
BEST PRACTICE REPRESENTATIVE 2019
THE PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW
Highlighting best practice
20 | BERKELEY ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS
meets those needs. The next steps
are project management support and
procurement services, and we assist
with the process all the way through to
commissioning and start-up.
Our work with the Department
for International Trade
We have been a long-term supporter
of the Department for International
Trade, continuously working with the
department since 2009, when we were
exporting to Kazakhstan and Nigeria.
We approached the department in
2009, seeking a business partner
in Saudi Arabia, and we have since
developed business with Saudi Aramco
and their refining and petrochemical
joint ventures. The DIT has regularly
supported us in an advisory context
to foster overseas growth, and we
have received a full range of services
from the team to help us export more
efficiently. This has included overseas
trade missions, UK-based masterclasses
and numerous networking
opportunities. Supported by DIT, we
secured a business partner in Saudi
Arabia aligned with the Two Kingdoms
Export Drive, and this allowed us to
meet with Riyadh’s commercial team.
As part of this process, the team
provided us with the potential partners
to establish and grow business with
Saudi Aramco. As a result of this
success, I was recognised in a UK trade
meeting hosted at 10 Downing Street
in 2013.
From these beginnings, the company is
now firmly established in Saudi Arabia
and delivers engineering services
and studies to Saudi Aramco and its
affiliates in the kingdom. This has been
achieved via long-form contracts which
underpin the company financially and
drive future growth and expansion.
The longstanding relationship between
us and the DIT provides a strategic
example of successfully supporting
a client in both established and
new markets. They have provided a
knowledgeable international trade
adviser to successfully liaise with
teams and colleagues worldwide
to provide cohesive and smooth-
runningrelationships.
Berkeley and DIT
meeting the Yasref
executive team in
Reading
We have been
a long-term
supporter of
the
Department for
International
Trade,
continuously
working with
them since
2009
“
“
21BERKELEY ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS |
CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING
The next step of the journey
In late 2018, we undertook the
next step of the journey, which
was twofold. The first was the
allocation of additional resources
in the commercial sector for our
headquarters in London. This was
supported by Andrew Brewer, an
industry professional and former
international trade adviser. Our
second focus was regional expansion
in Oman, where our office was
officially opened in March. The British
Ambassador joined me and our local
partners for the official opening. We
have since expanded into Jordan,
signing an agreement with a civil
engineering partner, and intend to
use this partnership to expand further
across the Middle East and into Iraq.
We are a long-term member of the
Arab British Chamber of Commerce
and a key supporter of this institution,
supporting networking events and
wider involvement across the region.
The challenges and opportunities
before us are as important as ever.
For example, because of Saudi
Aramco’s acquisition in its domestic
petrochemical sector, we have
seen continued growth in our core
business segment in the Middle East.
As the world moves to new uses of
hydrocarbons and by-products, we
will seek out environmentally friendly
solutions and agriproducts. These can
only be successfully developed through
collaboration and close relationships
with our clients.
As a business, the challenge before
us is to secure more long-term work
in key oil and gas-producing areas.
We are relooking at Nigeria and the
wider sub-Saharan oil and gas market,
and evaluating the North Sea, which,
despite the recent oil-price crash, is
re-emerging leaner and stronger. This
is a great source for collaboration,
introducing new technology which will
benefit the global market. It will also
help to deliver UK content globally and
will sustain our Reading hub for many
years to come.
We would also like to see further
support for businesses exporting
abroad, particularly increased access
to banks to deliver project finances.
This should be allied to improved
marketing for DIT work in the regions
and aligned with opportunities for
businesses to meet with policymakers
to share expertise and their experience
of operations on the ground.
Finally, after several years of growth,
we are restructuring the UK HQ to
become more visible and aligned with
our customers, governments and the
markets. A new holding structure will
be implemented in 2019 to simplify
our view of the operations and our
clients’ view of us. Organisational
simplification is the next opportunity
for the company. As Henry Longfellow
said: “In character, in manner, in style,
in all things, the supreme excellence
issimplicity.”
In character,
in manner, in
style, in all
things, the
supreme
excellence is
simplicity
“
“
We officially opened our
office in Oman with the
British ambassador in
March