May Elsamman: constructing an unexpected career in AI

From architecture in Egypt to AI innovation in Birmingham

Senior digital project manager May Elsamman’s determination to drive industry change earned her the Technical Excellence award at the Inspiring Women in Construction and Engineering Awards 2026. Here, she reflects on her achievement and how an unexpected opportunity took her career in a completely different direction.

Give us a brief summary of your role and where you are based

I’m based in our Birmingham office as part of the buildings team. As well as being a project manager, I’m also the applied AI lead for buildings, supporting infrastructure project teams with digital and AI initiatives.

Why did you choose your career path?

I’ve always been interested in how people experience the spaces around them. As a child, I loved drawing buildings, but I also had lots of questions about why things were designed or arranged in certain ways. That curiosity led me to Helwan University in Cairo, where I completed a degree in architectural engineering. While working in construction in Egypt, I went on to complete a master’s in architecture, focused on environmental and architectural psychology, exploring how buildings affect everyday experience. I also researched how changes to lighting, ventilation and noise could make spaces more supportive for people who, like myself, experience migraines. This focus on designing buildings around people’s needs has continued throughout my career.

What inspired you to join Mott MacDonald?

I moved to the UK to complete a master's in project management at Birmingham City University and fell in love with the city, so I began exploring local opportunities. I was attracted to Mott MacDonald by its culture of innovation, collaboration and continuous learning, because I wanted to keep developing rather than staying comfortable in a role. I also craved a bit more variety after a career spent mainly in buildings and construction projects across the Middle East. My first project was HS2, which opened up a completely new area for me. Since then, I’ve worked across rail, buildings and water and now I’m the applied AI lead for buildings. So, working for Mott MacDonald has helped me to change countries and direction.

Judges at the Inspiring Women in Construction and Engineering Awards 2026 said that you were an "impressive example of someone who has proactively created opportunities well beyond her formal role, combining technical expertise, innovation and determination to drive meaningful change". How did it feel to hear your name read out as the winner?

I was genuinely honoured. It’s not just the recognition of my work but the journey behind it as well. I’ve had to overcome self-doubt and really step outside my comfort zone to get involved in digital innovation and AI. It’s a reminder that the best things often come from taking chances and believing in yourself – and having others believe in you too.

What does it mean to you to be trusted to do brilliant things at Mott MacDonald?

For me, trust means being empowered to turn ideas into reality. Mott MacDonald gave me the freedom to try something new, even though digital technology was not my main discipline and I was still building confidence. I had an idea that could potentially make a practical difference to projects and clients, and I was supported to take it further. The most important thing is that you are allowed to make mistakes and still carry on. Managers and colleagues understand everyone is still learning, so I could use mistakes to learn something rather than being afraid of making them.

Can you share a project you’ve worked on that you’re particularly proud of and explain why it stands out to you?

I recently developed an AI agent that reviews design information, standards and post-occupancy evaluations to produce an evidence-based design review for specialists. At the beginning, I honestly had no idea whether such a complex solution would work, but somebody has to try to solve a problem, otherwise things will never change.

This agent now can analyse up to 20 documents, including drawings, bringing the relevant information together and providing evidence showing exactly where each finding came from. This reduces the time specialists spend reading and cross-checking multiple documents while completing their expert review.

A process that previously took around a day can now be completed in minutes, with specialists retaining full oversight and decision-making responsibility. This may not be the most advanced AI solution I have developed, but it laid the foundation for a new approach to building more sophisticated agents that can support increasingly complex tasks.

What does being part of a global team mean to you and how does it influence your work?

I work with colleagues from across the world and seeing how people approach similar challenges from different cultural and professional perspectives encourages me to question how I work. Every conversation can introduce a fresh idea or help me understand how somebody else experiences the world. Our Birmingham team is also very diverse so we’re always celebrating different traditions in the office – the best part is trying lots of food that I’ve never tried before!

What resources or support at Mott MacDonald have been most beneficial to your growth?

Even before becoming a digital project manager, my team encouraged me to take responsibility for digital initiatives and supported my training, from using basic tools to very advanced AI solutions. I received informal mentoring from colleagues in the digital team who helped identify what would genuinely support my development. I’ve been so lucky that people gave me their time, so now I mentor graduates and project managers who want digital capabilities.

What does being part of an employee-owned business mean to you?

It means having the freedom and trust to challenge the status quo and explore new ideas. Throughout my career, I've been encouraged to innovate, develop new skills and create opportunities, not just for myself but for others as well. Knowing that the business is owned by its people reinforces the idea that when one of us does well, we all benefit.