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What motivated you to become a civil engineer?

I always wanted to be one – you could say it is in my blood. I come from a family of civil engineers – my father and grandfather were both in the profession and we all attended Cairo University. I completed a Masters degree in 2009 at Loughborough University in the UK.

Was it always your intention to be a delay analyst and expert witness?

The more I learned about these roles, the more I felt they were a good career avenue for me. I specialised in construction management for my Masters degree and have always enjoyed the planning aspects of construction projects, where you have to be able to handle budget and time challenges. During my early projects as a site engineer, I did a lot of daily, weekly and monthly on-site planning.

I also gained experience in aspects outside construction planning, such as claims, where I was analysing variation orders and their impact on projects. I started undertaking tasks like that and realised I really enjoyed doing them. So, I focused on claims work and was fortunate to move my career into consultancy work in 2015 where I continued to develop my skills as a delay analyst and expert witness. I joined HKA in 2018.

As an assistant expert witness, I’m involved in claims work and Dispute Adjudication Board (DAB) hearings. In the Middle East, I’ve worked on building projects in Egypt, Morocco, Qatar and the UAE, as well as oil and gas projects in Qatar and Saudi Arabia. I’ve also been involved in power stations in Southeast Asia and South Africa.

What makes a good delay analyst?

I think the most important thing is to fully understand the work involved in a project so you can analyse the impact of a delay. If you don’t get to grips with the project you are working on, you’ll struggle to convince anyone about the significance of a delay.

Next, you need facts and records to back up what you are saying. Finally, you have to be a good communicator. It’s essential to be able to present your findings simply and clearly. The more you deal with people, the more experience you gain and the easier it is to communicate well. The work of a delay analyst isn’t necessarily easy – but it needn’t be hard, either, if you focus on these factors.

What are your key work challenges and how do you overcome them?

One of the main challenges a delay analyst faces is something we are unlikely to be able to change – clients coming to us late, after problems have occurred. That’s why one of our aims at HKA is to get involved with clients as early as possible. We want to help them understand the benefits of bringing in consultants early when we can offer guidance and a strategy if a delay occurs.

However, tight budgets are a fact of life in the construction industry, so we accept that there might not be room for companies to bring consultants on board unless they have to.

I think what HKA does really well is to show clients when and how we can add value for them. We hold regular ‘lunch and learn’ sessions for contract managers and planning managers. There are lots of things we can do – quite simple things really – that can help to make both our lives a little easier. It’s about building trust with clients. My clients know they can call me for advice at any time and I’ll try and give them as much information as I can. In this way, client relationships become friendships as well as business relationships.

How important is technology in your work?

Technology is a key tool for us, including the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI). At HKA we use AI tools that help delivering work timely and efficiently. But you still need to carry out your own checks and not rely totally on technology.

What are you currently doing with HKA in Egypt and across the region?

I’m working on a range of claims and disputes. I’m also expanding our client base in Egypt and supporting Egyptian clients who operate across the Middle East and Africa. This involves building and maintaining strong working relationships with colleagues, associations and clients across the region.

HKA sees great potential in other services, particularly forensic accounting and commercial damages involving valuations. We also have very good relationships with Egyptian law firms, who have a strong history and reputation across the Middle East.

Egypt’s growing privatisation trend is another opportunity for us to provide advisory services. The country has massive growth opportunities that are attracting a lot of foreign investment. Some of the major projects we look forward to working on include Ras El Hekma City, a major new urban development on the Mediterranean coast, a nuclear power plant, Metro Projects in Cairo and Alexandria and a high-speed rail network.

What are your personal and professional aspirations for the future and how do you see your role evolving?

Building long-term client relationships is very satisfying, as is winning cases. What gives me pride in my work is receiving a ‘thank you’ from clients.

I have enjoyed working on a wide range of projects throughout my career as a civil engineer, delay analyst and expert witness. Looking ahead, my broad remit is to build HKA’s business in Egypt and support our Egyptian clients across the Middle East and further afield.

How do you balance your professional responsibilities with family life?

HKA is very flexible and supportive of putting family, health and wellbeing first. For me, it’s important to be able to switch off from work and not bring it home with you.

What advice would you give to young professionals looking to build their careers in consulting?

I think the one piece of advice I’d give young civil engineers and professionals is to work on a construction site before you move into consultancy. That was my ‘school’, where I gained invaluable experience doing hard and dirty work. You’ll be a much better consultant as a result.

I’ve had some excellent mentors at HKA – our senior team is very good at sharing their experience with us. I like to provide informal support to younger colleagues when I can. I help them understand processes in areas like dispute resolution so they can identify what skills and attitudes they need to be successful.

What drives you professionally and keeps you motivated in your role at HKA?

For me, it’s the feeling I get when you’re successful, whether that means defending a position for a client, winning a dispute or building a stronger relationship with them. Success is a great motivator, but I also enjoy what I do – that’s important, too. I love working on delay cases, claims or disputes, trying to assess a situation from all angles.

It’s important to remember many disputes can be handled in a friendly manner. That’s the HKA approach – after all, there’s usually more than one way of achieving a satisfactory outcome for all parties.

Outside of work, what are your main hobbies and interests?

After my family, it’s got to be football – playing and watching. I play with a group of friends in Cairo in a local league. The sport is huge in Egypt, with plenty of attention on our international players, like Liverpool striker Mo Salah.

To discuss our expertise in delay analysis, dispute resolution, and advisory services across Egypt, connect with Ahmed Refai on LinkedIn or email: ahmedrefai@hka.com

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