Schedule

Registration & Networking

Delegate registration and networking
Doors open for registration, snacks and networking outside the main hall.

Introduction

MC event introduction and welcome
Welcome to the 2026 Value Engineering Summit, event mechanics and what’s lined up for the day.

Jason Saundalkar

Welcome Speech – Jason Saundalkar, Editorial Director – Built Environment & Heavy Industry Divisions, CPI Trade Media
CPI Trade Media’s Jason Saundalkar welcomes speakers and delegates to the summit and discusses the event’s key themes and focuses.

Jason Saundalkar, Editorial Director

Keynote Address

TBC

Content to be announced soon.

First panel discussion

The Right Partners to Drive True Project Value

The construction segment is made up of hundreds of companies offering multi-disciplinary capabilities, which enables an employer to appoint just a handful of companies to see a project through from conception to handover. While this approach has benefits there are also issues that can arise from one company being responsible for – as an example, architecture, project- and cost-management services – as opposed to appointing specialists to provide these services independently. This panel discussion will discuss:

• Dubai’s new law on building quality and safety and what it means for developers and construction companies going forward
• The value and niche expertise specialist firms and especially those that are focused on delivering certain types of projects can bring to the table
• The pros and cons of working with multi-disciplinary firms to deliver construction projects in the GCC region
• How can regional mindsets be shifted from ‘how inexpensive’ to ‘how intelligently’ a project can be delivered through design optimisation, material substitution etc
• Delivering sustainable outcomes and ensuring project quality and resilience with value engineering processes and techniques
• The importance of implementing value management/value engineering in the early stages of a project

Moderator

Nicky Dobreanu, Board Member, Middle East and Africa World Regional Board (MEA WRB) | Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)

Speakers

Allison Wicks, Quality Integration Specialist, Qualitaz Management Consultants

Lewis Math Matheson, Associate Director, Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB)

Manika Dhama, Partner – Real Estate Advisory, Deloitte Middle East

Paul Kelly, Managing Director, C-Quest

Roxy Reynolds, Managing Director, OVAL

More speakers to be confirmed

Presentation One

Smart Contracting – Enhancing Competitiveness in a Highly Demanding Market

As the construction markets across the UAE and the wider Gulf region continue to expand, regulatory requirements are becoming more stringent, and employer expectations are rising, expecting projects to be delivered faster, more cost-efficiently, and at the highest standards of quality and design.

In this increasingly demanding environment, contractors must continuously evolve – adopting emerging technologies and mastering efficiency at every stage of the project lifecycle. This includes optimising design through architecture, material selection, structural systems and shapes, as well as enhancing construction through advanced tools, digital modelling, automation, and streamlined processes.

This session will explore practical approaches to enhancing competitiveness and will be structured in two key parts:

• Pre-Contract: From Design & Pricing to Award– The Value Engineering Process
• Post-Contract: Driving Time, Cost, Quality, and Environmental Performances During Project Delivery

Gabriel Hebert, Business Development Manager, Engineering Contracting Company (ECC)

Networking

Coffee break

Break for coffee and networking.

Second panel discussion

Technology & Industrialised Construction, a Game Changer?

As regional projects become more complex and timelines become compressed (or a project is fast-tracked), the industry must take advantage of new processes and technology to deliver on the project’s original vision, enhance quality, secure margins, and deliver projects on-time and on-budget. This panel discussion will discuss:

• Common quality issues across building projects in the GCC/Middle East region, and why this issue continues to persist
• Delivering fast-tracked projects efficiently using technology such as AI-enabled BIM models and advanced digital twins
• Leveraging industrialised construction processes/techniques such as pre-fabrication, modular construction, 3D printing etc to accelerate project timelines, reduce cost and enhance quality
• The common challenges associated with leveraging technology (out-of-date hardware or software, lack of understanding etc), and industrialised construction (limited design flexibility, consistent project volume to break even etc) to deliver projects, and how these issues can be addressed effectively
• Effectively evaluating technology to ensure there are real world benefits to the project and its stakeholders rather than adopting technology for technology’s sake

Moderator

Mohammad Hazem Soudan, Operations Lead, Climate Response + ESG Advisory, Strategic Consulting, Jacobs

Speakers

Casey D Rutland, Chief Data & Digital Officer, Property Cortex

Christopher Smeaton, Global Design Director, HBA

Fady Kobersy, Sales Director MENA, RIB Software

Sabarikrishnan Thirunavukkarasu, Regional Head – Connected Construction, Trimble

Tim Shelton, Operations Director – Technology & Advisory, Omnium International Limited

More speakers to be confirmed

Presentation Two

TBC
Content to be announced soon.

Nader Emile, Partner, HKA

Networking

Lunch
One hour break for buffet lunch and networking.

Third panel discussion

Mitigating Disruptions Caused by Extraordinary Circumstances

Complex projects are challenging to deliver at the best of times, and disruptions caused by unforeseen events such as conflict can exacerbate performance issues, and trigger force majeure or hardship clauses. This in-turn can lead to challenges including longer delivery times, increased costs etc. This panel discussion will shine a light on:

• The implications of current regional developments on contractual arrangements for projects across the GCC region
• Force majeure across UAE legal frameworks and what drivers can trigger a force majeure clause when contractual performance is affected?
• Moving away from adversarial mindsets to a collaborative mentality where parties in the supply chain work to a ‘best for the project’ goal to ensure successful project outcomes during normal- and adverse-times
• Fostering better collaboration through early contractor involvement, integrated project delivery and/or collaborative contracting strategies
• Leveraging advanced tools and technology to mitigate risks and disruptions on complex projects being delivered during times of strife

Moderator

Richard Edwin, Partner, HKA Global Limited (Dubai Branch)

Speakers

Aarti Thadani, Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright (Middle East)

Benoit Meulewaeter, Director, Accuracy

Kate Blotskaya, Senior Director, FTI Consulting

Kirsten O’Connell, Partner, Allen Overy Shearman Sterling

Suzannah Fairbairn, Partner, Dentons & Co.

More speakers to be confirmed

Presentation Three

TBC
Content to be announced soon.

Hazem Hussein, Lead Electrical Engineer, Haskoning

Event Wrap-up

MC closing remarks
Thank you for attending the 2026 Value Engineering Summit.