Qatar shares their plans for 2022

Andrew Jeffrey, Director of Infrastructure & Capital Projects from Deloitte Corporate Finance Limited talked to Yasir Al Jamal, Technical Director of Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee, on the progress made to date, plans for the future and what the world can expect from Qatar 2022.

What are the key factors you feel are necessary for a successful development?

Yasir Al Jamal: I believe that there are three major contributors to a development’s overall success. Firstly, having a very clear vision and understanding of what is to be achieved.

This is to be described in terms of an overall vision as well as the specific aims that are to be achieved during the development cycle itself. Without this, clear direction with suppliers cannot be achieved.

Secondly, having a development team with a breadth of core capabilities which can be used to direct each aspect of the development program, be it technical, commercial or program related. This team role is to ensure that the implementation of the development’s vision is executed in the most effective manner.

Finally, a major ingredient to a development’s success has to be achieving a strong relationship with the external service providers, be these architects, project managers, contractors or suppliers. All of these parties must understand the vision we are striving to achieve and be able to work together to achieve a positive outcome.

What challenges do you think the contractor and developer market in Qatar will face over the next five years?

Yasir Al Jamal: One of the most exciting and significant challenges Qatar’s construction industry currently faces is the certainty of a fixed deadline for establishing all that is required to deliver a successful FIFA World Cup? 2022. This immovable deadline has become the focal point for development of not just sporting facilities, but all the associated infrastructure and services required for success. The key challenge the contractor and developer market currently faces is the realisation that in order for the experience of this major tournament to be amasing, the delivery up to that point will also need to be amasing. This is in terms of achieving degrees of scale, forward planning, embracing new technologies not seen in Qatar before.

There will be major hurdles to overcome to ensure that sufficient sources of material and services are available at the right time and with the right quality and cost. However, I am confident that the preparation work that has been instigated and that will continue will support achievement of this.

How do you think Qatar is affected or protected by/from the regional and international construction industry, in terms of costs and manpower?

Yasir Al Jamal: I believe that the conditions faced by Qatar over the coming few years will be unlike the last major regional boom period in 2004 to 2008. We are still in a global slowdown, which means that there is greater availability of many materials and finished products in international markets.

In terms of locally procured materials and specific issues related to raw material that Qatar does not have in abundance, there will be pressure on supply as we reach a construction peak. Therefore, we need to support national initiatives that will ensure we plan effectively for the smooth procurement of material for all major programs and these are now well advanced in terms of being established. With manpower availability, the country will be in competition for resources from the home locations of workers and Qatar will work hard to achieve a number of aspects to become an increasingly attractive location for those workers.

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