Sparrows Group has appointed Ali Hassan Al-Kharari as the company’s first Saudi Arabia general manager in response to growing business demand in the kingdom.
Al-Kharari brings more than 20 years’ oil and gas experience to Sparrows, most recently as commercial manager – special projects at McDermott International. He has also held several technical and senior roles at Schlumberger in the Middle East, including business development manager and regional proposal and estimating manager.
In the newly created position, Al-Kharari will be responsible for leading the strategic direction of the global specialist equipment and integrated engineering services provider in the kingdom. He will also further drive Sparrows’ global diversification into the onshore industrial sector with a key focus on petrochemical, mining, rail and food manufacturing markets.
Sparrows has been active in Saudi Arabia since 2016. Last year the business achieved a significant milestone by securing vendor approval status from Saudi Aramco, allowing the company to deliver its full portfolio of services to the operator. This includes drilling and lifting equipment examination and overhaul, specialist inspection, Dropped Objects Prevention Scheme (DROPS) surveys, mechanical handling and engineering support.
Stewart Mitchell, Chief Executive officer at Sparrows, said: “Ali Hassan Al-Kharari has an exceptional breadth of knowledge and network in the Saudi Arabian market and is a great addition to our growing team in the Kingdom.
“We are committed to the development and training of Saudi Arabian citizens in support of the In Kingdom Total Value Add (IKTVA) programme and this appointment further strengthens the local personnel support in our operations.
“We have made significant strides in Saudi Arabia in the last four years, gaining the key accreditations required to work with Saudi Aramco. While we continue to grow our business in the oil and gas sector, we also have a robust diversification strategy in motion and Ali is the perfect person to lead our efforts in the onshore industrial markets.”
Al-Kharari said: “Sparrows is a globally recognised business and I am excited to be working with the experienced leadership team and talented personnel within the business to progress its overarching plans for Saudi Arabia.
“The kingdom is a highly active market where crane, machinery and rotating equipment inspection and maintenance services are in high demand to ensure operations remain uninterrupted, safe and efficient. Sparrows has a wide range of specialist engineering services and reliable solutions to support this across both onshore and offshore markets.” - TradeArabia News Service