Muscat, Oman, 1 February 2011 - The Oman Construction Summit 2011, the first-ever event dedicated to the sultanate's construction projects and the investment opportunities in the industry, has attracted the participation of over 40 high-profile speakers and over 260 industry professionals from all over the world, underscoring the strong interest in the sultanate as the government embarks on massive infrastructure development throughout the country.

The event was formally inaugurated yesterday by His Highness Sayyid Harib bin Thuwaini Al Said, Assistant Secretary-General of the Council of Ministers for Conferences, in the presence of ministry officials, members of the diplomatic community, the senior management of construction companies and other distinguished guests.

Organised jointly by Global Exhibitions and Conferences LLC (GEC) and the US-based International Quality and Productivity Center (IQPC), the Oman Construction Summit 2011 is held under the patronage of the Ministry of Housing, and it is also supported by Douglas OHI LLC, Driver Global Construction Consultancy and the Joannou & Paraskevaides Group (J&P) as gold sponsors. The associate sponsors of the event are Makyol, Outukumpu, Parsons and Sigma Paints, while Milcris is the lunch sponsor and Al Waqia Shoes Company serves as the lanyard sponsor. The event is also officially supported by Oman Housing Bank, the Oman Society of Contractors, the Oman Society of Engineers, and the UK-based Concrete Society.

"The Oman Construction Summit 2011 represents the biggest gathering in the sultanate of industry professionals and leading industry players that have a prominent role in the implementation of many major infrastructure projects," said CJ Paul, general manager of GEC. "The two-day summit is thus an excellent opportunity for them to discuss all the exciting developments in the industry at present as well as its bright prospects for the future."

"In light of the ongoing and upcoming major infrastructure projects in the sultanate, the Oman Construction Summit 2011 provides an ideal platform for industry professionals to get together, share experiences and learn about the latest technologies and best practices for the continued development of the industry," added Rozenn Cornec, Conference Director at IQPC Africa, Middle East, Central and South Asia.

The first day of the summit focused on Oman's tourism infrastructure, key residential projects, the Oman National Railway Project, the Ministry of Housing's strategic vision, the expansion of Salalah Port, and Oman's national solid waste management strategy. There were also presentations on recycling opportunities in the construction industry, the importance of cost management, the characteristics of high durability concrete, the value of predictive models in the selective use of stainless steel, the role of partnerships in constructing successful projects, and on how to assess the contribution of infrastructure projects in a country's development.

Among the speakers yesterday were Eng. Abdullah Bin Rashid Al Kiyumi, Director General of Housing Projects, Ministry of Housing; Dr. Ibrahim Baqer Al Ajmi, Chairman of the Tourism and Real Estate Investment Committee, Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Wael Bin Ahmed Al Lawati, Chief Executive Officer, Oman Tourism Development Company (OMRAN); Eng. Salim Bin Mohammed Al Affani, Director General for Physical Planning, Supreme Committee for Town Planning; Eng. Siham Ahmed Al Harthy, Director General for Planning and Studies, Ministry of Housing; and Eng. Azhar Haroun Al Kindi Chief Executive Officer, Oman Environmental Services Holding.

Other speakers included Graham Hutchinson, General Manager, Douglas OHI; George Patsalosavvis, Deputy Resident Manager (UAE), Joannou & Paraskevaides (J&P); Millan De Silva, Chief Executive Officer, Milcris; Arjan Weerstand, Senior Manager for Project Development and Implementation, Salalah Port; Murray Adair, Rebar Product Manager, Outokumpu Stainless Steel; Murat Küney, Deputy General Manager of Business Development and Tender Operations, Makyol Construction Industry Tourism and Trading; David Ball, Chairman, Concrete Bridge Development Group and President, Concrete Society; and Professor Ramzi Taha, Dean, Postgraduate Studies, Sultan Qaboos University.

Speakers for the second day of the summit today will discuss the country's water infrastructure projects, the competitiveness and attractiveness of Oman's construction market, the key challenges facing the sultanate's construction industry, the future plans of Petroleum Development Oman (PDO), and how to manage risks in construction projects. Case studies will also be presented on the Asian Beach Games project, the Muscat wastewater scheme project, and The Wave, Muscat. In addition, there will be panel discussions on the construction market forecast for the next 5-10 years as well as on the challenges and best practices in developing Oman's energy and utilities infrastructure.

The lineup of speakers for today includes Eng. Mashhoor Al-Asfoor, Vice President, Oman Society of Contractors; Eng. Sulaiman Bin Saif Al Hudhaili, Secretary General, Oman Society of Engineers; Stuart Ingram, Chief Operating Officer, The Wave, Muscat; Abdullah Al Shuely, Infrastructure Director, PDO; Eng. Zahir Khalid Suleiman Al-Suleimani, Director General of Projects, Public Authority for Electricity and Water; and Abdullah Al Hashimi, General Manager of Projects, HAYA Water.

Also among today's speakers are John Mullen, Managing Director, Driver Middle East; Dr. Stephen Mayer, Market Development Manager, Parsons; Brian Johnson, Managing Partner, Godwin Austen Johnson Architects; Graham Williams, Senior HSE Trainer, National Training Institute; Nasser Al Maqbali, Vice President for Construction, OMRAN; Simon Richards, Project Manager of the Asian Beach Games, Faithful + Gould; and Mike Murphy, Decorative Technical Service Manager Middle East, Sigma Paints.

Apart from the conference, the Oman Construction Summit 2011 also features a total of 14 companies that are showcasing their range of products, equipment and services for the building and construction industry. The exhibiting companies are Amiantit Oman LLC and KWH Pipe Ltd., Arminox Middle East, Dar SSH International Engineering Consultants, Doka Muscat LLC, DORÇE Prefabricated Building and Construction Industry Trade Inc., MK4MEPS, PERI, Pitchmastic PmB, RMD Kwikform Oman, BBR Structural Systems Middle East, Treysan, Unibeton Ready Mix and the Volkmann & Rossbach Group.

As a testament to its value to the industry, the Oman Construction Summit 2011 has likewise received the support of various media companies and industry publications. The event's media partners include Airport Cities, Al Watan, Alam Aliktisaad Walamaal, Aviation Middle East, the International Journal of Critical Infrastructures, MBendi Information Services, Oman Economic Review (OER), OER Dossier, Oman Projects, Oman Tribune, Oxford Business Group and the Times of Oman.

For more information on the event, please visit www.omanconstructionsummit.com, or contact +968-24783800 or +971-4-3642975.

© Press Release 2011