What’s it like to work on literally the biggest projects in the world? Galal Hany, Gleeds Country Director in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), says he couldn’t be more excited.

“The scale of these projects is spectacular,” he says. “Sometimes it feels like they could be science fiction! I look at the plans for some of the construction projects we are working on now and I am in awe of the ambition. The most extraordinary thing is that I know our future projects are only going to get bigger and better!”

Galal’s passion for his work is clear but he didn’t initially envision a career in construction. After qualifying as a mechanical engineer in Egypt, he started work with oil and gas giant ExxonMobil, but the global economic downturn meant a change in career direction. That’s when he joined Gleeds as an engineer.

“I was keen to gain as much international experience and work in different cultures to expand my career options. That’s why, with Gleeds’ support, I moved to London; by joining the Gleeds international team, I could really develop my experience into career-defining projects and work with some of the best people and organisations in the industry.”

Galal worked hard over the next few years to build his education and experience, becoming MRICS-accredited and gaining a Master of Laws degree in Construction Law and Arbitration to become a MCIArb member. He also secured a nomination for RICS Young Surveyor of the Year along the way. And the projects he worked on proved a great starting point for the mega-projects he now supports.

“I never felt there was anything in my way,” explains Galal. “Whatever I needed to move on to the next phase in my career, Gleeds supported me 100 percent. If I expressed an interest in learning more, they helped me achieve that. When I wanted to work on the most challenging projects, they supported me in moving to where that work was.”

“Gleeds’ encouragement and backing, both in terms of my education, my training and the global mobility on offer has meant that I have been able to fast-track my career. I’m now a Country Director helping to establish the business in new and exciting territories and markets.

“That support has meant that I am now in a position to work on projects valued at hundreds of billions of dollars – true mega-projects. To do that, Gleeds assisted my move back to the Middle East; I can safely say it’s one of the most exciting career moves I’ve made yet, and now I’m able to use my local knowledge to really develop Gleeds as a business here in KSA.” 

What’s next for Galal? “I’ve only been back in the Middle East for a couple of years and we’re deep into developing the Gleeds business here. The projects we’re working on are exceptional in terms of their value but also in what they represent. They will enhance the lives of those living and working in and around them, but they also have sustainability and the environment at their heart. We’re developing projects here that will serve as the construction benchmark for decades to come.”

If you’d like to work on some of the biggest and most exciting projects around the world, take a look at Gleeds’ vacancies at gleeds.com/careers.

Galal Hany

Galal Hany
Country Director, KSA

I never felt there was anything in my way. Whatever I needed to move on to the next phase in my career, Gleeds supported me 100 percent.