Dossier Construction Awards & Summit 2015 held in Muscat on September 9 turned out to be a big hit drawing key players of construction and contracting sector, leading consultants, project owners and key policy makers in Oman

Top performers from different segments of construction industry in Oman including contractors, construction materials manufacturers and consultants were felicitated at the awards ceremony. At the summit, key policy makers from Oman government, construction industry magnates in the Sultanate, and top international consultants shared insightful information on business opportunities in key projects like Oman Rail, Duqm Special Economic Zone, and Power and Tourism sectors.

Held under the patronage of Ministry of Transport and Communications and Public Authority for Electricity and Water and endorsed by Muscat Municipality, Omran, Duqm Special Economic Zone Authority and Oman Rail the event attracted more than 500 experts including contractors, policy makers from the government, consultants, architects, interior designers, turnkey contractors, project owners, project finance professionals, and allied sector professionals mainly from the construction material industry.

Those who graced the function with their presence included HE Yahya Said Abdullah Al Jabri, chairman, Special Economic Zone Authority at Duqm who was the chief guest at the awards ceremony. HE Sheikh Salim Bin Mustahail Al Mashani presented a token of appreciation to the chief guest. The summit held in the first half of the day and the award function held in the evening.

The summit began with a key note address by Glenn Platt, managing director-infrastructure, KEO International Consultants on the topic 'GCC Construction Market.' This was followed by a presentation by Ala Hassan Moosa, senior manager projects delivery of Muscat Electricity Distribution Company. A panel discussion on the topic featuring Eng Hamad Bin Salim Al Magdheri, CEO of Rural Area Electricity Company, Praveer Chakravorty, CEO of Bahwan Engineering Company and Gert Hoefman, CEO of Oman Cables Industry followed the presentation.

The second presentation 'Updates on OCEC' was made by Ahmed Elhassan, senior director, Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre Project of Omran. The panel discussion succeeding the presentation featured Eng Salim Al Thuhli, director leisure development, Bunyan-Oman Project Management and Development Company, Omran; Marco Malpiedi, MD of Atkins Oman and Ali Hassan Moosa, CIO of Oman Arab Bank.

Nathan Wiles, general manager of projects, Oman Rail Company made the third presentation on 'Oman Rail Project-Business Prospects for Omani Companies'. Apart from Nathan, Fabrizia Benedetti Valentini, Oman country manager 3TI Progetti and Nicholas Stuart, regional director-rail and transit, KEO International Consultants participated in the panel discussion held subsequent to the presentation.

The final presentation was made by Anwar Kahlan Al Battashi, manager-urban planning, Duqm Special Economic Zone Authority on 'Duqm Underliying Business Opportunities'. The panel discussion which followed the presentation was participated by Reggy Vermeulen CEO, Port of Duqm Company and Ayman Saidi, country manager and director of infrastructure-Oman, KEO International Consultants

The winners of Dossier Construction Awards 2014 were felicitated in the gala award evening. HE Yahya Said Abdullah Al Jabri and Sandeep Sehgal, CE of of UMS presented awards to the winners. Doka was the platinum sponsor and Mercedes-Benz was the gold sponsor of the event. The event was organised in association with leading consultants Atkins, Renardet and KEO. Advantage Austria was the supporting organisation. Larsen and Toubro, Sharq Sohar Group, Athaiba Furniture Factory, Oman Cables Industry, BEC Group, Voltamp Energy SAOG, Carrier, NBO, Taylor Woodrow Oman, Hasan Juma Backer Trading & Contracting, URICH Switchgear, Marine Technology Company, BASF and Al Tamman Real Estate were the silver sponsors. Said Salem Al-Wahaibi Group of Companies was the strategic sponsor. Falcon Insurance Company, Al Hassan Group, Shamel International, Hyundai Elevators-Technoelevators were the support sponsors. Times of Oman and Al Shabiba were the media partners and RMP was the printing partner. KPMG was the validating partner. The event was powered by NAMA Group and Target were the lanyard partner.

Dossier Construction Awards & Summit is instituted by Dossier magazine, published by United Media Services. Launched in 2007, Dossier is Oman's first business-to-business (B2B) publication on construction, infrastructure and real estate sectors. Dossier is the prime reference base and source of information for stakeholders of the industry and it is considered as an important channel to communicate the opportunities and challenges faced by the sector.

AWARD WINNERS:

Best Construction Safety Initiative

Larsen & Toubro Oman

Best MEP Contractor

Bahwan Engineering Company

Best Contractor for Infrastructure Project

Larsen & Toubro, Oman

Best EPC Contractor

Consortium of Tatva Environment Services and Hasan Juma Backer Trading & Contracting

Best Construction Contractor

Towell Construction & Co

Best Interior Design

Studio 7

Best Architect

GUtech Ecohaus Team

Best Project Design

Joint winners are Atkins and GUtech Ecohaus Team

Best Engineer

Bushra Anwar, KEO International Consultants

Best Engineering Consultant

KEO International Consultants

Best Sustainable Project

Ras Al Hamra International School of PDO

Best Commercial Project

Barka Grand Centre by Al Tamman Real Estate

Best Residential Project

Ras Al Hamra Development Project of PDO

Best Project Developer

Al Mouj Muscat

Lifetime Achievement Award

Lieutenant Colonel Said Salem Al Wahaibi, Chairman, Assarain Group of Companies

Special Award - Excellence in Manufacturing-Power Transformers

Voltamp Power

Special Award - Excellence in Manufacturing-Steel

Sharq Sohar Steel Rolling Mills

Special Award - Innovation in Green Products-GFRG

Shamel International

Special Award - Most Innovative Concrete Quality Assurance System

Doka

Special Award - Innovative Solutions for Car Parking

Intelligent Parking and Elevator Co.

Special Award - Excellence in Marine Construction

Marine Technology

Special Award for Innovative Construction Solutions

Taylor Woodrow Oman

Special Award for Excellence in Project Finance

National Bank of Oman

The members of panel of judges for awards; HE Eng Mohammed Bin Salim Al Busaidi, member of Majlis A' Shura and chairman of Oman Real Estate Association, Ali Hassan Moosa, CIO Oman Arab Bank, Abhijeet Dutta, senior architect, Atkins and Akshay Bhatnagar, group managing editor of UMS were handed over certificates.

© Oman Economic Review 2015