Prior + Partners welcomes Amer Mneimneh who joins us as the Regional Managing Director for the Middle East and North Africa.
Amer, who will be based in the Middle East, brings 24 of years’ experience as an Architect, Strategic Planner and Urban Development Specialist. Effective from 1st of September 2024, his role is to lead our practice’s next phase of growth as well as enhance client satisfaction and industry leadership throughout the MENA region.
The appointment reflects Prior + Partners continued commitment and investment towards servicing our projects and clients across the region, as well as fostering local talent development. It also coincides with our recent King’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade, an honour which acknowledges our growing portfolio of work across the globe. This includes the masterplan and economic strategy for a major large-scale industrial site in Abu Dhabi, along with urban growth and regeneration schemes across the wider region including for the Royal Commission of AlUla in the articulation and implementation of their strategic vision, regional development framework, and detailed masterplans. This commission was recently recognised by UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds in his statement to Arab News on the UK’s economic growth plans and its relationship to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Prior to joining our team, Amer secured numerous achievements and awards, and held key leadership roles including a decade as Vice President of the Urbanism and Planning team and the Operations Lead for both the Urbanism and Planning and the Architecture practice lines at AECOM ME, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He also previously worked for EDAW, where Jason Prior, the CEO of Prior + Partners, was previously Chief Executive, before he too joined AECOM as their Global Lead and Chief Executive of Buildings and Places.
Jason comments: “With a career focused on understanding socioeconomics and delivering multi-disciplinary development plans across Europe, Middle East and North Africa, Amer understands what truly drives cities and communities to grow successfully and sustainably – this aligns perfectly with the founding purpose of Prior + Partners, which was set up in 2017.’’
Prior + Partners’ portfolio of work in the MENA region will be bolstered through Amer’s international experience and understanding of local cultures which has seen him successfully deliver a variety of urban planning and design projects. This included national housing masterplans, entertainment clusters, transit oriented developments, residential communities, urban regeneration, airport cities as well as cities, metropolitan and regional plan projects. Amer is also characterized by his advisory, people management, capacity building and operations skills.
Amer comments: “I am thrilled to lead Prior + Partner’s continued growth in the MENA region, and we are eager to harness and contribute to its growing cultural landscape.”
He adds ‘‘Since my initial collaboration with Jason on transformative global projects at EDAW in 2007, which marked the beginning of a career-defining journey, our professional synergy seamlessly extended into our subsequent tenure at AECOM. This partnership culminated in the successful design and execution of the prestigious Dubai Expo 2020 Master Plan. Given the depth of our shared experience, it now seems both natural and imperative that we reunite—not merely to serve clients and deliver outstanding projects, but also to lay the foundation for regional growth, fostering a purposeful and impactful practice.’’
In carrying out his role, Amer will also work closely alongside co-Managing Directors Graham Goymour and Elise Baudon, who will continue to oversee the practices presence in the UK and other countries across the globe.
