Munawar Uppal is a financial expert who’s been serving as Chief Financial Officer at HBK Group since 2020. Prior to this role, he was Project Finance Manager at HBK from 2017 to 2020 when he played a key role in the prestigious Lusail Stadium project, one of the venues for the 2022 FIFA World Cup matches, including the final match. Munawar was also involved in various other projects with varied roles within HBK. Before relocating to Qatar, he gained extensive experience in Pakistan. In a recent interview with Qatar Tribune, Munawar shared insights about his work with the group.
Please tell us the history of HBK Group and how has been your overall experience working with HBK Group?
My journey has been excellent and memorable. The HBK Group Companies started with the establishment of HBK Contracting Company WLL by the late Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalid Al-Ahmed Al-Thani in 1970 to undertake civil construction projects in Qatar, thus making his contribution in the economic progress of the Country. HBK is widely recognised as the vanguard of the leading construction firms operating in Qatar. HBK’s continuous growth has taken place due to the vision and determination of HH Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and HH the Amir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, to provide the highest standards of living for the people of Qatar, thus making Qatar an example of sustained growth and stability.
How important is safety, environment, and quality control for your group?
Under the management of Sheikh Ali Bin Hamad Al-Thani, President of the Group, a great emphasis was laid on safety, environment, quality control, and timely completion of projects which made the Group consistently meet stringent engineering and architectural specifications, thus constantly ensuring high quality standards and achieving optimal level of clients’ satisfaction.
Can you share the details of the projects executed by HBK over the years?
HBK has executed many prestigious projects in Qatar, for various private and esteemed public clients, most particularly the QAF Military Medical Complex Committee, Armed Forces Works Eng Unit, Public Works Authority (Ashghal), Ministry of Interior, Kahramaa, Supreme Committee, Msheireb Properties, Katara, Qatar Rail, New Port Project Steering Committee, Qatar Foundation, Commercial Bank, Katara Hospitality, Qatar Olympic Committee, Qatar Energy, HMC, QAFCO, Jazeera, Al Aqaria, Aayan Real Estate, QIIB, Abu Dhabi Investment House, etc.
How was your group’s experience working for the projects related to FIFA World Cup 2022?
Working on the construction of stadiums for the FIFA 2022 World Cup was a remarkable and challenging experience for HBK group. The scale and visibility of the projects brought both immense responsibility and opportunities for growth. HBK’s involvement in constructing these world-class stadiums required meticulous planning and coordination. The high-profile nature of the project demanded excellence in every aspect of our work. One of the primary challenges was managing the tight deadlines while ensuring that all construction processes adhered to strict quality and safety standards. Despite many challenges, we successfully completed stadiums on schedule. Overall, HBK group’s work on the FIFA World Cup 2022 stadiums was a testament to its capability and dedication.
What is the size of HBK work force?
HBK has a well-organised and well-disciplined multinational work force of over 8,000 and owns a large fleet of construction plant, machinery and vehicles. The group is capable of undertaking any large infrastructure and services related civil engineering projects.
