What do you do?
As a Transport Planner I am passionate about creating a safe and smooth experience for road users traveling from their origins to their destinations.
Where are you originally from?
I was born and raised in Dubai and I call it home, however my family is from Cairo in Egypt.
How long have you been with WSP and in the region?
I’m just about to complete 5 years with WSP in the Middle East, before that I completed my master’s degree in Concordia University which is ironically next to WSP’s Global Headquarters in Montreal, Canada.
What got you into engineering?
Obviously, my parents didn’t realise the importance of my height (I’m 6ft 6) and chose not to place me in a basketball academy!
I decided to focus on academic challenges and performed well in both mathematics and problem-solving subjects at school. The engineering industry is a perfect combination of these skills.
What has been your best accomplishment at work?
I work on many interesting projects with various stakeholders but my greatest accomplishment to date is managing the operational analysis relating to the Expo 2020 car park which comprises of approximately 30,000 parking spaces!
What are you passionate about?
I like dune bashing and relaxing by a bonfire on a cold desert evening with my friends.
Sadly, the winter is almost over but I can still enjoy the adrenaline rush from the dune bashing!
What is it you do outside of work that you feel most proud of?
I like to switch off and go away on calm and relaxing staycations with my wife. We love travelling and are always keen to explore different parts of the world.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I see myself working with Artificial Intelligence to create seamless travel experiences for people and make their lives easier to get from A to B quickly, efficiently and cost-effectively.
What do you think the future of engineering looks like?
In comparison to the transformation of engineering from the 1800s, I believe in 15-20 years, the engineering field, especially the transport sector, will experience another drastic transformation with the advancement of technology and will aim to create efficient, simple and flexible ways of solving problems. An example of this transformation will be the design and implementation of projects such as the Hyperloop.
