MACE’S Middle East operations recorded double-digit growth in 2009 despite a challenging market environment, says Marcus Burley, Mace Group’s Middle East director.

The consultancy and construction giant won several major projects across the Gulf including contracts for a five-star hotel and resort for Al Jaber on Saadiyat Island, the Khalifa Bin Zayed Foundation’s headquarters and the Emirates Investment Authority’s headquarters, both in Abu Dhabi, and a mixed-use entertainment, technology and commercial destination in Bahrain.
“We managed to grow despite difficult times,” Burley says, adding that Mace was fortunate because its market exposure was limited, unlike some of Dubai’s developers.”

He continues: “We had to reduce our staff strength in Dubai by about 100 but we were able to reabsorb them in Abu Dhabi and across other offices in the Middle East. We were under a lot of pressure as we had to expand rapidly into other regions.”
Mace now has around 400 highly-qualified staff, who are well-experienced in the region, down from 450 it had during the peak of the construction boom.
“Certainly the lesson learnt in Dubai was that you need to have a greater level of diversification if you do not want to be exposed to rapid changes in the market,” says Burley.
In the Middle East, Mace has been primarily involved with hospitality, retail and residential projects, but the company is now looking at other areas for growth. “We are now focusing on the transportation sector which includes railways and aviation, where we have a significant experience back in the UK and Europe,” says Burley.

“We are also looking at hospitals and education facilities and are aggressively pursuing these sectors as we have the expertise from other markets.”
The market in Abu Dhabi, meanwhile, continues to be challenging, says Mace’s Abu Dhabi director Andrew Johnson.
“Last year was difficult. We’ve tendered for several projects but the market remains flat with not many contracts being awarded.”
Johnson says there is a hiatus in work with everyone waiting to see as to what happens in Dubai. “The intent is there to continue with development but the momentum has slowed,” he says. “I expect a greater level of activity by the end of 2011 and into early 2012.”
Mace is currently busy with nine projects in Abu Dhabi worth a total of Dh7 billion ($1.95 billion), which are being looked after by 70 full-time project management staff.
Notable projects among these include the new headquarters for Abu Dhabi Investment Council comprising two towers, the Capital Gate, recently certified by Guinness World Records as the ‘World’s Furthest Leaning Manmade Tower,’ and the Shangri-La and Ritz-Carlton hotels. Most of the projects will be complete by the end of 2011.
With private developers fighting shy of fresh investments in Abu Dhabi, Mace is witnessing more opportunities in the medical, education and infrastructure sectors, says Johnson, adding that aviation is another area of growth.
One of the world’s most accomplished consultancy and construction firms, Mace Group established its Middle East operations over 12 years ago. Over this period, the company set up offices in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Bahrain, Oman and more recently in Doha and Saudi Arabia, while extending its presence into Syria, Egypt, Libya and Azerbaijan.

In the Gulf, Mace has delivered developments of awe-inspiring scale and technical complexity. From hospitality to retail and residential the company has been associated with several iconic projects such as the Mall of the Emirates, Mirdif City Centre, Bahrain City Centre, Jumeirah Beach Residences, Burj Dubai Residences and Shangri-La Hotel, Dubai, to name a few.
Mace has also established a strategic alliance with the UAE’s Majid Al Futtaim Group and has been involved with all its hospitality and retails projects in the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt.
Mace Group’s service portfolio comprises development, project, cost and facilities management, in addition to a full construction delivery service.
“It is through the integration of our services that the group adds value for clients, providing clear and transparent support and direction throughout the construction lifecycle,” says Burley.
“Our services in the region are predominantly project management,” adds Dubai director Nic Alford. “We also do cost management. Sometimes cost management is provided independently but for projects such as the Jumeirah Beach Residence we provided both cost and project management services.”
Mace is now offering clients project management and/or construction management wherever required, Alford says.
Founded in the UK in 1990, Mace Group is now operational in 49 countries, 10 of which are within the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region. It has a total workforce of around 3,000 of which 2,000 are based in the UK with the rest spread across the Mena region.
Commenting on the company’s future plans, Burley says that Mace is in the Gulf for the long haul. “Our mission in each and every region we work in is to establish and maintain a long-term relationship and be an international leader,” he says, adding that Mace has been “very successful in the UAE”.
And though Dubai currently does not offer much by way of new work, Burley says it is vital for Mace to maintain its capability in the region as the Gulf will continue to remain “a significant area for business”.