As Construction Week Middle East readies to host its first edition of the Dispute Resolution Question Time in Saudi Araba, we are thrilled to reveal that renowned industry experts have been confirmed as speakers for the event.
Evaluating the current dispute resolution landscape
Why is there a need in Saudi Arabia’s construction industry to find a more effective way of resolving disputes?
In keeping with Saudi Arabia’s ambitious Vision 2030, a staggering number and variety of development projects are either ongoing or in the pipeline in the kingdom. However, as the number of contracts awarded for these projects grows, so do the number of disputes, which are primarily caused by contract management failure, poor contract drafting and administration, cash flow issues, and payment delays.
About the speakers
The first Dispute Resolution Question Time KSA conference will bring together legal experts who will shed light on the reasons for finding more effective dispute resolution methods in the kingdom.
John McKevitt
Partner
HKA
John McKevitt is a Chartered Quantity Surveyor with over 16 years’ involvement in the construction industry, providing traditional quantity surveying, contract administration and claims management services to clients both locally and internationally. He has a wealth of commercial, contractual and management experience gained from working on complex buildings, infrastructure, oil and gas, and power generation projects throughout the UK, Middle East and Africa regions.
McKevitt has been based in the Middle East since 2007. He leads commissions on HKA’s most complex and technically demanding claims assignments, regularly advising on claims and commercial matters on major projects within challenging environments. His extensive portfolio includes some high profile oil and gas megaprojects, iconic sports and cultural venues, 5 star hotels and power stations.
He commenced his professional career in Ireland working in private practice where he provided a full range of pre- and post-contract quantity surveying services, in addition to acting as fund monitor for a number of multinational Banks on commercial/residential developments in the UK.
In 2007, McKevitt relocated to the Middle East, where he continued working in private practice before moving to a claims consultancy that specialised in providing contract administration and extension of time and quantum claims advice and claim preparation, for both contractors and employers. McKevitt is familiar with most current standard forms of contract and is adept with the major forms of commercial software in the construction industry, including CAD Measure, Buildsoft and CATO.
Peter Banathy
Regional Director,
Driver Trett
Peter Banathy is a chartered quantity surveyor with nearly 40 years’ industry experience, 12 years of which have been in the Middle East.
Peter has extensive experience of managing commercial teams in a post-contract environment as well as dispute resolution experience ranging from claims preparation and defence through to the provision of lead assistance to party appointed Quantum Experts and acting as an adjudicator in independent Expert Determination. Peter has also given Expert testimony in dispute resolution hearings.
Paula Boast
Partner, Head of Construction, Engineering & Projects
Charles Russell Speechlys LLP
Paula Boast is Head of Construction Engineering and Projects Middle East. She specialises in projects throughout the region, in particular Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait and Qatar.
Based in Bahrain since 2006 her extensive experience includes real estate and development, regeneration, major infrastructure and utilities, renewables, energy, power and water, oil and gas, hotels, leisure and tourism, residential, industrial and commercial, education and healthcare. Boast’s work spans both the private and public sectors. She acts on behalf of government and regulatory clients including ministry and municipal entities as well as project employers/ owners and developers, lenders and investors, contractors, subcontractors and consultants, operators and special Leif supply chain.
Boast assisted the Bahrain Ministry of Works in the drafting and publication to market of its first ever Standard Suite of Construction Contracts (2009 Edition) running to 4 volumes and based on FIDIC forms. Her front end expertise extends to FIDIC, NEC, JCT and IChemE forms as well as local government forms of contract, particularly EPC.
From a contentious perspective Boast’s expertise focuses on dispute avoidance including ADR via mediation, expert determination and DABs. She is also highly experienced in local and international litigation and arbitration.
Boast is admitted to practise in England and Wales. She is a registered mediator with the Bahrain Chamber for Dispute Resolution. She is the Bahrain Country Coordinator tor the Society of Construction Law (Gulf). She is a renowned and regular speaker in the region for CIOB, RICS, SCL etc.
Registrations open
Happening this week on the 18 May in Saudi Arabia, we are excited to announce that registrations are open for construction industry stakeholders. Click here to register now before seats fill-up.
To find out more information about the event, please visit the microsite.
The event is supported by our sponsors, Driver Trett, HKA, and Charles Russell Speechlys.
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