Practical strategies for managing construction claims amid conflict in the Gulf

Article

Practical strategies for managing construction claims amid conflict in the Gulf

21st April 2026

Haroon Niazi

Partner, Construction Lead, EMEA

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Franco Mastrandrea

Partner

United Kingdom

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Derek Nelson

Partner

United Kingdom

View Expert Profile

Haroon Niazi

Partner, Construction Lead, EMEA

View Expert Profile

Franco Mastrandrea

Partner

United Kingdom

View Expert Profile

Derek Nelson

Partner

United Kingdom

View Expert Profile

Deliveries of critical materials and equipment are being delayed by the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Safety alerts trigger temporary site closures and even demobilisation. The regional conflict in the Gulf is not only disrupting construction and engineering projects currently underway – spiking energy prices, supply chain disruption, and inflation in logistics, insurance and other costs are causing repercussions for projects across the Gulf and beyond as the effects ripple outward.

Amid this uncertainty, senior construction professionals, project owners, in-house counsel, and dispute advisers managing contractual risk and claims on Gulf-region projects urgently need practical strategies to manage inevitable delays and disruption. Three experts from HKA addressed several scenarios in a recent live podcast hosted by Middle East Consultant, covering issues from pre-contract positioning to claims management, pre-existing delays to mitigation.

Contractual considerations amid the Gulf conflict

If conflict arises before the contract is signed

Given the Gulf’s healthy pipeline of projects, many contracts will be on the verge of execution, based on costs and timelines already negotiated. Where a contract has not yet been signed, it makes sense for contractors to discuss special arrangements with employers for the duration of the difficulties – perhaps deferring the start of works in earnest.

Rather than pressing ahead with a full mobilisation and triggering the contract’s provisions for such events, the parties could agree on costs for a limited mobilisation instead. This would include key management resources dedicated to the project, ensuring it can proceed in full as soon as conditions allow.

Protecting against escalation amid conflict

Cost escalation may be inevitable, but proving the additional amounts incurred raises its own risks and challenges. Fluctuation provisions – allowing changes in costs to be tracked and compensated – not only give a contractor greater commercial protection, but they also increase certainty for the project owner.

Without such provisions, contractors face a heavier burden: demonstrating that escalation is above and beyond what could reasonably have been anticipated over the project’s life. As well as justifying original benchmark estimates, they must track rising costs and demonstrate mitigation efforts to substantiate a claim. An agreed set of price indices removes much of that uncertainty, saving time and reducing risk for both sides.

Considerations for claims during a conflict

Force majeure and employer obligations in conflict situations

Other contract terms demand close attention, especially express provisions regarding exceptional events and force majeure. Contractors should determine precisely which events qualify, how they must be notified, and when. In common law jurisdictions, these are conditions precedent to any relief and must be strictly observed. Whilst ‘good faith’ principles may be prayed in aid elsewhere, there are no guarantees that such provisions will not be given effect.

Relief may be limited to extensions of time, while separate provisions allow recovery of associated costs. Matters have been further complicated by extensive post-COVID amendments to force majeure clauses, particularly across the Middle East. Consulting legal counsel early is essential to ensure that notices are correctly drafted and served.

Employers, too, must take their obligations seriously. Outright rejection of valid contractor claims would be a dangerous strategy – tribunals expect to see evidence of genuine appraisal. Employers liable for financial relief must prepare for additional costs in transport, materials and insurance, and should be ready to rearrange programmes. The knock-on impact on their own internal costs for engineering, architectural and other third-party services should be anticipated.

If they haven’t already, project owners should also review their project insurance and cover for business interruption amid stop-start working and rising costs. Given the scale of capital investment across the region, owners should have cover in place to offset or recover some costs. As well as notice requirements, they need to take account of the transactional costs of processing claims.

The challenge of proving disruption

Turning to disruption, our statistics on claims are sobering. A review of 316 judgments by courts and tribunals found that only 37% of disruption claims succeeded. The most common failure was not in quantifying the disruption, but in demonstrating the basic entitlement to claim in the first place, he explained. Two further steps – establishing a compensable breach and proving causation through contemporaneous site records – are also critical.

Causation tends to be the weakest link. The consequences of any given event for the wider project will rarely be obvious at the time. Simply asserting that an event must have caused disruption warranting compensation is wholly inadequate. Conflicts are no exception to this.

A generic disruption claim is unlikely to succeed. Contractors should break down the impact and evidence each constituent element. Take a security alert, for example: it should be straightforward to record the number of personnel moved off-site to shelter, their rates of pay, and idle time before resumption. Ringfence that cost calculation so it’s visible and discrete. Failing to present sufficient evidence for even one component can jeopardise the entire claim.

The disruptive effect of returning to previous output levels is harder to quantify but typically represents a relatively modest proportion of the overall claim. Claimants should resist the temptation to rely too heavily on loss-of-efficiency arguments.

Framing the costs of conflict in a claim

When a contractor is instructed to demobilise for safety reasons, costs need to be identified and framed with precision – separately:

The first obligation is to make the site safe and protect completed works.
After that, other costs should be reduced wherever possible, though some will unavoidably be retained – plant that cannot easily be off-hired, supervisory staff who cannot readily be redeployed, site labour that cannot be stood down. Careful thought should be given to what can realistically be mitigated.
Remobilisation costs will follow, given the instruction to resume. Some of the project team may no longer be available – as during the pandemic, when specialist welders could no longer be sourced on certain projects.
Re-assembled on site, teams then face a re-learning curve before a project can return to its previous production levels.

Delay and disruption are not the same thing, though often conflated. Claims for disruption must address incremental costs rather than a more straightforward total of resources on site during a prolongation period. Persuading tribunals of the distinction between outputs and how they’re measured is challenging – and experts often hold diametrically opposing views.

As-built records and non-critical delays still matter in conflicts

Good records are the foundation of any successful claim. This may be easier said than done in a conflict situation, but this core principle still stands. Contractors should maintain a clear, as-built picture of events that extends beyond the critical path to capture the whole project. Local delays that don’t impact critical-path activities nonetheless have their own story – and costs to be recorded.

Disruption to parallel activities that don’t affect overall completion is frequently overlooked, leaving money on the table. Productivity across an entire section of works may be lost due to restricted access, late design approvals or other hindrances. Even where overall progress is unaffected, the cost to the contractor should be recoverable – provided the three-step process of entitlement, causation and quantification is followed rigorously.

The challenge is identifying disruption early enough. Main contractors often don’t directly employ those doing the work, and a project’s commercial manager may not hear of a problem from subcontractors for a month or more – when it’s too late to capture the necessary evidence. Contractors need a mechanism to track earned value and productivity at the subworks level. Digital tools can help but must be in place before they’re needed.

Using conflict sensibily in mitigation and pre-existing delays

The contractor’s obligation to mitigate depends on the contract terms, which may specify particular steps to limit delay. Beyond express terms, there is a general legal duty on all parties to avoid unnecessary costs arising from a breach. Employers and their experts are entitled to examine subcontract terms and reject costs that a main contractor could recover – fully or partially – from its subcontractors.

For projects already in execution with pre-existing delays, any attempt to use the current conflict as cover for those earlier problems is likely to fail. A tribunal should be able to distinguish between historical, intervening and overall delays. Where pre-existing delays have already pushed a project beyond the completion date, it may be argued that reduces entitlement to relief due to the current conflict. But, as this wasn’t foreseeable, a tribunal is more likely to attribute the additional delay to that cause.

Giving notice and taking note amid conflict

Notice requirements are another important consideration. Whether a notice provision is a condition precedent – and must be strictly followed to preserve entitlement – turns on jurisdiction. Under English law, it would be binding; in other civil law jurisdictions, it may not be enforced if regarded as inequitable. Legal counsel should be consulted on both the contract terms and the prevailing law, particularly in light of recent civil code changes within the Gulf.

Probably the most critical response for contractors in the current conflict is to identify loss of productivity early and trace its causation. Some structure is essential to capture the less obvious effects of disruption. Traditionally, this was done by interviewing staff at the workface. If not already implemented, it’s too late to rely on technology. An alternative is some form of value analysis at different levels to monitor productivity of discrete types of work. That will allow rigorous investigation and recordkeeping that are crucial to claims strategy.

To rewatch our live podcast:

About our experts

Haroon Niazi is a Partner and Head of Construction Claims & Expert EMEA and moderator of the panel. He is a Chartered Quantity Surveyor with more than 15 years of experience in the construction industry.

Dr Franco Mastrandrea is an HKA partner with over 40 years’ experience in construction. A Lexology Index global elite thought leader, he is an expert in international project management, delay, and quantum disputes.

Derek Nelson is an HKA partner and fellow of the Academy of Experts. A leading author, he is an expert in disruption, delay and quantum matters with four decades’ experience in the industry.

This article presents views, thoughts or opinions that are provided for general information purposes only. It does not represent the views of, or constitute advice of any form (legal, professional or otherwise) from, HKA or any of its affiliates. While HKA takes reasonable care to ensure the accuracy of its contents at the time of publication, the article does not deal with all aspects of the referenced subject matter and may not be relied upon as a substitute for professional judgement or independent analysis. Accordingly, neither HKA nor the author accepts liability for any use of, or reliance on, the information presented in the article. This article is protected by copyright © 2026 HKA Global, LLC/© 2026 HKA Global Ltd. All rights reserved.

A conversation with Michael Laming, Principal

Colleague Interview

A conversation with Michael Laming, Principal

9th April 2026

Michael Laming is a Principal in our Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages team based in Madrid and has been with HKA for over five years.

Michael’s expertise includes quantification of damages, consequential loss assessments, valuations, forensic interviews, and forensic due diligence.

In our conversation, Michael shares his favourite aspect of supporting clients and legal teams, why HKA is a stand-out employer, and his favourite thing about living in Madrid.

View Michael’s expert profile

Michael, tell me about your background.

I’m a London-suburbs-born and raised Chartered Accountant (ICAEW) and Certified Fraud Examiner. I studied Management (BSc) at the University of Manchester and began my career in the audit practice of Ernst & Young (EY) in London. In 2013, having qualified as a Chartered Accountant, I moved into EY’s forensic practice, marking the start of my career in disputes. In 2015, I joined Haberman Ilett, spending three formative years participating in the growth of a dispute advisory boutique and learning from some truly remarkable individuals. In 2018, I moved to Madrid and re-joined EY’s forensic practice. Two years later and several months into the COVID pandemic, the opportunity to join HKA when our Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages (FACD) practice came about, which meant a return to London. Finally (for the time being at least), in 2022, I moved back to Madrid to set up HKA’s Spanish office, which is where I am currently based.

In addition to mastering the logistics of moving between London and Madrid, since embarking on a career in forensics, I have had the opportunity to work on a diverse range of matters, both geographically and by sector. This has meant a number of steep but incredibly rewarding learning curves, including those that led to me cutting my teeth as a testifying expert in English and Spanish language matters.

Why is HKA a stand-out employer for you?

There are a number of reasons, but for the sake of keeping this response concise, I’ll focus on two in particular.

One of my main motivations for joining HKA was the opportunity to act on some of the most complex and interesting matters, working alongside some of the best and brightest in the industry. Expert work can be particularly challenging but equally, can be incredibly rewarding. It is a combination of technical ability and experience, with both carrying a significant value. Being able to act on complex matters which both demand and permit an expert to be at their best on each and every occasion, whilst being able to leverage the experience and knowledge of others in the process is, in my opinion, about as rewarding an experience as one could ask for.

The other motivation for joining HKA was the opportunity to work alongside individuals from other geographies and specialisms as part of a multidisciplinary team. And my expectations have been met and exceeded — it is a genuinely collaborative firm, with everyone pulling in the same direction. The multidisciplinary approach and mentality are reflected in numerous ways. This includes going to market and offering a full suite of services. It also includes the actual performance of work and leveraging the knowledge of our technical experts to understand the crux of a matter and, in doing so, accurately shape the narrative of the damages model.

What do you love about the field you work in?

As previously mentioned, the work of an expert is not for the faint-hearted. You can spend several months putting your blood, sweat and tears into a series of expert reports, with the not-so-small possibility that you will be challenged on each and every assumption and conclusion under cross-examination, or that you may be faced with the ‘graveyard’ shift of a hearing to explain complex financial matters to an understandably weary audience.

That being said, and as also previously mentioned, it can be incredibly rewarding. Expert work is a curious combination of technical expertise, creative thinking, and storytelling. It is the type of work where you can arrive home each afternoon (evening/night) and be mentally exhausted, but for all the right reasons. Every matter represents a new challenge to take technical expertise and experience and mould it to the specifics of said matter in order to answer the relevant questions. And then, once you have performed your analysis and established your arguments, comes the fun part. Writing a concise yet convincing expert report that delivers your message and anticipates potential counterarguments. It is an art. And I consider myself very fortunate to work in a career that combines science (the technical bit) with art (the writing bit).

What is your favourite aspect about working with clients and legal teams?

One of my favourite aspects of this job is the bit that happens in the trenches. Depending on how familiar the client, legal team and expert team are, at the outset, everything can be quite…formal. However, when crunch time approaches, be it a written submission or the hearing, the formalities fade away, and it is in those moments that knowledge sharing occurs, the appreciation for one another’s efforts is shown and the relationships are built.

To give an example, I had spent two years working on a matter that was, in simple terms, ‘accounting heavy’, much to everyone’s delight. The hearing was fast approaching, and as is relatively common, I was working late on cross-examining the counterparty’s expert. At about 2am, I received a call from a senior member of Counsel, with whom I had spoken only briefly up to that point. What followed was a tense discussion that started with a seemingly straightforward question, was followed by a few expletives (expletives of frustration at the counterintuitive nature of accounting concepts), and ended with a thank you. It is a memory that sticks with me to this day and one of my fondest – a tale from the trenches.

Is this career path what you had originally set out to do? As a teenager, what did you want your career to look like?

The short answer is no. I’m not sure any teenager would walk away happy from one of those career assessment tests with the response “forensic accountant” (expert possibly, provided there isn’t too much context as to what that actually means).

I spent most of my childhood and teenage years either playing or watching football – courtesy of a mother who, to put her fan status into context, has followed her team from Astana, Kazakhstan to Bodø, Norway and beyond. I spent my school holidays in football camps. My university selection was in no small part due to the fact that it was getting quite exhausting to suffer the M1 and M6 motorways every other weekend to watch my team play at Old Trafford. I was very much set on a career in football.

However, I tore my left cruciate ligament in 2007 (and the right one in 2015), so a playing career was not a possibility, lack of talent aside.

And for some reason that I can’t recall, without really exploring the multitude of other careers in sport, I turned to more traditional career options – I enjoyed economics, I was relatively capable at maths, a combination of those plus a few other factors essentially steered me towards my degree decision and, in turn, determined my career path.

Fast-forward 15 or so years and, whilst not what my teenage self had in mind, I am very proud of my career to date. I am also excited about the future of our profession. Speaking as a young practitioner (over 30, under 40…so ‘young’ but not ‘very young’), we have a near-perfect combination of technological developments, increasingly sophisticated and complex cases, and an exceptionally smart and driven peer group (experts and other practitioners alike).

What is your favourite thing about living in Madrid?

Sunlight, food, wine, culture, quality of living, the list goes on. If I had to choose, it would probably be the sunlight. As an English person, grey skies are a part of our being. Sunlight is a nice to have but several weeks or months without it isn’t an uncommon occurrence. A basement bar for after-work drinks is perfectly acceptable given that the difference between exterior light and interior light isn’t noticeable.

In Madrid, I discovered sunlight and terraces. I also discovered that, presumably due to the number of hours of sunlight (and, in turn, the length of the day), it is typical for public services, shops, restaurants, etc. to be open late into the evening.

A longer day alleviates the pressure of having to rush between one place and another. It also alleviates the pressure one places on the weekend. It is very conducive to a slower pace of life, which isn’t a bad thing at all, particularly when the stress of the day job reaches those inevitable highs.

What is something about you that might surprise people?

Whilst I am now a fluent Spanish speaker, I came to Spain with a relatively limited grasp of the language (to put it generously). A few memories of the language learning experience that may be worth sharing:

Having recently met my now-wife (Spanish), I thought I would do something ‘original’ and take Spanish classes after work to impress her. At the first class, I looked around the room, ten or so men, one woman. In response to the ice-breaker “Why do you want to learn Spanish?”, I would say that about 90% of the students, myself included, responded – “I’ve met a Spanish person…”, turns out it wasn’t particularly ‘original’. It also wasn’t appreciated by my now-wife, given that the teacher was from Argentina, and apparently it’s not “all the same”, it isn’t a computadora, nor is it a celular.
Having arrived in Madrid in 2018, I went to the office on my first day at EY (Madrid) and more or less understood that I would be having my IT induction that afternoon. If there is one way to test one’s foreign language skills, or lack thereof, it is an IT induction. If there is one way to completely destroy one’s confidence in their ability to learn a foreign language, it is an IT induction in a foreign language. Shortly after I asked the company to enroll me in an intensive business language course. They were probably as relieved that I’d asked as I was that they approved it.

What are your passions outside of work?

Travelling has always been part of my life. My mother (the football fanatic) worked in the travel sector for a number of years, and I have some very fond memories of travelling to South Africa as a kid to ‘test’ hotels that they were considering listing. It wasn’t a bad way to develop an appetite for travel.

My travel outlook has (unsurprisingly) changed somewhat since starting a family. We managed to accustom the first child to overseas travel pretty quickly with the back-and-forth between London and Madrid so once checked-in it was relatively easy. However, a second child and the additional luggage requirements have meant our recent trips and short-term travel plans have become increasingly Iberian peninsula-focused.

Whilst not strictly outside of work, I also very much enjoy work travel, be it for project work or for business development. When I joined EY (London) back in 2010, in my capacity as an overly keen junior, I recall learning of an audit project that required travel to Romania and India. I promptly sent an overly enthusiastic email to the audit manager stating my keen interest in the ‘client’, the ‘sector’, etc.. They saw straight through it. The response was damning – “Thanks for your interest, the client’s name is actually spelt ******, I think you are thinking of the company ******…”. Still, I managed to get on the project in my second year and was able to experience working in both Cluj-Napoca and New Delhi. When I moved into the Forensics department, I started taking my passport to work ‘just in case’. It resulted in numerous other trips, including a 12-hour stint in New York for a forensic interview which lasted all of 3 minutes before the interviewee’s lawyer intervened and politely advised us that we would not be able to ask any further questions.

In my current role, a combination of hearings and conferences has afforded me the opportunity to travel to a variety of destinations. With Latin America representing a key market for HKA, I look forward to getting to know the region better first-hand.

If you would like to find out more about joining HKA,
visit our careers page.

Managing Variations and Extension of Time in Construction Projects

Article

Managing Variations and Extension of Time in Construction Projects

7th April 2026

Hilal Itani

Partner

HilalItani@hka.com

Expert Profile

In the dynamic world of construction, change is inevitable. Whether due to evolving client requirements, unforeseen site conditions, or regulatory amendments, and coordination complexities all contribute to projects deviating from their originally contracted scope. Among the mechanisms designed to manage such deviations, Variation Orders and Extensions of Time (EOT) claims are the most significant. When poorly administered, they often become catalysts for disputes, financial pressure, and strained relationships. When properly managed, they promote fairness, transparency, and contractual certainty.

This article explores how to effectively manage variations and EOT claims and highlights best practices to avoid common pitfalls.

Understanding Variation Orders

A Variation Order (or Change Order) “can be initiated by the employer altering the scope or increasing the volume of an item under the existing scope. In working on the project, the contractor may also discover that changes to contractual requirements are necessary, or it might make a submission for change that could benefit the parties by reducing the timescale, creating a more durable product or lowering the cost of a project element or elements.”^[1]Change control and management, RICS practice information, UK 1st edition, January 2021, 1 April 2021

Key Point: Not all variations lead to delays or cost increases / decreases, but many do—especially when they affect critical path activities.

Extension of Time (EOT) Claims

An EOT Claim is a contractual entitlement allowing the contractor for additional time to complete the project due to excusable delays beyond its control. Typical triggers include, without limitation:

Approved variation orders
Unforeseen site conditions
Force majeure events
Delays caused by the employer or third parties
Design Changes
Late approvals
Delayed access

EOTs protect contractors from liquidated damages where delays are not their fault. At the same time, they preserve the employer’s right to enforce liquidated damages by maintaining a valid completion date and avoiding situations where time becomes “at large.”

Example: A design change requiring structural rework may necessitate an EOT to accommodate the additional work.

The Interlink Between Variations and EOTs

Variations and EOTs are often interdependent. A variation that significantly increases the scope of work may justify an EOT, but only if it delays completion. Variations do not automatically entitle contractors to additional time; they must demonstrate actual impact on the critical path.

Contractors should:

Assess each variation for time impact using Critical Path Method CPM) analysis or programme updates.
Submit EOT claims with proper substantiation, including affected activities, delay analysis, and supporting records.
Maintain contemporaneous evidence (site diaries, correspondence, and revised schedules).

This structured approach aligns modern delay jurisprudence, where courts focus on causation and critical‑path impact when determining entitlement.

Best Practice: Contractors should assess each variation for time impact and submit EOT claims with supporting documentation as needed.

Prolongation Costs and Overheads

When a variation results in additional time, supported by an EOT, the contractor may be entitled to recover the prolongation costs, which arise due to the extended presence on site.

The prolongation costs usually include indirect costs, such as:

Site overheads: supervision, welfare facilities, security, utilities, temporary works.
Head office overheads: management salaries, administrative support, insurance, rent allocations.
Equipment/material costs: storage, rental extensions, protective measures.
Financial charges and interest.

However, a central valuation principle applies:

Contractors must not recover the same overhead costs twice.

This risk of double recovery commonly arises when:

overheads are embedded within the rates for varied work; and
the contractor separately claims prolongation costs for the same period

To avoid disputes:

overheads included within contract rates must not be reclaimed as prolongation; and
prolongation claims must be supported by evidence showing the overheads arise solely due to the delay resulting from the variation.

The risk of double recovery is one of the most common sources of dispute in variation‑EOT‑prolongation scenarios. Contract administrators consistently require contractors to demonstrate distinct, additional, delay‑related overheads and ensure they are not already embedded in the contemporaneously agreed rates or prices for varied work.

Caution: Avoid double counting overheads—claiming the same costs under both the base contract and the variation. This is a common source of dispute.

Concurrent Delays

The SCL Delay and Disruption Protocol defines concurrent delay as circumstances in which an Employer Risk Event and a Contractor Risk Event both operate as effective causes of critical delay to completion, with their effects felt at the same time. It distinguishes:

True concurrency: events occur simultaneously
Functional concurrency: different events whose effects overlap on the critical path

This definition is supported by leading cases:

Adyard Abu Dhabi v SD Marine Services: defined concurrent delay as overlapping delay events with roughly equal causal impact.^[2][2011] EWHC 848
Royal Brompton Hospital NHS Trust v Hammond (No. 7): emphasised that concurrency arises where either event alone would have delayed completion.^[3]76 Con LR 148 ; EWCA Civ 206

The SCL Protocol adopts a principled approach:

EOT entitlement: where employer and contractor delays are concurrent, the contractor’s culpable delay does not reduce the EOT due for the employer‑risk event
Prolongation entitlement: however, even if EOT is granted, prolongation costs are not automatically recoverable

To recover prolongation costs, the contractor must prove that:

The additional costs stem from the employer‑risk delay alone
The contractor’s own delay would not have caused the same prolongation

This results in a “separation of cause” requirement.

Recent case law^[4]Key authorities: City Inn Ltd v Shepherd Construction Ltd (Scotland), United Constructors, LLC v United States (2010), Catel, Inc. v United States, H Fairweather & Co Ltd v Wandsworth LBC shows growing judicial acceptance of apportioning concurrent delays where:

causes are separable,
delay responsibility is measurable, and
modern CPM scheduling allows reliable allocation of impact

Courts consistently emphasise that:

Contract provisions override default legal principles;
Silence in the contract leaves the matter to established common‑law doctrines (often denying damages for concurrency);
Clear contractual clauses (e.g., NEC, FIDIC amendments) can dictate how concurrency is to be handled.

Best Practices for Managing Variations and EOTs

Understand the Contract: Know your rights and obligations under the contract.
Document Everything: Maintain detailed records of instructions, approvals, costs, and delays.
Communicate Early and Often: Notify the employer of potential delays or cost impacts as soon as they arise.
Use Clear Clauses: Include provisions for variation approval, EOT procedures, and prolongation costs.
Avoid Double Dipping: Ensure overheads are allocated transparently and only once.
Leverage Technology: Use project management tools to track changes, costs, and timelines in real time.

Conclusion

Variations and EOTs are not mere administrative procedures; they are core mechanisms for managing change in construction projects. When handled with clarity, rigorous documentation, transparent cost allocation, and timely communication, they protect the rights of all parties and contribute to effective project delivery.

A major area of risk is overstating or duplicating overhead costs, especially where both varied work and prolongation claims touch the same period. Likewise, entitlement depends on demonstrating causation: an EOT will only follow where the variation extends the critical path, and compensability will depend on distinguishing employer‑driven delays from contractor‑driven ones—particularly in scenarios involving concurrency.

Thus, effective management of variations and EOTs requires disciplined documentation, clear contractual mechanisms, careful impact analysis, and vigilant protection against overstated or duplicated claims. By approaching these elements with clarity and fairness, project teams can mitigate conflict, preserve contractual integrity, and ensure that change is managed transparently and defensibly.

About the author

Hilal Itani is a Partner at HKA’s Riyadh office, Saudi Arabia, bringing over 24 years of specialized experience in claims preparation, defence, and alternative dispute resolution. Recognized as one of the few dual experts in the region with deep expertise in both delay and quantum assessments, Hilal is trusted to deliver strategic solutions for some of the most complex and high-stakes projects in the Kingdom.

In his leadership role, Hilal ensures that the Riyadh office operates in full alignment with HKA’s global strategic objectives, while driving excellence in service delivery for major clients and critical accounts. He has an exceptional track record of managing disputes on multi-billion-dollar projects, where his ability to navigate intricate contractual frameworks and deliver robust delay and quantum analyses has been instrumental in achieving successful outcomes for stakeholders.

Hilal is a certified Expert Witness by RICS and has provided expert testimony in cases across diverse sectors. His analytical rigor and structured methodologies have consistently resolved disputes involving large-scale projects and complex stakeholder environments, reinforcing his reputation as a trusted advisor for high-stakes matters.

References[+]

References
↑1	Change control and management, RICS practice information, UK 1st edition, January 2021, 1 April 2021
↑2	[2011] EWHC 848
↑3	76 Con LR 148 ; EWCA Civ 206
↑4	Key authorities: City Inn Ltd v Shepherd Construction Ltd (Scotland), United Constructors, LLC v United States (2010), Catel, Inc. v United States, H Fairweather & Co Ltd v Wandsworth LBC

Welcome to our new colleagues – January and February 2026

News

Welcome to our new colleagues – January and February 2026

26th March 2026

In January and February 2026, we welcomed 14 new colleagues to our global team.

We’re always looking to expand our team; please take a look at our current vacancies for the latest opportunities.

Buthaina Almadhi
Managing Consultant | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
London, United Kingdom

Buthaina Almadhi recently joined the Economics practice at HKA following the completion of her PhD in Development Economics at SOAS University of London. Her doctoral research explored labour market discrimination in the Middle East, with a particular focus on class and gender dynamics. Over time, she has developed a strong interest in both quantitative and qualitative social and economic research, which has led to several collaborations supporting client strategy with government agencies, including the UK Office for National Statistics, the Egyptian Ministry of Social Solidarity and the Bahraini Ministry of Finance.

Prior to undertaking her PhD, Buthaina completed an MSc in Development Studies at the London School of Economics (LSE), and a BSc in Economics, Finance and Management at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL).

Aidil Ashraaf
Assistant Accountant
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Aidil Ashraaf has gained experience in accounting operations, financial reporting, and process improvement, following a deliberate transition from an academic background in engineering over the past five years.

Driven by continuous learning and professional growth, Aidil is currently pursuing his second degree in Accountancy and plans to undertake the ACCA qualification upon completion of his studies. He is passionate about developing his technical expertise, strengthening his analytical skills, and contributing meaningfully to the Finance team at HKA.

Arun Bhaget
Associate Director | Government Contracting
Washington, D.C, United States

Arun Bhagat joins our Government Contracts team as an Associate Director in the Washington, D.C. office. He brings a depth of consulting experience and has focused his career on advising companies on government contract cost accounting and regulatory compliance. In addition to guiding contractors on Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) and Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) requirements, Arun has assisted legal counsel with disputes, investigations, and forensic accounting matters. His areas of expertise include risk management, corporate governance, internal audit, and assessing and improving business processes.

He is looking forward to collaborating with his HKA colleagues during engagements, providing high-quality service and value to clients, and participating in key business development and strategic initiatives.

Marissa Cecil
Client Finance Associate
Philadelphia, United States

Marissa Cecil is a new client finance associate for HKA based out of the Philadelphia office. She has a background in a variety of roles, most recently in legal billing and customer service. She is a graduate of Southern New Hampshire University holding a B.A. in English.

Jennifer Hagaman
Finance Manager
Philadelphia, United States

Jennifer Hagaman joins the team as a Finance Manager with a strong background in corporate accounting, financial operations, and process optimization. She holds deep experience working across diverse industries and supporting organizations through periods of growth and operational change.

Over the past decade, Jennifer has led initiatives that modernized financial systems, streamlined processes, and strengthened reporting frameworks. She is known for driving meaningful operational improvements and elevating the strategic impact of the finance function.

Pihu Jain
Consultant | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
London, United Kingdom

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Navigating Energy and Infrastructure Projects Amid Heightened Regional Tensions

Article

Navigating Energy and Infrastructure Projects Amid Heightened Regional Tensions

13th March 2026

Daniel Jackson

Partner

danieljackson@hka.com

Expert Profile

中文

Something we all hoped never to experience has become part of daily reality: our country facing missile and drone attacks as regional conflict continues to unfold. While we hope the situation stabilises and that peace is restored soon, we continue to navigate the realities of living and working under heightened uncertainty. For those delivering energy and infrastructure projects, this means balancing personal safety and wellbeing with the practical need to maintain operations, support teams, and protect commercial and contractual positions.

Conflicts and attacks on critical energy infrastructure are now directly affecting oil and gas projects across the Middle East. Recent projectile incidents on major refineries and processing facilities have led to shutdowns and force‑majeure declarations, highlighting the vulnerability of upstream and downstream assets to regional escalation. Disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, driven by actual or potential vessel damage, insurer withdrawal, and large‑scale anchoring of tankers, have delayed the movement of equipment, bulk materials, and specialist modules essential to major EPC programmes. Airspace restrictions, airlines’ operational limitations – whether compulsory or discretionary, and heightened security measures have further constrained the mobility of resources with knock‑on effects for commissioning and other site‑based activities.

While these developments may appear to fall neatly within force majeure or exceptional event provisions, experience from large‑scale EPC disputes across the region shows that entitlement to time and cost is seldom automatic or straightforward. Parties must still demonstrate clear causal entitlement, procedural compliance, and a robust evidential record to secure relief.

Below is a practical framework for parties to address the contractual and evidential implications of conflict‑related impacts with the aim of protecting entitlement and minimising exposure to losses.

Immediate Priority Actions Following a Conflict Event

When a conflict‑related incident occurs, such as a projectile strike affecting energy infrastructure, an airspace closure, or a sudden disruption to shipping routes, project teams must act swiftly and decisively across three parallel workstreams. The aim is to protect people and assets, preserve contractual rights, capture the evidence required for any future claim and mitigate further risk.

Safety and Operational Protection

The immediate and overriding priority is the safety of personnel and the protection of critical assets. Typical actions include:

Temporary suspension of site operations where safety cannot be assured.
Evacuation or controlled reduction of workforce.
Securing hazardous materials, plant, and live systems.
Activating emergency response protocols.
Coordinating with local authorities, security advisers, and asset‑owner control rooms.

All steps should be contemporaneously documented, as this record may later support claims relating to suspension, disruption, idle resources, or delay.

Contractual Positioning

Once immediate safety measures are in place; project teams must quickly establish their contractual position. Conflict‑related events may trigger force majeure / exceptional event provisions. However, they may also present relief mechanisms through change‑in‑law clauses, suspension rights, access, logistics, price escalation, government action, and/or at law. Key questions include:

Does the event qualify as force majeure/exceptional event under the contract?
Does the contract allow cost/loss recovery, or only extension of time/relief from other potential liabilities/consequences?
Which specific clauses may provide entitlement to recover any lost time or additional cost/loss?
What notice requirements apply?
What time limits exist for notification?
Are any government/other relevant authority directives or security restrictions relevant to entitlement?

Prudent practice is to issue protective notices reserving rights while the full impact is still being assessed.

Establishing the Evidential Baseline

It is critical to establish a clear baseline record of the project status at the time the event occurred. Key information should include:

Progress and status of activities/works at the time of event.
Labour, plant, equipment, temporary works, and subcontractors’ deployment records on site.
Materials, plant, and equipment delivered, stored, or installed.
Critical deliveries in transit, delayed, or cancelled.
Photographs, logs, security reports and any operational restrictions imposed.
Procurement schedule.
Cost records of resources prior the event date.

These records form the foundation for later delay and quantum analyses of the impacts of the events.

Contractual Classification of the Event

Once the immediate situation is stabilised, it is prudent to determine how the conflict‑related incident is classified under the contract. This classification shapes all subsequent entitlement to time, money, suspension rights, and mitigation obligations.

Under many standard forms, events such as war, hostilities, terrorism, blockades, or government‑imposed restrictions may fall within the definition of an exceptional event, provided the conditions of being beyond the contractor’s control, unforeseeable, and unavoidable are satisfied.

Where an event is classified as an Exceptional Event, contractors are often entitled to:

Extension of Time for the period in which performance is prevented.
Suspension of the Works where necessary for safety or compliance with government or security directives.

However, most contracts do not automatically provide entitlement to additional cost/loss for conflict‑related impact unless expressly stated. This distinction between relief against time obligations and other potential liabilities/consequences and cost/loss recovery is commercially critical, particularly in the oil and gas sector where prolonged logistics disruption, supply chain rerouting, and resource idling can generate significant unrecoverable expenditure.

A clear and early understanding of the contractual categorisation enables the project team to:

Adopt the correct notice strategy.
Avoid prejudicing entitlement.
Develop a mitigation approach.
Manage stakeholder expectations regarding time and cost exposure.

Typical contractual provisions that may provide time and/or cost/loss relief include:

Force Majeure / Exceptional Events.
Prevention and access‑related clauses.
Suspension provisions.
Change in Law clauses.
Escalation of rates and prices.
Termination for prolonged force majeure or prolonged suspension.

Identifying the Types of Claims That May Arise

Conflict‑related events can give rise to several categories of claim, depending on the nature of the event and the contractual risk allocation. A clear understanding of these potential claims enables early strategy setting, timely notices, and effective evidence gathering.

Damage to the Works

Where a projectile strike, or related debris, directly damages works under construction, the following consequences typically arise:

Reinstatement of the Works: The contractor may be obliged to reinstate damaged works and make safe any areas containing shrapnel / unexploded devices – this may give rise to an instruction and change under the contract.
Extension of Time: Physical damage caused by conflict‑related events may qualify for an extension of time where it delays progress on critical activities.
Recovery Through Insurance: Reinstatement costs may be recoverable under the project’s insurance arrangements, if the policy includes appropriate cover for war, terrorism, or malicious acts. Many recent incidents in the region highlight the importance of reviewing these policies proactively, as some industrial facilities in the GCC have suffered drone‑related fires or operational shutdowns.

Given the current regional environment, where insurers have withdrawn or restricted war‑risk cover for assets and maritime transport, project teams must carefully verify the scope of insured perils, exclusions, deductibles, and notification obligations.

A clear and contemporaneous record of damage, including photographs, inspection reports, asset logs, and security reports, is essential for supporting both contractual entitlements and insurance claims.

Delay Claims

Even where no physical damage occurs, conflict‑related disruption can generate significant time impacts. Recent events affecting refineries, fires linked to strikes in industrial zones, and widespread disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, have shown how quickly project logistics and labour movement can be affected.

Typical sources of delay include:

Supply chain interruption due to material shortages, diverted or stranded shipments, insurer withdrawal, or suspended marine routes.
Loss or reduced availability of workforce, whether from safety restrictions, evacuation measures, or travel constraints.
Restricted site access resulting from security measures, road closures, or airspace restrictions.
Energy shortages or utility instability, especially where nearby energy installations have been targeted or temporarily shut down.

To succeed with a delay claim, it is essential to demonstrate that the event relied upon impacted activities in the accepted programme. This requires a clear evidential record of:

the programme status at the moment the disruption occurred.
the affected work fronts, resources, and planned progress.
the causal pathway between the incident and resulting delay.
any mitigation efforts reasonably undertaken.

Robust contemporaneous records and a disciplined approach to delay analysis are critical, particularly in the oil and gas sector where logistics and labour disruptions can rapidly cascade into programme‑wide delay.

Additional Costs/Losses

Where conflict‑related events extend activity or project duration, contractors are likely to incur additional costs/losses arising from the extended presence of personnel, plant, and site facilities.

Typical additional cost categories include:

Site management and supervision (extended project supervision, engineering and HSE oversight).
Security measures, which often increase during periods of regional tension.
Plant and equipment standby, including cranes, lifting equipment, contracted heavy plant, or specialist oil & gas machinery idle due to affected work fronts.
Site accommodation, welfare and utilities, which continue to accrue even when progress is slowed or temporarily halted.
Extended labour/subcontractor presence, where labour or specialist trades are retained during affected periods.
Financing, arising from the need to secure additional funding to absorb unplanned costs, often at elevated borrowing rates.
Escalation, driven by constraints on air, sea, and land logistics, resulting in resource scarcity and cost inflation.
Head Office Overheads costs/losses.

Recovery of prolongation costs is highly contract‑dependent. Many standard forms provide extension of time for exceptional events but do not automatically grant cost entitlement unless expressly stated (e.g., change in law, suspension, or employer‑risk events).

Parties ought to document:

Cost incurred during the critical and compensable periods (cost ledgers, salary slips, invoices, purchase orders, etc.).
Clear linkage between the conflict‑related event, the extended duration and the cost incurred. (deployment records, timesheets, plant logs, security invoices, accommodation registers, etc.).
Costs were reasonable and unavoidable (tender comparisons, correspondence, risk assessments, etc.).
Compliance with notice provisions and any cost‑to‑be‑justified requirements.

In the current operating environment, where conflict‑driven delays, logistics disruption, and insurer withdrawal are increasingly common, establishing this causal connection and maintaining clean records is essential to avoid significant losses.

Disruption and Productivity Loss

Conflict‑related conditions can significantly impair labour productivity, even where no direct damage to the works has occurred due to:

Enhanced security procedures, such as increased entry checks, restricted movement within the site, or mandatory shelter‑in‑place periods.
Workforce shortages, where personnel are unable to travel due to airspace restrictions, local movement controls, or safety advisories.
Restricted working hours, imposed by security authorities or required to maintain safe operations under elevated threat conditions.
Supply interruptions, caused by delays in critical materials or equipment, particularly where shipping routes such as the Strait of Hormuz have been disrupted or insurers have withdrawn cover, resulting in vessel diversions or cancellations.
Labour inefficiencies, due to working in an environment subject to heightened uncertainty.

Such impacts may form the basis of disruption claims if properly evidenced.

Demobilisation and Remobilisation

Where conflict‑related conditions require a temporary suspension of works, contractors may face substantial costs associated with standing down and later restarting project operations.
Typical demobilisation and remobilisation cost categories include:

Demobilisation of labour and plant, stand‑down of workforce, off‑hire of equipment, and transportation of personnel and critical plant away from site.
Interim site security and preservation, maintaining essential security, environmental protection, and asset preservation measures during suspension.
Remobilisation of workforce and equipment, re‑establishing site operations, redeploying labour and plant, and restarting construction activities once conditions allow.

These costs can be significant on large oil and gas projects, particularly where specialist plant, heavy lift equipment, or international labour are involved. All demobilisation and remobilisation activities should be documented contemporaneously, including instructions, timing, resource allocation, and costs.

Causation

In dispute proceedings, the existence of a conflict event is rarely disputed. The key question is typically whether the event caused delay and/or additional cost/losses to the project.
Parties ought to demonstrate:

The timing of the event.
Which activities were affected.
Whether those activities were adversely impacted/critical to project completion.
How long the impact lasted.
The costs and losses suffered.

Evidence Management – Building a Defensible Claim

Contemporaneous records are the most persuasive evidence in construction disputes.
Project teams should ensure systematic collection of:

Site Records

Daily site diaries.
Attendance and gate access logs.
Plant utilisation reports.
Site activity records.

Programme Evidence

Baseline programme.
Updated programmes.
Progress reports.
Delay event records.

Procurement Records

Supplier correspondence.
Delivery delays.
Shipping disruptions.
Material shortages.

Cost Records

Payroll records.
Supplier invoices.
Equipment rental costs.
Site overhead cost records.

Together, these records form the evidential foundation upon which entitlement can be assessed.

Managing Subcontractor Claims

Subcontractor claims often form a major portion of conflict‑related project exposure.

Parties should ensure:

Subcontract notices are issued in accordance with subcontract requirements.
Subcontractor claims are reviewed and validated for accuracy and contractual basis.
Supporting evidence (records, cost data, delivery disruptions) is obtained and retained.
Compensability, advancing subcontractor claims consistent with entitlements available under the main contract.

Failure to coordinate and substantiate subcontractor claims can leave parties carrying unrecoverable costs and significant commercial risk.

Insurance Considerations

Insurance becomes critical where conflict‑related incidents cause physical damage or disrupt logistics. Project teams should review:

Contractor’s All Risk policies, confirm whether damage from hostile acts is covered.
Marine cargo insurance, assess implications of war‑risk cancellations and vessel diversions.
Political risk cover, consider protection against government‑imposed restrictions or expropriation.
War and terrorism exclusions, many construction policies exclude losses arising from war, terrorism or military action, significantly affecting recoverability.

Many construction policies exclude losses arising from war or military conflict, which can significantly affect financial exposure. Early coordination with insurers and brokers is essential, as gaps in cover can leave contractors exposed to substantial liabilities.

Role of Expert Analysis

Where conflict‑related impacts become significant, early engagement of construction consulting experts can materially strengthen a party’s position.

Experts can assist in:

Analysing programme impacts, including localised or critical‑path effects of supply delays, workforce restrictions, or shutdowns.
Structuring claims, ensuring clear causal pathways and defensible methodology.
Quantifying prolongation costs, based on contemporaneous records and accepted cost‑recovery principles.
Evaluating subcontractor claims, confirming alignment with main-contract entitlement.
Preparing robust, evidence‑based project documentation suitable for negotiation or dispute resolution.

Early expert input improves the clarity, consistency and credibility of claims, particularly important where conflict‑related events and their impacts are likely to be contested due their unique and complex nature and magnitude.

Conclusion

Conflicts create a distinct and high‑impact category of delay and disruption for construction projects, particularly in the Middle East’s oil and gas sector. Although such events are beyond the control of the contracting parties, their consequences for schedule, logistics, workforce continuity and project costs can be immediate and substantial.

A critical point often overlooked is that force majeure or exceptional event provisions typically grant relief against time or other potential liabilities/consequences but do not automatically provide cost/loss entitlement. Parties must therefore examine the available contractual mechanisms, such as prevention, suspension, change in law, price escalation, and employer‑risk clauses, to determine whether cost recovery is available. Securing entitlement depends on early contractual assessment, compliance with notice requirements, and maintaining comprehensive contemporaneous records. By combining timely contractual action with disciplined programme, cost, and procurement evidence, and engaging specialist expertise where necessary, project teams can reduce exposure to unrecoverable cost/loss and ensure that valid entitlements are preserved, even amid the severe uncertainty created by regional conflict.

About the author

Daniel Jackson is a Chartered Quantity Surveyor and RICS Accredited Expert Witness with over 20 years of experience in the construction and engineering industries.

Daniel has been involved in over 50 disputes in varying capacities within the buildings, oil and gas, power and infrastructure sectors. His recent appointments include a US$12 billion disputed rail project, a US$15 billion coal fired power plant and a large nuclear power plant. He has also provided quantum expert opinion, dispute resolution services and independent expert determinations of contractual and quantum disputes.

Daniel’s expertise includes matters of quantity surveying, valuation of damages ensuing termination, cost-based claims and disruption claims, assessment of variations – including MEP and establishing quantum principles. He has become especially accustomed with the attribution of prolongation costs pertaining to large, complex engineering projects.

在地区紧张局势加剧的背景下，应对能源与基础设施项目所面临的挑战

Daniel Jackson

Partner

danieljackson@hka.com

Expert Profile

Read this in English

1. 概述

我们曾希望永远不会经历的事情，如今已成为日常现实的一部分：随着地区冲突持续发酵，我们的国家正面临导弹和无人机的袭击。虽然我们希望局势稳定下来，早日恢复和平，但仍要在高度不确定的环境下，继续应对生活与工作的现实。对于从事能源和基础设施项目的人员而言，这意味着需要在保障人身安全与健康福祉的同时，兼顾维持运营、支持团队以及保护商业和合同地位的实际需求。

冲突及对关键能源基础设施的袭击，如今正直接影响着中东各地的石油和天然气项目。近期发生在主要炼油厂和加工设施上的投射袭击事件已导致企业生产中断并发布不可抗力声明，凸显了上下游资产在面对地区局势升级时的脆弱性。受实际或潜在船只受损、保险公司撤保以及油轮大规模停泊的驱动，霍尔木兹海峡航运受阻，导致对大型EPC（设计、采购、施工）项目至关重要的装备、散装物料和专用模块的运输出现延误。领空限制、航空公司的运营限制（无论是强制性的还是自行决定的），以及强化的安保措施，进一步限制了资源流动，并对调试及其他现场活动产生了连锁效应。

尽管这些事态看似完全可以归入不可抗力或异常事件条款的范畴，但该地区大规模EPC争议的经验表明，工期和成本追偿权益很少能自动实现，过程也并非直截了当。当事方仍然必须证明明确的因果链关系、程序合规以及扎实的证据记录，才能获得救济。

以下是为各方提供的实用框架，旨在处理冲突相关影响所带来的合同和证据方面的问题，以期保护合法权益并尽量减少损失风险。

2. 冲突事件发生后的即时优先行动

发生冲突相关事件时，例如投射袭击影响到能源基础设施、领空关闭或航运路线突然受阻，项目团队必须按三个并行的工作流迅速果断采取行动。目标是保护人员和资产，保留合同权利，为任何未来的索赔收集必要的证据，并减少进一步风险。

A. 安全与运营保护

首要且压倒一切的优先事项是人员安全和保护关键资产。

典型行动包括：

在无法确保安全的情况下，临时暂停现场作业。
人员撤离或受控减员。
确保危险材料、设备和运行系统的安全。
启动应急响应预案。
与地方当局、安保顾问和资产所有者进行协调。

所有步骤都应同步记录在案，因为这份记录日后可能为有关停工、营运受阻、资源闲置或延误的索赔提供支持。

B. 确立合同地位

一旦即时的安全措施到位，项目团队必须迅速确立自身的合同地位。冲突相关事件可能触发不可抗力/异常事件条款。然而，这类事件也可能通过法律变更条款、停工权、进场、物流、价格上涨、政府行为及/或法律规定提供救济机制。
关键问题包括：

该事件是否符合合同中不可抗力/异常事件的条件？
合同是允许追回成本/损失，还是仅允许延长工期/免除其他潜在责任/后果？
哪些具体条款可能赋予权利来追偿任何延误工期或额外成本/损失？
适用哪些通知要求？
通知存在哪些时效规定？
有无任何政府/其他相关主管部门的指令或安保限制与合同权利相关？

审慎的做法是：在全面影响仍在评估期间，发出保护性通知，保留相关权利。

C. 建立证据基线

在事件发生时，建立一份清晰的项目状态基线记录至关重要。

关键信息应包括：

事件发生时各项活动/工程的进度和状态。
现场劳动力、设备、装备、临时工程及分包商的部署记录。
已交付、存储或安装的材料、设备和装备。
在运、已延误或已取消的关键交付项。
照片、日志、安全报告以及所施加的任何运营限制。
采购进度计划。
事件发生前的资源成本记录。

这些记录构成了后续对事件影响进行工期延误和费用量化分析的基础。

3. 根据合同对事件进行定性

一旦紧急情况趋于稳定，明智的做法是根据合同确定该冲突相关事件如何定性。这种定性将决定所有关于工期、费用、停工权以及减损义务的后续权利。
在许多标准格式的合同中，只要超出承包商控制范围、不可预见且不可避免的条件得到满足，战争、敌对行动、恐怖主义、封锁或政府施加的限制等事件，都可能属于异常事件的定义范围。

如果某个事件被定性为异常事件，承包商通常有权：

延长工期，期限为无法履约的时间段。
暂停工程，只要是为了安全或遵守政府/安全指令所必需。

然而，除了有明确规定外，大多数合同并不会自动赋予承包商权利来追回因冲突相关影响造成的额外成本/损失。区分工期义务和其他潜在责任/后果的免除与成本/损失的追偿，在商业层面至关重要，尤其是在石油和天然气行业，长期物流受阻、供应链改道以及资源闲置都可能产生大量无法追回的支出。

尽早清晰地理解合同的分类，可以使项目团队：

采用正确的通知策略。
避免损害自身权利。
制定减损方法。
管理利益相关方对工期和成本风险的预期。

可能提供工期和/或成本/损失救济的典型合同条款包括：

不可抗力/异常事件。
预防及进场相关条款。
停工条款。
法律变更条款。
费率与价格上涨。
因长期不可抗力或长期停工而终止合同。

4. 确定可能产生的索赔类型

根据事件的性质和合同风险配置，冲突相关事件可能引发多种类别的索赔。清晰理解这些潜在索赔，有助于尽早制定策略、及时发出通知并有效收集证据。

A. 工程本身的损坏

当抛射袭击或相关碎片直接损坏在建工程时，通常会产生以下后果：

修复工程：承包商可能有义务修复受损工程，并对带有弹片/未爆炸装置的区域进行安全处理 — 这可能引发合同项下的指示和变更。
延长工期：如果冲突相关事件造成的物理损坏延误了关键活动的进度，则可能符合延长工期的条件。
通过保险追偿：如果保单包含了适当的战争、恐怖主义或恶意行为险，则修复费用或许可以通过项目的保险安排获得补偿。该地区最近的许多事件凸显了预先主动审查这些保单的重要性，因为海湾合作委员会成员国的一些工业设施已因无人机袭击而发生火灾或运营停工。

考虑到当前的地区环境——保险公司已经撤回或限制对资产和海上运输的战争险保障 — 项目团队必须仔细核实承保风险范围、除外责任、免赔额和通知义务。

清晰且同期的损坏记录（包括照片、检查报告、资产日志和安保报告）对于支持合同权利和保险索赔都至关重要。

B. 延误索赔

即使没有发生物理损坏，冲突相关的运营受阻也可能产生重大的工期影响。近期影响到炼油厂的事件、与工业区受袭相关联的火灾，以及霍尔木兹海峡航运大范围受阻，都表明项目物流和劳动力流动受到冲击的速度会有多快。

典型的延误原因包括：

供应链中断，源于材料短缺、运输改道或滞留、保险公司撤保或海上航线暂停。
劳动力流失或无法获得，无论是源于安全限制、人员撤离措施还是旅行限制。
现场出入受限，源于安保措施、道路封闭或空域限制。
能源短缺或公用设施不稳定，尤其是在附近的能源设施已经成为袭击目标或暂时关闭的情况下。

要成功提出延误索赔，必须证明所依赖的事件对已批准进度计划中的活动产生了影响。这需要清晰的证据记录，包括：

运营受阻发生时的进度计划状态。
受影响的作业面、资源和计划的进度。
事件与由此导致的延误之间的因果链。
合理采取的任何减损措施。

扎实的同期记录和严谨的延误分析方法至关重要，尤其是在石油和天然气行业，物流和劳动力受阻可能会迅速蔓延，导致整个进度计划延误。

C. 额外成本/损失

当冲突相关事件延长了活动或项目的工期时，承包商很可能会因人员、设备和现场设施延长驻留而产生额外成本/损失。

典型的额外成本类别包括：

现场管理与监督（延长的项目监督、工程及HSE（健康、安全、环境）监管）。
安保措施，在地区紧张时期通常会加强。
设备和装备待机，包括因作业面受影响而闲置的起重机、起重装备、合同约定的重型设备或专业的油气机械。
现场住宿、生活设施和公用设施，即使在进度放缓或暂停期间，仍会持续产生费用。
人工/分包商延长驻留，在受影响期间保留劳动力或专业工种。
融资成本，源于需要筹集额外资金来吸收计划外成本，通常伴随着较高的借款利率。
价格上涨，由空运、海运和陆运物流受限导致资源稀缺和成本上升。
公司总部管理费成本/损失。

工期延长成本的追偿高度依赖于合同条款。许多标准格式合同为异常事件提供工期延长，但除有明确规定（例如法律变更、停工或雇主风险事件）外，不会自动赋予成本补偿权利。

当事方应记录：

在关键且应予赔偿期间发生的成本（成本分类账、工资单、发票、采购订单等）。
冲突相关事件、工期延长与所发生成本之间的清晰关联。（部署记录、工时单、设备日志、安保发票、住宿登记等）。
成本是合理且不可避免的（投标比对、往来函件、风险评估等）。
遵守通知条款以及任何成本需经证明的要求。

在当前运营环境下，由冲突驱动的延误、物流受阻和保险公司撤保日益普遍，建立这种因果关联并保持清晰的记录对于避免重大损失至关重要。

D. 干扰与生产力损失

即使工程未遭受直接损毁，冲突相关的条件也可能显著削弱劳动生产力，其原因包括：

安保程序加强，例如进场检查增多、现场内移动受限，或强制就地避险时段。
劳动力短缺，人员因领空限制、当地行动管制或安全建议而无法出行。
工作时间受限，由安保部门强制实施，或为在高威胁条件下维持安全运营所必需。
供应中断，由关键材料或装备延误造成，特别是在霍尔木兹海峡等航运路线已经受阻、或保险公司已经撤保，导致船舶改道或取消的情况下。
劳动力效率低下，由于是在高度不确定的环境中工作。

此类冲击若能妥善举证，可构成干扰索赔的依据。

E. 撤离与重新调集

当与冲突相关的条件要求暂时停工，承包商可能面临与停工及后续重启项目运营相关的重大成本。
典型的撤离与重新调集成本类别包括：

撤离劳动力和设备：劳动力停工、装备退租、人员及关键设备运离现场。
临时现场安保与保全：在停工期间维持必要的安保、环境保护和资产保全措施。
重新调集劳动力和装备：一旦条件允许就重新建立现场运营、重新部署劳动力和设备，重新启动施工活动。

在大型油气项目中，这些成本可能很高，特别是涉及专业设备、重型起重装备或国际劳动力时。所有撤离与重新调集活动均应同步记录在案，包括指令、时间节点、资源配置和成本。

5. 因果关系

在争议处理程序中，冲突事件的存在本身很少成为争议焦点。关键问题通常是：事件是否对项目造成了延误和/或额外成本/损失。
当事方应证明：

事件发生的时间。
哪些活动受到了影响。
这些活动是否受到不利影响/对项目完工是否关键。
影响持续了多长时间。
承受的成本和损失。

6. 证据管理 — 构建有据可依的索赔

同期记录是施工争议中最有说服力的证据。
项目团队应确保系统收集以下内容：
现场记录

每日现场日志
出勤与门禁记录
设备使用报告
现场活动记录

进度计划证据

基线进度计划
更新后的进度计划
进度报告
延误事件记录

采购记录

供应商往来函件
交付延误
运输受阻
材料短缺

成本记录

工资记录
供应商发票
装备租赁成本
现场管理费成本记录

这些记录共同构成了评估合同权利所需的证据基础。

7. 管理分包商的索赔

分包商的索赔通常构成冲突相关项目风险的主要部分。

各方应确保：

分包商通知按照分包合同要求发出。
分包商索赔经过审核及验证，确保其准确并有合同依据。
支持性证据（记录、成本数据、交付受阻证明）得以获取并保留。
补偿资格，依据主合同所赋予的权利来推进分包商索赔。

未能对分包商的索赔进行协调和举证，可能使各方承担无法追回的成本和重大的商业风险。

8. 保险考虑因素

当冲突相关事件造成物理损坏或物流受阻时，保险变得至关重要。项目团队应审查：

承包商一切险保单：确认敌对行为造成的损坏是否在承保范围内。
海运货物保险：评估战争险取消和船舶改道的影响。
政治风险保障：考虑针对政府施加的限制或征用提供保护。
战争与恐怖主义除外责任：许多建筑保单将战争、恐怖主义或军事行动造成的损失排除在外，这显著影响了追回损失的可能性。

许多建筑保单将战争或军事冲突造成的损失排除在外，这可能严重影响财务风险敞口。尽早与保险公司和经纪人协调至关重要，因为保障缺口可能使承包商面临重大责任。

10. 专家分析的作用

当与冲突相关影响变得严重时，尽早聘请建筑咨询专家可以实质性地增强当事方的地位。

专家可以在以下方面提供协助：

分析进度计划影响，包括供应延迟、劳动力限制或停工对局部或关键路径的影响。
构建索赔结构，确保因果链清晰，方法得当，有理有据。
量化延长工期的成本，基于同期记录和公认的成本追偿原则。
评估分包商的索赔，确认与主合同权利一致。
准备扎实的、基于证据的项目文件记录，适合用于谈判或解决争议。

尽早引入专家意见可以提高索赔主张的清晰度、一致性和可信度，这在冲突相关事件及其影响因其独特而复杂的性质和规模而可能受到质疑时尤为重要。

结论

冲突产生了建筑项目中一个独特且具有高度影响的延误和干扰类型，尤其是在中东的油气行业。尽管此类事件超出了合同各方的控制范围，但它们对进度计划、物流、劳动力连续性以及项目成本的影响可能是直接且巨大的。

一个经常被忽视的关键点是：不可抗力或异常事件条款通常仅提供工期或免除其他潜在责任/后果方面的救济，而不会自动提供成本/损失的权利。因此，各方必须审视既有的合同机制，例如预防、停工、法律变更、价格上涨以及雇主风险条款，以确定是否可以追偿成本。取得合同权利取决于：尽早评估合同、遵守通知要求，以及保持全面的同期记录。

通过将及时的合同行动与严谨的进度计划、成本和采购证据相结合，并在必要时引入专家专长，项目团队可以减少无法追回成本/损失的风险，并确保正当有效的合同权利得以保留，即使在地区冲突造成严重不确定的背景下也是如此。

A conversation with Xiaoye Ye, Director

Colleague Interview

A conversation with Xiaoye Ye, Director

10th February 2026

Xiaoye Ye is a Director in our Construction, Claims and Expert Services team based in Paris, France, and has been with HKA for over three years.

Xiaoye specialises in quantifying prolongation costs, disruption, and variations on complex construction projects. She has expertise in analysing large volumes of data to identify patterns, gaps, and inconsistencies and preparing alternative scenario analyses to assess risks.

In our conversation, Xiaoye shares insight into her background, why HKA is a standout employee, her influences, and more.

View Xiaoye’s expert profile

Xiaoye, tell me about your background.

I left China at 17 to study in the UK. Later, I moved to France and have now lived abroad longer than I lived in China. I taught myself French and went on to complete both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Finance in France.

During my studies, I completed a variety of internships across the finance sector, for example in banking, trading, insurance, and preparing for a conventional (family) career path. One opportunity stood out: an internship on an international arbitration case related to a nuclear power plant. At the time, I had no idea what a “quantum assistant” did, but I was curious.

That project lasted five years and introduced me to the world of construction disputes, expert work, and technical investigations.

After gaining several years of experience in arbitration, I completed an LLM in Construction Law and Arbitration in the UK. Since then, I’ve worked on both live projects and dispute-related assignments, supporting experts on complex construction cases across a range of regions and sectors. It wasn’t a planned path, but it’s one that suits me well. It’s a field where I feel intellectually engaged and genuinely useful.

Why is HKA a stand-out employer for you?

HKA has a strong reputation in the industry. That credibility is built on technical excellence and consistent high-quality delivery.

What I value just as much is the working environment. People here are not only professional and competent, but also polite, respectful, and calm under pressure. There’s a culture of integrity and high standards, without unnecessary formality. You’re trusted to work independently and supported when needed.

It’s also a place where diverse perspectives are welcomed. There’s room to grow, ask questions, and contribute meaningfully. That quiet professionalism really resonates with me.

What has your career path been like to date?

Unusual, but consistent in one way: I’ve always followed curiosity.

My career started in Finance, shifted into arbitration, and evolved into construction dispute work and expert analysis. I’ve worked across sectors, energy, transport, infrastructure, etc. and across different regions. Each project is unique, but what connects them is the challenge of solving complex problems through careful, structured thinking.

Over the years, I’ve grown more comfortable with ambiguity. I’ve learned that no project comes with perfect information, and sometimes the real skill lies in knowing how to read between the lines. Even now, I still enjoy learning something new every day. That’s what keeps me going.

What do you love about the field you work in?

I enjoy the investigative side of construction disputes. Our work involves a combination of technical complexity, commercial logic, and human decision-making. Often, we begin with thousands of documents and little clarity. I find real satisfaction in going through the details, asking the right questions, and building a coherent narrative from fragmented information.

It’s also a field that rewards curiosity. I regularly work with engineers and planners, learning from their technical insights and project experience. No two cases are ever the same. There’s always something new to understand, which keeps the work both engaging and meaningful.

What would you as a teenager think about the person you’ve become today?

She might be surprised by how serious I’ve become, but also quietly proud.

I didn’t follow the expected path, and I never wanted a pre-planned life. I’ve made decisions based on what felt meaningful rather than what was conventional. I’ve built a life that reflects who I am, curious, independent, and motivated by learning. I think she would recognise that as something worth doing.

Who influenced you to be the person you are today?

My parents.

They were both ahead of their time in many ways. They were curious, disciplined, and supportive of each other’s careers. Growing up, I saw them balance professional work with shared responsibilities at home. That gave me a quiet model of independence and mutual respect.

They each succeeded in very different fields, often navigating unfamiliar ground and finding solutions without a clear roadmap. That mindset, facing complexity with calm focus, left a deep impression on me. They also taught me not to compare myself with others, but instead to focus on improving from yesterday’s version of myself. That philosophy still guides me today.

What is something about you that might surprise people?

I’m currently studying fashion design and tailoring. It’s the first time I’ve learned something purely for myself, not for work, but to explore creativity through manual work. I enjoy the balance between structure and hands-on making.

I also love cooking, especially savoury dishes from different cultures. I rarely cook desserts, as I don’t have a sweet tooth. I enjoy understanding traditional techniques and combining them with modern ones. Cooking is a way for me to decompress; it’s quiet, precise, and satisfying.

I ran regularly for over a decade and once flew to Osaka just to run a marathon, not for performance, but to experience the city in a different way. I’ve since shifted to Brazilian jiu-jitsu, which I appreciate for its technical and strategic depth. Like everything I do, it’s not for competition, but for personal growth and discovery.

If you would like to find out more about joining HKA,
visit our careers page.

Welcome to our new colleagues – November and December 2025

News

Welcome to our new colleagues – November and December 2025

28th January 2026

In November and December 2025, we welcomed 12 new colleagues to our global team.

We’re always looking to expand our team; please take a look at our current vacancies for the latest opportunities.

Karl Castillo
Associate Consultant | Construction, Claims and Expert Services
Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

Karl Castillo has prior experience in project controls and project scheduling, with over five years spent supporting infrastructure, commercial, and energy projects. His past work has included developing and maintaining CPM schedules, performing schedule delay analyses, and collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to assess schedule risk and communicate project progress using Primavera P6 and data-driven reporting tools.

Imad Coulibaly
Managing Consultant | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
London, United Kingdom

Imad Coulibaly holds an undergraduate law degree from the University of Birmingham, a master’s degree in security studies from University College London and another one in management from the London School of Economics and Political Science. He began his career in investigations, first working at the Global Initiative against Transnational Organised Crime before transitioning to corporate investigations, joining Control Risks.

Imad speaks French and Italian and is proficient in Portuguese and Spanish.

Pushkar Dandekar
Associate Director | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
Singapore

Pushkar Dandekar is a data analytics professional who has more than 12 years of experience in data analytics, data science and machine learning. His experience spans across government, finance, manufacturing, and telecoms sectors. Most recently, Pushkar worked at FTI as a data analytics expert in their Singapore office.

Kelly Diow
Consultant | Construction, Claims and Expert Services
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Kelly Diow has over six years of experience in construction contract management and quantity surveying. She holds an MSc in Construction Contract Management and has been involved in projects across Malaysia, Australia, and Slovakia. Her expertise spans cost estimation, contract administration, and complex claim analysis.

Kelly is a member of the Royal Institution of Surveyors Malaysia (RISM) and a registered Professional Quantity Surveyor with Board of Quantity Surveyors Malaysia (BQSM), reinforcing her commitment to industry excellence. She is passionate about delivering precise, data-driven solutions and building strong client relationships.

Rodrigo Gonzalez
Consultant | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
Madrid, Spain

Rodrigo Gonzalez brings experience in credit analysis and corporate finance across Latin America. Before joining HKA, he worked at Moody’s Ratings, where he served as a Senior Ratings Associate, where he led rating committees and analytical quality reviews for corporate issuers across multiple industries such as oil and gas, airlines, building materials, and consumer products. He also coordinated financial data consolidation teams and developed in‑depth credit reports and market analysis to support strategic decision‑making.

Rodrigo holds a bachelor’s degree in financial management from Tecnológico de Monterrey (ITESM), where he also participated in academic exchanges in South Korea, Italy, and Canada.

Fiona Harmsen
Senior Managing Consultant | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
London, United Kingdom

Fiona Harmsen has five years’ experience in corporate intelligence, dispute support, and investigations.

Prior to joining HKA, she was a Senior Consultant at Control Risks, having joined in January 2024 as a Consultant. She previously worked at one of London’s boutique firms specialising in complex global disputes and investigations, GPW, which was integrated into J.S. Held in May 2022. Fiona also volunteered with the Investigation Task Force at the Anti-Human Trafficking Intelligence Initiative (ATII), where she helped track sexual predators, particularly in cases of child trafficking.

Fiona holds a master’s degree in international relations and security from the University of Westminster (2020) and a bachelor’s degree in business and management from the University of Northampton (2018).

She speaks English and French and is proficient in conducting research in Turkish and Spanish.

Jia Wai Liew
Proposals Coordinator
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Jia Wai Liew brings expertise in managing end-to-end bid processes, ensuring compliance with client requirements, and delivering high-quality submissions under tight deadlines. Skilled in coordinating multidisciplinary teams and developing compelling proposal content, Jia Wai applies strategic thinking to enhance win rates and support business growth.

Prior to joining HKA, Jia Wai worked in the construction and consultancy sector, where he gained hands-on experience in proposal coordination, stakeholder engagement, and document control. This background has equipped him with a strong understanding of industry standards and client expectations.

Jia Wai holds an MBA from INTI International University & Colleges and a degree in industrial design, blending analytical and creative skills to deliver innovative outcomes. He is passionate about collaboration and continuous improvement and looks forward to contributing to HKA’s success by supporting complex projects and driving excellence in proposal delivery.

Syahira Mohd
Business Support Administrator
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Syahira Mohd is an administrative executive with over 12 years of experience across diverse industries, including automotive, engineering, logistics, and the shipping sector. She is well known as a bridge between various departments within the organisation and its clients, as she is recognised as a reliable professional who focuses on providing high‑quality support that helps teams deliver excellent results.

Syahira consistently strives to contribute to the company and is always willing to go the extra mile to gain experience and ensure her tasks are delivered with excellence. She is eager to be part of HKA’s mission and hopes to expand her skills and knowledge by learning from outstanding colleagues not only across APAC, but around the world.

Aiko Nahas
Business Support Administrator
San Francisco, California, United States

Aiko Nahas graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in May 2025 with a Bachelor of Science in Consumer Behavior and Marketplace Studies and a minor in Business Fundamentals.

Aiko brings strong organizational, communication, and research skills developed through her academic work and leadership experience. She is excited to contribute to the team and support operational excellence.

Sophie O’Keefe
Business Support Administrator
Sydney, Australia

Sophie O’Keefe is originally from London and has been living in Australia for nearly four years. During this time, she has gained extensive administrative experience across diverse industries, including investment banking, aged care, construction, and mining.

She recently relocated to Sydney from Perth, where she worked as a Site Administrator on multiple remote mine sites in Western Australia. Prior to moving to Australia, Sophie worked in luxury fashion and advertising and marketing in the UK as a Senior CRM Executive. She brings a strong background in administration, adaptability across sectors, and a keen eye for detail to every role she undertakes.

Robert Shear
Associate Consultant | Advisory
Sydney, Australia

Robert Shear holds a Bachelor of Laws and Commerce, majoring in Economics, from Macquarie University and is currently completing his MBA at the University of Sydney. Prior to joining HKA, Robert gained over three years of experience in accounting and tax advisory, where he advised multinational clients and managed portfolios exceeding $100 million.

His strong background in financial analysis and strategic advisory positions him well to support complex engagements across diverse sectors.

Joycelyn Woo
Associate Director | Advisory
Sydney, Australia

Joycelyn Woo is an accomplished and trusted infrastructure advisor with over nine years of experience delivering commercial and financial advice across major infrastructure projects in Australia and New Zealand. Joyce has proven expertise across multiple sectors, including renewable energy and transmission, decarbonisation, transport, roads & highways, defence, and manufacturing.

With a background in chemical engineering, Joyce brings a unique blend of technical knowledge and expertise to meaningfully contribute to major projects and programs. Prior to joining HKA, she was involved in developing delivery strategies and commercial and contracting models for the Marinus Link project and EnergyCo’s New England Renewable Energy Zone project.

Discover more of our talented experts.

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A conversation with Syed Ali, Director

Colleague Interview

A conversation with Syed Ali, Director

5th January 2026

Syed Ali is a Director in our Construction, Claims and Expert Services team based in Toronto, Canada, and has been with HKA for over six years.

Syed specializes in delay and disruption analyses and quantification of damages. As a qualified expert, Syed helps clients navigate risks and challenges and assists in resolving their high stakes disputes.

In our conversation, Syed shares insight into his background, why HKA is a standout employer, what he loves most about his roles and passions outside of the office.

View Syed’s expert profile

Syed, tell me about your background.

I graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering back in Pakistan from University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore and soon after I had the opportunity to work on a major EPC project in the Middle East. I worked in the region for a decade and was fortunate to have worked for some of the biggest contractors in the region. In my roles specializing in project controls and scheduling, I got to work on some of the mega projects across a variety of sectors.

Along the way, I acquired professional certifications from AACE and PMI and, driven by my interest in dispute resolution, completed a master’s degree in construction law and arbitration from Robert Gordon University in the UK. I then moved to Canada and had an opportunity to join HKA in 2019 and have since been involved as an expert on a significant number of multi-million dollar claims and disputes in mediation, arbitration and litigation settings.

I feel fortunate to not only have worked on some of the most notable projects across continents and gained experience on a variety of construction projects including pipelines, infrastructure, rail, wastewater, power and renewable energy, marine and various ICI [industrial, commercial and institutional] buildings.

That’s a great segue; what attracted you to engineering and construction and then, the transition into claims and disputes side of things.

I grew up around a lot of doctors and engineers, so I think the precedent was already set and I did not have much of a choice. I realized early on that medicine was not my cup of tea. On a serious note, it was perhaps not that perfectly planned but in hindsight, my early traits and interests like building and fixing things, curiosity and attention to detail have greatly influenced how my career has shaped so far.

With the challenges that it brings, construction is all about collective efforts to plan, coordinate, identify and mitigate risks to successfully deliver projects and assets that go on to impact and transform lives and the wider societal landscape. This is something I’m so passionate about to this day. My current role offers a unique opportunity to be involved in a variety of such projects while leveraging my skills and expertise to investigate, advise and provide expert opinion to help clients resolve their disputes.

Have you worked on any notable projects and how what drives you to support clients in your current role?

I think two of the most prominent ones that I can name are the Parliament of Canada rehabilitation program in Ottawa, Canada and the King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Two very unique and notable developments—the former representing the modernization of a national icon and the latter, creating an iconic new skyline in the desert. Both had their own unique engineering complexities and construction challenges but were transformative in their own way.

Working on such prestigious projects is certainly a badge of honor but what is more valuable to me is the many ways a project creates a wider impact by improving lives or solving problems—such as a new transit, infrastructure or advance healthcare facility, etc.

In my current role, I am not as actively involved in the usual sense of projects delivery but I’m more focused on helping clients resolve their disputes who may require my opinion on assessment of delays and quantification of their impacts on a project.

Typically, clients engage me when they are facing challenges and put their trust in me to help resolve their high stakes disputes on projects that have not gone as planned. The positive feedback from clients at the end is what I value the most and makes up for all the hard work as I get to learn about a landmark settlement they achieved or a judgment that hugely went in their favor. I am really proud and grateful for the continuous feedback I have received that translated into my recognition as a Recommended expert in various listings by Lexology Index.

Why is HKA a standout employer for you?

There are a number of dimensions I can touch upon that makes HKA a standout employer for me. One being the exciting opportunities that I get to work with, along with the challenges and opportunities that it brings.

Secondly, in a business like ours, it’s all about the people, their values and culture we collectively create. What stands out at HKA is the supportive and understanding colleagues who mentor, encourage and lift everyone around. I think a collective vision to improve, collaborate, deliver quality and value to our clients every time is a perfect recipe of success for any high achieving organization and I am proud that we do this very effectively.

The successes and growth we have achieved globally and within Canada, particularly in a short period of time is truly remarkable.

I would like to mention two of my colleagues and mentors, Lorna Tardif and Jeff McCain, who invited me to join HKA in 2019 and helped lay the foundations of a great team we have rapidly grown in to.

What other roles do you have outside of the office?

I’m a dad to a toddler, so other than work it’s all about being there for the family by spending time together, exploring nature, reading stories and being involved in every step of the way.

Working with HKA gives me the flexibility to manage my work life balance and allows me to relish the precious moments of parenthood in the best possible way.

You start off in Pakistan, moved to the Middle East, and now you’re in Canada. What’s your favorite thing about Canada and living in Toronto?

Every place I have lived is special and remains close to my heart in its own way. One thing that stands out about Canada, and it’s no joke—Canadians are really, very friendly and polite. I just love how excessively we say sorry and most of the time, without any reason. Toronto is very diverse and full of life. People from all backgrounds and cultures visit, cohabit and work together and are open and very welcoming.

I have lived and travelled across Canada, and I am amazed by how beautiful the country is. So, if you want to explore nature and the outdoors, Canada is the place to be.

What are your passions outside of work?

I’m a devout Liverpool Football Club fan. I’m sort of a romantic, if you will, and have followed the club for a long time including the not so glory days which feel like a distant past now. Learning about the rich history and living through the steady build up over the last decade or so has been an incredible journey as a supporter. Seeing the club back to its perch was a very special feeling that words might not do justice. Apart from that, I love playing Squash and Tennis and taking scenic walks to unwind, relax and recharge.

What would you as a teenager think about the person you’ve become today?

My teenage self would be proud that I have stayed true to my values—integrity, humility, and dependability and perhaps, be pleasantly surprised at the risks and challenges I continue to take head on. He’d probably say: keep your curiosity, stay disciplined and never stop believing.

If you would like to find out more about joining HKA,
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Welcome to our new colleagues – September and October 2025

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Welcome to our new colleagues – September and October 2025

28th November 2025

In September and October 2025, we welcomed 23 new colleagues to our global team.

We’re always looking to expand our team; please take a look at our current vacancies for the latest opportunities.

Adzierah Adenan
Consultant | Construction, Claims and Expert Services
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Adzierah brings eight years of experience from the construction sector, where she worked as a main contractor, specialising in post-contract quantity surveying works and contract administration. Her expertise also includes cost control, cost estimation, and valuation, as well as the preparation and assessment of quantum and extension of time claims for building and railway projects, helping organisations mitigate disputes and achieve fair contractual outcomes.

Adzierah joins the CCE team in Kuala Lumpur as a Consultant. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Nottingham Trent University, specialising in Quantity Surveying and Construction Commercial Management.

Harrison Andes
Recruitment Manager
Miami, Florida, United States

Harrison joins the Americas Recruitment Team with over 10 years of experience in talent acquisition, specializing in early career recruitment strategy and talent management. He has a proven track record of leading through change, building scalable talent programs, and aligning talent strategies with business objectives.

Before joining HKA, Harrison designed and executed an enterprise-wide campus recruiting and internship programming strategy for a global professional services organization spanning the United States, Canada, Europe, and the Middle East. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Illinois and a Master of Science in Learning and Organizational Change from Northwestern University. Harrison is looking forward to supporting growth and success for both emerging and experienced talent, helping professionals thrive at all stages of their careers.

Michelle Dominguez
Associate Director | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
Miami, Florida, United States

Michelle Dominguez is a forensic accounting and compliance professional with over eight years of experience delivering forensic accounting services across diverse industries and geographies. She has proven expertise in forensic investigations, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) compliance, risk assessments, and dispute resolution.

Before becoming Associate Director, Michelle led and supported high-profile investigations for multinational corporations in sectors including pharmaceuticals, automotive, consumer goods, hospitality, and spirits. Her work has spanned Latin America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and North America, where she collaborated with regulators such as the U.S. Department of Justice and the SEC. She is skilled at managing complex cross-border engagements, conducting forensic interviews, analyzing financial irregularities, and supporting the implementation of gold-standard compliance programs. Michelle also brings experience in dispute services, preparing damages models and rebuttal reports for litigation and arbitration matters.

Alyssa Gormley
Associate Consultant | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Alyssa Gormley graduated from Drexel University in September 2025 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with a major in accounting. She returns to HKA as a full-time Associate Consultant following her co-op with the Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages group.

Alyssa plans to get her CPA license as part of her commitment to personal and professional growth. She is excited to be back on the team and start her full-time career in accounting.

Dipti Hirani
People Manager EMEA, International
London, United Kingdom

Dipti is a CIPD Level 7 qualified HR professional with eight years of experience supporting organisations across diverse sectors. As a trusted HR generalist, she brings expertise in employee relations, performance management, restructuring, recruitment, TUPE, and HR audits.

In her most recent role as HR Consultancy Manager, Dipti delivered tailored HR solutions to various organisations, including startups, FCA-regulated firms, and not-for-profit organisations. This breadth of consultancy experience has sharpened her ability to adapt quickly to different business environments, ensuring compliance with UK employment law while embedding best HR practices. Recognised for her personable and collaborative style, Dipti builds strong stakeholder relationships and delivers customer-focused outcomes that drive meaningful results.

Clara Jüngling
Consultant | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
Paris, France

Clara Jüngling joins the Paris office as a Consultant. She rejoins HKA as a full-time member of the Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages practice, building on her prior internship experience with the firm.

Clara holds a Master’s degree in International Finance and a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Management. She is working towards becoming a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), having already completed levels I and II.

Vasudha Kaul
Managing Consultant | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
Sydney, Australia

Vasudha Kaul brings over a decade of experience in damage valuations, dispute resolution, and private equity, advising clients on complex, high-stakes international disputes. She specializes in quantifying damages and lost profits in investor–state and commercial arbitrations, applying advanced valuation methodologies, including discounted cash flow (DCF), market comparables, and scenario modeling.

Her career spans global financial hubs, with experience in cities such as Washington, D.C., New York, and Mumbai, where she has led marquee transactions and strategic asset management initiatives. Vasudha has managed hospitality portfolios exceeding $550 million, executed acquisitions of luxury hotel brands valued at $100 million, and driven multi-million-dollar deals across real estate, telecom, and pharmaceuticals. She has also authored expert testimony reports and prepared experts for international hearings.

Vasudha holds an MBA in Finance and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics. She is a CFA Level II candidate and has completed specialized certifications in financial valuation, real estate waterfall modeling, and visual business intelligence.

Onur Kutlu
Associate Director | Forensic Technical Services
Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Onur brings over 13 years of experience in geotechnical engineering. He worked on various multi-disciplinary projects, interpreting geotechnical data, writing reports, drafting construction specifications, and reviewing design drawings and contractor submittals. He also provided construction support services. His experience includes projects in Canada, Türkiye, and the United States.

Before joining HKA, Onur held roles in consulting and as part of an owner, which helped him develop skills to better understand the dynamics of both sides. His experience includes working on projects in renewable energy and design-build projects in transportation infrastructure.

Ellis Macauley
Assistant Management Accountant
Warrington, United Kingdom

Ellis joins HKA as an Assistant Management Accountant after five years at Spire Healthcare, where he worked in their finance department—his first role after graduating from university. He is currently studying for his CIMA qualification to become a chartered accountant.

Melisha Maraj
Senior Proposals Coordinator
Johannesburg, South Africa

Melisha Maraj is a Global Bids and Proposals Specialist with over 12 years of experience in developing strategic and compliant bid submissions across various sectors, including Engineering, Construction, Civil Infrastructure, Defence, Facilities Management, web3 and blockchain, and Healthcare.

Her career spans the EMEA region, including the Middle East, Africa, South America, Europe, and the Americas, where she has collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to produce tailored, high-quality proposals that demonstrate technical rigour and strategic focus.

Combining analytical precision with persuasive storytelling, Melisha delivers proposals that align with client objectives while strengthening HKA’s competitive positioning in global markets.

Katherine McMillen
Associate Director | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

Katherine McMillen is a CPA and CFE with over 13 years of experience in fraud investigation, regulatory compliance, and litigation support. Her clients range from small, closely held businesses to Fortune 500 companies across a broad spectrum of industries, including public utilities, energy, manufacturing, retail, technology, construction, real estate, and financial services.

Katherine has advised clients, key stakeholders, and their legal counsel on various fraud and compliance matters. She has worked with organizations to develop and enhance compliance programs, perform fraud and anti-corruption risk assessments, implement tailored suites of fraud, financial, and operational controls, execute targeted audit procedures, conduct anti-corruption third-party due diligence, and benchmark existing processes against industry best practices. She has also been involved in investigations and root-cause analyses of economic crime and misconduct by corporate directors and officers, management, employees, and third parties. In addition to her investigative and compliance work, Katherine has significant experience providing litigation support services in matters involving fraud, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, economic damages, shareholder disputes, and marital dissolution.

Katherine graduated from the University of Houston with an M.S. in Accountancy in 2012 and began her career in the audit practice of a Big Four accounting firm. Immediately prior to joining HKA, Katherine was a senior manager in the advisory practice of a Top 10 public accounting firm.

John Moskal
Manager | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
Chicago, Illinois, United States

John is a valuation professional with over nine years of experience in client services. He has managed intellectual property–collateralized debt projects that enabled more than $350 million in funding for growth-stage companies. John specializes in financial modeling and valuations across industries, including software, healthcare, and technology. He holds a BS in Accounting and Management from Purdue University and is both a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Accredited in Business Valuation (ABV).

Florent Myara
Director | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
Paris, France

Florent Myara joins our Paris office as a Director. He brings over 15 years of experience in business valuation, dispute advisory, and corporate finance. Florent has led teams on hundreds of assignments, with deep expertise in quantifying economic damages and valuing businesses and assets.

His track record spans shareholder disputes, securities litigation, post-acquisition conflicts, regulatory matters, complex commercial claims, and tax disputes. Before joining HKA, Florent held senior roles in corporate finance and litigation support boutiques, advising listed and private companies across diverse industries. He also co-invented Sismo, a visual analytics platform for equity investors.

Florent holds a Master’s in Management from HEC Paris, specializing in Finance. He previously lectured at Paris Dauphine University, teaching corporate finance and financial engineering, and regularly contributes to thought leadership on valuation and dispute topics.

Norlinda (Linda) Nazir
Managing Consultant | Construction, Claims and Expert Services
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Norlinda (Linda) Nazir is an accomplished Project Planner and Delay Forensic Specialist with over 15 years of experience across a diverse portfolio of complex construction projects. She has extensive expertise in preparing and maintaining project schedules for mixed-use developments and large-scale infrastructure projects, coupled with specialized skills in delay analysis and forensic scheduling within the construction industry.

Throughout her career, Norlinda has successfully navigated unique challenges on landmark projects, consistently delivering high-quality planning and analytical solutions. Her current role encompasses a broad range of responsibilities, including claims consultancy, expert witness support, and contract advisory services. She is also a proud Member of the Malaysian Institute of Arbitrators.

Norlinda possesses strong proficiency in providing analytical support to principal expert witnesses during dispute resolution and arbitration proceedings, offering clear, evidence-based insights into project delays. Her professional background includes preparing, reviewing, and evaluating delay claims, conducting critical path assessments, and developing defensible narratives for both contractors and consultants. She is highly skilled in interpreting complex project data and transforming it into actionable planning strategies and comprehensive claims documentation.

Alex Needham
Finance Manager, Europe
Warrington, United Kingdom

Alex has joined the European Finance team at HKA after ten years of professional work experience. He studied Accounting and Economics at the University of Central Lancashire which gave him a foundation in accounting. He began his career at a small corporate service provider in the Isle of Man, where he performed a variety of tasks in the finance team. Alongside working, he also studied towards and obtained his ACCA qualification.

He joined a Big Four firm as Financial Reporting Manager, which provided him with insight into the fast-paced nature of a larger company and the high demands of producing timely and accurate information. He has also worked as a short-term contractor, which has provided opportunities to see best practices for a number of different processes and tasks.

Thomas Peacock
Managing Consultant | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
Sydney, Australia

Tom has over five years of experience in forensic accounting, valuation, and financial investigations. He has worked on a wide range of complex matters across various industries, including fraud cases, class actions, and large-scale commercial disputes. Tom assists with the preparation of expert reports and supporting evidence for court proceedings, conducting detailed and insightful financial modelling and analysis.

Malinda Pisciotta
Senior Business Support Administrator
Dallas, Texas, United States

Malinda joins our Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages practice in the Dallas office as a Senior Business Support Administrator from the recent Echelon Analytics expansion. She has provided high-level administrative, accounting, and operational support for over 30 years in both privately held and public organizations, ensuring seamless business processes and organizational efficiency.

Malinda is excited to continue her career at HKA and looks forward to applying her experience and skills to HKA’s operations, while continuing to broaden her knowledge base in the FACD field.

Ryan Priddy
Senior Associate Consultant | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
Dallas, Texas, United States

Ryan Priddy has over seven years of professional experience in assisting clients in litigation and other dispute-related settings. Ryan has developed and assessed calculations of lost profits, reasonable royalties, insurance claims, and other damages analyses for commercial litigation matters across a wide variety of industries. He has worked with both plaintiffs and defendants on matters involving patent disputes, copyright infringement, breach of contract, unfair competition, false advertising, and fraudulent misrepresentation, among others.

Prior to joining HKA, Ryan provided litigation damages analyses, reports, and project management to support expert testimony on intellectual property damages at Echelon Analytics.

Jean Salloum
Principal | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
Paris, France

Jean Salloum is a forensic investigations and compliance specialist with over 15 years of experience advising global organisations on matters including fraud, misconduct, and whistleblower program design.

His forensic experience includes directing forensic audits of a sovereign wealth fund, a central bank, and state-owned enterprises, as well as advising governments on remediation strategies to enhance transparency and prevent financial leakages.

Jean led engagements focused on strengthening corporate compliance frameworks, including whistleblowing systems, fraud risk management, and internal controls. Additionally, Jean has reviewed and redesigned whistleblowing systems for multinational corporations, ensuring alignment with global regulatory standards and internal governance requirements. His work encompasses policy development, process mapping, and the integration of secure reporting channels and analytics tools to effectively detect and respond to misconduct.

He has also led cross-border investigations involving procurement fraud, falsification of evidence, and breaches of international law, often in high-stakes environments including sovereign institutions and donor-funded organisations.

Vivian Siu
Associate Director | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
Syndey, Australia

Vivian Siu brings over 13 years of professional experience, primarily in providing expert witness services related to complex business valuations and quantification of damages and economic loss.

Vivian’s experience includes leading complex financial modeling, valuation analysis, research, document review, and drafting expert reports for submission to courts in Hong Kong, the Cayman Islands, the BVI, and Australia, as well as in international arbitrations under the HKIAC, ICC, UNCITRAL, SIAC, and CIETAC rules. Before joining HKA, Vivian held disputes advisory or audit positions with FTI Consulting and PricewaterhouseCoopers in Hong Kong, London, and Sydney. She is a Chartered Accountant (HKICPA) and a Business Valuation Specialist (CA ANZ).

Rosalia (Rosy) Viton
Associate Consultant | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
Phoenix, Arizona, United States

Rosalia (Rosy) Viton joins the Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages team in the Phoenix office as an Associate Consultant. She recently graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. Rosalia brings experience from her prior internships with HKA and looks forward to continuing her development within HKA’s global consulting practice.

Erica Wilson
Manager | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
Dallas, Texas, United States

Erica joins the Dallas office as a Manager with proven experience in financial and economic analysis for damages valuation in litigation disputes. She is a Texas-licensed CPA with degrees in finance and economics.

Over the last decade, she has collaborated with experts witnesses to provide meaningful analysis and project management support, developing sound and well-supported damages opinions and other litigation deliverables for clients. Her experience includes patent infringement and intellectual property disputes, business interruption, business valuation, and breach of contract matters.

Tali Weitzman
Client Finance Associate, Americas
Chicago, Illinois, United States

Tali Weitzman joins the Client Finance Team as a Client Finance Associate supporting the FACD & Claims service lines. Prior to joining HKA, she worked in the finance departments in the Construction and Engineering industries.

She graduated from The Evergreen State College with a Bachelor of Art in Business Administration.

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Welcome to our new colleagues – July and August 2025

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Welcome to our new colleagues – July and August 2025

29th September 2025

In July and August 2025, we welcomed 41 new colleagues to our global team.

This included strengthening our global Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages team, including senior hires Paul Farfel, David Paris, David Tenenbaum, and Matt Celand.

We’re always looking to expand our team; please take a look at our current vacancies for the latest opportunities.

David Attar
Associate Consultant | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
Washington, D.C., United States

David Attar is a recent graduate of the University of North Carolina, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics with minors in Data Science and Public Policy.

He rejoins HKA as a full-time member of the Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages practice, building on his prior internship experience with the firm. David looks forward to continuing his professional development with the Washington, D.C. Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages team.

Natasha Barlow
Associate Consultant | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
Sydney, Australia

Natasha joins our Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages practice in the Sydney office as an Associate Consultant. Before joining HKA, Natasha worked on Forensic Accounting and Investigations teams in Canada, supporting clients from both the private and public sectors.

Natasha holds an Honours Bachelor of Business Administration (Accounting) from Wilfrid Laurier University and an Honours Bachelor of Mathematics from the University of Waterloo. She is working towards becoming a member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.

Jamie Broug
Analyst | Advisory
Sydney, Australia

Jamie Broug has joined the Advisory team as a highly motivated Analyst in the Sydney office. He is currently completing a Bachelor of Business, majoring in Extended Finance, and a Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation at the University of Technology Sydney. After engaging with HKA through an Industry Innovation Partnership, followed by an Innovation Internship, Jamie is excited to continue his career journey with HKA’s Commercial Advisory team. Drawing on his university studies, he contributes to economic, financial, valuation, ESG, critical, and creative thinking. By combining his two degrees, he brings both analytical and creative insight to the team. In addition, he is an active member of HKA’s innovation team, SPARK.

Outside of work, Jamie is passionate about financial investments and recently joined the Australian Student Asset Management fund to further his practical learning. Jamie brings ambition, diligence, and a collaborative spirit to his work and looks forward to continuing to support the success of a high-performing team at HKA.

Matthew Celand
Director | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
Sydney, Australia

Matthew brings over 15 years of experience in forensic accounting, financial investigations, and expert witness services. A Chartered Accountant with a Master’s degree in Mathematics and currently pursuing a Master’s in Data Science, Matthew has a strong track record of delivering complex financial analyses and expert reports for litigation, regulatory inquiries, and dispute resolution.

Prior to joining HKA, Matthew held senior roles where he led high-profile matters, including construction disputes, misappropriation of funds, wage underpayment, and casino regulatory matters. His expertise spans data modelling, SQL, Power BI, and Tableau, and he has successfully built strong networks with law firms and corporate clients across Australia and internationally.

Cameron Chalmers
Analyst | Forensic Technical Services
Sydney, Australia

Cameron Chalmers joins the FTS team in Sydney following his work on a collaborative project between HKA and the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) earlier this year. He is currently studying a double bachelor’s degree in mechatronics engineering and creative intelligence and innovation, two disciplines that helped him succeed in delivering an agentic AI pipeline for that collaborative project.

Before joining HKA, Cameron spent 8 years racing and working in various categories of Australian motorsport, led UTS’ driverless motorsports team, and continues to teach first-year mechanical engineering at the university.

His role in FTS currently focusses on developing a framework for improving the independent consulting expert (ICE) lifecycle, particularly search, acquisition, and onboarding, as well as supporting the expert support team. He looks forward to solving the complex challenges of monitoring, improving, and automating the framework in the months to come and helping to improve FTS’s operational efficiency.

Hongxi Chen
Accounts Receivable Specialist
Warrington, United Kingdom

Hongxi began his career as an accounting apprentice, completing AAT Level 3 and gaining valuable hands-on experience in the field. He then achieved a First-Class Honours degree in Accounting and Finance from Manchester Metropolitan University, further solidifying his academic foundation.

He started his professional journey in credit control and is now looking to broaden his expertise as an Accounts Receivable Specialist. With practical knowledge of widely used accounting software such as Sage, QuickBooks, and Xero, Hongxi is well-equipped to navigate the technical demands of the role. He is also planning to begin his studies to become a Chartered Accountant, demonstrating his commitment to continuous professional development.

Lauren Clarke
Senior Finance Analyst
Warrington, United Kingdom

Lauren began her academic journey studying Business Management at Manchester Metropolitan University, where she also completed a placement year in a finance role. This experience sparked her interest in financial analysis and laid a strong foundation for her professional development.

After university, Lauren joined a Medical Communications firm as a Project Finance Analyst. Within two years, she progressed to the role of Senior Finance Analyst. In this position, she was responsible for building financial reports, preparing budgets and reforecasts, and collaborating closely with project stakeholders. These responsibilities helped her develop strong analytical and communication skills, while also enhancing her proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint.

During this time, Lauren began studying for her CIMA qualification. She is currently preparing for the final level and hopes to sit her final exam in November. Her goal is to become fully qualified at the start of next year.

Iain Coutts
Technical Director | Forensic Technical Services
Glasgow, United Kingdom

Iain joins HKA’s growing Aviation Team, which includes specialists across more than 150 aviation-related disciplines. The team provides a broad spectrum of advisory services – from technical guidance on airport design to managing regulatory compliance, resolving disputes, and conducting investigations and audits.

With over 20 years of experience in airport and transport planning, Iain has a strong track record of delivering complex aviation, mobility, and infrastructure projects across both the private and public sectors. His expertise spans airport master planning, technical due diligence, aerodrome safeguarding, sustainable transport design, and the emerging field of advanced air mobility.

Romeo Diswe
Lead Consultant | Advisory
Sydney, Australia

Romeo is a highly accomplished Professional Civil Engineer with over 30 years of experience in project management and planning. His experience spans different countries, such as the Middle East, Asia, and Australia, giving him a diverse perspective on project management and project planning/ programming practices and techniques.

Romeo’s expertise encompasses a wide array of projects, including hospitals, high-rise buildings, industrial and commercial buildings, major infrastructure projects, tunnels, power plants, and large-scale utility works. He specialises in the full spectrum of project lifecycle management, from feasibility studies and tenders to meticulous progress monitoring, critical path analysis, and advanced forensic planning. He is also highly proficient in the use of Primavera P6, Microsoft Project, and other planning software.

Romeo has a strong academic background in civil engineering and holds a master’s degree in project management.

Patrick Doyle
Manager | Digital Forensics and Data Solutions
Houston, Texas, United States

Patrick Doyle is an experienced cybersecurity professional with a strong background in technical security, data analysis, and risk management. Skilled in evaluating complex IT environments, analyzing large data sets, and delivering clear, actionable insights to support organizational objectives.

He has hands-on experience across security frameworks, compliance assessments, and IT governance, with a proven ability to translate technical findings into business and operational improvements. Certified CISSP, CISA, and QSA, bringing a blend of cybersecurity expertise and analytical skills to support decision-making, investigations, and organizational resilience.

Bridget Duncklee
Associate Consultant | Construction, Claims and Expert Services
Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

Bridget Duncklee joins the Minneapolis office as an Associate Consultant after graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Iowa State University.

Bridget brings experience in process improvement, quality control, and data analysis from previous roles in product and manufacturing engineering. She is excited to begin her professional career at HKA and looks forward to applying her skills while further developing her knowledge of construction.

Marine Dupuy
Associate Consultant | Construction, Claims and Expert Services
Montréal, Québec, Canada

Marine is a recent graduate of McGill University with a background in chemical and software engineering. Through internships and extracurricular activities, she gained experience in project management and research in college.

She joins the Montreal office as an Associate Consultant and looks forward to developing her expertise in construction claims and delay.

Paul Farfel
Partner | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
New York, New York, United States

Paul is a senior forensic accounting expert and litigation consultant with over 35 years of experience helping companies meet their accounting and reporting obligations, promote trust in their capital markets, and resolve disputes in ways that protect financial integrity, brand reputation, and stakeholder confidence. His expertise includes financial and forensic accounting and auditing, fraud detection, financial analysis, regulatory compliance, financial damages, risk management, due diligence, dispute resolution, and litigation consulting.

Paul has improved outcomes in litigation, arbitration, and regulatory investigations by identifying exposures, refuting allegations, preparing fact and expert witnesses for deposition and testimony, and challenging damages claims related to asset misappropriation, financial mismanagement, and fraudulent accounting and reporting. He has extensive experience serving financial institutions, including commercial and investment banks, wealth and asset managers, and insurance companies.

His notable forensic accounting investigations include matters connected to the 2008 credit crisis, Ponzi schemes by investment managers, and regulatory investigations by the SEC, PCAOB, DOJ, FTC, and other agencies. He has also investigated potential FCPA violations and supported global financial institutions in meeting Sarbanes-Oxley requirements.

Allison Fields
Associate Consultant | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
Phoenix, Arizona, United States

Allison graduated from the University of Arizona in May 2025 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, majoring in Business Economics. She returns to HKA as a full-time Associate Consultant following her internship in Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages last summer in the Phoenix office.

Prior to joining HKA, Allison gained experience in commercial real estate on the brokerage side. She is enthusiastic about beginning her career at HKA and looks forward to growing professionally within the FACD team.

Mohamed Haidar
Manager | Construction, Claims and Expert Services
Montréal, Québec, Canada

Mohamed joins the Montréal office as a Manager in Construction, Claims, and Expert Services. He is a civil engineer with a master’s degree in construction and engineering management.

Over the last decade, Mohamed has managed a variety of major projects, ranging from infrastructure and roadwork and stadium construction in the Middle East, to heavy civil works on a mining site in the north of Québec. His most recent role prior to joining HKA was tailings program manager and interim director for all tailings, water management, mine services, and railway projects for an iron mining company.

Sonia Hernandez
Senior Business Support Administrator
Miami, Florida, United States

Sonia Hernandez brings over 25 years of experience as an Executive Administrative Assistant supporting senior leaders. Her background includes years at Ernst & Young, LLP, where she led office initiatives and supported top-level executives with professionalism and care.

Sonia oins the Miami office as Senior Business Support Administrator and is looking forward to her career at HKA.

Madalyn Klefeker
Associate Consultant | Construction, Claims and Expert Services
Chicago, Illinois, United States

Madalyn Klefeker recently graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in Chemical Engineering.

Madalyn brings hands-on experience in project management, large-scale manufacturing, and technical engineering design and is looking forward to joining the Chicago Office.

Madison Kohm
Associate Consultant | Construction, Claims and Expert Services
Chicago, Illinois, United States

Madison graduated from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business in May with a bachelor’s degree in finance. She will be joining the Construction Claims group in Chicago as an Associate Consultant, focusing on business support initiatives.

Madison brings experience from the defense industry, specifically within the construction sector, and looks forward to applying this background alongside her finance knowledge to support clients at HKA.

Archit Kumar
Associate Consultant | Government Contracts
Washington, D.C., United States

Archit Kumar is a recent graduate of the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and a minor in Business. After a previous internship, Archit rejoins HKA in their Government Contracts practice in Washington, D.C.

Archit looks forward to working with high-performing colleagues and further developing his expertise.

Nate Lasinski
Associate Consultant | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
Chicago, Illinois, United States

Nate Lasinski joins our Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages team. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 2022 and has worked in business consulting and engineering for the last few years.

Nate has experience in design, engineering, business consulting, project and program management, and client relations. He hopes to leverage his past experience to grow a successful career here at HKA.

Casey Lidstad
Associate Consultant | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
Chicago, Illinois, United States

Casey joins HKA as an Associate Consultant on the Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages team in the Chicago office.

Casey graduated from Indiana University in May with degrees in Finance and Operations Management. She has experience in the railcar leasing industry and is excited to leverage that knowledge to dissect complex problems and support clients.

Lauren Loupe
Associate Director | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
Houston, Texas, United States

Lauren Loupe is a seasoned finance and accounting professional with over 15 years of experience delivering strategic financial leadership across diverse industries. She has proven expertise in generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) financial reporting, tax strategy, treasury operations, and multi-entity consolidation.

Before joining HKA, Lauren was Vice President, Finance for a privately held holding company generating over $500 million in annual revenue. Her industry experience includes oil and gas, professional sports/entertainment, farming, ranching, real estate, and automotive retailing. She is adept at managing complex portfolios for high-net-worth family offices, collaborating with Big Four accounting firms, and leading cross-functional teams through audits, divestitures, and compliance initiatives. She also has extensive experience preparing written correspondence to successfully defend tax positions with state and local tax authorities.

Celina Mac
Associate Consultant | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
San Francisco, California, United States

Celina Mac joins our San Francisco office as an Associate Consultant after receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Statistics from the University of California, Berkeley.

Celina brings experience in statistical analyses, research, and data-driven problem solving across academic and professional settings. She is excited to increase her experience in global consulting and build new connections with HKA.

Ucindami Mafeni
Senior Managing Consultant | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
London, United Kingdom

Ucindami Mafeni is an Economist who specialises in econometrics. He has academic and professional experience related to causal analysis in competition, litigation, international trade, and financial economics. He has academic and research experience with the Paris School of Economics, the University of Chicago, and the World Bank Group, and consulting experience with Oxera and Grant Thornton.

Ucindami has led the econometric and quantitative analysis in several securities litigation class action claims, anti-trust cases related to cartels and abuses of dominance, disputes in the digital asset space, international trade remedies, and economic regulation in the gas, energy, and water sectors. He is keen on applying state-of-the-art quantitative methods in econometrics, data science, and machine learning.

Caden McCulloch
Associate Consultant | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
San Francisco, California, United States

Caden McCulloch is a former intern rejoining as a full-time Associate Consultant in the San Francisco office. In May 2025, Caden received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley.

Caden looks forward to expanding his expertise in the FACD practice, specifically with intellectual property cases, and seeing the colleagues he worked with during his internship.

Thomas Moreno
Director | Forensic Technical Services
San Francisco, California, United States

Thomas is a California-licensed general contractor with over 27 years of experience in the construction industry. His consulting expertise includes project management and forensic analysis of construction defects to identify property structure problems, including moisture intrusion, fenestration, structural damage, and structural failure. Thomas inspects construction sites, assesses the scope and estimates the cost of repairs, and evaluates construction defect loss.

In addition to his experience assessing construction defects, Thomas has supervised construction crews, prepared procurement bid packages, and provided cost estimates. He routinely analyzes critical path method scheduling, cash flow, design standards, and contracts, and he is an expert in change order management and insurance property loss evaluation.

Thomas has worked on commercial, residential, and industrial construction projects across the United States. He has testified as an expert witness in depositions and trials, drawing on his decades of technical and project management experience.

Luke Newell
Associate Consultant | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
Washington, D.C., United States

Luke Newell graduated from the University of Virginia in May 2025 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and a minor in Business Analytics. He rejoins HKA as a full-time employee after completing his internship in Washington, D.C., last summer.

Luke is joining the FACD team and looks forward to contributing to Government Contracts and FACD projects across a variety of industries. He is excited to deepen his expertise and build new connections within the firm.

Shashank Panchal
Senior Consultant | Advisory
Sydney, Australia

Shashank Panchal is a project controls and cost management professional with over 13 years of experience in supporting the delivery of complex infrastructure and construction projects. He specialises in cost forecasting, risk management, and performance reporting, ensuring accurate financial oversight throughout the project lifecycle.

Known for his analytical approach and structured methodology, Shashank contributes to effective decision-making and project efficiency. He holds a Master’s in Construction and Project Management.

David Paris
Principal | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
Washington, D.C., United States

David has conducted economic research and analyzed business strategies and performance of individuals and groups of firms in a wide range of industries, including high technology, franchises, industrial and agricultural machinery, financial services, consumer products, and automotive parts. He also has experience in cost–benefit analysis to evaluate the likely effects on competition and market outcomes from proposed changes in existing and draft government regulations.

David specialises in disputes involving patent, trademark, and copyright infringement, misappropriation of trade secrets, breach of contract, fraud, employment, and antitrust violations. He has supported clients on disputes involving lost profits, unjust enrichment, benefit of the bargain, and reasonable royalty damages, as well as on economic issues relevant to granting an injunction, including irreparable harm, secondary considerations of non-obviousness, and the calculation of actual and intended loss under the federal sentencing guidelines.

Mala Patil
Senior Consultant | Advisory
Sydney, Australia

Mala is an experienced project controls and scheduling specialist with a proven track record across major Australian infrastructure and government programs. She has delivered strategic scheduling solutions for client,s including Ports North, DECCA, TfNSW, MDBA, ANSTO, and Sydney Metro, integrating risk, cost, and governance into robust project frameworks. Skilled in developing Integrated Master Schedules and expertise in variation assessment, stakeholder engagement, and interface management to ensure alignment across complex delivery environments.

With a strong focus on governance assurance and performance reporting, Mala drives transparency and accountability throughout the project lifecycle. Her work consistently adds measurable value to high-stakes initiatives.

Deviprasad Pentapati
Director | Construction, Claims and Expert Services
Houston, Texas, United States

With over 20 years of international experience across North America, Canada, and India, Devi brings a wealth of expertise in construction advisory, dispute resolution, data analytics, project controls, and technology enablement and implementation. He has provided expert services on a wide range of complex infrastructure, transportation, oil and gas, water and wastewater treatment, and data center projects. His experience spans high-value projects such as the $4B+ Confederation Line Extension in Ottawa and the $7B+ Ascent Program at San Francisco International Airport.

Devi holds a master’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Kentucky. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in California and Texas, a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Construction Manager (CCM), Planning and Scheduling Professional (PSP), and a Risk Management Professional (RMP).

Anna Polkosnik
Office Manager | Business Support
London, United Kingdom

Anna Polkosnik brings with her over 14 years of experience in office operations across diverse industries—from construction and luxury fashion brands to the finance sector. Most recently, she led office operations at S&P Global across EMEA and APAC, overseeing everything from day-to-day operations to vendor management and coordinating complex budgets.

Anna has quite a few office relocations and fit-outs under her belt, so don’t be surprised if her influence also shows up in our future growth plans.

Jaryn Prendergast
Business Support Administrator
Sydney, Australia

Jaryn Prendergast is a business support professional with over six years’ experience across government and not-for-profit sectors. His background includes stakeholder coordination, client service, and business development support. Before joining HKA, Jaryn helped manage a commercial client portfolio at Relationships Australia NSW, supporting the delivery of workplace training and wellbeing services.

Jaryn has previously held client-facing roles at the ATO and Department of Human Services, where he developed strong communication, problem-solving, and organisational skills. Jaryn is proactive, reliable, and focused on providing high-quality support that helps teams deliver results.

Faye Purbrick
Director, Corporate Communications and Professional Recognition | Marketing
London, United Kingdom

Faye Purbrick has more than 25 years of experience in industries ranging from publishing and research to construction project management and professional services. She has launched professional services brands in Asia, the Middle East and North America, including creating an economics research business for MEED (Middle East Economic Digest) and other consulting brands.

Faye worked for Hill International (and Parsons Brinckerhoff), building their proposals and marketing departments in the Middle East and acting as a publisher globally for EMAP/MEED, commissioning a variety of information reports covering construction, oil and gas, finance and banking, and petrochemicals matters, amongst others.

Her skills range from project management, strategic planning, negotiation and training to editing, digital media production, and research. Alongside her professional services work, she has also developed and led on local government reorganisation projects and business case development and engaged in policy development.

Caitriona Rohan
Business Support Administrator
Sydney, Australia

Caitriona Rohan brings a background as an Executive Assistant and Project Manager with years of experience spanning financial services, executive recruitment, and the public sector. She has a proven track record in supporting senior leadership, managing high-level projects, and delivering exceptional administrative and client-facing support.

Caitriona is known for having a strong ability to coordinate multiple priorities across fast-paced environments. She is recognised for resolving complex queries with a solutions-oriented approach, enhancing team collaboration, and driving high levels of client and candidate satisfaction. Caitriona is a strong analytical thinker with excellent attention to detail, organizational precision, communication skills, and thrives in dynamic, team-based settings where efficiency, professionalism, and service excellence are key.

Dave Sun
Associate Consultant | Construction, Claims and Expert Services
Chicago, Illinois, United States

Dave Sun joins the Chicago office as an Associate Consultant. He brings a strong academic foundation with dual Bachelor’s Degrees in Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Entrepreneurship from the University of Illinois.

His background includes hands-on experience in the renewable energy sector—particularly within lithium-related initiatives—as well as exposure to various aerospace research. Dave is eager to contribute to HKA’s mission and expand his understanding of the construction industry and global consulting landscape.

Matthew Smith
Manager | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
Washington, D.C., United States

Matthew Smith joins our Washington, D.C. office as a Manager. He is an experienced economic consultant and data analyst. Matthew’s project experience includes commercial damages, forensic accounting investigations, and market manipulation.

He holds an MS in Applied Economics and a BS in Mathematics.

Ramya Sridhar
Associate Consultant | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
San Francisco, California, United States

Ramya Sridhar is a recent UC Berkeley graduate with a degree in Economics. She has joined the San Francisco Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages team as an Associate Consultant and looks forward to growing her knowledge in the field of commercial damages.

David Tenenbaum
Principal | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
Chicago, Illinois, United States

Based in Chicago, David brings over 25 years of experience in the strategic assessment and financial valuation of intellectual property and other intangible assets across litigation, transactional, tax, and insurance-backed lending contexts.

David has built a distinguished career advising clients on complex IP matters, including patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret disputes. He has led numerous engagements involving damages quantification, expert witness preparation, and valuation analysis in high-stakes litigation. His work spans a wide range of industries and has consistently helped clients develop and defend robust damages positions throughout the litigation lifecycle.

Nikhita Varala
Associate Consultant | Government Contracts
Washington, D.C., United States

Nikhita Varala recently graduated from the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics. She joins HKA as a member of the Government Contracts team, building on prior experience as a litigation consulting intern at another firm. Nikhita looks forward to growing professionally and contributing to HKA projects with the Washington, D.C. office.

Amanda Yeo
Associate Director | Construction, Claims and Expert Services
Singapore

Amanda Yeo has over 20 years of professional experience working on construction projects in the building, transportation infrastructure, power and utilities, industrial, and manufacturing sectors. She has a background in quantity surveying and cost management, contract administration, construction claims, and dispute management. She specialises in quantum assessments covering variations, loss and expense, head office overheads, loss of profits, and interest charges and has assisted the named expert in the preparation of expert witness reports.

Prior to joining HKA, Amanda had gained extensive quantity surveying, pre- and post-contract management, and contractual experience with international contractors and consultancies. Amanda’s geographical experience includes Asia, Oceania, and the Middle East.

Discover more of our talented experts.

Looking for your next career move?

Explore our Expert Centre

Explore our latest opportunities

Practical strategies for managing construction claims amid conflict in the Gulf

Haroon Niazi

Franco Mastrandrea

Derek Nelson

Haroon Niazi

Franco Mastrandrea

Derek Nelson

Contractual considerations amid the Gulf conflict

If conflict arises before the contract is signed

Protecting against escalation amid conflict

Considerations for claims during a conflict

Force majeure and employer obligations in conflict situations

The challenge of proving disruption

Framing the costs of conflict in a claim

As-built records and non-critical delays still matter in conflicts

Using conflict sensibily in mitigation and pre-existing delays

Giving notice and taking note amid conflict

To rewatch our live podcast:

About our experts

A conversation with Michael Laming, Principal

Michael Laming is a Principal in our Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages team based in Madrid and has been with HKA for over five years.

Michael’s expertise includes quantification of damages, consequential loss assessments, valuations, forensic interviews, and forensic due diligence.

In our conversation, Michael shares his favourite aspect of supporting clients and legal teams, why HKA is a stand-out employer, and his favourite thing about living in Madrid.

Managing Variations and Extension of Time in Construction Projects

Hilal Itani

Understanding Variation Orders

Extension of Time (EOT) Claims

The Interlink Between Variations and EOTs

Prolongation Costs and Overheads

Contractors must not recover the same overhead costs twice.

Concurrent Delays

Best Practices for Managing Variations and EOTs

Conclusion

About the author

References[+]

Welcome to our new colleagues – January and February 2026

In January and February 2026, we welcomed 14 new colleagues to our global team.

We’re always looking to expand our team; please take a look at our current vacancies for the latest opportunities.

Buthaina AlmadhiManaging Consultant | Forensic Accounting and Commercial DamagesLondon, United Kingdom

Aidil AshraafAssistant AccountantKuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Arun BhagetAssociate Director | Government ContractingWashington, D.C, United States

Marissa CecilClient Finance AssociatePhiladelphia, United States

Jennifer HagamanFinance ManagerPhiladelphia, United States

Pihu JainConsultant | Forensic Accounting and Commercial DamagesLondon, United Kingdom

Clément LacoudreSenior Associate Consultant | Forensic Accounting and Commercial DamagesNew York City, United States

Mykola MelnykConsultant | Forensic Accounting and Commercial DamagesLondon, United Kingdom

Frank MilliganContent WriterLondon, United Kingdom

Nora MusaSenior Project Coordinator | Construction, Claims and Expert ServicesLondon, United Kingdom

Christina PipanManager | Government ContractingWashington, D.C., United States

Jacob PorterManager | Construction, Claims and Expert ServicesHouston, United States

Luke SussexCorporate Financial AnalystWarrington, United Kingdom

Zhi ZhangSenior Consultant | Construction, Claims and Expert ServicesSingapore

Discover more of our talented experts.

Looking for your next career move?

Navigating Energy and Infrastructure Projects Amid Heightened Regional Tensions

Daniel Jackson

Immediate Priority Actions Following a Conflict Event

Safety and Operational Protection

Contractual Positioning

Establishing the Evidential Baseline

Contractual Classification of the Event

Identifying the Types of Claims That May Arise

Damage to the Works

Delay Claims

Additional Costs/Losses

Disruption and Productivity Loss

Demobilisation and Remobilisation

Causation

Evidence Management – Building a Defensible Claim

Managing Subcontractor Claims

Insurance Considerations

Role of Expert Analysis

Conclusion

About the author

在地区紧张局势加剧的背景下，应对能源与基础设施项目所面临的挑战

Daniel Jackson

1. 概述

2. 冲突事件发生后的即时优先行动

A. 安全与运营保护

B. 确立合同地位

Buthaina Almadhi
Managing Consultant | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
London, United Kingdom

Aidil Ashraaf
Assistant Accountant
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Arun Bhaget
Associate Director | Government Contracting
Washington, D.C, United States

Marissa Cecil
Client Finance Associate
Philadelphia, United States

Jennifer Hagaman
Finance Manager
Philadelphia, United States

Pihu Jain
Consultant | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
London, United Kingdom

Clément Lacoudre
Senior Associate Consultant | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
New York City, United States

Mykola Melnyk
Consultant | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
London, United Kingdom

Frank Milligan
Content Writer
London, United Kingdom

Nora Musa
Senior Project Coordinator | Construction, Claims and Expert Services
London, United Kingdom

Christina Pipan
Manager | Government Contracting
Washington, D.C., United States

Jacob Porter
Manager | Construction, Claims and Expert Services
Houston, United States

Luke Sussex
Corporate Financial Analyst
Warrington, United Kingdom

Zhi Zhang
Senior Consultant | Construction, Claims and Expert Services
Singapore

Karl Castillo
Associate Consultant | Construction, Claims and Expert Services
Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

Imad Coulibaly
Managing Consultant | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
London, United Kingdom

Pushkar Dandekar
Associate Director | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
Singapore

Kelly Diow
Consultant | Construction, Claims and Expert Services
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Rodrigo Gonzalez
Consultant | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
Madrid, Spain

Fiona Harmsen
Senior Managing Consultant | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
London, United Kingdom

Jia Wai Liew
Proposals Coordinator
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Syahira Mohd
Business Support Administrator
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Aiko Nahas
Business Support Administrator
San Francisco, California, United States

Sophie O’Keefe
Business Support Administrator
Sydney, Australia

Robert Shear
Associate Consultant | Advisory
Sydney, Australia

Joycelyn Woo
Associate Director | Advisory
Sydney, Australia

Adzierah Adenan
Consultant | Construction, Claims and Expert Services
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Harrison Andes
Recruitment Manager
Miami, Florida, United States

Michelle Dominguez
Associate Director | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
Miami, Florida, United States

Alyssa Gormley
Associate Consultant | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Dipti Hirani
People Manager EMEA, International
London, United Kingdom

Clara Jüngling
Consultant | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
Paris, France

Vasudha Kaul
Managing Consultant | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
Sydney, Australia

Onur Kutlu
Associate Director | Forensic Technical Services
Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Ellis Macauley
Assistant Management Accountant
Warrington, United Kingdom

Melisha Maraj
Senior Proposals Coordinator
Johannesburg, South Africa

Katherine McMillen
Associate Director | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

John Moskal
Manager | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
Chicago, Illinois, United States

Florent Myara
Director | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
Paris, France

Norlinda (Linda) Nazir
Managing Consultant | Construction, Claims and Expert Services
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Alex Needham
Finance Manager, Europe
Warrington, United Kingdom

Thomas Peacock
Managing Consultant | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
Sydney, Australia

Malinda Pisciotta
Senior Business Support Administrator
Dallas, Texas, United States

Ryan Priddy
Senior Associate Consultant | Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages
Dallas, Texas, United States