Sustainability Leader of the Year

Eng. Ahmad is Section Manager - Technical Services Section, General Maintenance Department at Dubai Municipality. He holds a Master’s degree in Architecture and has extensive experience in managing and executing diverse construction and infrastructure projects.

A dedicated sustainable leader, he is committed to integrating eco-friendly and energy-efficient solutions into project development. Skilled in overseeing all phases of construction, from design to execution, he has a strong focus on quality, innovation, and sustainability.

Currently Ahmad is working on a variety of projects, including building construction, land levelling, solar energy installations, and building retrofit initiatives. He possesses strong leadership, problem-solving, and project management skills, ensuring successful project completion within timelines and budgets. Ahmad is passionate about advancing sustainable and resilient infrastructure for a greener future.

As Environmental and Sustainability Executive Director at King Salman Park Foundation, Ana leads the comprehensive sustainability efforts for one of the world’s largest urban parks, focusing on biodiversity restoration, cultural enrichment, and community engagement.

Ana Hudson has been a driving force behind the adoption of sustainable standards in the Middle East since 2008. With a background in architecture, urban, and environmental planning, Ana has consistently exceeded sustainability expectations, leading initiatives such as the Middle East's early green building regulations and the first LEED for Cities Platinum certification in Saudi Arabia. Her pioneering work set new benchmarks in sustainability frameworks, ESG integration, and environmental performance.

Her leadership is instrumental in advancing Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 through innovative environmental strategies and ESG principles. Ana's collaborative approach, coupled with her extensive experience across KSA, UAE, USA, and Brazil, has made her an inspiring role model and thought leader in sustainability.

Her contributions to green building standards, energy and carbon management, and sustainable development frameworks underscore her profound impact on the region's built and natural environment, highlighting her as an inspirational leader whose vision, dedication, and collaborative spirit continue to shape the future of sustainable development in the region.

Junaid Abdussalam is a distinguished sustainability professional, Environment and Energy Lead Auditor, Certified Professional in Lifecycle Assessment of the Built Environment, and Certified Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Analyst. With over 15 years of expertise in the built environment, asset lifecycle management, and environmental sustainability, he is a recognised thought leader in driving climate resilience, energy efficiency, and circular economy principles within urban infrastructure and operations.

Leveraging his GHG expertise, Junaid has played a pivotal role in integrating carbon accounting, emissions reduction strategies, and sustainability reporting frameworks into asset and infrastructure management. As a key architect of the Sustainability Excellence Framework, he has aligned operations with ISO 37120 for data transparency, the GHG Protocol for carbon reduction, and Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards, embedding lifecycle thinking and environmental accountability across urban infrastructure.

With his auditing and lifecycle assessment proficiency, Junaid provides a strong foundation for GHG quantification, energy optimisation, and sustainable resource utilisation. Through data-driven, ESG-compliant methodologies, he has enabled organisations to enhance asset performance, mitigate climate impacts, and drive resource efficiency.

Junaid’s commitment to environmental governance, social responsibility, and operational excellence is transforming urban and built environment operations into efficient, low-carbon, and resilient ecosystems, ensuring lasting benefits for communities, businesses, and infrastructure sustainability.

Kamal Farah, a visionary leader in sustainable construction materials, has been instrumental in pioneering sustainability principles through innovation and strategic execution.

With a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering and two decades of expertise in design, build, and sustainability, he led the development of the UAE’s first carbon-negative sustainable board PSB®. His commitment to circular economy principles and decarbonisation has positioned DesertBoard as a leader in decarbonising the built environment.

Under his leadership, DesertBoard launched the region’s most sustainable building material – Palm Strand Board (PSB®), manufactured from annually regenerated palm frond biomass, which would otherwise end up in landfills or be incinerated—releasing harmful CO2 or methane into the atmosphere.

Beyond product innovation, his leadership fosters a sustainability-driven corporate culture while securing industry certifications, marking a lasting impact on the built environment.

A visionary leader in ESG and sustainable development, Karim Elnabawy has been at the forefront of driving ESG strategies, green building excellence, and climate resilience across the Middle East’s most ambitious mega and giga projects.

With a track record of leading ESG initiatives, sustainability certification assurance, and net-zero strategies for iconic developments like Diriyah Gate, Qiddiya, SEVEN, ROSHN, and The Red Sea Global. Karim has played a pivotal role in transforming high-level sustainability visions into measurable, impactful realities that align with international best practices.

Beyond project development, Karim is a global sustainability educator, mentor, and advocate. As a USGBC Faculty since 2017, he has trained over 12,000 professionals across 135+ countries, democratising sustainability knowledge through best-selling online courses, in-depth workshops, personal mentorship, and public speaking.

His leadership extends to corporate sustainability and ESG governance, where he spearheads ESG frameworks, materiality assessments, and sustainability performance tracking for large-scale developments.

Recognised for his expertise and dedication, Karim was awarded Engineer of the Year 2024 and Mentor of the Year 2024. He also received a Gold Award for Individual Contributions to Sustainability and was shortlisted for Sustainability Leader of the Year, reinforcing his impact on a climate-resilient, resource-efficient, and ESG-driven built environment.

Since 2016, Nazly Asadollahpour, Vice President of Sustainability at Majid Al Futtaim, has embedded sustainability into every facet of the company’s operations, starting with Majid Al Futtaim’s real estate business.

Nazly drove the Sustainable Building Policy which mandates minimum LEED Gold, Estidama 3 Pearl, or BREEAM Very Good certifications and 25% on-site renewable energy for new projects. Under her guidance, the region’s first net positive mosque opened at Tilal Al Ghaf, generating 115% of its energy needs. She also championed embodied carbon assessments, targeting a 20% reduction against baselines.

Her inclusive leadership style empowers cross-functional teams to adopt innovations like modular, reusable buildings while achieving high construction waste diversion rates (up to 96%). Her strategic foresight secured US$4.95bn in green financing, cementing sustainability as an ethical imperative and a proven business advantage.

Nazly drove embedding ESG targets into executives’ annual KPIs, ensuring executive accountability by tying ESG outcomes to performance metrics.

In 2024, Majid Al Futtaim achieved 95% of its sustainability targets under her stewardship and reached 27% women in leadership as part of its Sustainability-Linked Loan. Nazly’s focus on resource efficiency, robust policies, and holistic stakeholder engagement makes her a formidable candidate for the Sustainability Leader of the Year Award.

Zakria Osman serves as the Senior Manager of Digital Construction at El Seif Engineering Contracting, a prominent construction company in the Middle East. In this role, he leads the integration of digital technologies into construction processes, enhancing efficiency and sustainability. His leadership is marked by a commitment to innovation and the adoption of cutting-edge solutions that align with Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles.

Under Osman's guidance, El Seif Engineering Contracting has implemented advanced digital construction methodologies, such as Building Information Modelling (BIM) and other smart engineering practices. These initiatives have not only optimised project delivery but also minimised environmental impact by reducing waste and improving resource management. Osman's approach emphasises the importance of sustainable practices in the construction industry, reflecting a deep understanding of the sector's environmental responsibilities.

Beyond environmental considerations, Osman advocates for social responsibility within the organisation. He promotes a culture of continuous learning and development, ensuring that team members are equipped with the skills necessary to thrive in a digitally evolving industry. This focus on professional growth fosters an inclusive and dynamic workplace, contributing to the overall well-being of employees and the community.