Dr. Izzeddin Katkhuda and Dr. Omar Abdulhadi
Dr. Izzeddin Katkhuda and Dr. Omar Abdulhadi, Directors and Partners of Arab Center for Engineering Studies (ACES)
Riding the Middle East’s construction boom has taken ACES to new heights.
Dr. Izzeddin Katkhuda (left) and Dr. Omar Abdulhadi (right)
When Dr. Izzeddin Katkhuda and Dr. Omar Abdulhadi founded the Arab Center for Engineering Studies (ACES) in 1983, the small business consisted of a rented drill rig, a pickup truck and a secondhand laboratory. Today, ACES is the regional leader in engineering services, in both geographic spread and revenue, employing over 2,200 people across 8 countries.
ACES offers a holistic approach to construction clients, offering them a variety of services including site investigations, construction material testing and construction quality control. As ACES has grown, Izzeddin and Omar have added further specialties such as environmental testing and land and marine surveying, and they are always willing to adapt to meet a client’s needs.
The duo has prioritized growth and investment in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, capitalizing on the region’s construction boom. They have been instrumental to some of the area’s most iconic construction projects, including Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world.
