David McKenzie left contractor earlier this year which has now completed rejig of division
Kier’s former head of its London and Southern region has begun work as an executive on part of Saudi Arabia $500bn Neom mega project.
David McKenzie left Kier earlier this year after two years in the role, having arrived from Aecom in February 2021.
McKenzie, who has worked extensively in the Middle East with both Aecom and before that Lendlease, has now joined as an executive director at Neom’s Trojena project and began work there last month.
Neom is an urban area in the North-west of the country and includes multiple regions, a floating industrial complex, global trade hub and tourist resorts – including Trojena, which is planned to be the first sub-zero snow destination and outdoor ski resort in the Gulf.
Trojena is looking to have over 7,000 permanent residents and is hoping to attract more than 700,000 annual visitors by the end of the decade.
In August, the scheme’s head Philip Gullet, a former Gardiner & Theobald partner as well as a previous COO at Battersea Power Station, told Al Arabiya English the idea of a ski resort in the Gulf was not as far-fetched as it might first seem.
He said: “What is less-known about Trojena is that it experiences natural snowfall each year with sub-zero temperatures throughout the winter months. All of this supports Trojena as a winter sports destination.”
The ski hill at Trojena will be at an elevation of approximately 2,400 metres above sea level, where temperatures range from -17 deg C s to 22 deg C. Artificial snow will also be used at the resort.
Under the plans, Trojena will have 36km of ski slopes, over 3,500 hotel rooms and serviced apartments, a 3,000 seat amphitheatre, over 100 indoor and outdoor activities and 42,000 sq m of retail and dining space.
Meanwhile, McKenzie’s former employer has completed the rejig of its London and South business which it has now split into two.
Kier had merged the two businesses into one under the leadership of its former construction boss Liam Cummins, who left earlier this year to take up the top role at Italian cladding firm Permasteelisa.
But Togwell has had a rethink with the division being split into London and Southern. Cheryl Parsons is heading up the Southern region while Dave Rowsell, who was Morgan Sindall’s Northern Home Counties area director, has been confirmed as heading up the London business.
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