Handiss is an online platform that streamlines how construction projects large or small can hire the freelance engineers and architects they need.
The start-up, launched in Lebanon in 2015, has benefited from the venture building programme called The Nucleus, supported by The UK Lebanon Tech Hub (UKLTH) a joint initiative by the UK government and Banque du Liban, Lebanon's central bank.
The co-founder and chief executive of Handiss, Ramzi Jreidini, tells The National that finding skilled practitioners in construction can be a real headache and, unless you are an experienced firm with a ready pool of trusted practitioners you can always call on, every new build is a risky step into the unknown. Using Handliss, clients will no longer have to just rely on word-of-mouth to access the expert engineers and architects they need to deliver successful projects, he says.
Mr Jreidini says it was his own struggles that gave him the inspiration to create his company with co-founders Mark Khoury, its chief operating officer and Noureddine Korek, the chief technical officer.
"It came from my own personal need to find freelance work as a transportation engineer with a speciality in highway design," he says.
"I saw that there was no way for me to connect with the market and offer my services on projects without very aggressive networking efforts, so I saw an opportunity to create a platform for independent engineers and architects which challenges 'business as usual' in the construction market," Mr Jreidini says, adding that as consultants in this sector, engineers and architects have the potential to work on projects remotely across borders but with the current status-quo, it is nearly impossible to enter a new market or access a project in a different country without physically being there.
"Even in home markets, it is challenging enough to access projects. It is time for the industry to leverage the use of technology and get modernised. Engineering and architecture has always been an independent profession throughout history, and we aim to bring part of this status back," he notes.
Mr Jreidini says Handiss is the web platform that provides the thousands of companies in the construction, engineering and architecture sector with the means to effectively hire freelance engineers and architects.
"We leverage technology to create a marketplace for engineering consulting services that can be done remotely or locally, and the platform even facilitates payments between parties through an escrow payment system," he says.
In starting the company, Mr Jreidini says he invested his own money and time and also received backing from the Kafalat iSME programme and the UKLTH.
"We have spent over US$40,000 from personal finances, and that is not including the time and effort that was put in for no financial returns," he says.
"In addition to that, Handiss received a $15,000 grant from the Kafalat iSME programme, and a $50,000 investment from the UKLTH through The Nucleus programme. We expect to raise [more] funds soon and to break even towards the end of 2019."
The kafalat iSME Programme is a $30 million initiative funded by the government of Lebanon and the World Bank. It aims to encourage the equity investment market in order to increase early-stage investment finance for financially viable, new, and existing innovative firms in the region.
Mr Jreidini says one of the most important aspects of the Handiss model is that it is focused purely on its target industry.
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"Because Handiss is a platform that is catered specifically for the construction sector, this allows us to create features that are specific to the industry, such as the pricing units used in quotations, the categorisation of every niche in the industry, and other features.
"We even make sure that the freelancers on Handiss are capable of providing high-quality work through the means of a rigorous vetting process. One of the most important features that we are working on now is the team building feature, where engineers and architects can form teams on the platform to submit a comprehensive proposal for a project covering every requirement it needs all at once."
Mr Jreidini says the new feature will save clients time that would otherwise have been spent interviewing and building the team on their own, and it gives the freelancers more legitimacy by showing that they already work in teams, which is essential for every construction project.
The experience, Mr Jreidini had gained in the sector before launching Handiss, provided him with plenty of understanding of the problems faced in the industry. But that alone was not sufficient to actually get the firm off the ground, he says.
"I’ve been a civil engineer for nine years, and I’ve worked on several construction projects as a highway design consultant," he says. "My industry experience is essential for Handiss, but it is not enough on its own.
"After nearly 18 months working on Handiss, and after going through mentorship and support with the UK Lebanon Tech Hub’s The Nucleus accelerator, and with the expansion of the team to include other members who cover the knowledge and skills that I do not have personally, we now have a team that is highly capable of handling every aspect of the business.
"As for how we’ll make money, we have service fees charged on freelancers who win a job on Handiss, subscription fees, and our Handiss Pro services which help clients through the hiring process."
And the idea proved so attractive that the company received its first success before it came to market. "Our first sale happened when a client came to us before the product was ready to take on orders. We were still integrating payment gateway API’s [applications programming interfaces] when it happened, so we needed to handle the payment offline. The process nonetheless proceeded smoothly, and the client was able to hire a highly skilled engineer, on time, and on budget.
"Our sales are still going through smoothly, and since then we have improved the user experience and integrated new features," Mr Jreidini says.
Handiss is not merely a networking service, however. "Our platform is all about finding the right talent in the industry, and one of our goals is to help engineers and architects improve their skills by providing them with information they need and by partnering with institutions that aid them in their development."
And Mr Jreidini has high hopes for the future. "In five years, Handiss is going to be the leading platform when it comes to hiring freelance engineers and architects online. We are currently in the Lebanese market, but next year, we’re coming to the UAE as the first step in our expansion strategy. The GCC is next, and then the world.
"My co-founders are experienced and smart and we form a very strong team."
And should the firm be snapped up, he says he intends to stay hands-on.
"If Handiss gets sold today, I would like to remain in a leading role in the company…. the journey is beautiful, and I don’t think I or any of the others on our team are ready to give it up.
"I went from a civil engineer working on construction projects to an entrepreneur, and it has been quite a ride. This journey has shown me that there really are great opportunities in the world, even in the struggling country of Lebanon. Yes, I’m a big optimist ...we are making incredible progress. The market is small and the opportunities are scarce, and still Handiss is getting new projects every week and providing value to companies across the board ... and our community is growing everyday."
Company profile:
1. Name of company: Handiss
2. Founders: Ramzi Jreidini, chief executive, Mark Khoury, chief operating officer, Noureddine Korek, chief technical officer
3. Number of staff: 5
4. Investment stage: We are at our early stages, and we have so far worked with a pre-seed funding of approximately $70,000, and yes we are currently in talks with VC investors for our seed investment.
5. Latest turnover/profit/loss: Undisclosed
Stage 5 results
1 Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 3:48:53
2 Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) Astana Pro Team -
3 Adam Yates (GBR) Mitchelton-Scott -
4 David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 0:00:04
5 Ilnur Zakarin (RUS) CCC Team 0:00:07
General Classification:
1 Adam Yates (GBR) Mitchelton-Scott 20:35:04
2 Tadej Pogacar (SlO) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:01
3 Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) Astana Pro Team 0:01:33
4 David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 0:01:48
5 Rafał Majka (POL) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:02:11
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
2017%20RESULTS%3A%20FRENCH%20VOTERS%20IN%20UK
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFirst%20round%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EEmmanuel%20Macron%3A%2051.1%25%3Cbr%3EFrancois%20Fillon%3A%2024.2%25%3Cbr%3EJean-Luc%20Melenchon%3A%2011.8%25%3Cbr%3EBenoit%20Hamon%3A%207.0%25%3Cbr%3EMarine%20Le%20Pen%3A%202.9%25%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESecond%20round%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EEmmanuel%20Macron%3A%2095.1%25%3Cbr%3EMarine%20Le%20Pen%3A%204.9%25%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Results
United States beat UAE by three wickets
United States beat Scotland by 35 runs
UAE v Scotland – no result
United States beat UAE by 98 runs
Scotland beat United States by four wickets
Fixtures
Sunday, 10am, ICC Academy, Dubai - UAE v Scotland
Admission is free
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
Results
6.30pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 Group 1 (PA) US$100,000 (Dirt) 2,000m, Winner Bandar, Fernando Jara (jockey), Majed Al Jahouri (trainer).
7.05pm Meydan Classic Listed (TB) $175,000 (Turf) 1,600m, Winner Well Of Wisdom, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
7.40pm Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 2,000m, Winner Star Safari, Mickael Barzalona, Charlie Appleby.
8.15pm Handicap (TB) $135,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner Moqarrar, Fabrice Veron, Erwan Charpy.
8.50pm Nad Al Sheba Trophy Group 2 (TB) $300,000 (T) 2,810m, Winner Secret Advisor, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
9.25pm Curlin Stakes Listed (TB) $175,000 (D) 2,000m, Winner Parsimony, William Buick, Doug O’Neill.
10pm Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 2,000m, Winner Simsir, Ronan Whelan, Michael Halford.
10.35pm Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 1,400m, Winner Velorum, Mickael Barzalona, Charlie Appleby.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
If you go:
The flights: Etihad, Emirates, British Airways and Virgin all fly from the UAE to London from Dh2,700 return, including taxes
The tours: The Tour for Muggles usually runs several times a day, lasts about two-and-a-half hours and costs £14 (Dh67)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is on now at the Palace Theatre. Tickets need booking significantly in advance
Entrance to the Harry Potter exhibition at the House of MinaLima is free
The hotel: The grand, 1909-built Strand Palace Hotel is in a handy location near the Theatre District and several of the key Harry Potter filming and inspiration sites. The family rooms are spacious, with sofa beds that can accommodate children, and wooden shutters that keep out the light at night. Rooms cost from £170 (Dh808).
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Profile
Co-founders of the company: Vilhelm Hedberg and Ravi Bhusari
Launch year: In 2016 ekar launched and signed an agreement with Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. In January 2017 ekar launched in Dubai in a partnership with the RTA.
Number of employees: Over 50
Financing stage: Series B currently being finalised
Investors: Series A - Audacia Capital
Sector of operation: Transport
SERIES INFO
Cricket World Cup League Two
Nepal, Oman, United States tri-series
Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu
Fixtures
Wednesday February 5, Oman v Nepal
Thursday, February 6, Oman v United States
Saturday, February 8, United States v Nepal
Sunday, February 9, Oman v Nepal
Tuesday, February 11, Oman v United States
Wednesday, February 12, United States v Nepal
Table
The top three sides advance to the 2022 World Cup Qualifier.
The bottom four sides are relegated to the 2022 World Cup playoff
1 United States 8 6 2 0 0 12 0.412
2 Scotland 8 4 3 0 1 9 0.139
3 Namibia 7 4 3 0 0 8 0.008
4 Oman 6 4 2 0 0 8 -0.139
5 UAE 7 3 3 0 1 7 -0.004
6 Nepal 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7 PNG 8 0 8 0 0 0 -0.458
Bio
Age: 25
Town: Al Diqdaqah – Ras Al Khaimah
Education: Bachelors degree in mechanical engineering
Favourite colour: White
Favourite place in the UAE: Downtown Dubai
Favourite book: A Life in Administration by Ghazi Al Gosaibi.
First owned baking book: How to Be a Domestic Goddess by Nigella Lawson.
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
