Beyond Engineering: Taking People Places - Bridging Communities Through Mobility Solutions

Overview

An industry event hosted by AtkinsRéalis in the Middle East in partnership with ICE UAE. It aims to share knowledge and influence global and regional engineering challenges, in collaboration with key stakeholders and decision makers – from project owners to industry partners and professionals, early careers and academia.

About the Beyond Engineering Lecture Series:

The series examines how digital integration, sustainable practices, and resilient design are shaping the future of engineering across buildings, infrastructure, transportation, and energy sectors. Through practical examples and innovative solutions, we explore how these advancing technologies and approaches help overcome today's challenges while preparing for tomorrow's opportunities. Each lecture focuses on market-specific insights, highlighting real-world solutions and best practices that advance our industry.

The lectures provide an engaging and dynamic platform for dialogue with a diverse group of industry influencers from high-profile leaders to subject matter experts and early career enthusiasts. The series are held in-person at AtkinsRéalis’ premises in Dubai, and the lecture recordings are available to watch online.

2025 Schedule

• February - Engineering Excellence 2025: Navigating Challenges, Creating Opportunities
• May - Beyond Engineering: Digital Transformation in the Middle East
• September - Beyond Engineering: Taking People Places - Bridging Communities Through Mobility Solutions

Speakers for September event: 

• Moderator:
  Omar Al-Battaineh – Roads and Highways Market Lead, AtkinsRéalis
• Panelists:
  •    Hamid Iravani – Transportation Planning & Data Science Lead, Parsons  
  •    Sharon Hodgson – Practice Associate Director, Transport, Planning and Mobility, AECOM
  •    Esmé Chipperfield – Principal Mobility Planner, WSP
  •    Arab Hindawi – Deputy Head of Department, Infrastructure, Omrania (part of EGIS Group)
• The welcome speech was delivered by Nicola Henderson-Reid – Senior Director - Head of Project and Programme Services, AtkinsRéalis.

Building on the success of the previous sessions, ICE UAE and AtkinsRéalis invite you to watch the third event recording in the 2025 Beyond Engineering lecture series – Taking People Places: Bridging Communities Through Mobility Solutions.

This session explores the future of mobility in the Middle East, highlighting how sustainable transport, public transit, and emerging technologies such as autonomous vehicles and micromobility can shape connected, inclusive, and future-ready communities. Through smart planning, governance, and collaboration, the discussion will focus on turning mobility challenges into opportunities that strengthen social and economic cohesion across the region.