AECOM’s Design, Planning and Economics studio has appointed Sanjay Tanwani as director and lead of the Abu Dhabi Studio. Tanwani will be responsible for strengthening the Design, Planning and Economics, and AECOM team more widely to expand their presence and meet the growing scale of masterplanning and city-scale work in the Middle East and Africa.

Tanwani joins AECOM from Atkins-UK where he led their international portfolio featuring award-winning masterplanning projects. Tanwani’s extensive knowledge and wide range of expertise will help build strong, high-level relationships with clients ranging from developers and private equity venture capitalists to Sovereign Wealth Funds, to drive business growth across the region.

A master planner by profession, Tanwani brings over 15 years’ experience in delivering large, complex development projects across Africa, South America, Asia, and Europe. In addition, he has a deep understanding of the social, cultural, financial and environmental design elements sought by clients, which will not only provide further opportunities for AECOM to secure more work across the Middle East and beyond, but also enable the company to collaborate more with its multidisciplinary teams across the region.

Janus Rostock, Vice President, Design, Planning and Economics, Middle East & Africa, said: “Building strong relationships with clients and other key stakeholders is an essential aspect to delivering successful projects, driving business growth and creating new opportunities that will enable AECOM to be part of a legacy. With Sanjay’s extensive knowledge and expertise within the sector, we look forward to seeing the positive impact he will make whilst further expanding AECOM’s presence across the Middle East.”

Commenting on his appointment, Tanwani added: “I am thrilled to join the fantastic team at AECOM and look forward to bringing a new level of innovation and design excellence to the firm. Working with a range of multidisciplinary experts, together we will no doubt put AECOM at the forefront of regional urban development and infrastructure projects.”