14-15 October 2026
12 – 13 October 2026

2026

Fairmont Riyadh

Saudi Arabia

Register

Conference Commitee

IGIC 2026 TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Conference Chairman

Dr. Marwan Alzaylaie

Senior Manager – Geotechnical Engineering,
Dubai Development Authority

Co-Chairman

Hamzah M. B. Al-Hashemi

CEO & Technical Director, GeoStruXer; Adjunct Faculty
American University of Bahrain
Bahrain

Co-Chairman

Dr. Saeed Alzahrani

Assistant Professor
Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University
Saudi Arabia

Co-Chairman

Dr. Ahmed Stifi

Managing Director,
Acumen Consulting
Germany

Industry Advisor

Dr. Zaid Alajlan

Assistant Professor, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University Saudi Arabia
Industry Advisor

Chris Arnott

Middle East Business Development Director,
Keller Foundations Contracting LLC

ISSMGE Young committee Member

Ashe Cooper

Manager – Geotechnical and Contaminated Land Australia
Beca

ISSMGE Young committee Member

Judy Eid

Geotechnical Design Engineer
Sizewell C

Distinguished COMMITTEE

Distinguished Committee Member

Abdullah Al Shamrani

Chief Executive Officer Saudi Geological Survey
Distinguished Committee Member

Dr. Ahmed Mohammed Alnuaim

Director of Mining Licensing
Saudi Mining Services Company (ESNAD)
Saudi Arabia

Distinguished International Committee Member

Prof. Dr. Jie Han

Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering Department,
The University of Kansas
U.S.A

Distinguished International Committee Member

Prof. Deepankar Choudhury

Department of Civil Engineering,
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
India

Distinguished Committee Member

Ilias K Michalis

Senior Geotechnical and Tunnel Consultant
INFRA Design and Consulting Engineers CO / SALFO S.A

Dr. Marwan Alzaylaie

Senior Manager- Geotechnical, Dubai Development Authority, U.A.E. 
Conference Chair, IGIC 2026 Professor in Civil and Geotechnical Engineering

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Marwan Alzaylaie is a professor, geotechnical engineering leader, and innovation specialist with more than 24 years of professional experience spanning advanced geotechnical engineering, smart construction technologies, digital innovation, and higher education. He currently serves as Senior Manager – Geotechnical Engineering at the Dubai Development Authority, where he oversees complex geotechnical activities and contributes to the development of technical regulations, engineering review frameworks, and digital initiatives supporting major urban developments in Dubai.

Prof. Alzaylaie serves as Adjunct Faculty at Heriot-Watt University Dubai and Abu Dhabi University, Professor of Practice at ZIGURAT Global Institute of Technology in Barcelona and Visiting Professor at the University of Dubai. His academic and professional interests include soil–structure interaction, foundation engineering, digital geotechnics, smart construction, and the advancement of geotechnical engineering practice.

He earned his Dr.-Ing. in Civil and Geotechnical Engineering from Technische Universität Darmstadt, Germany, and holds B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Civil Engineering from the University of Sharjah. He has authored approximately 30 journal and conference publications and serves on the editorial boards of international and regional engineering journals.

Internationally, Prof. Alzaylaie member within the ISSMGE Board-level leadership as Chair of the ISSMGE Board-Level Committee on Global Professional Advancement and International Engagement. He is also a founding member and Vice President of DFI Middle East and is actively involved in the ISSMGE UAE Member Society and the Society of Engineers–UAE.

As Conference Chair of IGIC 2026, Prof. Alzaylaie is committed to strengthening collaboration among academia, industry, government, and international professional societies and advancing innovation, digital transformation, sustainability, and knowledge exchange in geotechnical engineering.

Hamzah M. B. Al-Hashemi

Ph.D. Candidate, LEED Green Associate

Mr. Hamzah M. B. Al-Hashemi holds an M.Sc. degree, is a Ph.D. candidate, and is a LEED Green Associate specializing in Geotechnical Design & Remote Sensing. Currently serving as the Regional Manager (GCC & MENA) at Geofem Ltd. in Cyprus, he also holds the positions of CEO & Technical Director at GeoStruXer in Bahrain and is the Founder of the Gulf Geotechnical Engineers – GGE Platform. His educational background includes a B.Sc. in Civil Engineering from the University of Khartoum (2012) in Sudan and an M.Sc. in Geotechnical Engineering from King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (2018) in Saudi Arabia, where he is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Geotechnical engineering. With over 11 years of professional experience in geotechnical design and field engineering spanning GCC, MENA, and Europe, Mr. Al-Hashemi has been involved in key projects such as the world’s largest Micropiled Post-Tensioned Rafts in Bahrain (2022), US Navy shoring projects in Bahrain, SA ARAMCO CSD Oil/Gas & Riyadh Metro G.I in Saudi Arabia, and the HS2 project in the UK, among others. His technical expertise includes Soil-Structure Interaction, remote sensing, climate change, geohazards, FEA (2D/3D, Plaxis), DEM, MPM, foundation and ground improvement techniques, CPRF & micropiled rafts, deep excavation shoring, monitoring, programming (Python, VBA), BIM, AI and digital twinning. Beyond his technical skills, Mr. Al-Hashemi is a part-time/visiting lecturer, researcher, peer reviewer, poet, and author. His professional focus is dedicated to driving innovation and excellence in geotechnical engineering, contributing significantly to complex projects in the field.

Dr. Saeed Alzahrani

Assistant Professor, Geotechnical Engineering, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Saudi Arabia.

Dr. Saeed Alzahrani is an assistant professor in geotechnical engineering at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Saudi Arabia. Throughout his academic journey, Dr. Alzahrani has spearheaded numerous laboratory research projects focused on investigating the interface shear strength of diverse materials. His primary expertise lies in deep foundation engineering, with a specific emphasis on understanding the pile setup phenomenon and the behavior of driven piles. Currently, Dr. Alzahrani is actively involved in several ongoing research projects. His work encompasses a wide spectrum, including studies on soil improvement techniques, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in geotechnical engineering, and slope stability. He is a member of esteemed international and local civil and geotechnical organizations such as ASCE, Geo-Institute, ISSMGE, and DFI. Dr. Alzahrani is also a registered professional engineer with credentials from the Saudi Society of Engineers. Beyond his research pursuits, Dr. Alzahrani demonstrates a robust ability to foster connections with industry and government agencies at various levels.

Dr. Ahmed Stifi

Managing Director, Acumen Consulting, Germany

Dr. Ahmed Stifi graduated with a MSc in civil engineering from the Technical University of Darmstadt, one of Germany’s top universities. After 5 years of international work experience for CDM Smith, one of leading consulting company in USA, on large scale construction and infrastructure projects in Germany, UAE, and Saudi Arabia, in 2012 he became a research assistant and lecturer at the Institute for Technology and Management in Construction at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), where he also received his PhD degree with highest honors. In 2017 Ahmed joined Ingérop in Germany, the leading engineering company in France, in 2021 Ahmed joined fischer Consulting, the well-known German management consulting firm as senior management consultant, being a Management Consultant, Dr. Ahmed worked as an advisor for customers from AEC & infrastructure industries. In 2023, Dr. Ahmed founded Acumen Consulting company in Stuttgart with the core idea to offer Management and Engineering consultancy from one hand, aiming to add value to each project and client through a professional team and expertise in different fields around the world.

Recipient of various prestigious awards, Dr. Ahmed delivered a keynote speech in different sectors and published many papers. He is an active member of many engineering and international organizations, a member of the Association of German Engineers, a member of the German Lean Construction Institute and member of the FIDIC Integrity Management Committee in Switzerland.

Dr. Zaid Alajlan

Assistant Professor, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University Saudi Arabia

Dr. Zaid Alajlan holds a Ph.D. in Geotechnical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University and a Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Dayton, USA. His primary area of expertise is in geotechnical engineering, with a focus on soil improvement through bio-mediated methods and remote sensing techniques.
Currently, Dr. Alajlan is a faculty member at Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, where he teaches various courses in geotechnical engineering. He also serves as a reviewer for several prestigious journals, including those of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).
Dr. Alajlan has published numerous research papers in both journals and conferences. He has received several awards in recognition of his academic contributions, including Promising Graduate Student and Leadership Awards from Case Western Reserve University, as well as the Best Outstanding Event Award from the University of Dayton.
Additionally, Dr. Alajlan is proficient in a variety of software tools, including Plaxis, ArcGIS, InSAR and Python, which complement his research and teaching activities.

Chris Arnott

Middle East Business Development Director, Keller Foundations Contracting LLC

Chris Arnott is a geotechnical industry executive with over two decades of international experience spanning consultant, construction management, client, subcontractor and main contractor roles across the ground engineering sector. His career has been built with organisations of genuine industry pedigree including AECOM, AMEC, ADNOC, Fugro and Keller giving him a rounded, cross-industry view of how ground risk and subsurface intelligence shape project delivery from every side of the table. He has held executive P&L leadership positions, managing teams of 800+ across the UK, Middle East and India, and has won and delivered projects extending into East Africa, the Maldives, Japan, Taiwan and Brunei. Now Business Development Director at Keller, covering the Middle East, Chris combines deep technical grounding with a strong commercial and strategic focus, aligned with Keller’s purpose of building the foundations for a sustainable future as the world’s largest geotechnical specialist contractor.

Ashe Cooper

Manager – Geotechnical and Contaminated Land Australia, Beca

Ashe is a chartered professional engineer with a demonstrated history working in the management consulting industry and infrastructure space. Ashe’s experience ranges across all market sectors and he has worked across Australia, New Zealand and the pacific. He is currently the section manager for geotechnical and contaminated land services at Beca across Australia. Ashe is the past chair of the Young Members Presidential Group for the ISSMGE. Previous to this, Ashe was a committee member of the YMPG from 2018-2022.

Judy Eid’s

Geotechnical Design Engineer, Sizewell C

Judy Eid’s academic and professional journey has spanned three countries and has been recognised through two scholarships, including one that enabled her to pursue an MSc at Imperial College London, where she graduated with distinction.

She subsequently joined Tony Gee and Partners, progressing rapidly into key roles on complex geotechnical and temporary works projects. Her experience includes the Radlett jack-box push, where she contributed as both designer and site supervisor. She is currently seconded to the Sizewell C project, gaining further experience on one of the UK’s most significant infrastructure programmes.

Judy’s professional experience spans soil improvement for problematic soils in India, damage-risk assessment following the 2020 Beirut explosion, and research-led engineering practice. Alongside her technical work, she actively supports the future of the profession through the ISSMGE YMPG and BGA-ECG, helping strengthen global engagement and develop the next generation of geotechnical engineers.

Eng. Abdullah bin Muftir Al-Shamrani

Chief Executive Officer of the Saudi Geological Survey

Engineer Abdullah Al-Shamrani is the current Chief Executive Officer of the Saudi Geological Survey (SGS), a position he has held since November 2020, leading the organization in comprehensive geological surveys and resource exploration across Saudi Arabia.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from King Saud University, with over 32 years of professional experience at SABIC.
Progressed through several leadership positions within SABIC, chaired a number of its affiliate companies, and successfully led the merger of “Petrokemya” and “Sadaf” in 2019, resulting in the establishment of the world’s largest petrochemical complex.
He serves on the boards of the Saudi Geological Survey, the General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information, the Makkah Al-Mukarramah Regional Council, and the Tourism Development Council

Dr. Ahmed Mohammed Alnuaim

Senior Geotechnical Consultant, Saudi Mining Services Company (ESNAD)

Dr. Ahmed Alnuaim is a consultant for the Saudi Mining Service Company (ESNAD) which is part of the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources (Saudi Arabia) ecosystem; and is an Associate Professor at King Saud University. He previously worked as an advisor for the Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC), Riyadh Metro, and Riyadh municipality. He has over 18 years of experience in academia, engineering design and projects. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from King Saud University, a Master’s and a Ph.D. in Geotechnical Engineering from the University of Western Ontario in Canada. He has published more than 50 papers in scientific journals and international conferences.

Professor Jie Han, Ph.D., PE, F.ASCE

Roy A. Roberts (University) Distinguished Professor
at the University of Kansas, USA.

Dr. Jie Han is a Roy A. Roberts (University) Distinguished Professor in the Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering Department at the University of Kansas. He is the president of the ASCE Geo-Institute, the treasurer of the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS), the chair of the US Transportation Research Board (TRB) Transportation Earthworks committee, and the specialty chief editor of Frontiers of Built Environment. Prof. Han has gained extensive teaching, research, and industry experiences in geosynthetics, ground improvement, pile foundations, buried structures, and roadways. He is the sole author of the book entitled “Principles and Practice of Ground Improvement” and has published more than 450 peer-reviewed journal and conference papers. Prof. Han has been invited to give nearly 300 keynote/invited lectures and short courses around the world, including the State of the Practice Lecture at the 21st Annual George F. Sowers Symposium in Atlanta, Georgia in 2018, the 18th UK IGS Lecture in London in 2018, and the 3rd Robert M. Koerner Award Lecture in 2021. He has received numerous awards from the profession including but not limited to the 2014 the International Geosynthetics Society Award, the 2017 ASCE Martin S. Kapp Foundation Engineering Award, and the 2018 ASCE Kansas City Section Engineer of Year Award. Prof. Han was elected to the ASCE Fellow in 2014.

Prof. Deepankar Choudhury

F.ASCE, FNASc, FNAE, FASc, FIE; Chair Professor (HAG), Head – Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, India

Prof. Deepankar Choudhury, the T. Kant Chair Professor (HAG) and head of the Civil Engineering department at IIT Bombay, has made significant contributions to Geotechnical Engineering. He previously taught at IIT Kanpur and helped mentor new IITs in Gandhinagar and Dharwad. Prof. Choudhury has held visiting positions at prestigious institutions worldwide, including NUS Singapore, UoW Australia, UC Berkeley USA, and others.

Recognized for his academic excellence, he is a Fellow of India’s premier science and engineering academies and international bodies like the American Society of Civil Engineers and The World Academy of Sciences. He has received numerous awards, including the Prof. C. S. Desai Medal from IACMAG, USA, for his contributions to Geotechnical Engineering.

Prof. Choudhury is the Chief Editor of the Indian Geotechnical Journal and has served on several editorial boards. His research in Civil Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering and Sustainable Foundation Engineering is globally recognized. He has supervised 35 PhD theses and authored a textbook on ‘Foundation Systems for High-Rise Structures’ and over 310 technical publications.

Additionally, Prof. Choudhury has been involved in organizing major national examinations in India and contributes to shaping Civil Engineering education. He is currently the Chairman of the Disaster Resilience and Capacity Building Committee of the State Disaster Management Authority of Maharashtra and a member of the High-Rise Committee of BMC, contributing to disaster management and Geotechnical Engineering.

Ilias Michalis

Senior Geotechnical and Tunnel Consultant, INFRA Design and Consulting Engineers CO / SALFO S.A.

Ilias Michalis has a 31-year professional career in managing, consulting and participating in the design phases of major infrastructure projects such as: Deep Tunnel Sewerage System Phase 2 Project (Contract T07) in Singapore, Doha Metro of Qatar Various phases of Athens Metro, Egnatia Highway Project, as well as major Highway Concession Projects of Greece. Michalis completed his engineering studies in the National Technical University of Athens in 1988 and holds an MSc in Soil Mechanics and Engineering Seismology from the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine of London. Michalis during the period 1994 – 2011 had a very active participation in major geotechnical and tunnelling projects in Greece. Between 2012 – 2015 Michalis co- operated successfully with Deutsche Bahn International for the mega Project of Doha Metro. For the period 2015 – 2018, Michalis led the geotechnical and tunnelling design teams of Arcadis Middle East and Parsons Overseas Limited in Dubai. For the period 2018 – 2020, Michalis worked with Arcadis Singapore, at the position of Senior Technical / Project Director, leading the Detailed Design of the T0-7 Contract of the DTSS Phase 2 Project for Zublin. For the period August 2021 until December 2024, Michalis offered his consulting services to AVAX S.A (main Contractor of Line 4A of Athens Metro Project), having the responsibility of all the detailed designs of the Project’s Civil Works Since November 2023, Michalis is co-operating with the Greek Ministry of Infrastructure and Transportation, by offering his consulting services to geotechnical works and tunnels of many major motorway projects.