The concept of digital twins is not new, but the ability to create accurate digital replicas has been limited by the availability of data and computing power. With the advent of the Internet of Things, big data, and cloud computing, it is now possible to create digital twins that are virtually identical to their physical counterparts. In this episode of the Anticipate podcast, Sherif Bialy, our Director of Infrastructure Supervision caught up with Dana Kawas. Dana is the Chief Executive Officer ...
Jun 22, 2022•16 min•Season 1Ep. 25
Water is the basis of life on Earth. However, this precious resource is drying out as climate change impacts the availability of vital freshwater resources. As temperatures rise and weather patterns become more extreme, the amount of water available for consumption is decreasing. This is particularly true in areas that are already water-stressed, such as the Middle East. In this episode, Omar Saif, Manager – Sustainability & Climate Change at WSP Middle East, is joined by Alexander Euler, Ma...
May 25, 2022•45 min•Season 1Ep. 24
Until recently sustainable investing inevitably meant sacrificing returns. But the evidence is mounting that proves this is no longer the case… Hosted by WSP’s Katherine Bruce, this episode explores Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) risks and engages industry insights from First Abu Dhabi Bank’s Head of Corporate Sustainability, Belinda Scott, and MLW Consultancy’s Michele Wong. Want to hear more insights from leading industry experts? Subscribe to our podcast via Spotify , Apple Podca...
Mar 18, 2022•28 min•Season 1Ep. 1
The need for better industry approaches to physical, mental, and behavioural health in the contemporary context has irked a response across many sectors to nurture better working environments for people. In this episode, Matthew Jackson, Head of HSE at WSP in the Middle East is joined by Jimmy Quinn, President Institution of Occupational Safety & Health (IOSH) to discuss the future of health and wellbeing as the world recovers from the current pandemic and anticipates future challenges on th...
Mar 18, 2022•34 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Digital innovations are set to revolutionise the world’s industries, society, and make citizens’ lives more seamless, efficient, safer, and economical. Adding to this, real-world applications of emergent technologies such as artificial intelligence are beginning to illustrate just how effective the convergence of physical and digital worlds can be. In this Anticipate Podcast episode, Dr. Mohamed Nazier, Managing Director – Transport & Infrastructure at WSP in the Middle East is joined by Gab...
Mar 18, 2022•42 min•Season 1Ep. 13
The ability to create and maintain high performance teams is critical for any organisation or project in today’s complex and competitive business environment. The question “What makes a great team great?” has been a hot topic in business and academia for many years. In this episode of the WSP Anticipate podcast, Paul Ebbs, Lean Specialist with WSP Middle East is joined by Dave Umstot, Lean Coach, Author, Adjunct Professor at San Diego State University and President of Umstot Project and Faciliti...
Mar 18, 2022•47 min•Season 1Ep. 14
As population density increases within the world’s urban centres, a macro transport problem is arising due to shortages of space and a lack of sustainable, equitable, and feasible transit solutions. However, with global e-scooter usage booming, micro-mobility modes are providing people with more choices and options to move than ever before. Hosted by John Gillespie, Transport & Mobility Engineer and leader of WSP Middle East’s Future Ready Initiative, this episode features industry insights ...
Mar 18, 2022•36 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Given the speed and immediacy of the digital world in which we operate, the way we design and engineer urban spaces is changing at a rapid pace. While digital tools are facilitating a new era of capabilities and efficiencies how can we can ensure that we do not lose the skill of freehand sketching and the benefits it can bring to any project? Andy Veall, Technical Director for WSP Middle East asks Raj Patel, Architecture Design Director, Principal for Gensler for his thoughts in this episode of ...
Mar 18, 2022•34 min•Season 1Ep. 6
The shift towards a net zero world is gathering pace as we accelerate efforts to counter the adverse impacts of human-influenced climate change. As momentum grows towards driving net zero commitments, it’s clear that a move to designing, building, investing, and thinking greener is crucial if we’re to avoid a climate catastrophe and to mitigate irreversible changes before they happen. In this episode, we discuss the recent momentum surrounding net zero commitments and we explore what a low carbo...
Mar 18, 2022•35 min•Season 1Ep. 15
From Berlin to Bogota, and everywhere in between, cycling has flourished in the wake of recent global events and the renaissance for alternative modes of transport is showing no sign of hitting the brakes. In Dubai, and many other Middle Eastern cities, recent shifts in thinking are also changing up a gear to promote cycling as a mode of eco-friendly transit. In this episode, we discuss emerging micro mobility trends, regional perspectives and attitudes towards cycling, as well as the role that ...
Mar 18, 2022•41 min•Season 1Ep. 16
The topic of wellness is nothing new, however the way in which we approach it is continuously evolving. As we celebrate the tenth annual Global Wellness Day, this WSP Anticipate podcast episode aims to question and critique the role organisations need to play in empowering people to thrive both physically and mentally. This special Global Wellness Day episode is hosted by Caroline Parsons, HR Director and Director – Shared Services at WSP in the Middle East. Caroline is joined by Victoria Sharpe...
Mar 18, 2022•32 min•Season 1Ep. 10
The engineering and construction industry has witnessed a slower rate of innovation compared to other industries such as aerospace and automotive. In this episode of the WSP Anticipate Podcast, David Kimmerly, Operations Director at WSP Middle East, and Don Ward, CEO of the International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction discuss how trust can help de-risk innovations and create a better environment for their diffusion and growth. Want to hear more insights from lea...
Mar 18, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Concrete has been the building block of the world’s civilisation. But the production process of cement, the main ingredient of concrete, leads to considerable carbon dioxide emissions which makes a strong case for finding and using more sustainable alternatives. In this episode of the WSP Anticipate Podcast, Laith Haboubi, Associate Director at WSP, is joined by Dr. James Aldred, Adjunct professor at Australia’s New South Wales University, to explore several aspects with regards to the different...
Mar 18, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Following numerous schools and universities around the world pivoting to online classes in the wake of the global pandemic, there’s now equally as much attention being placed on the return to in-person lessons. With this latest shift in the continuously evolving education landscape, the education sector must now look to adapt their current spaces to new requirements and factor in new challenges – particularly the way students hear, see, and experience learning in a post-pandemic setting. In this...
Mar 18, 2022•30 min•Season 1Ep. 17
As fundamental transformations in the education sector emerge, digital breakthroughs and blue-sky thinking are helping us reimagine learning ecosystems in an evolving world. This is evident in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where world-class education projects aren’t just changing the way knowledge is taught; they’re changing the paradigm altogether and giving new meaning to the interplay between students and their learning environments. In this episode, we discuss how digital-first thinking, holi...
Mar 18, 2022•41 min•Season 1Ep. 18
With COP26 – one of the most important climate change conferences take place in years – coming to a close, questions remain about whether countries can maintain their pledges and beef up commitments towards mitigating climate change. Despite bringing parties together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, a lot of climate diplomacy needs to be done over the next 12 months – especially in the build up to COP27 in Egypt and ...
Mar 18, 2022•18 min•Season 1Ep. 19
The growing interest in smart cities has been coupled with questions on how to use technology in an efficient, ethical and inclusive way to achieve the public and government’s best interests and to ensure that the needs of local communities are met. In this episode of the Anticipate podcast, Iftikhar Zubair, Head of Building Technology at WSP in the Middle East is joined by Yousef Khalili, General Manager of ZainTech in UAE (Previously know as NXN) to uncover the factors that are critical for sm...
Mar 18, 2022•49 min•Season 1Ep. 20
As technology advances, so does the way we approach infrastructure design and management. One of the most promising new technologies in this domain is digital twin; a technology that provides an unprecedented level of detail in predictive modelling. In this episode of the Anticipate podcast, Dr Mohamed Nazier, Managing Director of Transport & Infrastructure at WSP in the Middle East, is joined by Dr Ali Maher, Director and Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Rutgers Universit...
Mar 18, 2022•39 min•Season 1Ep. 21
Delivering large-scale programmes is no easy feat. It requires careful planning, a well-coordinated team, and an understanding of the various factors that can influence success. In this episode of the Anticipate Podcast, Akram Ashour, Head of Supervision at WSP in the Middle East, is joined by Eng. Mooza Al-Sowaidi, Head of Doha City Section at Qatar’s Public Works Authority, to examine some of the driving factors for success in large-scale programme delivery. Want to hear more insights from lea...
Mar 18, 2022•18 min•Season 1Ep. 22
The energy transition is well underway, with renewables gradually becoming more cost-effective and prevalent. The role of green hydrogen in this transition is still being explored, but there are many potential benefits that could make it a key part of the future energy mix. In this episode of the Anticipate Podcast, Richard Lappin, Power Generation Technical Director at WSP in the Middle East is joined by Mike Theobald, Energy Transition Director at WSP UK to discuss the implications of the curr...
Mar 18, 2022•22 min•Season 1Ep. 23
With 500 days until the 2022 FIFA World Cup™, Qatar is setting the global standard for how to build sustainably and blazing a trail for the delivery of green solutions in the sporting realm. This pinnacle tournament is also set to change the way future World Cup competitions and other sporting mega-events are planned, organised, hosted, and delivered. Hosted by WSP Middle East’s Sustainability Associate, Shashi Narayanan, and featuring guest speaker Engineer Bodour Al-Meer, Sustainability Direct...
Feb 01, 2022•16 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Despite female engineers having a presence in the industry for well over 100 years, encouraging female participation into STEM-related careers and achieving gender equality in the workplace continues to be an ongoing challenge. To mark International Women in Engineering Day (INWED) 2021 – an international awareness campaign to raise the profile of women in engineering and focus attention on the amazing career opportunities available to aspiring engineers in this exciting industry – WSP and AMAAL...
Feb 01, 2022•35 min•Season 1Ep. 11
It is widely agreed that diverse workforces offer measurable benefits to any organisation but what do we really mean when we use the word diversity and how can we unlock the potential of inclusive workplace cultures? In this episode WSP’s CEO, Dean McGrail is joined by Salma Aboul-ela previously from Emaar to explore the ideals of diversity, how they can translate into our workplaces and what we can do to champion progress. Want to hear more insights from leading industry experts? Subscribe to o...
Feb 01, 2022•24 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Unconscious bias training: Is it enough? Caroline Parsons takes a closer look at unconscious bias training with Sheree Atcheson – Global Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Peakon, Maria Manzoor, Head of HR Ramboll MEAP and Nicolina Kamenou-Aigbekaen – Professor of Human Resource Management and Diversity at Zayed University. Want to hear more insights from leading industry experts? Subscribe to our podcast via Spotify , Apple Podcasts , and SoundCloud to stay up to date....
Feb 01, 2022•28 min•Season 1Ep. 2
‘Diversity wins but gaps persist: How can we close the inclusion divide?’ hosted by Gurminder Sagoo, explores diversity in a broader sense and discusses ways in which we can tackle the inclusion divide with Ashwaq Albabtain, Project Manager at The Red Sea Development Company and Gurmeet Kaur, Partner at Pinsent Masons Middle East. Want to hear more insights from leading industry experts? Subscribe to our podcast via Spotify , Apple Podcasts , and SoundCloud to stay up to date....
Feb 01, 2022•41 min•Season 1Ep. 3
