Meet Mamoun Alhaddad: one of the first members of our Riyadh team

Project manager Mamoun Alhaddad is helping to plan for Saudi Arabia’s long-term aviation growth, supporting at every stage from strategy and airport planning to design and delivery.

What sparked your interest in engineering?

More than anything, I've always enjoyed solving problems. I enjoy understanding how things work, breaking complex issues down into manageable parts and finding practical solutions.

Why Mott MacDonald?

Having spent my teenage years in the UK, I already knew quite a lot about Mott MacDonald and its work. When I heard that the business was opening an office in Riyadh, I was excited about the opportunity to work alongside international experts to support growth in the Kingdom and align with the VISION 2030 objectives.

What was it like to be one of our first employees based in Riyadh?

I feel very lucky to have been here from the early days of our office opening, when there were only five of us. A lot of people took time to sit down with me to explain the culture and how the organisation works. They supported me and challenged me when I needed it. Now I want to do the same for others.

There are nearly 80 people in our Riyadh office today, but it still feels like one big family. When someone new joins, people often send them my way and say: “Go say hi to Mamoun, he’s one of the original members of the Riyadh team.”

What have been some of your best experiences over the past three years?

The variety has been the highlight. In three years, I've been involved in the full project cycle, from bidding and winning work to delivering it, across water, utilities, transport and aviation in the Kingdom.

One of my first aviation projects stands out. I started in a technical role, moved on to coordinating multidisciplinary teams across several countries, and was then trusted with delivering the project. At one point, I was managing inputs from 20 people. I realised I couldn't manage every detail myself, so I gave more ownership to the discipline leads and focused on the bigger picture: quality, programme and making sure the client got the outcomes they needed.

It taught me that good project management is less about control and more about trust.

What project are you most proud of so far?

One of my proudest achievements was leading the winning the bid process for Matarat Holding on airport development across Saudi Arabia. It was my first experience managing an opportunity of that scale, from early client engagement and bid strategy through to contract negotiations and final award.

As the Airport Masterplan Framework consultant, we are updating airport masterplans at 25 airports in Saudi Arabia and developing strategies for future growth and investment.

The bid process taught me a lot about the commercial side of the business and how important it is to combine technical excellence with strong client relationships and a clear strategy.

The experience gave me confidence to lead discussions with clients, explain complex information clearly and help stakeholders to understand the choices they need to make and the implications.

What have you learned about setting projects up for success?

Relationship are key. Before I start sending emails to colleagues, I always try to call to get to know them and let them to get to know me. Building better relationships helps to establish better ways of working and builds trust in delivery.

It’s also important to spend time up front getting a proper project plan of work in place, stress testing the methodology for project delivery and making sure everyone understands the full process before the project starts.

How is your aviation work contributing to Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030?

The airport programmes we are delivering for Matarat and JEDCO are improving connectivity, passenger experience and network capacity. It all supports the Kingdom’s wider ambitions: tourism growth, diversifying the economy and becoming a global aviation hub.

The advice we give is designed to help our clients make more informed decisions about where and when to invest, with a strong focus on resilience, sustainability and innovation.

What mentoring experiences have you had?

I’ve been fortunate to work with supportive mentors who encouraged me to take on new challenges and step into leadership roles earlier than I expected.

I also really enjoy mentoring others and passing on lessons that I’ve learned. An important part of my role on projects is helping colleagues build their confidence, strengthen their technical skills and develop their careers.

I believe investing in people is just as important to our success as commercial performance and project delivery.

What advice would you give to someone starting their engineering career?

Don't wait around for opportunities to come to you. Take the initiative: the more people you connect with, the more opportunities you create for yourself. Building relationships, learning from others and staying open to new challenges can make a huge difference in shaping your career.

What do you enjoy doing outside work?

I'm a big football fan and I play most weeks with friends or colleagues. I also enjoy exploring Saudi Arabia. I’ve visited most regions over the past three years, and the south is next on my list.

Growing up in Jeddah I’m naturally drawn to the coast, and the beach is still my favourite place to relax.