Atkins, a leading design, engineering and project management consultancy, has announced three new appointments to its senior leadership team in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) as part of its expansion plans for the region. These are Johan Hesselsoe, Kathleen McGrail and Shadi Jebreel.

A member of the SNC-Lavalin Group, Atkins has a track record of delivering flagship projects in the UAE such as Dubai Opera, Burj Al Arab and Dubai International Airport.

According to Atkins, these new appointments have been made across its design and engineering, Faithful+Gould and Atkins Acuity business lines.

Hesselsoe has been named as the new managing director for the MEA region. In his new role, he will  lead the integrated project and programme management services business under the Faithful+Gould brand, with a mandate to grow the business with existing and new clients.

Prior to this, Hesselsoe was managing director of Atkins Acuity for over three years where he successfully developed the business while working collaboratively with other Atkins business lines to maximize client opportunities.

He has more than 12 years’ experience in the Middle East and worked with McKinsey for 10 years before joining the company, said the statement from Atkins.

McGrail has been appointed the managing director for MEA at Atkins Acuity after eight years in key roles growing and developing the Acuity business.

She will oversee Atkins uniquely positioned advisory business which includes strategic, financing and technical consulting capabilities to help clients solve complex front-end problems in the built environment.

McGrail has over 20 years of experience in transformation, programme and change management which she has applied on a number of high-profile infrastructure projects across the GCC.

Prior to joining Atkins, she worked for five years within Deloitte’s Program Leadership consulting practice.

Jebreel has been named the country director, UAE for Atkins' design and engineering business.

Bringing a wealth of experience and market knowledge, Jebreel will further cement and grow the business’s footprint in the UAE by capitalising on technical expertise and driving opportunities with both existing and new clients.

Jebreel has been with the company for 11 years; initially in the UK and then in the UAE for the past eight years. He previously held the role of civil, infrastructure and transportation market director, bringing in successful projects and business opportunities with clients such as Dubai Airports and The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).

Atkins is one of the world’s most respected design, engineering and project management consultancies that helps clients plan, design and enable major capital projects, and provides expert consultancy that covers the full project lifecycle.

Over the past 10 years, Atkins has built a successful relationship with RTA supporting the Dubai Metro. Atkins provided full multidisciplinary design and management of the civil works on Dubai Metro.-TradeArabia News Service