Dubai Internet City - DIC 1

• Crystal is a design-led landscape architect with 15 years of international experience across public realm, mixed-use, and hospitality projects in Asia, the United States, and Europe. Her work is rooted in place-making, with a focus on shaping culturally responsive and experience-driven environments through creative concept design, schematic development, and strong multidisciplinary coordination. She brings a balanced approach to design leadership, project management, and delivery, helping teams move complex projects forward with clarity and intent.
• She is particularly interested in how landscape can translate culture, nature, and everyday use into meaningful spatial experiences. Working across complex project environments, she brings an integrated approach to planting, spatial composition, and design narrative, while supporting team alignment, coordination, and design quality throughout the process. Known for her calm mindset, collaborative leadership, and strong organizational ability, she contributes to projects with both creative focus and commercial awareness.
• Outside of work: Urban sketching, traveling, exploring wine regions, and enjoying outdoor live music.

Superpower: Bringing calm clarity to complex projects through strong coordination, team alignment, and thoughtful design leadership.

• Carlos is a Registered Landscape Architect with over 18 years of international experience on an extensive range of project types, scales and locations.
• As an Associate Landscape Architect at ICON, Carlos leads and manages landscape projects and supervises a team of landscape architects, CAD, BIM Technicians and 3D visualizers to generate and deliver appropriate landscape solutions for clients and consultants.
• Outside of work, Carlos enjoys: photography; travelling; cinema.

Carlos’s superpower: : designs come to him as spaces, not drawings. By visualizing them mentally in 3D from the outset, he can quickly assess clarity, feasibility, and overall design quality.

• Yuang is a Landscape Architect with extensive international experience across Taiwan, the Americas, the Middle East, and China. Her work spans urban and landscape design, guided by a human-centered and sustainability-driven approach that bridges strategic thinking with thoughtful design solutions.
• In her role as Associate Landscape Architect at ICON, Yuang contributes to the development and delivery of projects across multiple scales, including master planning, mixed-use developments, transit hubs, municipal parks, public open spaces, streetscapes, and residential environments. She brings strong conceptual thinking and the ability to translate big-picture strategies into site-specific, practical design solutions.
• Yuang’s multidisciplinary background enables her to navigate complex urban contexts while ensuring that each project responds meaningfully to its environmental, cultural, and community needs.

• Marc is a landscape architecture professional with 13+ years of experience in landscape design and project management across the UAE, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. He designs with natural systems in mind and emphasizes user experience throughout the design process. With ICON since 2017, he brings strong design and technical expertise across a wide range of typologies including master planning, high-end residential, retail, hospitality, streetscapes, and public realm projects.
• He leads design teams from early concept through design development and construction documentation, and is experienced in project management, client management, and interdisciplinary coordination to deliver creative solutions aligned with project objectives and ICON’s sustainable landscape standards.
• Outside of work: Music, travelling, and good food.

Superpower: Breaking big challenges into small, actionable wins.

• Teena is a landscape architecture professional with 20+ years of experience delivering projects from concept through construction. Her portfolio spans the UAE and the wider Middle East, including residential and commercial developments, waterfront communities, hotels and resorts, public parks, corporate environments, and public realm projects.
• She views landscape as a connector between buildings and their surrounding spaces, shaping meaningful experiences and supporting wellbeing. As an Associate Landscape Architect, she contributes to design leadership, technical coordination, and project delivery, with a strong eye for detail and early constructability thinking that helps teams identify overlaps and resolve issues proactively.
• Outside of work: Travelling, sketching, exploring nature-inspired design ideas, and time with family and friends.

Superpower: Critical thinking, exceptional detailing, and constructability foresight.

• Owen is a senior landscape architect with 19+ years of experience in architectural and landscape design, drafting, and document management. As Resident Manager of ICON’s Manila office, he oversees administrative and operational functions that support the studio’s creative and technical teams.
• With a strong background in project coordination, he helps ensure Manila operations run with efficiency, precision, and a people-first approach. Owen is also active in his professional community, providing seminars, mentorship, and guidance to aspiring and emerging architects.
• Outside of work: Travelling and engaging in mentorship and professional development.

Superpower: Service-led operational insight that helps teams perform at their best.

• Nikhil is a landscape architecture professional with 17+ years of experience in landscape architecture, urban planning, and project management. He brings design, technical, and leadership expertise across the full lifecycle of residential, commercial, and mixed-use developments, including large-scale and complex master planning projects.
• At ICON, he leads multidisciplinary teams from concept through completion, overseeing design development, quality control, and technical review. He works closely with clients, consultants, and stakeholders to ensure integrated outcomes that stay aligned with project vision and design integrity.
• Outside of work: Casual photography, sculpting, gardening, exploring places, and collecting unique rocks

Superpower: Building clarity from chaos.

• Mohamed is a civil engineering professional with 32+ years of experience in site supervision and project management across landscape construction, infrastructure, and building projects. He has supported complex developments across their full lifecycle, including high-rise, commercial and residential buildings, pumping stations, workshops, and major external works.
• At ICON, he brings strong technical leadership across complete landscape works including trails with supporting infrastructure, roads and parking, water features, lighting, hardscape and softscape works, irrigation networks, stormwater and drainage systems, and sewer networks and rehabilitation.
• Outside of work: Outdoor activities, gym sessions, picnics, and spending time with family and friends.

Superpower: Calm, patient leadership that keeps teams organized and moving.

• Mazen is a Senior Resident Engineer with 24+ years of professional experience in construction management and project delivery. He has overseen large-scale developments including high-rise residential and commercial buildings, villa complexes, infrastructure works, and landscape projects for both government and private sector clients.
• He manages construction activities end to end, coordinating contractors and consultants, monitoring progress, and ensuring compliance with specifications and regulatory requirements to deliver safely, efficiently, and to a high standard of quality.
• Outside of work: Swimming, chess, gym workouts, travelling, and family time.

Superpower: Construction delivery leadership across contracts, quality, and programme control (including Primavera P6).

• Mansoor is a QHSE professional with 18+ years of experience across engineering, construction, and consultancy environments, specializing in implementing and improving integrated management systems.
• Since joining ICON in 2020, he has strengthened health, safety, and environmental practices across projects by building a proactive safety culture rooted in compliance, accountability, and continuous improvement. His work includes risk management, audits, KPI monitoring, stakeholder engagement, and the use of data-driven tools to improve safety outcomes across diverse project environments.
• Outside of work: Rock climbing, hiking, and camping.

Superpower: Turning compliance into practical, site-led safety solutions that stick.

• Ghadfrey is an Architectural Professional with over 20 years of experience in architectural and landscape design across UAE and Asia. His expertise spans all project phases—from concept design to detailed design, tender documentation, and site supervision—supported by a strong background in design management and multidisciplinary coordination.
• Ghadfrey specializes in creating context-driven landscapes that respond to climate, culture, and user experience. His work integrates ecological sensitivity, efficient construction management strategies, and resilient planting design suited to aid environments, while maintaining a strong aesthetic and functional vision. He is highly experienced in public realm design, large-scale masterplan developments, hospitality landscapes, residential communities, and urban streetscapes.
• With a practical, detail-oriented approach, Ghadfrey ensures that design intent is carried through to construction with precision. He has extensive knowledge of hardscape detailing, softscape specifications, irrigation systems, material selection, and construction methodologies. His ability to bridge design creativity with technical execution results in high-quality landscapes that are both visually compelling and buildable.
• Ghadfrey’s collaborative working style enables effective coordination with architects, engineers, and contractors, ensuring seamless project delivery and adherence to timelines, budgets, and quality standards. He is passionate about delivering landscapes that enhance human well-being, promote environmental responsibility, and create lasting value for communities.
• Outside of work, Ghadfrey enjoys: (watching Anime, doing aqua scaping on my home aquarium.)

Ghadfrey’s superpower: : ( My superpower is seeing potential where others see bare ground — turning soil into stories, pathways into experiences, and landscapes into legacies. Armed with blueprints instead of capes and plants instead of powers, I transform empty spaces into living, breathing environments. Saving the world… one landscape at a time. )

Ghadfrey has been involved in several major projects, including Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Qasar Al Wattan, Khalifa Mosque, Al Qusais Residential, Al Qala ID, Al Gurm Promenade, E25 Streetscape, Khalifa City Streetscape, TECOM Business Parks, Dubai Mall Grand Drive, Bellevue Mall, Bahrain Mall, and The Groove – Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi.

• Fin is a Chartered Landscape Architect with 20+ years of international experience across the UK, Asia, and the Middle East. With a strong interest in urban design and architecture, he brings a visionary yet practical approach to landscape projects across both public and private sectors.
• He has led multidisciplinary teams from planning and concept design through detailed development and site delivery, including establishing and directing an award-winning landscape studio in China. Fin has also collaborated with international practices and authorities on master planning, competition design, and complex landscape projects, and has been published and taught at the University of Ningbo.
• Outside of work: Many of the good things in life (consider adding a few specifics for consistency).

Superpower: Design leadership that stays buildable and grounded.

• Hussein is a Project Manager and Resident Engineer with 33+ years of international experience in landscape engineering, design coordination, and project delivery. With ICON since 2016, he brings hands-on expertise across complex, multi-disciplinary infrastructure and landscape projects, and has developed patented concepts related to advanced irrigation and vertical green systems.
• His strengths include project planning, cost and time control, quality assurance, contract administration, and site supervision. He leads major landscape works including paving, planting, irrigation systems, street lighting, water features, signage, and associated architectural elements, while ensuring compliance with contract requirements and authority standards.
• Outside of work: Early-morning running, fitness training, exploring landscape innovation, and keeping up with science and current affairs.

Superpower: Turning complex site constraints into controlled, high-quality delivery.

• Rahul is a professional designer with over 13 years of experience in the MENA region. He brings a comprehensive skill set spanning master planning, hospitality, cultural, educational, retail, and residential projects. 
• During his career, Rahul has contributed to many of Abu Dhabi’s high-profile projects, including the Qasr Al Hosn Masterplan, the Cultural Foundation Building, the Abu Dhabi World Trade Center, and the Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal. 
• As an Associate Director of Design at ICON, Rahul leads the Design Team in Abu Dhabi, driving innovative design solutions at our head office and optimizing project execution for streamlined site implementation across all of our sites. 
• Outside of work, Rahul’s hobbies include traveling, 3D printing, and architectural photography.

Rahul’s superpower is his contagious positivity and ability to brighten up any situation and project he takes part in. His ability to understand and connect with others fuels his collaborative spirit, making him a dedicated and ideal team player.

• Ameed is a distinguished Civil Engineer with over 25 years of expertise in landscape and infrastructure engineering. Holding a B.Sc. in Civil Engineering from An Najah National University, he has honed his skills working with leading international firms, managing and delivering large-scale projects to exacting standards.
• In his role as Director of Construction Management at ICON, Ameed combines strategic vision with a hands-on approach, ensuring the highest levels of quality, cost efficiency, and client satisfaction. His leadership is central to advancing our Construction Management sector, supporting ICON’s growth, and expanding our construction supervision and management services across the region.
• Ameed’s portfolio features prominent projects that underscore his commitment to elevating standards in infrastructure and landscape engineering.
• Outside of work, his hobbies include cycling, traveling and camping.

Ameed’s superpower lies in his mastery of dispute resolution, driving business growth, and his sharp commercial insight bringing a well-rounded expertise to every project he undertakes.

• Firas is an Environmental Engineering, Energy Conservation & Water Efficiency Professional with a double major PhD. in Environmental Engineering, Renewable Energy & Energy Conservation. With more than 20 years of experience in the engineering realm, Firas has practiced his expertise in Beirut, Dubai, Muscat, Riyadh, Dublin, Abidjan, Dakar, and Abu Dhabi.
• As Sustainability Specialist – Sr. Project Manager at ICON, he focuses on infrastructure planning, overseeing the UAE’s sustainability goals and visions. This also includes managing special infrastructure & sustainable contributions, planning open spaces, and spearheading the development and implementation of funding mechanisms for stakeholders and authorities. Additionally, he coordinates land use strategies & deforestation, ensuring the efficient delivery of the objectives.
• Firas is passionately dedicated to his efforts in advancing environmental engineering education, constantly conducting ongoing research in the realms of environmental sustainability, engineering energy, and sustainability goals.
• His hobbies include basketball, parasailing, chess and reading.

Firas’s superpower is his ability to find inner peace, decluttering and organizing his busy mind.

• Mhmd Jamal is an Irrigation Engineer with over 22 years of experience in infrastructure development, primarily related to irrigation network design. He specializes in irrigation design management, excelling in delivering master plans for CMP, DMP, and all design stages of numerous projects.
• He has worked on large-scale public irrigation design projects, as well as irrigation design for golf courses. His expertise includes hydraulic modeling, surge analysis (water hammer studies), mainline profiling (using Civil 3D), irrigation pump stations, and mechanical calculations (automation with PLC, SCADA).
• At ICON, Mhmd Jamal has gained extensive knowledge of irrigation sustainability principles, practices, and methodologies. He is familiar with relevant environmental regulations and proficient in utilizing artificial intelligence technologies and modern practices to ensure the utmost irrigation efficiency. He is passionate about learning and implementing new ways to reduce water consumption through updated irrigation systems, preserving soil from pesticide residues, reducing the use of inorganic fertilizers, and optimizing the use of landscape and agricultural areas.
• Beyond his professional career, he enjoys spending time at the gym and listening to classical symphonies.

Mhmd Jamal’s strength lies in his outstanding patience during stressful times.

• Dr. Lobna is an architect, urbanist, and expert in sustainable urbanism and community engagement with more than 25 years of experience. She is a professor of Architecture and Urban Design, holds a Ph.D. in “Governance of Urban Development with Stakeholder Involvement.” She has conducted research and published scientific articles on environment-behavior studies, place branding, and quality of life. She also published her first book, “A Model for Governance for Urban Development with Community Engagement”, in 2017. A member of international and national professional bodies: the UIA working group of “Community Architecture and Human Rights,” the Board of Directors of the Saudi Urban Society, Omran, in Riyadh, the Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA), the Asian Society for Behavioral Studies (AMRA), the Saudi Planners Association, and the Egyptian Architects Association. 
• At ICON, Dr. Lobna’s commitment to community engagement and sustainable design is evident through her role as an advisor of developing the National Strategy for Urban Transformation, an editor of Placemaking Guides and advisory board membership in the Journal of Public Spaces.  
• In her free time, she enjoys storytelling, kids stories, handcraft , and photography. 

Lobna’s strength is “leaving no one behind” –  Engaging people in shaping their cities and facilitating their happiness through creativity, research and design. 

• Sujith is a Landscape Professional with a masters in Horticulture and over 22 years of experience in leading the planning, design, construction, and supervision of complex landscaping projects in the Middle East. 
• Working at ICON since 2010, Sujiths vast knowledge of construction management & supervision encompasses hardscape, softscape, irrigation, water features and themed parks, swimming pools, wave/surf pools, landscape lighting, signage, way finding, and more. His expertise is also in GCC native and introduced adaptive flora, nursery design and construction. 
• His interests include learning and singing Indian classical and film music on different medias, travelling and sports. 

Sujith’s superpower is his vast knowledge and experience on GCC specific horticulture and plants. 

• Rommel has over 20 years of UAE Landscape Design experience, Licensed Architect in the Philippines, and Design & Graphics professional.
• As an Associate Landscape Architect at ICON since 2017, Rommel leads and manages landscape projects and supervises a team of landscape architects, CAD, BIM Technicians, 3D visualizers to generate and deliver appropriate landscape solutions for clients and consultants. 
• His favorite project at ICON that he takes great pride in is Biotopia – Being part of a team designing a massive-scale themed outdoor activity park that encompasses a wide range of activities, from hiking and cycling to farming, play, dining, and climbing, presents an exciting opportunity to create a dynamic and multifaceted recreational space.  
• In his free time he enjoys tech enthusiast, scuba diving, foodie.  

Rommel’s superpower is his ability to harmonize elements seamlessly, earning him the title of a “harmony whisperer”, and his adeptness as a techno-mage. 

• Gangadharan is a Management Professional holding MBA in Asset Management & International Finance and BA in Economics.
• He has over 27 years of experience in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) services sector in the field of Business Operations Management, Contract Administration and Project Cost Controlling.
• As the Head of Business Support Sector at ICON, his role is a key support to the Managing Director in achieving the Vision and Corporate Objectives for the Organization.  He plays an important role in driving the Organization forward by leading and managing all business support functions of the organization such as Finance, HR, IT and Systems whilst supporting other Sector Heads in looking at delivery of efficiencies and increasing income streams going forward.
• In his free time, Gangadharan like to follow current affairs and enjoy spending time with family.

Gangadharan’s superpower is his excellent problem-solving, critical thinking and effective communication skills.

• Thalia is a Landscape Architect from Greece holding a master’s degree from Sheffield University in the UK. She has over 20 years of experience in designing public and private projects of various typologies across Europe and the Middle East. Due to Thalia’s strong design skills and her high level of professionalism and agility, she has built strong relationships with the UAE’s government and real estate stakeholders.
• Thalia joined ICON more than 7 years ago and has significantly shaped the creative direction of the company, leading ICON’s design at all studios. She provides creative direction for most projects, supervises the teams’ design work and ensures quality for all ICON production.
• Her involvement as design director at ICON has helped the company to gain international recognition, earning several design and industry awards. At the same time, she is passionate about diversity and strongly engaged in women empowerment, promoting a share of women in ICON’s design team that is considerably higher than with most industry peers.
• Thalia’s favorite project at ICON is the Al Nahyan park, because this playground celebrates seamless play and sojourning experience for different visitors’ age groups and abilities.
• In her free time, she enjoys travelling, crafting and yoga.

Thalia’s superpower is Passion. She engages the hearts and minds of the people around her in an extraordinary way and makes them feel part of the ICON family and proud of what they do.

• Michael is a highly accomplished and Licensed French Landscape Architect, distinguished for his expertise in Urban Design, placemaking, and activation. With an impressive professional journey spanning over 20 years, his wealth of experience extends across diverse regions, including Europe, Asia, and Riyadh, KSA.
• Currently at the helm of the ICON Riyadh office, Michael not only leads but also adeptly manages a team of skilled landscape architects. His leadership extends beyond Riyadh, encompassing oversight of operations within the broader ICON Landscape studios situated in the UAE and the Philippines. Additionally, his multifaceted roles and responsibilities surpass leadership, encompassing various tasks such as business development, mentoring staff, proposal writing, marketing support, project management & resourcing within the studio.
• In addition to his professional pursuits, he finds fulfillment in exploring different cultures and expressing his creativity through writing.

Michael’s unique superpower lies in his exceptional ability for Visioning and Creativity.

• Brian is a Chartered Landscape Architect, with over 17 years of professional experience, of which the last 9 years have been based in the UAE. He specializes in large scale master planning, resort and community planning, public realm and hospitality design and has completed projects in over 20 countries.  He is experienced in all stages of the project life cycle, from bid preparation through to construction supervision.
• Brian leads the ICON Dubai office, and manages a team of landscape architects within the wider ICON Landscape studios in the UAE and Philippines.
• He believes in a design led approach, analysing the site to identify the genius loci and how to maximize the potential for development, both from a design and commercial perspective.  He has robust project management skills and business acumen, consistently delivering projects on time and on budget.  Additional roles and responsibilities include business development, proposal writing, marketing support, project management & resourcing within the studio, and mentoring staff.
• In his leisure time, he enjoys spending his time playing golf and badminton.

Brian’s superpower is his keen attention to detail.

• Samer is a Licensed Professional Engineer registered in New Brunswick, Canada, an MBA, and a Licensed Project Manager. He has more than 25 years experience in major infrastructure and landscaping developments involving sewerage networks, deep tunnel sewer, and micro-Tunnelling, irrigation networks, treatment plants, pumping stations, municipal water network master planning and detailed design.
• In the capacity of Projects Director at ICON, Samer is responsible for building and leading a team of project managers, overseeing finance, and ensuring project delivery requirements are achieved. He has designed and managed designs for hundreds of kilometers of pressurized and gravity pipelines with diameters of up to 3,100 millimeters using GIS-compatible software packages as well as utility services coordination, construction management, and support, contract management, and coordination with utility providers and authorities’ approvals and no-objection certificates (NOC).
• Outside of his professional life, he takes pleasure in traveling and sharing musical sing along moments with his family. He is very good at negotiation and problem solving.

Samer’s strength is his ability to problem solve within negotiations and think outside the box for solutions.

• Christoph was one of the first employees at ICON, joining the team in early 2007. He is a Landscape Architect & Urbanist from Germany with a multi-disciplinary understanding of the built environment that reaches far beyond the common landscape architectural aspects. With more than 20 years of experience, he gained valuable knowledge in pre-contract design, tendering and construction management, as well as post contract back-of-house operation & maintenance, and destination management.
• Over the past 12 years, he gained valuable experience on the client side with various government Organizations in Abu Dhabi as projects, contracts, operations, and program manager. Today at ICON, Christoph is responsible for growing the company’s existing services into new territories and developing new service offerings.
• His passion for efficiency and sustainability gained him several recognitions, including the research and innovation award from the UAE-Minister of Energy and Infrastructure.
• In his free time, he enjoys boating, playing golf, climbing mountains and other outdoor activities.

Christoph’s superpower is his ability to dream big, seeing opportunities at a wider scale for the company’s future development.

• Abdul Hameed has been a leading member of ICON since 2015, boasting an impressive academic background with an MSc in Water Resources from UAE University and an MBA from the prestigious London Business School. With an extensive professional journey spanning over 23 years, Abdul Hameed has honed his expertise in managing complex projects, driving business development, and excelling in strategic management.
• His impactful role at ICON has been instrumental in steering the company’s growth trajectory, leading to the establishment of four offices and the successful delivery of projects across the entire region. Abdul Hameed is distinguished by his robust technical knowledge and extensive experience in the seamless execution of landscape and urban infrastructure projects.
• Beyond his professional pursuits, he finds joy in cycling during his leisure time and is a fervent Madridista.

Abdul’s extraordinary strength lies in his remarkable talent for guiding and leading individuals as well as whole organizations to realize their full potential.