George Grant

EXPERTISE SUMMARY 

 

• Over 45 years’ experience in the fields of Development & Project Management, Cost Management, Contract Administration, Claims Consultancy, Dispute Resolution and Arbitration. Twenty-Seven of those years have been spent in the Middle East (7yrs in Oman, 20yrs in the UAE) holding senior and C - level positions. During this time many assignments have been undertaken throughout the Middle East region as well as India and Africa. 

• Extensive experience of Contracts Management work both in civil, infrastructure and energy environment.  Pre and Post Contracts experience (the drafting of contracts, tender documentation, contract formulation, negotiating terms of conditions of contract.

• Successfully pursued and defended multiple multimillion dollar claims.  Solid experience of tender process, variations to contracts, extensions of time, variations and risk, evaluation of tender submissions and awarding contracts, contracts administration, drafting of contracts etc.

• Practising Arbitrator, Mediator, Dispute Board Member, Expert Witness and Dispute Resolution Expert.

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MEMBERSHIPS

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• Fellow Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (FRICS)

• Fellow Asian Institute of Alternative Dispute Resolution (FAiADR)

• Fellow Dispute Board Federation

• Associate, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (ACIArb)

• Registered with Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC)

• Registered with Scottish Arbitration Centre

• Panel Member Abu Dhabi Global Market Arbitration Centre (ADGM)

• Panel Member Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC)

• Panel Member Saudi Centre for Commercial Arbitration (SCCA)

• Member Federation of Integrated Conflict Management and the Mediation and Conciliation Network (FICM-MCN)

• Member ArbDB Chambers London

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BOARD MEMBERSHIPS

 

• International Power and Water Investments (IPWI)

• ASG Ghana

 

WORK HISTORY

 

GEORGE GRANT ASSOCIATES LIMITED

April 2012 – Present

Managing Director

 

In April 2012 I set up my own practice to focus more on the provision of Arbitration and Dispute Resolution services and to take on advisory roles across all industry sectors. Please refer to 

www.georgegrantassociates.com for further information.

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DRAKE & SCULL INTERNATIONAL PJSC

January 2009 – April 2012

Commercial Operations Director – Drake & Scull Water & Power

 

Drake & Scull International was an AED 5bn per year turnover company listed on the Dubai Financial Market.  As Commercial & Operations Director I was responsible for the successful delivery of all of our projects in the Water and Power sector both on an EPC and conventional tender basis. The main areas of operation included Middle East, Africa and the Indian Sub-Continent.  

My role included responsibility for contract and commercial management of the projects as well as company profit & loss. I was also responsible for the commercial performance of our waste water subsidiary Passavant Roediger.

 

During this period I continued to work as an independent Arbitrator Mediator and Expert Witness.  

 

Drake & Scull entered the PPP, BOO and BOT markets and I was been responsible for leading this effort.  We had bids in Egypt, Uganda, Djibouti, Syria, India, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

 

My involvement included setting up SPV’s, negotiating concession and offtake agreements, EPC contracts, consortium and supply chain agreements, raising debt and equity finance. 

 

Bids have included:-

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• Rail bids in Hong Kong (KCRC)

• Mechanical and Electrical packages on the Princes Noura University Monorail project in Riyadh

• District Cooling projects in Cairo and integrated utilities solutions (municipal services) for major mixed use developments in Cairo, Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada.  Site area are in excess of 1,000 hectares Consortium members include consultants, banks, major utility operators and construction partners

• District Cooling BOT for Hadeed Steelworks at Jubail Saudi Arabia

• Combined Desalination and Wind Power Generation project in Djibouti

• Tripoli Airport Infrastructure Libya

• 100mw Hydro Electric Power Plant Uganda

• Renewable energy projects in India.

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ASGC PROPERTIES

July 2008 – December 2008

Chief Executive Officer 

 

Responsible for setting up and managing the property development arm of Al Shafar General Contracting Group.  Operation put on hold because of poor market conditions and international financial crisis.

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SAMA DUBAI

September 2006 – July 2008

Senior Director Operations & Contracts, Head Project Management Centre of Excellence

 

Responsible for development support and contracts management function within Sama Dubai employing in excess of 500 people.

 

Chairman of the Investment Committee, Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee and the Risk Management Committee, Board Member Contracting and Project Management Joint Venture Companies.

 

Played a leading role in the Senior Management Team and in strategic business initiatives pursued by the company. Negotiated and set up two Strategic joint venture companies in Construction and Project Management with Murray & Roberts and EC Harris.

 

Projects included:-

• Lagoons Dubai a 500-hectare mixed use development with a project value in excess of USD 10bn.  Lagoons had its own monorail system which was planned to integrate with Dubai Metro

• Amwaj Morocco a Salam Resort Project, USD 4bn

• Yiti, Oman a Salam Resort Project, USD 3bn

• Bahrain, a Salam Resort Project, USD 2bn

• Dubai Towers Doha, Dubai, Melbourne Beijing and Istanbul. Iconic mixed-use high-rise developments with a total value in excess of USD 5bn.

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CURRIE & BROWN, DUBAI

1995 – September 2006

Regional Director (Middle East)

 

Regional Director, Currie & Brown (Middle East)/Barker and Barton Lawson Group, responsible for all aspects of running, managing and developing the Middle East business.

 

The workload covered all aspects of project management, project development management, quantity surveying, cost management, contract administration, facilities management consultancy and management consultancy as it relates to the construction and real estate development business on a wide variety of projects throughout the region.

 

In addition to managing the regional business, I specialised in contracts issues, claims arbitration/dispute resolution and providing commercial management and auditing services.

 

I have acted on behalf of clients in various contractual dispute situations as arbitrator or expert witness in the Middle East and UK.

 

Projects undertaken by the regional business ranged in value from AED 10 Million to AED 60 Billion, for companies such as Union Properties, Sama Dubai and other regional/international developers.

 

In June 2003, Barker Barton and Lawson were acquired by Currie & Brown. At that time the Currie & Brown business comprised 4 people based in Abu Dhabi.

 

In my role as Regional Director I built the combined business into one which employed 150+ people with offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Muscat and Doha, and operating throughout the Middle East, North Africa and Indian Sub-continent.  New service lines were introduced such as facilities management consultancy and management consultancy thus broadening the base of the business.

 

Generated in excess of AED 200 Million in fee income producing a profit of AED 10 Million from a turnover of AED 60 Million (20% of Currie & Brown Group turnover).

 

Project values totalled an amount in excess of USD 20bn and covered all sectors of the construction industry.

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BARKER BARTON AND LAWSON (SCOTLAND) LIMITED

1985 – 1995

Managing Director

 

The firm provided a full range of quantity surveying, project management and cost engineering services to a variety of clients in both the public and private sectors.

 

These projects covered the building, civil engineering and petrochemical sectors. I was involved in all aspects of the company’s activities.

 

In particular I was personally responsible for providing quantity surveying and project management services on the following contracts:-

• New Printing Headquarters, Glasgow for Scottish Daily Record & Sunday Mail Limited, GBP 20 Million

• The Time Capsule, Monklands, an Ice and Water Leisure facility for Monklands District Council, GBP 14 Million

• ICI Grangemouth – providing cost engineering and contract administration services on a GBP 30 Million extension to their Procion Plant.

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GEORGE CAMPBELL LIMITED, SCOTLAND

1984 – 1985

Development Director

 

Responsible for all commercial and project management functions of this Property Development Company.  Reported to Managing Director.

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R M NEILSON PARTNERSHIP, SCOTLAND

1982 – 1983

Senior Quantity Surveyor

 

Responsible for all surveying functions on all types of projects. These functions included feasibility studies, cost planning, preparation of contract documentation and preparation of variations and agreement of final account.

 

Projects included refurbishments, new build housing, industrial, commercial and leisure developments and petrochemical works, ranging in value from GBP 50,000 to 20 Million.  Reported direct to Partner.

 

WILSON & WILSON, ARCHITECTS AND SURVEYORS

1974 – 1981

Trainee / Assistant / Quantity Surveyor

 

Initially received instruction in all aspects of quantity surveying while attending Napier University, Edinburgh on a part time day release basis.

 

As I gained knowledge and experience, his duties and responsibilities grew until after 5 years I was carrying out the full range of quantity surveying services on all types of projects.  Reported to Partner.

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ARBITRATION AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION EXPERIENCE

 

As a Chartered Quantity Surveyor with more than 45 years’ experience, the majority of which has been spent in Consultancy, I have practiced in the Middle East Region, India, Africa and South East Asia for the past 27 years.  I have acted on behalf of many clients over the years resolving contractual and commercial disputes in both informal and formal dispute resolution environments.  In the last few years I have acted as sole Arbitrator in disputes involving Main Contractor/Sub Contractor, Architect/Client and multi-unit property purchase.  I have also served as a member of three man tribunals on many occasions.  I have acted as Expert Witness (Quantum), Adjudicator and Mediator on a number of construction industry disputes which have been the subject of arbitration proceedings.  I have extensive knowledge of all of the main forms of contract commonly used in the Region and have a good understanding and appreciation of the many cultural issues which can impact the dispute resolution process.

 

June 2022