At the recent PropTech Connect Middle East conference, a significant point emerged from the discussions: advancing technology in the construction industry is more about shifting mindsets than simply acquiring new tools. A senior panel made it clear that the real hurdle isn't the technology itself, but the mindset, process, and alignment that are needed across a diverse and often fragmented industry ecosystem.

Moderated by Leyla Abdimomunova, who heads Real Estate & Construction at the Public Investment Fund, the session brought together key figures from the region's development and contracting sectors. The aim was to explore what it truly takes to scale innovation in large-scale projects.

The panel included Roger Fatovic, the Group Chief Projects Delivery Officer at ROSHN; Fady Sleiman, Group Chief Information & Digital Officer at Albawani Holding; and Zakria Osman, Corporate Engineering Lead at El Seif Contracting. Abdimomunova opened the discussion by pinpointing a common industry blind spot: while construction professionals frequently discuss innovation, it's the implementation where strategies often falter.

For ROSHN, Fatovic explained that technology adoption is driven by necessity rather than novelty. The focus is on scale, productivity, and certainty, all crucial as the company delivers thousands of homes across Saudi Arabia. Sleiman, offering a perspective from the contractor side, emphasized the importance of optimization, digitization, and data, advocating for a single source of truth. Meanwhile, Osman highlighted broader drivers such as sustainability, digital transformation, and smart solutions.

Implementing Technology: From Pilots to Productivity

Fatovic detailed ROSHN's approach to applying tools across a project's full lifecycle. This includes AI-assisted document review during design and procurement phases and modern construction methods on-site. Although precast remains a traditional method, the key difference, he noted, is its application at scale.

In a partnership with China Harbour, ROSHN is constructing one of the Middle East's largest precast factories in Riyadh, churning out tens of thousands of panels and hundreds of columns each month. The goal extends beyond mere prefabrication. Fatovic emphasized that testing, iteration, and repeatability are essential for achieving productivity gains.

For Albawani, Sleiman described an initial lack of digital hardware on active sites, which prompted the company to reconsider its strategy. Instead of hastily adopting construction management platforms, Albawani chose to redesign core business processes and standard operating procedures first. This strategy has already resulted in tangible improvements in areas like overtime management, where simple tablet-based tools have addressed millions of riyals in monthly overruns.

El Seif's journey provided yet another perspective on sustained digital commitment. Osman traced the company's digital transformation back to 2019, marking a transition from traditional to digital construction through a comprehensive transformation. This roadmap covered every department, ensuring a unified approach to innovation.

Challenges in Scaling Innovation

Despite advancements, scaling innovation remains challenging. For developers like ROSHN, cost structures often hinder modern methods. Fatovic argued that years of optimizing traditional supply chains have skewed comparisons with modern construction methods, especially when existing agreements deliver competitive pricing.

He identified a more profound issue: technology doesn't fail because of its functionality, but because the surrounding ecosystem fails to adapt. Broken processes are often digitized without addressing the underlying issues, and modern methods are introduced without standardizing designs or considering local regulations.

Sleiman expanded on these challenges, viewing transformation through the lenses of people, process, technology, and data. Culture and capability, he argued, are often underestimated risks. People who have spent decades in traditional construction roles may not be the ones to spearhead effective business process reengineering.

To mitigate delivery risks on large projects, Albawani is exploring advanced work packaging, a method borrowed from the oil and gas sector that links modular construction to critical paths, enhancing coordination across subcontractors.

Osman emphasized the complexity of owner-contractor relationships in driving technology adoption. Early engagement during concept design can unlock significant value, but resistance often arises when innovation is seen as a potential risk or cost-shifting measure.

To counteract this, El Seif frequently pilots new technologies on its projects, including its headquarters, before presenting data-backed results to clients. This approach has helped build trust, particularly on projects that align with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030.

Looking ahead, Osman argued that regulation plays a crucial role. He drew parallels to Dubai's 2014 BIM mandate, noting that markets often need a push before the benefits of new standards become clear.

Prioritizing Mindset Over Tools

As the session concluded, a shared realization emerged among the panelists: scaling construction technology is more about altering industry values than discovering new tools. From Fatovic's call to reward quality and certainty over the lowest cost, to Sleiman's focus on collaboration and standardized tech stacks, and Osman's advocacy for regulatory leadership, the message was clear.

Industrializing construction at scale will require aligned incentives, disciplined processes, and leadership prepared to rethink how success is measured. The technology, the panelists agreed, is already in place, waiting for the industry to catch up.

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