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Strategic leadership
Establishing priorities, governance structures, operating strategies and delivery frameworks aligned with wider organisational objectives.
Design / Engineering / Delivery
Dr.Kevin
Emsley
Chartered Manager and Chartered Building Engineer
Senior built-environment leader with more than 25 years’ international experience across design management, engineering leadership, project and programme delivery, business operations and strategic development.
United KingdomEuropeMiddle EastNew Zealand
25+ yearsinternational leadership
500%+first-year business growth
70,000homes supported at programme scale
Executive profile
Bringing strategy, technical credibility and delivery into one conversation.
Kevin operates across the perspectives of client, developer, consultant, designer and contractor. This breadth supports clear decision-making in complex environments, translating strategic objectives into practical, commercially sound outcomes.
Leadership capability
Four connected strengths for ambitious organisations.
02
Design & engineering leadership
Leading multidisciplinary technical functions from strategic briefing and concept development through procurement, construction and delivery.
03
Project & programme delivery
Coordinating consultants, contractors, clients, government entities and executive stakeholders across technically complex programmes.
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Business transformation
Building new operations, improving processes and performance, and strengthening commercial and organisational capability.
Leadership capabilities
A leadership toolkit built for complex environments.
A combination of executive, technical, commercial and delivery strengths developed across major programmes, design-led businesses and multidisciplinary teams.
- Executive and operational leadership
- Design and engineering management
- Major project and programme delivery
- Multidisciplinary team leadership
- Design governance and technical assurance
- Organisational and operational transformation
- Business establishment and market entry
- Commercial strategy and business development
- Bid strategy and tender management
- Client and stakeholder management
- Project governance and reporting
- Design & Build procurement
- Value engineering and buildability
- Process and performance improvement
- Technical standards and specification development
- Innovation and digital collaboration
Career impact
Evidence of leadership in demanding settings.
A record of stepping into evolving organisations and major programmes, setting direction and delivering measurable improvements.
Market entry growth
Established and led HBA’s Saudi business, exceeding inaugural-year targets through strategic growth, business development and operational leadership.
Delivery efficiency
Introduced revised engineering processes and governance for a Saudi National Housing Company programme, improving delivery efficiency within four months.
Multidisciplinary professionals
Led a mixed professional team delivering major public-art installations as part of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City Arts programme.
National technical organisation
At Fletcher Construction, led the national technical organisation across BIM, engineering, design management, building services and innovation.
Selected experience
Leadership across international projects and programmes.
2023–2026
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
DAR Engineering Consultants — Engineering Manager & Project Manager
Engineering and project leadership across national technical standards, Ministry of Health PMO activity and the Royal Commission for Riyadh City Arts programme.
2022–2023
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
HBA / Hirsch Bedner Associates — Principal
Fixed-term appointment to establish the Saudi business, lead its market entry and direct business development, bids and operations.
2021–2022
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
Dar Al Riyadh Group — Interim Design Studio Director
Interim leadership of multidisciplinary teams across masterplanning, infrastructure, tall buildings, wayfinding and interiors.
2020–2021
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
Parsons — Engineering & Operations Manager
Programme transformation appointment supporting the Saudi National Housing Company’s large-scale residential delivery strategy.
Earlier leadership
Fletcher Construction, Turner & Townsend, Faithful + Gould, Arcadis and others
Senior appointments spanning New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Qatar, the UAE, Ireland and Scotland.
International & sector experience
International experience, informed by differing delivery models.
Kevin’s career spans Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Ireland. This has developed substantial experience across different commercial environments, cultures, regulatory frameworks and project delivery models.
His portfolio ranges from major national programmes and complex mixed-use developments to healthcare facilities, hospitality destinations, high-rise residential developments, public-sector infrastructure and technically demanding refurbishment and heritage projects.
Saudi ArabiaUnited Arab EmiratesQatarNew ZealandUnited KingdomIreland
Professional positioning
A senior leader who connects strategy with measurable delivery.
Kevin is particularly suited to senior appointments that require design, engineering, project delivery, commercial awareness and organisational leadership to work together.
He rapidly assesses complex environments, clarifies the principal business and project challenges, establishes priorities and mobilises multidisciplinary teams to translate strategy into outcomes.
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