ABOUT MEINHARDT

Meinhardt Group is a leading engineering consulting firm specialising in civil and infrastructure, urban development and project management. The company originated in Australia in 1955 and set up its first overseas office in Singapore in 1973, where it is currently headquartered.

It has over 4,400 consultants in more than 40 offices across the world, with a special focus on Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Its projects range from airports to office buildings, malls and hotels.

Iconic projects it was involved in include Singapore's Marina Bay Financial Centre, Gardens by the Bay, KL Sentral, The River in Bangkok, Bank of China building in Hong Kong, and the Dubai Mall.

The privately-owned company has annual billings of US$20 billion (S$27.7 billion). It does not disclose profits.

ABOUT SHAHZAD

Omar Shahzad, 39, is group CEO of Meinhardt Group. Raised in Singapore, he went to secondary school in Warwick, UK, and later, Tufts University, US, where he earned a bachelor's degree in economics.

He started his career as a management trainee with Citibank before moving to the investment banking division of Lehman Brothers in 2005. Four years later, he took a sabbatical from Lehman to help his father, Dr S. Nasim, lead a management buyout of Meinhardt from its Australian owners.

Married to a homemaker, he is the father of boys aged eight and six, and a three-year-old girl.