Language
You can read the magazine in one of the following languages
9-min read
Bookmark now
Copy Link
There is something particularly special about a family-run business. They consistently go the extra mile – above and beyond – to ensure a thriving organization.
“It’s a key differentiator because when you’re the owner, you look at building the business for the long-term, for the next generations,” explains Maher Merehbi, CEO of Arabian Construction Company (ACC).
“It fosters a disciplined and thoughtful approach to building, grounded in clear values and well-defined objectives. It’s not just about next year’s results. We’re a second-generation, family-led business with over 59 years of history, and we think long-term.”
By nurturing talent and prioritizing staff retention, ACC has cultivated a culture that feels owner-managed across every department.
“We have a deep bench of 53 percent of senior managers who’ve been with us for 20 years plus, and they have the loyalty and the commitment that an actual owner has,” Merehbi says.
“They behave like owners, which gives us agility and a very dynamic structure. Decision-making is safe and quick, and the objectives are real.”
This mentality is not limited to the upper rungs of the business ladder either.
“This loyalty toward our team has given them a sense of commitment and a sense of ownership in the company,” he adds. “Our team feels this is their company. They are fully committed, and they grow, and you can see this every day.”
A leader in the construction sector, ACC has successfully delivered more than 420 landmark projects across the Middle East and Africa, including high-rise towers, luxury residential and hospitality projects, complex healthcare facilities and smart buildings, as well as critical national infrastructure in water and energy.
With a workforce of more than 21,000 in 13 offices, the company maintains a truly global presence while leveraging local expertise and knowledge.
Over the past few years, ACC has focused on expanding its geographical reach across Africa while simultaneously deepening its presence in Saudi Arabia and exploring new avenues for growth and improvement.
“We have an initiative that we call co-equity,” Merehbi reveals. “And in some of the projects where we see beneficial involvement with the clients, we actually participate in part of the equity. This has yielded tremendous results.
“The additional dimension that we’ve developed is that for certain projects, we secure export credit, which is also of great help to the projects and to our clients, and mitigates quite a bit of the risk that sometimes could exist on project payments.”
While technology is a fundamental component of business in 2026, Merehbi says that for ACC, it serves as a tool for performance enhancement rather than a passing buzzword.
“We’re always looking at any kind of advancement that improves performance,” he explains. “This is a principle ACC has upheld since its inception – consistently adapting and delivering through technological advancements of the past four decades.
“Obviously, now it’s moving a lot faster. We’re even experimenting with very interesting initiatives in AI, and that is an incredible field. So we are quite active, but only in the sense that it adds to performance. It’s not gimmicky.”
According to Merehbi, the company has also made considerable leaps in terms of project management and project controls, utilizing interactive internal platforms.
“Technology is allowing us to develop these kinds of platforms faster and more efficiently,” he points out.
“The data processing is tremendous, so feedback for our operation managers is extremely accurate and improves performance and decision-making.”
ACC is also carefully assessing where innovation can best be integrated across the organization.
“We have developed very strong engineering capabilities in a shared service type of setup where all our projects are supported,” Merehbi explains.
“Interaction with sites is now highly efficient, enabled by technology that facilitates continuous, real-time communication and immediate integration into our engineering processes.
“We can capture live data from projects – so imagine a project where you have 3,000 people deployed, and now, I know how active everyone is and which teams are coherently working together or dispersed.”
However, Merehbi recognizes that in spite of advancements from the perspective of new construction technologies, encompassing elements like 3D printing and robotics, these processes still have a long way to go to be considered a guaranteed, safe alternative to human intervention.
“They have not yet reached the level to be able to provide solutions for all projects,” he says. “So obviously, for the type of projects that we execute like high-rise buildings, it’s still under development.
“But we do have some ongoing initiatives where we are getting AI involved in actual construction activities that could result in an amazing outcome.”
As for how ACC will guarantee a future-ready approach, the company is exploring sustainability solutions that not only benefit their clients but also the industry.
“There are the mandatory implementations, established and required by standards, which our teams are fully versed in executing,” Merehbi says.
“You’ll see it in the water and energy management that is installed in these buildings, and this is something we’ve mastered and are currently executing.”
Then there are the initiatives that ACC seeks out voluntarily, from its own installations to the way the company manages its workforce.
“This is where we exert a lot of effort,” he confirms. “We’re doing a lot of research into what we think are some very high-potential solutions to improve the sustainability of the construction that we do.
“Technology expands what is possible, enabling us to explore more solutions with confidence and deliver them with precision.”
In recent years, the company has been actively involved in technically complex projects, such as the Alinma Bank headquarters in Riyadh, the Sheraton Taiba, Madinah and the iconic Six Senses tower in Dubai, showcasing its ever-increasing engineering excellence.
“I think with every project, we’re gaining experience and we’re gaining improved performance,” Merehbi notes. “The Six Senses is a 500-meter-plus tower in a highly constrained urban environment, requiring advanced technology and precise coordination to deliver.”
While the company remains mindful of the current regional environment, the region continues to see a strong pipeline of large-scale developments, and ACC is well positioned to support these projects through its technical expertise and track record.
“Current expectations and projections in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Saudi Arabia remain strong and ambitious,” Merehbi enthuses.
“We are building further capacity in Saudi Arabia while still being very selective. There are so many projects, but we are associating with reputable clients and we’re strengthening our presence in these markets in a very healthy way.”
Reputation is the driving force that ensures the organization is not only excelling in its field, but also continuing to build its ever-expanding client network.
“If you want to go back to basics, your brand is what you deliver,” he stresses.
“Our delivery has placed this brand name at that level of recognition or worthiness. I know of certain developers who when they sell units, tell them, ‘This is unit type A, this is built by ACC and this is built by someone else.’ And clients actually start recognizing that they prefer our units.
“Over 59 years of reliable delivery, we’ve built that brand in construction and users now recognize this. So we’ll just keep on delivering and honoring commitments.”
Indeed, this emphasis on integrity is a core value at the absolute heart of the company, which ultimately, Merehbi believes is what a “contractor can do best.”
“This is probably the biggest core value that we adopt and will not change. And this helps us deliver on our complex large-scale projects that have a multitude of challenges,” he says.
Merehbi believes success depends on a resilient supply chain. Spanning a diverse range of key industries and players, construction collaborations with Menasco Mechanical Contracting, Jangho Facade Middle East Construction, ARCO Group and IKK Group are integral, as are elevator and escalator company KONE Middle East, glass and metal provider Aluminium & Light Industries, interior solutions provider Depa Group and thermal and moisture protection experts AMC Protection.
“Every single one is critical,” he says. “Our core number one value is integrity. The way you deal with your counterparts is the way they deal with you.
“Over time, our integrity, ethical approach, and commitment to our supply chain have built strong and long-standing partnerships. So today, when everybody is competing, that relationship we’ve built with our suppliers, vendors and subcontractors gives us an edge over many others.”
At the same time, by identifying and supporting companies with strong potential, ACC helps strengthen the wider industry ecosystem.
“There is not only more affinity and alignment, but we’re also serving ourselves by building and strengthening a key player,” Merehbi continues.
“It really has to do with transparent communication. You need to align expectations and be very clear in what your intentions are, and you’ll find that the best ones will come to you.”
Hand in hand with this approach is how ACC heralds and actively supports people across the entire ecosystem from clients to staff, Merehbi adds.
“We really try to provide opportunities for our people to grow and to realize their potential,” he says. “This has been powerful in the past and is always maintained. We have great loyalty toward our people, and this has proven to be very rewarding for them and for us.
“Taking this further, this has allowed us to instill the owner-managed theories or practices within ACC.”
As for which markets offer long-term potential and untapped opportunities, Merehbi highlights several areas of growth, supported by government-led development initiatives and long-term planning frameworks.
“We continue to see a strong pipeline of development activity in both the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, driven by long-term national priorities,” he explains.
“When you have such dedicated commitment to develop, it makes it your first objective. Egypt has very good potential too. We’ve been present there since 1998 – it’s a great market. In certain sectors, we perform as if we are executing in the GCC.”
In addition, West Africa is a promising option for ACC to consolidate and expand further.
Merehbi advocates strongly for the power of continually bettering oneself, adding that any good CEO has their finger on the pulse.
“You always have to be improving. You have to stay connected, see what’s happening in the market, looking at innovations and see what others are delivering,” he says.
“Number two is experience. Wherever you’ve made a mistake, analyze. That really helps going forward.”
As for guaranteeing a successful business, it all comes down to “honoring your commitment,” Merehbi reflects.
“Whenever you undertake something, you have to be 100 percent sure to deliver – mitigate your risks, be very reasonable and control every aspect of the operations. Maintain end-to-end control over delivery,” he concludes.
RELATED ARTICLES 
SPOTLIGHTS ON LEADERS 
Home
Podcasts
Covers
Be Featured
Community
