EXHIBITOR INTERVIEW: KHATIB & ALAMI

Khatib & Alami will be exhibiting its latest products and services at FM EXPO Saudi in Riyadh this January. We spoke to Senior Consultant at their Facilities Management department, Anwar Qureshi; here is what he told us about the market.

1. What is your outlook on the Facilities Management industry in Saudi Arabia?

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the largest country market in the GCC for FM services, and is expected to more than double in size to $50bn by 2030, compared to $23 billion at the end of 2018. Saudi Vision 2030 is the driver creating investment opportunities in development projects, not just in Riyadh, but across the whole Kingdom as it seeks to diversify its economy by investing in non-oil-based sectors.  Given this backdrop, the market for professional facilities management services is only going to expand as FM supports these non-oil sectors.

With a buoyant FM market, you will start to see a sea change in the mentality of building owners, where the focus shifts from taking a reactive approach to FM towards implementing planned and strategic cost and operational efficiency measures. Buildings are almost 40% of the energy consumption in almost any economy, and the best energy and water efficiency measures typically reduce energy and water bills by 10-30%”

FM companies that are able to present solutions that demonstrate how a proactive approach to FM can help clients to reduce costs during the entire lifecycle of a building will be best placed to win work as the market grows in line with Saudi Vision 2030.

2. In which industries do you see the biggest penetration for FM services?

As FM service delivery becomes more technology driven through software such as Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), this has the potential to deliver real value across multiple industries including retail, real estate, transportation, healthcare, tourism, education, hospitality and leisure, to name just a few

By moving away from a reactive approach to FM where issues are solved as they arise, BIM and GIS integration into FM will lead to improved decision-making and customer support. It can generate real-time data analytics such as heat maps and detailed user behavior data, by a combination of indoor and outdoor positioning technologies. This can help businesses understand and predict future behavioral patterns and make decisions faster, driving both operational efficiency and the customer experience, as well as supporting facility and asset management, space and crowd management, and emergency management.

Moreover, on a project level, Saudi Arabia has initiated a number of mega developments such as the various economic and industrial cities dotted across the Kingdom. NEOM, for instance, a gigantic $500bn mega city announced for the north west of the Kingdom, will create new investment opportunities in new industries, as well as allowing investors to tap into natural resources, such as endless green wind and solar energies. Projects such as NEOM and the ongoing expansion and renovation program of the Two Holy Mosques in Mecca and Medina will undoubtedly require world-class FM moving forward.

3. Are there specific factors which may influence this in the next 3 years?

The stability and peace that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia enjoys under the great leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, provides the stability in market that will allow FM to continue to flourish in the years to come.

In addition, Saudi Arabia is looking to encourage more private sector participation beyond utilities through developing robust Public-Private-Partnership (PPPs) laws. The expectation is that 2019 will see other sectors shining in the PPP spotlight, which will in turn have positive knock-on effects for the FM market.

4. What is one thing people always get wrong about facilities management?

One of the things organizations often get wrong about facilities management is focusing on being reactive, instead of planned and strategic. We recommend that clients implement a robust facilities management program that gives credence to the efficient operation and maintenance of the asset over its entire lifecycle. Taking a comprehensive and longer term approach can optimize operational performance, reduce costs and also give the opportunity to create spaces that are safe, secure and user-friendly.

5. Why is it beneficial for you to exhibit at FM EXPO Saudi?

Saudi Arabia is the biggest market in the GCC for FM services – and FM EXPO Saudi gives Khatib & Alami (K&A) the opportunity to meet key decision-makers and also share best practice as a guest-speaker during the conference.

K&A is an expert in FM consultancy management, Building Information Modelling (BIM), Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and energy and water management, and our experts will be present at FM EXPO Saudi to demonstrate how we can help businesses achieve their goals.

Meet with Khatib & ALami at FM EXPO Saudi and Saudi Clean Expo at the Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center, Stand 2A01.

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To set up an interview with Khatib & Alami, contact: