New Kid on the Block

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Having opened its doors just over six weeks ago, one could easily assume that Whitby and Mohajer, the UAE’s latest engineering consultancy, will have its work cut out, given the rather uncertain economic times that we live in.

However, this doesn’t take into account the wealth of experience and information that the two founders bring to the table. Mike Whitby, former chairman of Ramboll’s UK office and Peyman Mohajer, the former managing director of Ramboll Middle East, have spent decades working in the region, building up a vast catalogue of clients and contacts.

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FEATURED COMMENT Congratulations Louise, I am certain the new venture is going to be a tremendous success and wish you the best of luck.   1 Comments Read more comments »

Currently based out of an office in the Al Barsha district of Dubai, Whitby and Mohajer provides both MEP and structural services, along with 3D modelling.

The firm’s MEP division consists of a specialised team of six MEP engineers lead by Louise Collins, another alumni of Ramboll Middle East, where she was a former associate director.

Having been established in Dubai for around six years, Collins has worked on a number of high end projects and has gained a reputation as one of the leading building services engineers in the UAE.

Educated in Ireland, Collins previously worked in the UK before moving to the Middle East to join Hyder Consulting, where one of her first jobs was the prestigious CP08 tower project in the Dubai International Financial Centre. She has also worked on the design for the France and Spain islands, part of Dubai’s The World project.

Yet another project she says she enjoyed working was the Palazzo Versace hotel and resort in Dubai, though that was only until tender.

Despite these successes, Collins says that her latest role with Whitby and Mohajer is set to be her most challenging yet.

“I left Ramboll to start up this new venture with Peyman. Obviously, he was the factor that pushed me,” she says, “I wasn’t really looking for a move, but it was too good an opportunity (to pass up).”

Explaining the firm’s business strategy, Collins says that while the experience has been a challenging one, it’s also been rewarding working for a company looking to establish itself while building from the ground up.

“It has got its pros and cons, but it’s definitely a great opportunity to be involved in a completely new start up, to get the clients we want in, to get the exact staff that you want, to make it the kind of company that you want it to be. Its hard work and long hours, but (it’s definitely worth it),” she says.

“Basically, we’ve got no overheads; our fees are always going to be lower than other companies that have been set up. We’ve got no bad debt, companies have dealt with us before and they know we can deliver the product. It’s all about getting that opportunity to do that as a smaller company.”