Photo used for illustrative purposes.

Globally, the construction industry enjoys unique prominence due to its impact on socioeconomic development. Its role in the economic growth of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in recent decades has been monumental.

The UAE has taken a leadership role in the Middle East region with the government sector leading the charge in technology adoption.

Dubai has largely been responsible for changing the mindset when it comes to adopting new technologies. Concurrently, however, construction has been grappling with challenges such as cost overruns, excessive resource consumption, and a high carbon footprint. Such deep-rooted issues are now finding solutions, thanks to the emergence of technologies such as IoT and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in construction.

Construction technologies, commonly known as ConTech, specialise in unlocking higher efficiencies in existing processes by digitalising them. That endeavour often harnesses common-data environments and advanced analytics to optimise construction processes. In GCC, trailblazing startups like Zepth are further revolutionising the common-data environments in construction by leveraging AI.

Dr Ahmed Abdul Rahman AlBanna.

Zepth recently welcomed Dr Ahmed Abdul Rahman AlBanna, a seasoned UAE bureaucrat and business strategist, to its advisory board.

“Dr AlBanna’s reputation precedes him. He boasts a stellar track record of value creation in public and private sectors, bringing a unique combination of expertise and experience that will benefit Zepth tremendously as it gears up for funding and expansion. Dr AlBanna’s intersectional approach to business, in particular, will help Zepth position its product competitively in the market while staying rooted in its purpose of driving innovation-led sustainability and growth in the construction industry. We are excited to have him on board,” Prasoon Shrivastava, CEO and founder of Zepth, said.

Former UAE Ambassador to India, Dr AlBanna is renowned for his diplomatic achievements and continued contributions to the country’s business ecosystem as a board member of leading professional associations and innovative tech startups like Zepth. Early in his career, he successfully led important teams and departments in the Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Dubai Quality Group, and Dubai Rent Committee. Subsequently, as a diplomat in the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr AlBanna played an integral role in strengthening bilateral relations, particularly with India.

“The decision to join Zepth’s advisory board was rooted in the prospect of exploring new frontiers in construction — an industry I believe can supercharge UAE’s growth. Zepth’s recent AI adoption to induce human-level intelligence in its platform has great implications for people and processes across a project life cycle. I share the Zepth team’s enthusiasm for AI application in construction and all the remarkable outcomes it promises for workers, engineers, real estate owners, and, most importantly, the future occupants,” commented  Dr Ahmed Abdul Rahman AlBanna.