Olfa Hamdi.

San Francisco

Olfa Hamdi is CEO of Concord Project Technologies Inc., a global software and research company developing and operating TCON™: an innovative proprietary people centered, big data powered platform for the management of global capital projects.

Olfa Hamdi is a recognized international researcher in the field of project management, independent consultant, founder of the Advanced Work Packaging Institute, co-founder of The Institute of Management and a tech entrepreneur in project management technology solutions. She holds a Master of Science in Capital Projects’ Management from The University of Texas at Austin, a Master of Science in Engineering from Ecole Centrale de Lille, and a graduate degree in Alternative Dispute Resolution for construction disputes from Texas School of Law. She is a fellow of the State Bar of Texas Construction Law section. Olfa has numerous publications in prestigious academic and professional journals as well as media outlets. Olfa speaks four languages and is a firm believer in the role of interdisciplinary research in driving capital projects effectiveness and project management knowledge sphere expansion.

CONTACT

olfahamdi@gmail.com

On Advanced Work Packaging (AWP) as a Capital Project Management System

For many years, construction mega projects have been managed with the same conventional ways. With the rise of cost of energy, the dropping oil prices, the new safety requirements and environmental regulations, it became obvious that adopting a new way of managing projects is needed.

Olfa Hamdi, along with an exclusive group of North American industry leaders (representing companies such as Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Suncor and more) came together to establish the foundation of a new project execution model called Advanced Work Packaging. Olfa Hamdi personally documented the benefits of this new concept, which are among others: increased capital cost effectiveness with project cost savings of 25% and more, delivery predictability and improved field safety performance and prevention of conflict/claims.

Advanced work packaging was first tested in Western Canada. Soon after that, Major U.S. and multinational Companies embraced it and started adopting it in executing their projects worldwide.

Olfa Hamdi’s thesis on Advanced Work Packaging, published by The University of Texas at Austin and the only academic reference currently available on the subject, established the foundation for this NEW project lifecycle execution model aiming to increase capital projects’ cost and schedule effectiveness along with improved construction field safety. This thesis, along with a three-volume book she co-authored along with industry leaders members of the Research joint venture RT272 between The Construction Industry Institute and The Construction Owners Association of Alberta, constitute the bible of the industry on Advanced Work Packaging.

Being Recognized for this Work

Olfa Hamdi was recognized by Silicon Valley SCORE for her

outstanding leadership she has displayed as CEO of Concord

Project Technologies. You can read the whole story of success

published by SCORE by clicking here.

WOMEN In Construction Summit

In August, I was selected as a speaker for the WIC International summit that had attendees come from all over Europe

Career Accomplishments and Trajectory

Present Key Roles

02/2017 - Present: Co-Founder & CEO, Concord Project Technologies Inc. (Palo Alto, CA - Paris, FR)

Co-founder of the first AWP technology and services start-up for the downstream sector
Inventor of the Project Predictability packageTM (PPP) and Predictability ThinkingTM for
project executives
Successfully piloted an Enterprise Predictability PackageTM on a $3B EPC Portfolio
Led the development of a multi-million dollar growth strategy for a capital project services
group
Trained over 280 engineers in AWP and capital project execution

2015 - Present: Executive Director, The AWP Institute (San Francisco, CA)

Led the AWP Institute to be followed by over three thousand capital project professionals implementing and/or interested in AWP across 40 countries.

Past Roles

2015 – 2016: Capital Projects Auditor, Independent (Washington D.C.)
2013 – 2016: Capital Projects Effectiveness Advisor, Independent Project Analysis Inc. (Global Role)
Led large and megaprojects risk audit engagements for Owner companies including: Sadara Petrochemical Complex JV | Alacer Gold Corporation | Sabic | Suncor | ExxonMobil, Shell (USA, NL and DL) | Cargill | Borealis | BP | DOW Chemical | Cytec | Honeywell | Saudi Aramco | Merck | Constellium | Flint Hill Resources | LyondellBassell |
Chevron | Tricoya.
2013: AWP Researcher, The Construction Industry Institute (Austin, TX – Alberta, CA)
Co-inventor of the Advanced Work Packaging methodology
2011: Construction Disputes Mediator, Texas Law School (Austin, TX)
Led the mediation of multi-party multi-million dollar construction related disputes in Travis County Texas
2015: Lecturer, 1 Session, Tunisia National Institute of Defense (IDN) (Tunis, TN)
2014 – 2015: Lecturer, 3 Sessions, Tunisia Military Staff College (Ecole d’Etat Major) (Tunis, TN)
2011: Field Engineer, Eiffage Construction (Paris, FR)

Education

Master of Science, Construction Engineering & Project Management, August 2013
The University of Texas at Austin, Cockrell School of Engineering
Thesis: “Advanced Work Packaging from Project Definition through Site Execution:
Driving Successful Implementation of WorkFace Planning”
Dispute Resolution Law Degree, April 2013
The University of Texas at Austin, Law School
Specialty: Investment Private-State Disputes Mediation & Arbitration
Research: The conflicting side of Building Information Modeling in the construction industry
Master of Science / Diplôme d’ingénieur, Multidisciplinary Curriculum, August 2012
École Centrale de Lille, Lille, France
Classes Préparatoires aux Grandes Ecoles d’Ingénieurs - CPGE, 2007-2009
Lycée Louis Le Grand, Paris, France

Books and Quarterly Publications

Co-author, Title 1: Advanced Work Packaging Volume I: Design through Workface Execution
Co-author, Title 2: Advanced Work Packaging Volume II: Implementation Guidance
Co-author, Title 3: Advanced Work Packaging Volume III: Implementation Case Studies and Expert Interviews
Author, Advanced Work Packaging (AWP): from project definition through site execution
Author and Executive Editor, “Predictable Capital Projects: fresh ideas for delivering capital
projects on-time and on-budget” June 2019
Author and Executive Editor, “Small is Beautiful: the small projects Issue ”, March 2019
Author and Executive Editor, “Advanced Work Packaging for small and large projects” Sept 2018
Author and Executive Editor, “Capital projects: The Front End Definition”, April 2018
Author and Executive Editor, “The Power of Integration”, December 2017
Author and Executive Editor, “Invest in People, First”, June 2017

Awards & Selected Academic Articles

Recipient, National Baccalaureate Scholarship, Tunisia, Lycee Pilote Bourguiba, 2007Recipient, National baccal
Recipient, State Bar of Texas Construction Law Section, Disputes Resolution Portfolio Program Fellowship for 2012 - 2013
Recipient, Tunisian Student of the Year in the U.S., Abu Kacem Chebbi Award, May 2012
Certified Professional Mediator, Tx. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code §154.052(a)
Hamdi O., Leite F., The Conflicting Side of Building Information Modeling Implementation in The Construction Industry, ASCE journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution (September 2013)
Hamdi O., Meeks S., Leite F. and O’Brien W., Advanced Work Packaging: Evidence for Successful Implementation in the Construction Industry, ASCE journal of management in engineering (June 2013)
Hamdi O. and Leite F., Greening Buildings: Integrating LEED to Energy LifeCycle Costing Analysis, CSCE, June 2011
Hamdi O. and Leite F., BIM and Lean interactions from the BIM capability Model perspective: a case study, IGLC 20, July 2012
Hamdi, O., Mapping the Value of Collaborating with Universities, IPA’s Quarterly (September 2014)

Selected Industry Articles

The Hidden Costs of Our Contracting Choices: Inside the Industry Contracting Strategies for Capital Projects
Projects In Emerging Markets Can Be As Competitive
Project Office Costs: The Right Mindset, IPA
Project Integration should be a separate line item. HERE’S WHY
Why Capital Project Executives Need A Predictability Mindset
Chaos In Capital Projects Is Bad For Business
Four steps to an Integrated Project Delivery System
Advanced Work Packaging: The Case for a Project Delivery System
The Impact of Advanced Work Packaging On Your Organization Chart
Advanced Work Packaging: Thinking with the End in Mind

Selected Industry Interviews

ConstructRR, Interview with Olfa Hamdi on AWP (link)
PMI Washington DC Podcast, Interview with Olfa Hamdi on Advanced Work Packaging (link)
Project Management World Journal, Interview with Olfa Hamdi, founder of the Advanced Work Packaging Institute (link)
Project Management Institute, Interview with Olfa Hamdi on Project Management Techniques (link)
The Western Canada Capital Projects Journal by Independent Project Analysis Inc. | Interview by Dean Findley, Senior Director of subscriptions at IPA on Workface planning and field productivity (link)
La revue « L'ingénieur », “Une Centralienne de Lille qui a su tracer son chemin à l'international” Interview by the Director of International Relations at Ecole Centrale de Lille

Selected Volunteer Roles

Founder, Najah Youth Development Workshop (Tunisia)
Founder of the Tunisian Citizen Day: Connecting Civil Society
Organizing Director of the 2013 and 2014 Tunisian American Day ceremonies
Co-chair, CII Knowledge Management Committee (Houston, TX)
Selection Committee Member (Austin, TX)
"Excellence in Graduate Research Award 2011 - 2012" selection committee of the University of Texas at Austin
Guest Editor and Columnist, The Daily Texan (Austin, TX) Member, held leadership positions:
Project Management Institute (PMI)
CII Next Generation Leaders Community of Practice
Construction Management Association of America (CMAA)
Association of International Petroleum Negotiators (AIPN)
Dispute Resolution Board Foundation (DRBF)
Reviewer, International Group for Lean Construction Conference - IGLC 20

If You Are...

a conference organizer for EPC projects, or your company is in need of training for AWP, contact me to key note or present for your organization today:

olfahamdi@gmail.com | Tel: +1-800-982-6609