Thabit Shams
Company: GHD
Job title: Government Lead
What Regional Chair position are you interested in? Wellington
About Thabit
I have demonstrated extensive commercial and technical skills in my roles and responsibilities at private and public sectors, including governance level. My experiences include auditing procurement processes, developing solutions prior to contract disputes for design services and capital works packages, and managing nationwide projects ranging from $10 million to $800m.
My focus on identifying and anticipating potential risks before they happen and establishing plans to control or eliminate them before they occur has given businesses confidence to trust my leadership. This approach has led to improved resilience and better decision-making while working across organisation silos. My proactive approach has improved complex procurement practices, built capability within organisations, and enabled collaborative decision making for stakeholders, such as local councils and Crown agencies.
Throughout my career I have achieved successful project outcomes through an approach underpinned by consistent communication with all stakeholders. Having delivered and facilitated multiple interfacing scopes and workshops with different stakeholders, this has allowed me to create mana across the industry. The key art to delivering is being able to speak and demonstrate the understanding of transaction, design, construction and operation and maintenance phases.
Pepeha or whakapapa/family history
My mother is mix of Indian and African ethnicity and my father has Nepalese ethnicities. During the Indian partition, both my parents’ families had to migrate to Bangladesh as refugees. My father did his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and landed a role in the United Arab Emirates. I was born and raised in the UAE where I finished high school and went to Canada for university. I did a bachelor's degree in civil engineering, became a Canadian and worked in engineering until I moved to Aotearoa. My current home, and where I would like to retire, is in Te Whanga-nui-a-Tara. As a solo engineer who is looking to fit into Aotearoa, speaking on my pepeha has been challenging because of being a traveller for most of my life and admiring those who have memories and a place that already exists as their home. Therefore, as a leader, I have a responsibility to help other solo travellers and foreign talents to be welcomed into my whakapapa building.
What strengths do you bring to the Regional Chair role?
With the ongoing catch-up of asset renewals in Aotearoa, and with Wellington facing disappointments with major project delivery, I'm keen to bring more capability in this space to upscale the Wellington region. With my commercial background and experience managing multi-disciplinary teams, I can create innovative solutions and effective business model strategies for ACE. To resolve such complex issues, understanding governance stakeholder management is key. I'm constantly thinking outside the engineering box, merging economics and system architectural approaches, along with the other digital solutions. My established relationships in the sector will allow me to bring stakeholders together to create win-win solutions to help the industry, and encourage other members and non-members to engage with ACE. With my leadership mentality, I constantly think of the wider benefits and outcomes, which can often mitigate potential risks, budget constraints and meet programme deadlines.
How would you support ACE's mahi in your region?
As a civil engineer I've worked closely with contractors, legal advisors and financial advisors to gain a strategic mindset. I have a unique energy and enthusiasm, and I understand the value ACE provides to the infrastructure industry. I will challenge people to think outside the box, work collaboratively and use my network to share ACE's strategy. I have direct relationships with politicians, Crown agencies and the private sector, and want to ensure ACE will be recognised and acknowledged as a strong voice for the industry. I understand that solutions are at times reactive and take time to reach consensus and gain budget, and I want to play a part in reducing these timelines. I take pride in sharing how the "art of delivering" is possible in Aotearoa. I will empower others in the diversity and inclusion space to shine, be a voice for young professionals, and promote a strong mental health and wellbeing experience. I'm looking forward to building an impactful whanau within the Wellington region and sharing strong intel that can help ACE to be proactive in the current economic climate.
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