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Talal Shair
Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Talal Shair is the Chairman and CEO of Dar Group. Since 2008, he has overseen the growth and expansion of Dar Group to an international design firm that has featured in the top 10 international firms for over 15 years, with more than 300 offices and a revenue of over US$2 billion. Talal has overseen a series of key, strategic acquisitions – including Integral Group, Ross & Baruzzini, Currie & Brown, Maffeis Engineering, GPO Group, Silman, Greeley and Hansen, CopperTree Analytics, and a strategic equity stake in Worley – to drive growth in multiple sectors, markets, and geographies. Under Talal’s leadership, Dar Group brands are driving a culture of greater collaboration and greater responsibility, with key commitments to sustainability, net zero, and ESG.
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Talal Shair
Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Talal Shair is the Chairman and CEO of Dar Group. Since 2008, he has overseen the growth and expansion of Dar Group to an international design firm that has featured in the top 10 international firms for over 15 years, with more than 300 offices and a revenue of over US$2 billion. Talal has overseen a series of key, strategic acquisitions – including Integral Group, Ross & Baruzzini, Currie & Brown, Maffeis Engineering, GPO Group, Silman, Greeley and Hansen, CopperTree Analytics, and a strategic equity stake in Worley – to drive growth in multiple sectors, markets, and geographies. Under Talal’s leadership, Dar Group brands are driving a culture of greater collaboration and greater responsibility, with key commitments to sustainability, net zero, and ESG.
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Ibrahim "Abe" Saad
Independent Chairman
Ibrahim (Abe) Saad sits on Dar Group’s audit, risk, and investment committees. He has a broad-based investment, turnaround and private equity experience of over 23 years. Ibrahim is currently the Chairman (MENA) and Managing Partner of ACON Investments, the middle market arm of ‘Texas Pacific Group’ (US / Dubai). The post-restructuring Chairman of ‘Global Investment House’ in Kuwait from 2013 to 2016, Ibrahim was instrumental in driving the company to return to significant profitability in one of the largest restructuring initiatives in Middle Eastern history. Earlier in his career, Ibrahim held leadership positions at many companies in the US and the Middle East such as The Carlyle Group, Allied Capital and Booz | Allen | Hamilton. Ibrahim holds an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management, with a concentration in Finance and Applied Economics, and a Master's and Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT.
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Talal Shair
Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Talal Shair is the Chairman and CEO of Dar Group. Since 2008, he has overseen the growth and expansion of Dar Group to an international design firm that has featured in the top 10 international firms for over 15 years, with more than 300 offices and a revenue of over US$2 billion. Talal has overseen a series of key, strategic acquisitions – including Integral Group, Ross & Baruzzini, Currie & Brown, Maffeis Engineering, GPO Group, Silman, Greeley and Hansen, CopperTree Analytics, and a strategic equity stake in Worley – to drive growth in multiple sectors, markets, and geographies. Under Talal’s leadership, Dar Group brands are driving a culture of greater collaboration and greater responsibility, with key commitments to sustainability, net zero, and ESG.
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Bashar Rihani
Director of Transportation, Dar
Bashar Rihani is the Director of the Transportation Department at Dar and a seasoned transportation professional with over 35 years of experience in the planning, design, and implementation of all modes of transportation. During his career, he managed multiple complex, large-scale transportation projects as well as regional and national transport master plans in the Middle East, Africa, USA, and South America. Bashar is also a member of the Dar Group Board (DIFC), Dar Group Executive Committee, TYLIN International Group Board (San Francisco), and the International Road Federation Board (Washington, DC).
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Bashar Rihani
Director of Transportation, Dar
Bashar Rihani is the Director of the Transportation Department at Dar and a seasoned transportation professional with over 35 years of experience in the planning, design, and implementation of all modes of transportation. During his career, he managed multiple complex, large-scale transportation projects as well as regional and national transport master plans in the Middle East, Africa, USA, and South America. Bashar is also a member of the Dar Group Board (DIFC), Dar Group Executive Committee, TYLIN International Group Board (San Francisco), and the International Road Federation Board (Washington, DC).
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Beshara Wakim
Director of Operations, Dar
Beshara is Dar’s Director of Operations for Kuwait, Turkey and Central Asia as well as a member of Dar Group’s Audit Committee and Leadership Development Program Steering Committee. He leads strategy, marketing, sales and client/associate relationships for regions under his authority and is responsible for identifying, qualifying, nurturing, and closing business opportunities in collaboration with other Dar Group member firms. Beshara holds an MBA from McGill University and a ME in Structural Engineering from Cornell.
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Abeer Taraweneh
Director of Operations, Dar
Abeer Taraweneh is a member of the Dar Group Leadership Development Committee and has served as Dar’s Director of Operations for Jordan and Palestine since 2013. She holds a BSc degree in Mechanical Engineering and has been working in the engineering consultancy industry since 1996. Abeer is responsible for developing, growing, and sustaining the firm’s operations in the regions under her authority.
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Bassam Shakhshir
Regional Director, Dar
Bassam Shakhshir is Dar’s Regional Director of Operations for the UAE, the Middle East outside of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Asia as well as a member of the Dar Group Board and Executive Committee. In his capacity, Bassam is directly responsible for developing, growing, and sustaining Dar’s businesses and human resources in his assigned countries. He has particular experience and an exceptional track record in senior-level consultations with clients and public authorities and in the coordination of large teams of multidisciplinary specialists engaged in complex projects.
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Bassam Shakhshir
Regional Director, Dar
Bassam Shakhshir is Dar’s Regional Director of Operations for the UAE, the Middle East outside of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Asia as well as a member of the Dar Group Board and Executive Committee. In his capacity, Bassam is directly responsible for developing, growing, and sustaining Dar’s businesses and human resources in his assigned countries. He has particular experience and an exceptional track record in senior-level consultations with clients and public authorities and in the coordination of large teams of multidisciplinary specialists engaged in complex projects.
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Camille Sifri
Independent Member
An independent committee member in Dar Group’s Audit Committee, Camille Sifri is the PwC country senior partner in Lebanon. He is an expert in insurance advisory, risk management, due diligence, and evaluation.
Sari Gedeon
Director of Project Management & Contracts, Dar
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Sari Gedeon
Director of Project Management & Contracts, Dar
Sari Gedeon is Dar’s Director of Project Management and Contracts and the Managing Director of Dar’s design centre in Amman, where he is responsible for overseeing all project operations and leading business development and growth in one of Dar’s five main design centers. Sari also sits on the Dar Group Board of Directors, the Leadership Development Committee, and the Dar Group Risk Compliance Committee. His responsibilities include developing capacity building and leadership development programs and monitoring the company’s compliance with strict codes of conduct and regulations.
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Danny Aoun
Regional Director, Dar
Danny Aoun is a member of the Dar Group Board and Executive Committee as well as Dar’s Regional Director of Operations for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Africa, and Lebanon. In his capacity, Danny is directly responsible for developing, growing, and sustaining Dar’s businesses and human resources in his assigned countries. He has particular experience and an exceptional track record in senior-level consultations with clients and public authorities and in the coordination of large teams of multidisciplinary specialists engaged in complex projects.
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Catherine Tobiasinsky
Group Chief Growth Officer
Catherine is Chief Growth Officer at Dar Group. She has spent 18 years in the world of Built Assets, with EC Harris, Arcadis, and GHD as a Senior Partner or in Group Executive roles. Before that she was a Management Consultant with Cap Gemini Ernst & Young for 6 years and before this, worked client side as Process Engineer and Production Manager for Procter & Gamble and Mars Confectionery for 6 years. The constant throughout these three phases of her career is delivering market and client-focused transformative outcomes mainly in the sectors of Aviation, Mobility, City Development, Technology, Retail, Education, and Healthcare.
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Euan McEwan
Regional Director, Dar
Euan is an independent member of Dar Group’s audit committee. Previously, he served for over 17 years as the Group Chief Executive Officer of Currie & Brown, one of the world’s leading physical asset management consultancies.
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Gillian Empringham
Group Head of Human Resources
The Chief People Officer for Dar Group, Gill is responsible for developing the people and talent agenda. Gill has worked with the Group for over 10 years, moving from Penspen. Her background is in delivering HR solutions along with cultural and people transformations for companies such as Virgin, Johnson Controls, DHL Supply Chain and Sony.
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Neil Bruce
Non-Executive Director
Neil Bruce is a non-executive Board Director on the Dar Group Board. Neil is an experienced CEO and Chairman with 40 years’ experience in the environmental consulting, natural resources, energy, and infrastructure sectors – leading global business, designing strategic acquisitions that build shareholder value, and growing longstanding relationships with government, industry bodies, and clients around the world. As the CEO of SNCL, he led the £2.1 bn acquisition of WS Atkins plc. Neil brings sector and industry best practice expertise to add value to Dar Group.
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Danny Aoun
Regional Director, Dar
Danny Aoun is a member of the Dar Group Board and Executive Committee as well as Dar’s Regional Director of Operations for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Africa, and Lebanon. In his capacity, Danny is directly responsible for developing, growing, and sustaining Dar’s businesses and human resources in his assigned countries. He has particular experience and an exceptional track record in senior-level consultations with clients and public authorities and in the coordination of large teams of multidisciplinary specialists engaged in complex projects.
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Khalil Darawish
Committee Member
Khalil Darawish is a highly qualified financial professional, with extensive experience in
corporate finance, international accounting and information technology. Before taking up an independent advisory role at the Group level, Khalil served as the Director of Administration at Dar for over 30 years. During his tenure, he oversaw the independent central financial unit that manages all financial and accounting operations for the group worldwide. His role covered central financial accounting, management accounting, budgeting, cost control, treasury and cash management (including foreign currencies and bank relationships), statutory reporting (especially for tax purposes), and acquisition studies.
Charles Malek
Director of Structures and Bridges Engineering Department
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Charles Malek
Director of Structures and Bridges Engineering Department
Charles Malek is the Director of the Structural and Bridge Engineering Department and the Information Technology Department at Dar. His extensive technical expertise – particularly in reinforced concrete, prestressed concrete, and earthquake engineering – has enabled him to lead challenging and highly complex projects, including high-rise buildings and cable bridges.
Charles has also overseen pilot projects and research ventures aimed at implementing state-of-the-art digital technologies and new and innovative construction techniques to improve design and construction outcomes. These technologies include generative design, AI-enabled design, smart structural monitoring solutions, and additive manufacturing.
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Phil Harisson
CEO, Perkins&Will
A licensed architect in 9 U.S. states and 2 Canadian provinces, Phil Harrison has led Perkins&Will – the second-largest architecture and design firm in the world – as CEO since 2006, tripling the firm’s size, expanding its geographic reach, and deepening its focus on design excellence. Within Dar Group, Phil is a member of the Dar Group board of directors, overseeing Dar USA as President and chairing the group's Digital Council.
Matthew Cummings
CEO, T.Y.Lin InternationaI Group and Group Global Infrastructure
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Matthew Cummings
CEO, T.Y.Lin InternationaI Group and Group Global Infrastructure
The CEO of TYLin Group and Dar Group’s Global Infrastructure Pillar, Matt brings more than 35 years of leadership experience to leveraging and uniting the technological expertise of the firm and its affiliate companies to form an expanded, global presence. Outside of TYLin, Matt has held important industry leadership positions, including Chairman of the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) and President of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Pennsylvania (ACEC/PA).
Sari Gedeon
Director of Project Management & Contracts, Dar
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Sari Gedeon
Director of Project Management & Contracts, Dar
Sari Gedeon is Dar’s Director of Project Management and Contracts and the Managing Director of Dar’s design centre in Amman, where he is responsible for overseeing all project operations and leading business development and growth in one of Dar’s five main design centers. Sari also sits on the Dar Group Board of Directors, the Leadership Development Committee, and the Dar Group Risk Compliance Committee. His responsibilities include developing capacity building and leadership development programs and monitoring the company’s compliance with strict codes of conduct and regulations.
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Michael Helou
Group Chief Strategy Officer
Michael Helou is the Group Chief Strategy Officer, serving in this capacity for over 8 years. A graduate of the London School of Economics and Political Science, Michael has more than 20 years of investment banking and advisory experience.
Prior to joining Dar Group, Michael worked at Rothschild for over 10 years, serving as the Head of Investment Banking for the Middle East. Then, he worked for more than three years as the Head of FIG at Barclays Capital, for the Middle East and North Africa. He was also an executive vice president for Global Investment House (Global), heading the company’s investment banking business.
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Talal Shair
Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Talal Shair is the Chairman and CEO of Dar Group. Since 2008, he has overseen the growth and expansion of Dar Group to an international design firm that has featured in the top 10 international firms for over 15 years, with more than 300 offices and a revenue of over US$2 billion. Talal has overseen a series of key, strategic acquisitions – including Integral Group, Ross & Baruzzini, Currie & Brown, Maffeis Engineering, GPO Group, Silman, Greeley and Hansen, CopperTree Analytics, and a strategic equity stake in Worley – to drive growth in multiple sectors, markets, and geographies. Under Talal’s leadership, Dar Group brands are driving a culture of greater collaboration and greater responsibility, with key commitments to sustainability, net zero, and ESG.
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Peter O’Sullivan
Committee Chair, Chief Executive Officer, Penspen
Peter O’Sullivan is the Chief Executive Officer at Penspen, a leading global energy consultancy business. He has led the transformation of Penspen into a client focused organisation dedicated to improving access to sustainable energy for communities across the world. As CEO, Peter drove the growth of Penspen’s energy transition and digital engineering capabilities, two key elements of the company’s growth strategy.
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Peter O’Sullivan
Committee Chair, Chief Executive Officer, Penspen
Peter O’Sullivan is the Chief Executive Officer at Penspen, a leading global energy consultancy business. He has led the transformation of Penspen into a client focused organisation dedicated to improving access to sustainable energy for communities across the world. As CEO, Peter drove the growth of Penspen’s energy transition and digital engineering capabilities, two key elements of the company’s growth strategy.
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Ibrahim "Abe" Saad
Independent Chariman
Ibrahim (Abe) Saad sits on Dar Group’s audit, risk, and investment committees. He has a broad-based investment, turnaround and private equity experience of over 23 years. Ibrahim is currently the Chairman (MENA) and Managing Partner of ACON Investments, the middle market arm of ‘Texas Pacific Group’ (US / Dubai). The post-restructuring Chairman of ‘Global Investment House’ in Kuwait from 2013 to 2016, Ibrahim was instrumental in driving the company to return to significant profitability in one of the largest restructuring initiatives in Middle Eastern history. Earlier in his career, Ibrahim held leadership positions at many companies in the US and the Middle East such as The Carlyle Group, Allied Capital and Booz | Allen | Hamilton. Ibrahim holds an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management, with a concentration in Finance and Applied Economics, and a Master's and Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT.
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Gillian Empringham
Group Head of Human Resources
The Chief People Officer for Dar Group, Gill is responsible for developing the people and talent agenda. Gill has worked with the Group for over 10 years, moving from Penspen. Her background is in delivering HR solutions along with cultural and people transformations for companies such as Virgin, Johnson Controls, DHL Supply Chain and Sony.
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Philip English
Group Chief Financial Officer
Philip English is the Group Chief Financial Officer of the Dar Group. As CFO, he is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the company’s financial management and as a member of the Executive Committee developing and driving the company’s strategic plans.
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Michael Helou
Group Chief Strategy Officer
Michael Helou is the Group Chief Strategy Officer, serving in this capacity for over 8 years. A graduate of the London School of Economics and Political Science, Michael has more than 20 years of investment banking and advisory experience.
Prior to joining Dar Group, Michael worked at Rothschild for over 10 years, serving as the Head of Investment Banking for the Middle East. Then, he worked for more than three years as the Head of FIG at Barclays Capital, for the Middle East and North Africa. He was also an executive vice president for Global Investment House (Global), heading the company’s investment banking business.
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Philip English
Group Chief Financial Officer
Philip English is the Group Chief Financial Officer of the Dar Group. As CFO, he is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the company’s financial management and as a member of the Executive Committee developing and driving the company’s strategic plans.
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Phil Harisson
CEO, Perkins&Will
A licensed architect in 9 U.S. states and 2 Canadian provinces, Phil Harrison has led Perkins&Will – the second-largest architecture and design firm in the world – as CEO since 2006, tripling the firm’s size, expanding its geographic reach, and deepening its focus on design excellence. Within Dar Group, Phil is a member of the Dar Group board of directors, overseeing Dar USA as President and chairing the group's Digital Council.
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Mulham Sleiman
Director of Economics, Dar
Mulham Sleiman is Dar’s Director of Economics, the Managing Partner for Dar in the United Kingdom, and the Director of Dar’s Win Work unit. Within Dar Group, he sits on the Investment Committee, advising on strategic financial investments portfolio.
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Andre Samaha
Director of Project Management and Contracts
Andre Samaha is a Director of Project Management and Contracts at Dar. With his background in civil engineering and his advanced expertise in engineering management, Andre has successfully directed a wide variety of complex projects – including major urban developments, housing complexes, strategic roads and highway links, airports, and other building and infrastructure projects – in the Middle East and Africa.
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Gillian Empringham
Group Head of Human Resources
The Chief People Officer for Dar Group, Gill is responsible for developing the people and talent agenda. Gill has worked with the Group for over 10 years, moving from Penspen. Her background is in delivering HR solutions along with cultural and people transformations for companies such as Virgin, Johnson Controls, DHL Supply Chain and Sony.
Sari Gedeon
Director of Project Management & Contracts, Dar
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Sari Gedeon
Director of Project Management & Contracts, Dar
Sari Gedeon is Dar’s Director of Project Management and Contracts and the Managing Director of Dar’s design centre in Amman, where he is responsible for overseeing all project operations and leading business development and growth in one of Dar’s five main design centers. Sari also sits on the Dar Group Board of Directors, the Leadership Development Committee, and the Dar Group Risk Compliance Committee. His responsibilities include developing capacity building and leadership development programs and monitoring the company’s compliance with strict codes of conduct and regulations.
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Teymour Salaam
Group General Counsel
Teymour Salaam is Group General Counsel of Dar Group. He’s a member of the Dar Group Executive Committee and Risk and Compliance Committee.
Teymour has been with Dar Group for over a decade. As General Counsel, he is responsible for leading corporate strategic and tactical legal initiatives across the multi-disciplinary group. Such initiatives include the successful set up of a Legal Department and implementation of an effective Ethics and Reputation Program. Teymour reports directly to the Dar Group Chairman and CEO.
Before joining Dar Group, Teymour gained broad international legal experience in various jurisdictions and industries. He served in-house at Cisco and Tejari.com, among others, and also worked for leading UAE law firms, including Hadef & Partners and Galadari Advocates & Legal Consultants. He trained at White & Case in New York before settling in Dubai in 2001.
Teymour received his B.A. in Asian Studies in 1996 from Vassar College in New York, his Juris Doctor Degree in 2000 from Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law in Pennsylvania, and an MSc in Human Resources Development from Villanova University in 2001. He is a member of the New York Bar Association.
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Alan Manuel
CEO Currie & Brown
The Chief Executive Officer of Currie & Brown, Alan started his career as an apprentice Quantity Surveyor progressing to becoming chartered in 1987. He worked for a number of businesses including running his own project management practice before joining Cyril Sweett as a director in 1999. Alan was appointed UK & Europe Chief Operating officer at Currie & Brown when they purchased Sweett Group in 2016 and was appointed Group CEO in January 2022. He sits on the RICS leadership Forum and is an executive member of both the UK Green Building Council and the Institute for Collaborative Working.
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Wajdi Abou-Izzeddine
Director of Operations – Iraq, Dar
Wajdi Abou-Izzeddine is a Director of Operations for Dar in Iraq, a member of the Dar Group Leadership Committee and the Dar Group Risk and Compliance Committee, and the Partner-in-Charge of the Saudi Aramco Framework Agreement in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Wajdi is responsible for developing, growing, and sustaining the firm’s operations in the regions under his authority; overseeing the quality and performance of the awarded projects; and coordinating with clients at the management level to ensure that projects are planned, steered, and executed in accordance with the clients’ requirements and allocated budgets.
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Teymour Salaam
Group General Counsel
Teymour Salaam is Group General Counsel of Dar Group. He’s a member of the Dar Group Executive Committee and Risk and Compliance Committee.
Teymour has been with Dar Group for over a decade. As General Counsel, he is responsible for leading corporate strategic and tactical legal initiatives across the multi-disciplinary group. Such initiatives include the successful set up of a Legal Department and implementation of an effective Ethics and Reputation Program. Teymour reports directly to the Dar Group Chairman and CEO.
Before joining Dar Group, Teymour gained broad international legal experience in various jurisdictions and industries. He served in-house at Cisco and Tejari.com, among others, and also worked for leading UAE law firms, including Hadef & Partners and Galadari Advocates & Legal Consultants. He trained at White & Case in New York before settling in Dubai in 2001.
Teymour received his B.A. in Asian Studies in 1996 from Vassar College in New York, his Juris Doctor Degree in 2000 from Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law in Pennsylvania, and an MSc in Human Resources Development from Villanova University in 2001. He is a member of the New York Bar Association.
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Tyson Curcio
Chief Operating & Practice Officer, Perkins&Will
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Tyson Curcio
Chief Operating & Practice Officer, Perkins&Will
The Chief Practice and Operating Officer at Perkins&Will, Tyson Curcio is responsible for business operations and project delivery success through oversight of firmwide practice management. Before joining Perkins&Will, he served for over 16 years as the Director of Project Delivery at EYP Architecture and Engineering. With career experience in large architectural and engineering firms, business operations, merger and acquisition integration, and great client service drive Tyson's passion for the AEC industry.
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Nyree Quintero
Senior Vice President, TY Lin
Nyree Quintero serves as Director for Operations and Alternative Delivery for TYLin’s practices in the Americas. Nyree is responsible for assuring overall performance for Operations and Alternative Delivery Method (ADM) projects at the enterprise level by providing oversight, guidance, and best practices to the firm’s market sectors.
With over 25 years of national and international experience in construction for the heavy civil infrastructure industry, Nyree’s leadership skills include providing project and team management and technical expertise for large, complex ADM projects
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