Long International, a leader in construction claims and project management consulting in the oil and gas and petroleum refining markets, has opened its regional offices in the UAE and Qatar.

In the UAE, the US firm has partnered with Project Management Engineering Systems (Promis), one of the foremost construction project management consulting companies in the Middle East.

The Long International office in Dubai will be managed by Dr Jamal F. AlBahar, a registered arbitrator in Dubai and Kuwait, said Richard J. Long, PE, founder and chief executive officer, and Andrew Avalon, PE, president.

Dr AlBahar was a professor at Kuwait University, where he taught project management, contracts and specifications, construction management, construction methods, surveying, legal, social and ethical aspects of engineering, they explained.

In his role as managing director, Dr AlBahar will have an outreach into the rest of the GCC countries from his Dubai office.

In Qatar, the company will be managed by Jeffrey D. Perry. He has more than 35 years of US and international construction experience including 14 years as a senior forensic scheduler and project planner, and provider of baseline and recovery schedules.

He has provided services to clients consisting of governments, owners, and contractors in 21 countries, said Long and Avalon.

Prior to his consulting career, Perry gained 21 years of experience as a heavy construction carpenter/foreman, project superintendent, construction engineer, construction manager, project manager, and director of special projects.

'As a recognized leader in construction claims and project management consulting in the oil & gas, petroleum refining, and petrochemical markets, establishing a solid presence in the Middle East has long been our goal which has now been achieved,' said Long.

'With two offices now in the UAE and Qatar, our strong on-the-ground presence will afford us even more opportunities to meet the growing challenges of our Middle East clients,' he added.-TradeArabia News Service