioned years, and extending my stays up to a full month when needed.
A view of Chennai from Mount St Thomas and one of its superb colonial era buildings, 2004.
The recent development of BUTEC's business in Saudi Arabia, which I'm leading since 2016, prompted me again to organize mass recruitment campaigns.
In 2019, I had conducted jointly with the recruiter not less than 60 interviews, for identidying profiles meeting some of ARAMCO requirements in particular, especially the Schedules Q and S of the Oil & Gas giant contracts known as LSPB and LSTK, which I'm also repeating in 2021 and 2022.
The award of the AMAALA airport project in 2020, led to more interviews and recruitments as the company I manage, Rawabi BUTEC, grew from very few individuals to some 100 persons in a matter of 6 months, and during which I had participated to the interviews and selection of the key staff for the project.
In 2019, I had conducted jointly with the recruiter not less than 60 interviews, for identidying profiles meeting some of ARAMCO requirements in particular, especially the Schedules Q and S of the Oil & Gas giant contracts known as LSPB and LSTK, which I'm also repeating in 2021 and 2022.
The award of the AMAALA airport project in 2020, led to more interviews and recruitments as the company I manage, Rawabi BUTEC, grew from very few individuals to some 100 persons in a matter of 6 months, and during which I had participated to the interviews and selection of the key staff for the project.
Saudi Arabia
Having been in Saudi Arabia during the unfortunate coronavirus pandemic, and after having pursued different business opportunities for BUTEC SAL since 2016, I witnessed the change of focus from ARAMCO towards the Vision 2030 projects.
I joined the team's efforts on the Saudi market in 2016 as Business Development Manager and started by prequalifying the company at Aramco.
A first job with Aramco was won by the end of 2018 although it took a few months before I sign the contract by March 2019.
I joined the team's efforts on the Saudi market in 2016 as Business Development Manager and started by prequalifying the company at Aramco.
A first job with Aramco was won by the end of 2018 although it took a few months before I sign the contract by March 2019.
The bulk storage plant of Turaif, North of Saudi Arabia, was the first project I sign for BUTEC
The local branch of my employer, the company which I managed during the 2020-2022 period (Rawabi BUTEC), had then to be consolidated, which prompted me to seek and obtain the ISO certification (9001, 14001, 45001) and OHSAS 18001, start intensive interviews and identify local staff for expanding the workforce, obtain block-visas, etc.
More pre-qualifications followed, and the classification process started, but the company has seen an incredible boost when winning an International Airport project in July 2020, in the middle of the unfortunate first lockdown resulting form the Covid-19 pandemic.
The development of the business has then turned into the challenge of starting this project and mobilizing despite the lockdown and the closure of most airports and international flights, which I did.
The company grew from 3 employees registered on GOSI (The Saudi social security administration) to 95, in a matter of 6 months, having first built a core team consisting of the key positions, so each can contribute to the hiring process and build his/her own team. I had to convince top notch staff to join a project in the middle of nowhere between NEOM and The Red Sea development projects, and to live in the small city of Duba on the Saudi Red Sea coast.
The jobsite itself is located in between two wadis (channels) known as "Wadi Dama" and "Wadi Aznam" covered by an ultra-low haze in the morning and almost daily dust or sand storms in the afternoon. The nearest city is 40Km away.
More pre-qualifications followed, and the classification process started, but the company has seen an incredible boost when winning an International Airport project in July 2020, in the middle of the unfortunate first lockdown resulting form the Covid-19 pandemic.
The development of the business has then turned into the challenge of starting this project and mobilizing despite the lockdown and the closure of most airports and international flights, which I did.
The company grew from 3 employees registered on GOSI (The Saudi social security administration) to 95, in a matter of 6 months, having first built a core team consisting of the key positions, so each can contribute to the hiring process and build his/her own team. I had to convince top notch staff to join a project in the middle of nowhere between NEOM and The Red Sea development projects, and to live in the small city of Duba on the Saudi Red Sea coast.
The jobsite itself is located in between two wadis (channels) known as "Wadi Dama" and "Wadi Aznam" covered by an ultra-low haze in the morning and almost daily dust or sand storms in the afternoon. The nearest city is 40Km away.
Pictures of the works in progress at the airport jobsite showing electrical manholes pre-casting, runway asphalting, GRP drainage pipes laying, AGL secondary conduits, etc.
The company then grew to some 200 employees and a 70MUSD turnover, by winning more contracts with each of AMAALA and ARAMCO.
By the beginning of 2022, I have signed three contracts in a row, covering the firefighting and storm drainage upgrades of ARAMCO's bulk plants of Duba, Tabuk and South Riyadh, worth 250 MSAR in total, and a service contract with AMAALA, covering the early logistics needs of their Island resorts project.
By the beginning of 2022, I have signed three contracts in a row, covering the firefighting and storm drainage upgrades of ARAMCO's bulk plants of Duba, Tabuk and South Riyadh, worth 250 MSAR in total, and a service contract with AMAALA, covering the early logistics needs of their Island resorts project.
Other VISION 2030 opportunities
I also actively worked to secure more opportunities and projects on the Vision 2030 project of Saudi Arabia including but not limited to:
- NEOM
- The Red Sea Development
- AlUla
- Qiddiya
- Diriyah Gate
- Etc.
The Vision 2030 is a decennial plan launched by Saudi Crown Prince for diversifying the Kingdom's economy which is essentially dependent on oil.
Industrial and tourism mega-projects are seeing the light all over the Saudi territory, with billions of dollars injected by the Public Investment Fund, PIF. The projects are spread over several industries, and cover utilities, infrastructure, industrial cities, resorts and hotels, etc., and other plans to attract businesses and companies for settling in KSA.
Some of those plans are focusing on the exploitation of the natural attraction sites of Saudi Arabia, consisting of the Red Sea coast and the mountains between the North-West and Central regions, which create multiple sceneries of reddish rocks, white or pink sands, accacia trees and other desert adapted plants. Ancient oasises in these areas remain rich in history, several civilizations having occupied them all along the Silk Road era.
Industrial and tourism mega-projects are seeing the light all over the Saudi territory, with billions of dollars injected by the Public Investment Fund, PIF. The projects are spread over several industries, and cover utilities, infrastructure, industrial cities, resorts and hotels, etc., and other plans to attract businesses and companies for settling in KSA.
Some of those plans are focusing on the exploitation of the natural attraction sites of Saudi Arabia, consisting of the Red Sea coast and the mountains between the North-West and Central regions, which create multiple sceneries of reddish rocks, white or pink sands, accacia trees and other desert adapted plants. Ancient oasises in these areas remain rich in history, several civilizations having occupied them all along the Silk Road era.
United Arab Emirates
From the beginning of 2017 and till the end of 2020, I was BUTEC's Business Development Manager for both Saudi Arabia and the United Aram Emirates.
While Saudi Arabia was somehow still suffering from a slowdown in the economy, and despite the UAE being far from booming, I had focused on a opportunity in Sharjah, made everything possible to make it work, and obtained the award in May 2019.
The project itself is a Waste-To-Energy plant generating 30MW out of Sharjah's municipal waste, the client being a JV between Abu Dhabi's Masdar and Sharjah's Bee'ah, and the end-user Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority - SEWA.
I had approached the EPC contractor, CNIM, a French specialist of boilers and incineration and made whatever it takes to convince CNIM of its interest to consider my employer as a partner for Civil Works, despite having no previous experience in the same type of projects.
While Saudi Arabia was somehow still suffering from a slowdown in the economy, and despite the UAE being far from booming, I had focused on a opportunity in Sharjah, made everything possible to make it work, and obtained the award in May 2019.
The project itself is a Waste-To-Energy plant generating 30MW out of Sharjah's municipal waste, the client being a JV between Abu Dhabi's Masdar and Sharjah's Bee'ah, and the end-user Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority - SEWA.
I had approached the EPC contractor, CNIM, a French specialist of boilers and incineration and made whatever it takes to convince CNIM of its interest to consider my employer as a partner for Civil Works, despite having no previous experience in the same type of projects.
3D rendering and works in progress at the 30MW Sharjah WTE plant, one of the first Waste-To-Energy projects to be implemented in the UAE
The most difficult part remained however obtaining a license for working in Sharjah, and entering into major contracts of tens of millions of dollars.
It took me exactly a year of continued efforts and regular visits to Sharjah Municipality for registering BUTEC as a first category contractor, the highest, allowing a contractor to enter into major contracts with no limitation on the amount.
It took me exactly a year of continued efforts and regular visits to Sharjah Municipality for registering BUTEC as a first category contractor, the highest, allowing a contractor to enter into major contracts with no limitation on the amount.
My mission in the UAE also included maintaining the classification at Abu Dhabi's chamber of commerce and enhancing the classification at Dubai Municipality. I was also following on key customers like ADWEA and its divisions, ADNOC, Masdar, etc.
ASME certification
Having entered the market of the Waste-To-Energy plants and consequent potential works on boilers like their site assembly, along with the upstream and downstream pipes and equipment, it was necessary to have an ASME certification.
BUTEC had chosen me for leading such task and having it done in a very short time, exactly 6 months.
This included starting from scratch and up to obtaining the certificate due to the urgency linked to some tenders being answered.
I had then appointed Ziad, a leading mechanical engineer from the existing team, hired another engineer from abroad and provided the necessary support and contribution. The ASME certificate was obtained in 2020 for categories A & PP in the given 6 months.
The task included building a specific workshop for demonstrating the capabilities of the welders and the team's respect of the procedures.
The workshop was then used for carrying out an internal training to the company's engineers on the welding practice, how to document it and to ensure the quality at both works and quality assurance levels.
BUTEC had chosen me for leading such task and having it done in a very short time, exactly 6 months.
This included starting from scratch and up to obtaining the certificate due to the urgency linked to some tenders being answered.
I had then appointed Ziad, a leading mechanical engineer from the existing team, hired another engineer from abroad and provided the necessary support and contribution. The ASME certificate was obtained in 2020 for categories A & PP in the given 6 months.
The task included building a specific workshop for demonstrating the capabilities of the welders and the team's respect of the procedures.
The workshop was then used for carrying out an internal training to the company's engineers on the welding practice, how to document it and to ensure the quality at both works and quality assurance levels.
Africa
Since September 2022, and following the acquisition of several companies in Morocco, Algeria, Côte d'ivoire and South Africa by BUTEC, I am currently in charge of New Business Development for the entire African continent for the three entities of the group, namely BUTEC, BUTEC Utility Services and BUTEC Energies & Services.
This incudes opportunities in Electricity and Water Utilities, Facility Management / ESCOs, and EPC contracts for Energy, Renewable Energy, Power, Water and Solid Waste projects.
This incudes opportunities in Electricity and Water Utilities, Facility Management / ESCOs, and EPC contracts for Energy, Renewable Energy, Power, Water and Solid Waste projects.