Shapoorji Pallonji in major Middle East and Africa expansion

Leading engineering and construction conglomerate Shapoorji Pallonji International has appointed a veteran urban designer and planner to its chief business development position in Dubai, as the company moves ahead with aggressive growth plans.

Steven Miller, who has been appointed Senior Vice President Business Development, has been tasked with the job of pursuing the firm's opportunities in the Middle East and Africa regions, as part of a growing worldwide practice.

Headquartered in Mumbai, Shapoorji Pallonji has an engineering and construction pedigree spanning almost 150 years and annual turnover of USD 2.5 billion, with a project portfolio covering multi-asset class developments in India, the UAE, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Iraq, Kuwait Libya, Nigeria, Ghana, Gambia, and Sri Lanka.

Miller has over 49 years experience in design management and construction administration for building and infrastructure, and is a recognised specialist in urban design, hotel planning and residential design.

Earlier, Miller served as Regional and Managing Director for acclaimed international architectural firms Kohn Pederson Fox, Perkins Eastman and FX Fowle, and for Dubai-headquartered Emaar Developers. He also founded his own consultancy - Planning and Design Consultants.

Shapoorji Pallonji & Co Ltd is one of India's oldest construction companies and has been operating in Oman for over 40 years, while Shapoorji Pallonji International is a new entity established in 2008 with a mandate to pursue opportunities in international markets and acquire a global footprint.

"Shapoorji Pallonji has an incredible legacy and reputation, and with so many exciting opportunities in Africa, the Middle East and Asia, my role is to identify those projects where we can combine my half century of expertise and the company's construction, as well as turnkey, capabilities to design and deliver award-winning developments from hospitality and healthcare to industrial, commercial real estate, airports and sports facilities," said Miller