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David Merritt, a Chartered Quantity Surveyor and Chartered Civil Engineering Surveyor with over 35 years’ experience of the construction industry has joined the Driver Group as a Quantum Expert.
Driver Group provides expert consultancy and advisory services in the field of claims and dispute resolution to the engineering and construction industries for over 40 years. The company has grown to over 500 members of staff, with offices across the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East.
The group’s experience support the effective and successful delivery and close-out of our clients’ projects worldwide, and bridges the gap between the construction, legal and financial sectors. The range of services offered across the Group provides support to the engineering and construction industries it serves, from start to finish.
Mark Wheeler Chief Executive Officer, while speaking on David’s appointment to the Group, said:“When the opportunity came along to talk to David about joining our team, I was very keen to ensure we went the extra mile to secure his services. He is extremely professional and very experienced, not only in delivery but in business management and strategy. David is highly respected by his industry peers and someone whose values entirely reflect ours. I am delighted to have David as part of the Driver Group team”
Based in Dubai, David has been engaged by contractors, private and public sector employers and various professional practices. David’s major sector experience includes buildings, infrastructure, marine and energy projects across Europe, Africa, the Far East and the Middle East where he has worked on many high-profile projects with values in excess of $5 billion.
David’s main area of technical expertise is in evaluating contractual claims, covering such subject matters as prolongation, disruption, acceleration, cost escalation, depreciation, head office overheads, and loss of profit claims.
His move to the Group was influenced by various elements including their rich heritage and pedigree in the construction claims and expert witness sector, the passion shown by Mark Wheeler, CEO, and the calibre of the Middle East team and the Group’s global practitioners.
On why he made the move to Driver Group, David commented:
“It was an easy decision really! When I met with Mark Wheeler, the Chief Executive Officer, and he set out his plans and vision for the Driver Group, I was on board straight away. Of course, I knew of Driver Group and their rich heritage and pedigree in the construction claims and expert witness sector, but it was Mark’s enthusiasm and commitment to the business that won me over. Driver is passionate about its people and its clients, and that resonates with me and they do not compromise on quality, which of course is very important. In short, Driver Group was a great fit for me. They are a world class business in a niche industry with some of the very best practitioners around. Driver Group has always had a very strong presence in the United Kingdom, but it is now firmly established and recognised as one of the leading commercial, claims and expert witness businesses in the world. The Diales Expert Witness brand is globally recognised as one of the very best so that was a big attraction. When you add into the mix an enviable list of blue-chip clients it was an easy decision.“
Phil Duggan, Head of Diales Middle East said:
“David is an excellent addition to our team in the Middle East. Not only does he provide us with another top quality expert to assist clients old and new, but he also brings a wealth of knowledge and experience that will no doubt prove invaluable to the development of all of our team.”
Other Driver Group service brands include Diales supply world-class, delay, quantum and technical experts for litigation, arbitration and for alternative dispute resolution; and Driver Trett which provides multi-disciplinary consultancy services to support effective delivery of clients’ projects. Its specialities include commercial and contract management, planning, programming and scheduling, and dispute resolution support services.
Courtesy; AETOS Wire