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Mustafa Behlim Managing Director,  Design Unit Engineering

OMAN - Real Estate & Construction

Mustafa Behlim

Managing Director, Design Unit Engineering

Bio

Mustafa Behlim is a well-known architect in Oman who established Kadri Consultants in 1985. He is a silver medalist and a graduate of architecture from IIT Kharagpur (Indian Institute of Technology). He then went on to complete three master’s degrees from Ohio State University (USA) in architecture, city and regional planning, and transportation. His career started off as a Graphics design teacher at Ohio State University and he then went on to work for the Ministry of Transportation in Saudi Arabia. In 1984, an opportunity came his way to head an architecture office in Oman. In 1985 he moved to Oman and has been here since.

"Design Unit Engineering is a 37-year-old establishment and a 100% Omani Company."
TBY talks to Mustafa Behlim, Managing Director of Design Unit Engineering.
Can you give us an overview of the company and some of its major moments?

Design Unit Engineering is a 37-year-old establishment and a 100% Omani Company. We had started operations in 1985 as an architecture firm with two architects (including myself). As time passed, we seized opportunities and grew adding more services, such as structural, mechanical, electrical engineering, project management, quantity surveying, and, recently, interior design. At our peak, we were a team of 62 architects and engineers, designing some exciting projects in the country. Our portfolio scales from luxury villas to hotels and stadiums. During the pandemic, we adapted to the situation well and focused more on internal processes and procedures, re-engineering the system for the coming future. Some of the major moments for the company were the successful delivery of large-scale projects like the Sohar Palm Gardens and Al Asallah Towers. Recently, we have been working on a few hospitality projects and successfully completed the designs of Park Inn in Muscat and Salalah, Ramada Encore, Tivoli at Muscat Hills, Resort in Al Hamra, and the refurbishment of the iconic Grand Hyatt Muscat. Our core value has become sustainability, and it sits at the core of our design schemes. We have a huge responsibility in shaping the future of this beautiful country.

What are your strengths and competitive advantages?

Our reputation is our biggest strength and competitive advantage. We have a client who has awarded projects to us repeatedly for the last 20 years, with the total value crossing OMR300 million. As a company value, reputation, sincerity, and honesty lie at the core of our organization. That being said, we have a strong talented team, with every department having its own strength. Our office has worked with clients for third-party value engineering, as they do understand the competency of our team which makes us stand out from the rest.

How important is it for you to promote local talent?

We believe it is extremely important to identify and promote local talent. The youth in Oman have passion and a desire to learn and grow. We see that in the local architects and engineers in our office. We have architects who have won design competitions in the country, which demonstrates their level of talent. Our management is growth driven and ensures that each individual in the organization, be it a local or expatriate, has their defined growth path.

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