Our Work
Three projects that show how we work. Each was delivered by Neil Mowat before he founded Flow; the approach is the one Flow brings to every commission.
New Ahmadi Hospital, Kuwait Oil Company — USD 350 million
Delivered by Neil Mowat as Client Representative, WorleyParsons, 2012–2014.
Context. A 300-bed hospital, already under construction, with an outdated design and a 50-strong client-side team working as separate functions.
Problem. Hospital programmes in Kuwait at the time were suffering serious delay and overrun, and this one carried a backlog of unresolved variations and technical issues.
What we did. Rebuilt the project management team as one unit across site supervision, HSE, QA/QC, commercial, planning and design. Led the architectural and engineering re-design of room layouts, ELV and medical systems. Procured five medical equipment packages within the main contract — a quarter of contract value — rather than as a separate late procurement, the first time the approach was used in Kuwait.
Outcome. Cited by Kuwait’s then Minister of Health as the only major hospital project in the country proceeding without significant delay or cost overrun. More than 200 variations closed by negotiation. Seven million working hours without a lost-time injury.
Gateway, Dubai — USD 550 million
Delivered by Neil Mowat as Senior Project Manager, Atkins, 2005–2010.
Context. A LEED-designed development with a built-up area of more than 500,000 sq m: a 48-storey serviced apartment and hotel tower and two office towers of 47 and 58 storeys above a 14-storey podium containing 4,500 car parking spaces and a monorail depot and station.
Problem. Two clients, three interior design teams and more than thirty specialist sub-consultants, all needing to move at fast-track pace.
What we did. Broke the project into elements, gave each a dedicated sub-team, and ran one management team across the whole. Negotiated the consultancy agreement and a series of significant variations. Enabled fast-track piling.
Outcome. A design organisation averaging over 100 staff, peaking above 250, delivered to programme and budget, with USD 23 million of design fees managed profitably.
Raffles Hotel and Residences, Jeddah Corniche — USD 350 million
Delivered by Neil Mowat as Senior Project Director, Gemstone Real Estate Development, 2014–2015.
Context. A 162,000 sq m development: a five-star hotel, a 55-storey residential tower, six F&B outlets, ballroom, spa, 3,000 sq m of retail and 750 parking spaces.
Problem. A stalled scheme with a demoralised design team, a sceptical board, and a site with no reliable water supply and no sewerage.
What we did. Led a revenue-driven redesign of space planning, with genuine value engineering rather than cost-cutting. Integrated sewage and water treatment plants into the design. Built working relationships with the Jeddah authorities that improved the scheme’s interface with surrounding infrastructure.
Outcome. USD 35 million of additional project value, and a project the board approved to proceed.
Starting a project, or rescuing one?
If a project has not started and you want it set up so that it does not go wrong, or it has already gone wrong and needs an honest read, we would like to hear from you.