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We sat down with Dimitrios Tousiakis to talk about his roles as a Partner and a Delay Expert.

Tell me about your background.

Having graduated as a civil / structural engineer from Imperial College London, and Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, in Greece, I started my career as a structural engineer and project manager in the UK and Greece. Throughout the years, I gained a combination of office and site experience and worked as an engineer in both consultancy and contractor environments.

I got in the delay analysis and the dispute resolution spectrum of services almost accidentally after relocating back to the UK from Greece in 2013. Since then, I have been involved as assistant to the appointed delay experts on numerous projects and, since joining HKA in 2018, I have personally been appointed as delay expert witness in more than 10 occasions for the International Chambers of Commerce (ICC), United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC), Dubai International Financial Centre – London Court of International Arbitration (DIFC-LCIA), Abu Dhabi Commercial Conciliation and Arbitration Centre (ADCCAC) for arbitrations and adjudications.

What attracted you to your specialty?

What attracted me to the delay analysis and dispute resolution industry is that it provides experience from various types of projects (for example, infrastructure, buildings, oil and gas, and power and energy projects) in a short period of time. This way, I gained exposure to the challenges that various projects faced and the lessons-learned retrospectively, rather than being involved in one project for many years.

Delay analysis includes various problem-solving challenges and the analysis of vast amount of information and data. The application of creativity, innovative tools, and out-of-the-box thinking required to meet these challenges are things that fascinate me and keeps me motivated.

What inspires you in your role?

Being an expert witness is a very inspiring role as one must be one hundred percent independent and manage to simplify complex concepts and analyses.

The expert witness must provide impartial opinion based on evidence and practical analysis of the available facts. This is a challenge, but also an inspiration as the duty of an expert witness is not towards their client, but towards the Tribunal or the Judge.

The challenge of presenting the findings of very complicated analyses in a simplified manner, for the Tribunal or the Judge to understand easily, is also very inspiring. This is because to achieve this simplification of complex analyses, one must use creative and innovative solutions.

Describe a typical day in your role.

Carrying out delay analysis and drafting expert witness reports are the main tasks of a typical day as a delay expert, which involves a fair amount of reading and investigation of the available evidence. It also includes briefing meetings with the HKA team to discuss the progress of the analyses of the various projects and, sometimes, meetings with the respective clients to update them on the findings of our analyses.

As a partner of HKA, a typical day also includes involvement in the management and operation of the company and its resources. This role is very important to me as I feel that I can contribute to making HKA the company that it is a great and inclusive place to work.

What do you think has been the reason for your success?

I think that the key two attributes overriding my whole career path and resulted in my professional development are inclusion and collaboration.

I believe that these two attributes contributed to my development both in a professional and personal level. Collaborating and interacting with people of various backgrounds, disciplines, levels, and personalities provided me with the skills and tools necessary for me to meet my professional expectations and achieve my goals.

Why is HKA a stand-out employer for you?

HKA’s people, culture, and the opportunities that they provide for personal development.

HKA’s collaborative culture, both discipline-wise and geographically, is a great inspiration for me as I am constantly learning by working closely with colleagues of different backgrounds around the globe. Similarly, I feel constructive and appreciated when I mentor and coach my colleagues and help them achieve their goals.

HKA stands out in the market as it provides great exposure and opportunities to consultants to build their expert work experience and their own profiles as expert witnesses. HKA is supporting those who want to become expert witnesses by providing all the necessary training and mentorship, as well, as exposure to the market.

Personally, I wouldn’t have become an expert witness as soon as I did without HKA’s support.

Getting to know you. What are your interests outside of work?

For the last year, and a half, my free time is mostly occupied by adapting to my exciting new role as a father of a baby boy, with various parental activities.

Other than that, I always enjoy traveling with family and friends to new destinations, playing some tennis, wakeboarding, and skiing. 

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If you want to find out more about joining HKA, contact laurafoxoliveira@hka.com or mohammedosman@hka.com to arrange a confidential discussion or visit www.careers.hka.com

Laura Fox-Oliveira, Recruitment Manager
Mohammed Osman, Recruitment Resourcer