TBH, an international specialist planning and management consulting firm known for handling high-risk, large-scale, and complex projects, has reinforced its commitment to the Saudi Arabian market by appointing two senior leaders, Mike Belt and Alaa Arabi, to its management team. Their appointment will help drive continued growth and solidify TBH’s presence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Alongside these new hires, TBH is expanding its operations with a relocation to a larger office space on King Fahd Road in Riyadh, following five years of significant growth in the Kingdom.
Mike Belt joins TBH as the Country Director for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, bringing over three decades of experience, primarily in the Middle East, working on projects across a range of industries including oil and gas, mega mixed-used developments, themed entertainment, and resort development. A seasoned professional and a well-known figure in the industry, Mike has previously held Executive Director positions at international consulting firms including WSP, Fluor, and Parsons in the Middle East, USA and Asia.
As TBH’s KSA Country Director, Mike will focus on leading and developing the company’s expanding team in the Kingdom. He will also play a key role in driving new business opportunities, aligning with TBH’s ongoing commitment to establishing a strong and sustainable presence in Saudi Arabia.
With 18 years’ experience, Alaa Arabi joins TBH as a Principal, bringing a wealth of technical expertise in Project Controls, Planning & Scheduling, Cost Management, and Risk Management. Throughout his career, Alaa has worked on the delivery of multi-billion-dollar mega and giga programmes, including industrial cities, ports, metros, city development infrastructure, and heritage and cultural assets.
With a strong background in project management, controls, and leadership, Alaa is well-equipped to play a pivotal role in enhancing TBH’s service delivery in Saudi Arabia. As Principal, Alaa will work closely with both new and existing clients to support their project delivery, contributing to the success of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.
Speaking about his appointment, Mike Belt commented: “TBH has seen impressive growth in Saudi Arabia over the past five years, and it’s an exciting time to be joining the firm. I am thrilled to lead such a talented team and to help further strengthen TBH’s position in the market.”
Having worked across the Middle East region for most of my career, TBH’s firm commitment to the Saudi market was a key driver in my decision to join. We have ambitious goals and targets to meet in the coming years, and our people are at the centre of making these a reality, which is why I am incredibly excited to bring my expertise in staff leadership and development to TBH”.
Alaa Arabi adds: “As a specialist consultancy renowned for working on high-risk, large-scale, and challenging projects around the world, joining TBH was a natural fit for me given my experience working on complex giga projects.
TBH’s commitment to service delivery aligns fully with my work ethic and I am looking forward to working closely with our clients to elevate our service offering and continue in supporting on the delivery of some of the world’s most iconic projects in Saudi Arabia”.
TBH Director, Christopher Nicolas, in welcoming Mike and Alaa said: “This year, TBH will celebrate its 60th anniversary, and the Middle East market, particularly Saudi Arabia, has formed a core part of our overall business growth in recent years - with the Middle East now being TBH’s second largest business unit globally.
I am delighted to welcome Mike and Alaa to our leadership team, their individual experiences and knowledge will be instrumental in further enhancing our offering to our clients and will also provide additional senior management expertise to support our ongoing growth expansion in the region.
Expanding our operations by opening a new office space, coupled with Mike and Alaa joining our Saudi leadership team, are just the first steps in a series of plans we have this year.
As home to several bold and exciting projects, TBH is fully committed to the Middle East region and to providing solutions for a better tomorrow”.