AECOM’s Design, Planning and Economics studio has appointed Sanjay Tanwani as director and lead of the Abu Dhabi Studio.

According to a statement, he will be responsible for strengthening Design, Planning and Economics, and the AECOM team, in an effort to expand their presence and meet the growing scale of masterplanning and city-scale work in the Middle East and Africa.

“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,” said Janus Rostock, VP, Design, Planning and Economics, Middle East & Africa at AECOM.

Tanwani was previously at Atkins UK, where he led their international portfolio featuring masterplanning projects. AECOM states that his 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.

Speaking about his appointment, Tanwani remarked, “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.”