Established in Seoul in 1996 by its Chairman Jong-Hoon Kim, HanmiGlobal has achieved a truly global footprint. With over 2,600 completed projects in over 60 countries, in 2022 the company was listed as the 8th largest non-US project management and construction management company in the world. Combining international best practice and standards with local hands-on expertise has made Hanmi a sought-after partner in a highly competitive and complex markets.
The branch in Saudi Arabia was opened in 2008 and over the last decade, its team has participated in major construction projects that are set to change the country. “Hanmi Global offers a range of professional services from project and construction management to environmental engineering, design and consultancy, but our core business in Saudi Arabia is project management and construction management (PMCM), supported by expertise from our global teams,” says Dr Paul McKeown, CEO Hanmi Global Middle East.
Under his management the Hanmi team in Riyadh has been significantly expanded and now includes well over 100 people. When asked what sets the company apart in terms of its project management approach, clearly successful in winning major, long-term clients, he says:
“Hanmi’s founder and current Chairman has instilled a very strong belief that we will contribute to a better society by creating value in the construction industry through continuous innovation. We, all employees of HanmiGlobal, will do our best to give you the confidence and belief that you will always succeed with HanmiGlobal.”
Reliable partner
Given the list of prestigious projects the company has helped to complete, this approach has worked very well for HanmiGlobal. Its technical expertise and decades of experience are well reflected in the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF) giga projects such as NEOM Project Management Consultancy and Construction Village Monitoring, Roshn Sedra, which is an integrated community and large-scale complex infrastructure, and buildings projects such as the DGDA-Site Wide multi-discipline consultancy.
Participation in the DGDA (Diriyah Gate Development Authority) project, an ambitious tourism initiative located on the outskirts of Riyadh, is an achievement Hanmi can be proud of. “DGDA is the largest construction programme that we have won in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, so to be part of an initiative on this scale is a great achievement,” says Dr McKeown.
“We are providing a full PMC service, i.e. everything from design up to handover. Covering the complete lifecycle of a project puts us in a very good position to showcase our skills and our abilities. I’m pleased to say that the team is working well and is set to achieve its deliverables.”
The company is also collaborating with NEOM, an important project of Saudi Vision 2030. “We have worked at the executive level and are now overseeing about 90,000 units for the construction villages and controlling special purpose vehicles built up of contractors and investors. We are representing NEOM to make sure that they get the quality that they need. That is a privileged position to be in and we take great pride in doing that.”
Synergy of global and local
Dr McKeown, who has been in Saudi Arabia for almost ten years, reflects that the speed of change in the country is accelerating, not only in terms of physical development but also in terms of legal changes to make the country more self-sufficient, supporting the Vision 2030 as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia moves away from oil and strives to create new opportunities in different sectors.
“Over the last ten years I’ve seen a massive change in the country, and it’s been a great pleasure to be part of it,” he says. “Every aspect of the country is changing, and we have been very fortunate to be in a position to support those changes.”
“Naturally, these changes impact any project and any business focus, and we do reflect them in our business. We focus on local content a lot, because, ultimately, it is about building quality and services within the Kingdom. For example, we have women in the workforce, and are proactively bringing them into all aspects of engineering – we employ probably one of the only female planners in the Kingdom, who was brought in from a graduate position and is now doing a really good job,” says Dr McKeown.
He affirms that Hanmi is very supportive of developing local skills and expertise, working with local consultants, and sharing knowledge, running graduate training programmes and internship programmes. “As someone who, as a Chartered Civil Engineer, came through these programmes himself, I am acutely aware of the value they can bring, developing future business leaders who will move the business forward. These schemes are based on our ‘working locally and thinking globally’ approach, which is our main model.”
Transforming the country
Given its successful track record in the region, HanmiGlobal can expect exciting new projects ahead. In fact, the company has recently announced its support for new master planning and delivery strategies for investment initiatives and management services in Riyadh, which is being revitalised through a dramatic wave of investment that is set to transform the city.
In line with its commitment to innovation, HanmiGlobal has been actively advancing the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into its project management services, in collaboration with strategic partners. One notable success story is the development of a case study in partnership with the Eastern Province Municipality in Al Hasa, under the visionary leadership of the mayor.
This collaboration leveraged AI technologies to streamline project workflows, enhance decision-making processes, and optimize resource allocation. By harnessing the power of AI, HanmiGlobal and its partner were able to demonstrate the significant improvements in project efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and overall performance. This successful case study serves as a testament and dedication to pushing the boundaries of innovation and delivering transformative solutions to its clients and communities.
And there is more to come. “One of our service streams over the last two years has been government-to-government partnerships in terms of setting them up, establishing the project manager team and delivering the project. We have also been working on PPP project opportunities, which are always exciting developments, focusing on bringing external global companies into Saudi Arabia to further advance the Kingdom’s vision.
“As mentioned by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the World Economic forum in Riyadh the Kingdom’s success under Vision 2030 that has brought investment opportunities in trending sectors across the economy, emphasizing Saudi Arabia’s increasing global importance as a hub for transit, technology and trade,” says Dr McKeown.
“The remit for Korea is to support growth within Saudi Arabia. This is not new, historically Korea has supported Saudi Arabia for many years. And Saudi Arabia is well used to the quality of service that Korean companies bring,” he notes, adding that it is one of his responsibilities to support collaboration with Korean companies for projects that bring technologies and services into the Kingdom.
“With their highly ambitious programme of projects, Saudi Arabia has a clear vision of encouraging investment and Korea is very much interested in the region. We are now working on opening the doors to these exciting opportunities.”
