Ali Soufan is a Design and Construction Building Services Project Manager with 11 years’ experience spanning multi-million-dollar building projects from concept-to-completion, including contract, resources, budget and vendor management, with a specialist focus in building services within commercial, industrial and consulting environments. Introduced and implemented environmental sustainability design, energy management concepts and life safety provisions to various EPC projects.
1. When did you first know you want to be an engineer?
This goes back to my high school days, I always had a curiosity to learn about mechanical systems and how they work and that's why I decided that this is what I want my profession to be.
2. What is the best piece of advice you have been given?
The best advice I ever received was to be positive no matter the situation is. Positivity gives you motivation, and with focus and determination goals can be achieved.
3. What are your top two career highlights?
The first is when I developed and mentored an integrated team on Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. The key requirements at one of the projects I worked on included procurement, construction waste management, Indoor Air Quality and Erosion and Sediment Control plans.
The second is when I simultaneously managed the successful execution & closeout phases of a district cooling plant and an R&D facility in Qatar, and the JW Marriott Hotel in Oman, valued $330m.
4. How does being chartered assist in your career?
I have became chartered less than a year ago, and it hasn't taken long to notice the gains. Through it I have become more connected with peers in my field and have been able to distinguish my experience through an internationally recognised qualification.
5. What advice do you have for graduate engineers?
It’s imperative that graduate engineers understand the impacts of their decisions on the community. I would recommend engaging with engineering societies’ meetings and activities, the knowledge gained from being a part of these is priceless.
6. How has the profession changed over your career?
The advancement in technology has been a huge change, the Internet of things and sustainability awareness have a direct impact on the technical and ethical aspects of our profession. A decade or more ago, it didn’t much matter how to save on irrigation water, how weather tight your building envelope is, and what is required to ensure occupants comfort at home or work…etc
Nowadays engineers are expected to act responsibly, and through the use of research and development they can utilize the new technologies for the sake of saving our planet. We now have standards and guides to follow leading to Net Zero or low energy consumption buildings.
7. Who (living or dead) would you like to sit next to on a plane and why?
I would say Elon Musk, his contributions and inventions have led to emerging new technologies in Artificial Intelligence, electric passenger cars, space rockets, implantable brain-machine interface and more. I would love to learn more about his ambitions, what’s coming next, and the secrets behind the impeccable success.
8. What was the most recent thing you have done to promote the profession of engineering?
The most recent thing I did to promote the profession of engineering was engaging voluntarily with EA Qatar Chapter as a committee member, if you can’t invent something that helps the profession, then volunteer to promote learning and to spread knowledge.