Atkins appoints Matthew Tribe as managing director for its planning, design, and engineering business in the Middle East
Atkins, a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group, is pleased to announce the appointment of Matthew Tribe as managing director for its planning, design, and engineering business in the Middle East, effective November 2021. Matthew also leads the company’s global technical network in master planning, urbanisation & cities, driving a virtual network of professionals to deliver value to its clients around the world.
“With over 50 years’ presence in the Middle East, Atkins has a proven record in delivering some of the region’s most iconic and complex projects. Strengthening our planning, design, and engineering business is key to meet the region’s growing needs and help countries achieve their national visions and net zero targets,” said Campbell Gray, CEO, Atkins, Middle East & Africa. “With his deep knowledge of the business and the region, Matthew will play a pivotal role in enabling, delivering and most importantly adding demonstrable value to our clients’ programs and portfolios.”
Matthew is a seasoned executive with 26 years of experience across the UK, Asia, Middle East, and Africa regions. Throughout his career, he has established an approach to master planning and urban design that delivers solutions derived from detailed analysis, understanding and appreciation of the evolving demands of modern life. Previously, Matthew was the Managing Principal for the Dubai Studio and Global Lead for Planning, Landscape and Urban Design at global architecture firm CallisonRTKL, where he played an instrumental role in the company’s growth. Before joining CallisonRTKL in 2014, he spent 18 years at Atkins departing as the International Master Planning & Urban Design Director, splitting his time between the UAE and the UK. His portfolio of projects includes the New Jeddah Downtown and KAAR Gateway Development in Saudi Arabia, The Grove Mixed-Use Development and Dubai Creek Harbour Master Plan in the UAE, and many other flagship projects in the Middle East.
“I’m excited to re-join Atkins and be part of shaping its strategic growth plans both globally and in the Middle East,” commented Matthew Tribe, managing director, planning, design, and engineering at Atkins. “The industry is going through a significant transformation where embedding human-centric design practices and adopting sustainable and data-driven solutions will be key to tackle current and future challenges and harness opportunities for growth on the long-term.”
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Powerlist Creative 30 Ben Corrigan Founder & Managing Director Bluehaus Group
Ben Corrigan is the founder and managing director of Bluehaus, an award- winning design studio with headquarters in Dubai and regional offices in Abu Dhabi and Riyadh.
The last five or so years have been the most thrilling for Bluehaus. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID pandemic, Bluehaus has had a fantastic few years. Corrigan is especially proud of how his team has come together to support one another during this time. Bluehaus has some interesting and diverse projects on the drawing boards (so to speak) and onsite projects including Sushi Samba in KAFD Riyadh, the new du telecom HQ, several workplace collaborations with tech firms, workplace projects in ICD Brookfield Place, a high-profile retail experience for a telecommunications firm in Riyadh, and also several exciting projects in Expo 2020.
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George Karl is appointed as managing director of Preciosa Gulf
Preciosa announced the appointment of George Karl as managing director of Preciosa Gulf. In his new role, Karl will take the lead in implementing the brand’s vision across the Middle East and Africa. He will manage the execution and development of business strategies across the company, working in tandem with designers and developers alike.
Born and raised in the Czech Republic amongst master glass artisans of the Crystal Valley, Karl has a great reverence for the legacy of Preciosa and a desire to see the company continue its pre-eminence in producing exceptional designs across the region. Karl looks forward to leading Preciosa in the next chapter of its growth and looks to elevate Preciosa by furthering its reputational excellence in the world of bespoke decorative lighting.Preciosa is a leading international glass manufacturer that offers unparalleled craftsmanship and brings new creativity and innovation to the art of glassmaking.
The company’s installations are synonymous with sophistication and elegance and encompass intricate wall sculptures and elaborate crystal chandeliers that hang boldly from ceilings all over the world. The lighting company is also renowned for its creative and innovative references, having installed bespoke Bohemian crystal installations across a plethora of prestigious venues in the UAE, including the Mandarin Oriental Jumeira and Atlantis, The Palm. Under Karl’s management, this list is set to expand with future projects to be launched in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and UAE.
Karl disclosed: “I’m incredibly honoured to lead Preciosa Gulf as we embark on this next chapter of our company’s future. My passion for crystal and lighting comes from a childhood growing up amongst the world’s top lighting designers at Preciosa and in the heart of the Crystal Valley in the Czech Republic where I was born. I have tremendous respect for the generations of artisans and talented teams that work with us at Preciosa and am proud of the award-winning work that comes out of our international ateliers. I look forward to continuing and strengthening our strong relations with all our partners within the luxury resorts & hotels, villas, and palaces, and also look forward to shaping the future innovations at Preciosa Lighting across the Middle East and beyond…”
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Former Preciosa Gulf managing director Martin Fryzelka joins NextSpace as new CEO
NextSpace has appointed Martin Fryzelka to the position of CEO. In his new role, Fryzelka will advance the brand’s position across its regional portfolio, while also engaging cross-functionally throughout the organisation to enhance NextSpace’s forward thinking portfolio at every touchpoint and help navigate new and existing brands into the future. Frzyelka, (former managing director of Preciosa Gulf) brings over a decade of executive experience within the hospitality and residential business. Building further on his global experience, his intentional disruption of existing distribution models allows his network of established and new brands to grow, develop and be at the forefront of the design industry across the Middle East and Africa.
NextSpace represents a curated collection of luxury design brands which have a truly authentic story to tell. This new platform provides specialist FF&E solutions across the GCC and supports world-class and forward-thinking design partners. Equipped with an intricate knowledge of the local market; their indelible network of design professionals, operators, developers, contractors, distributors and clients are at the nucleus of the extensive design community. Through this exciting platform new and innovative brands can effectively engage with the regional design community. Laurence Dehlen, the co-founder of NextSpace, discusses his thoughts on the expansion strategy: “NextSpace has grown over the past year and it was time to take on a partner who will help us drive the key projects and propel us forward in terms of sales and strategic direction. I am pleased that Martin Fryzelka has joined our team as CEO and am confident that he will add immense value to our company.”
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Lama Arouri is the new managing director at Studio N
Lama Arouri will be the new managing director at Studio N. Arouri joined Nulty in 2020 as business development director and has over ten years of experience working in the lighting industry.
Alex Holler will step down as managing director of Studio N in March 2020.
Arouri will bring both strategic planning and local market knowledge to her new role: “I am thrilled to be joining Studio N at an exciting time in the company’s development. My focus will be on driving continued growth for the business, as well as positioning Studio N as the first choice in delivering lighting consultation.”
Despite the pandemic, 2020 was a busy year for the practice, with a range of lighting schemes delivered across multiple sectors. From the Salero Restaurant in Bahrain to the Moda retail store in Jeddah, there has been considerable and exciting growth. More recently, it was announced that Azizi Developments, a leading private developer in the UAE, has appointed Studio N to incorporate façade lighting into the architecture of Creek View I, an exciting mix-use landmark currently in development.
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Austrian furniture brand— Wittmann announces new managing director
The past few years at the fifth-generation family-owned company— Wittmann have been shaped by a lot of exciting new developments and highly productive collaborations with international design icons such as Jaime Hayon, Sebastian Herkner, Monica Förster and Luca Nichetto. Under outgoing CEO Hartmut Roehrig, the company raised the profile of the Wittmann brand on international markets and built on its already considerable hospitality industry expertise. The company will continue to pursue its chosen path with fresh impetus. Austrian-born Alexander Sova will meet these challenges with a high degree of professionalism that comes courtesy of his long-standing experience in areas including strategic development and implementation, distribution and the digital transformation.
Wittmann, a family-run Austrian company, produces the highest quality handmade upholstered furnishings. For more than 120 years, Wittmann brand has been synonymous with precision, individuality and unparalleled handcraftsmanship. The company works with internationally acclaimed designers to create perfectly made furniture that adorns private residences and out-of-the-ordinary contract settings worldwide.
Wittmann has always been strongly committed to handcraftsmanship and high-quality manufacturing at its facility in Etsdorf in Lower Austria. Alexander Sova shares: “Where multiple perspectives converge, the opportunity arises to build on existing strengths and create something new. I like working at these interfaces – with an experienced team and the power of new ideas.”