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Our people are what turn concepts into creations and visions into values. Each member brings a unique contribution to the table, whether that’s the fresh perspective of a young designer, the benefit of experience or the practicality of a well-trained architect.
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Architecture is a collaborative art, and great buildings are never the work of one person.
Anna CarandangAssistant Architect
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Mahmoud IbrahimAssociate
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Mahmoud Ibrahim
Associate
Mahmoud joined Godwin Austen Johnson as a Senior Design Architect but was quickly promoted to the role of Associate in recognition of his ability to deliver projects, lead a team and interface with clients. He is a talented designer and a popular team member.
Hannah PatriciaAssistant Architect
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Hannah Patricia
Assistant Architect
Highly creative with a refreshing approach to design Hannah has rapidly become a valuable team member offering imaginative ideas and suggestions for the projects she works on. She is proficient in the use of a wide range of software including Autodesk 3Ds Max, Adobe Photoshop, V-Ray, Adobe After-Effects and Google Sketchup.
Elaine NettletonAssociate
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Elaine Nettleton
Associate
Elaine has a background in corporate communications and extensive PR and social media experience. Her primary role is to manage the reputation and ensure the firm stays top of mind in the public arena. She also manages the business development driving business growth for Godwin Austen Johnson
Andrew MilburnAssociate
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Andrew Milburn
Associate
Zimbabwean Andrew Milburn has been an integral part of the GAJ team having joined the company in 2004. Known as the godfather of BIM in the region Andrew has been championing the BIM cause for more than ten years and has delivered a number of informative talks on the subject at numerous BIM conferences worldwide.
Thaslina ParveenAssistant Architect
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Thaslina Parveen
Assistant Architect
With six years’ experience in architecture and interior design, Thaslina brings considerable expertise in a number of software applications, including AutoCAD, Sketchup, Lumion, to the team. She also has the capacity to transform creative concepts into workable standards in accordance with the client's specifications
Paulo NevesSenior Interior Designer
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Paulo Neves
Senior Interior Designer
Paulo’s ability to effectively manage a project on site has seen him oversee a number of high-profile developments since joining GAJ in 2017. As a senior interior designer Paulo is thorough, detailed and committed to keeping projects on track without compromising on safety or quality.
Alaa Abdelmohsen SayedExecutive Director
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Alaa Abdelmohsen Sayed
Executive Director
Joining the GAJ MEP team in 2017 Alaa has progressed his career from Resident Engineer, adding technical management, construction execution monitoring and contract administration to his growing skill set. He has a proven track record in delivering mixed-use developments, hospitality and educational projects on time and to specified standards
Acharya ManojAssociate
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Acharya Manoj
Associate
Manoj has more than fourteen years’ experience in the region joining GAJ as a junior architect in 2007. Able to switch roles effectively within the team, depending on the requirements of the project Manoj works on the different design stages through to production handling and specifications as well authority approvals and the tendering process.
Anjana RajanDocument Control Manager
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Anjana Rajan
Document Control Manager
With more than eighteen years’ experience and a successful track record in document management, Anjana is the senior document controller in GAJ. She has been with the firm since 2007 and is an admin level expert on Aconex Document Management System. Anjana is an experienced member of the team with extensive knowledge in design and construction documentation.
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Working with the diversity of teams has shown me that it is the capacity of your team that makes projects successful.
Beshar FekaikiAssociate
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Beshar Fekaiki
Associate
With a B. Sc. In Building & Construction Engineering and an HNC/2 in Civil Engineering Beshar’s technical knowledge is fully endorsed by his experience and management on site. His responsibilities are vast and varied but his key focus is to ensure the quality of the work and the efficiency of a project on site.
Brian JohnsonChairman
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Brian Johnson
Chairman
With more than 40 years of regional experience to his name, Brian’s influence on modern Middle Eastern architecture is undeniable. Recognised as one of the most distinguished architects in the region, Brian is credited with having set in motion a countrywide trend in the UAE to incorporate traditional Arabic and Islamic themes into modern architecture.
Avinash KumarExecutive Director
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Avinash Kumar
Executive Director
Avinash joined Godwin Austen Johnson as a senior architect in 2005 and continues to be involved in a wide range of projects across the different design teams. He holds a Bachelor of Architecture from the M.N.I.T Bhopal and a professional certificate in environment and sustainable design from CEPT, India, but his quest for knowledge has also earned him a diploma in Innovation and Design Thinking in association with MIT Sloan, Columbia through Emeritus.
Anne NacarAccounts Assistant
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Anne Nacar
Accounts Assistant
Anne is a key member of the finance team, handling billing
Senthil Kumar NagarajSenior Associate
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Senthil Kumar Nagaraj
Senior Associate
Senthil’s expansive knowledge of construction systems and techniques contributes to the thoughtful design process he applies to every project blending sustainable design practices with socially-driven solutions. He is a highly committed and capable designer with expertise in residential and commercial design and implementation.
Swati RokadeAssociate
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Swati Rokade
Associate
As an architect and a design development manager, Swati joined GAJ in 2014 as a Senior Architect. With her exceptional management skills and the ability to communicate technical recommendations to clients, stakeholders and her team, she is highly respected within the team as a capable pair of hands, particularly onsite where she leads large multi-national teams on diverse projects.
Joseph SamyAssociate Director
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Joseph Samy
Associate Director
Joseph joined Godwin Austen Johnson as a Senior Mechanical Engineer – MEP in 2017. In his current role he is responsible for the design of mechanical systems from conceptual through to detailed design. He has a vast knowledge of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems liaising with architects and the relevant authorities to ensure a coordinated output that adheres to stringent standards.
Ian MendozaAssociate
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Ian Mendoza
Associate
As an Associate with GAJ, Ian’s attention to detail and delivery of projects within a budget and timeframes has been impressive and his portfolio includes design and execution of a number of contemporary award-winning projects.
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Spending time on site, where time and cost are of paramount importance, I have learnt to balance my design aesthetics with practicality
Esraa AbdellahSenior Architect
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Esraa Abdellah
Senior Architect
Esraa joined Godwin Austen Johnson as an Architect and was promoted to Senior Architect as a result of her work ethic and skill set. As a graduate in art and design she has a natural feel for concept design with a passion for interior architecture.
Christine EspinosaAssociate Director
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Christine Espinosa
Associate Director
As an experienced designer and accomplished architect Christine is recognised as a young professional with a great sense of design awareness and the drive to succeed. She is a keen advocate of sustainable design and has attained the LEED Green Associate credential, which recognises her as a leader in this field and an active participant in the green building movement.
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As architects, we foresee what a blank space could be and then formulate and collaborate in parallel with creatively imagining the art of the possible
Karthikeyan GovindasamySenior Engineer
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Karthikeyan Govindasamy
Senior Engineer
Karthikeyan has been a loyal member of the GAJ team for over 14 years. Well qualified in his role he holds an international accreditation for fresh concrete and is a Dubai Municipality approved engineer. He has also completed an environmental, health, and safety course with the School of Engineering.
Rommel BuenaventuraSenior Architect
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Rommel Buenaventura
Senior Architect
Specialising in technical detailing for both vertical and horizontal projects Rommel a skilled designer with advanced knowledge of CAD and BIM applications and an in-depth knowledge of local and international building codes. He is a senior architect with 19 years’ experience in the region
Vijay GurusamySenior Electrical Engineer
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Vijay Gurusamy
Senior Electrical Engineer
Vijay Gurusamy is an electrical site engineer with over 15 years of experience in project supervision, installation, technical documentation, and authority. He is a certified safety professional earning the NEBOSH International General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety.
Sathish XavierSenior Engineer
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Sathish Xavier
Senior Engineer
A highly experienced site engineer, Sathish plays an important role in the day-to-day activities on site which include monitoring progress to ensure the project remains on track and troubleshooting where required. Within his role he is responsible for reviewing the construction documents for potential conflict with other engineering disciplines.
Manuel MoragaDirector
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Manuel Moraga
Director
Spanish national, Manuel joined GAJ in 2010 as a Senior Architect following 16 years of building his experience in his home country. He has been responsible for the design of residential buildings, master planning, shopping malls and several hotels in his home country and has been instrumental in the design of several hospitality projects in the Middle East and North Africa since joining GAJ.
Syed YousufshaSenior Mechanical Engineer
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Syed Yousufsha
Senior Mechanical Engineer
With greater pressure than ever to ensure projects are completed on time and within budget, Syed has a professional and comprehensive understanding of managing the mechanical design and construction process to meet the project vision, timescales and financial projections.
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The role of an architect goes beyond design, it is about the safety of structures and how it enhances people's way of living
Sherif AbdohSenior Associate
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Sherif Abdoh
Senior Associate
Sherif has been in the construction industry for more than 16 years and has worked with several major and internationally renowned engineering consultancies and contractors during his career. At GAJ his role involves managing project teams supervising activity on site and running coordination meetings. He is responsible for the preparation of technical documents for authority approval ensuring projects are completed to international standards.
Pankaj MulaySenior Architect
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Pankaj Mulay
Senior Architect
Pankaj joined GAJ in 2008 and has proven to be a valuable asset in technical detailed design and post contract work. His portfolio of work is varied and includes hospitality, residential, commercial and cultural projects, most recently Al Ula Tented Resort in KSA and the Citizens School in Dubai.
Jason BurnsideManaging Director
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Jason Burnside
Managing Director
A highly successful architect and respected leader, Jason specialises in the education sector and has led the design of many successful projects in the region. As managing director, he and his team deliver holistic projects that are highly functional, energy efficient and engaging.
Hrishikesh Pradhan Associate Director
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Hrishikesh Pradhan
Associate Director
An experienced architect Hrishikesh leads the schematic and detail design delivery up to tender and award for major projects. His primary responsibility is acting as the leading Executive Architect during the design development stages of projects as well as the day-to-day coordination of all disciplines.
Maricris SoquerataSenior Administrator
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Maricris Soquerata
Senior Administrator
The effectiveness of a company relies on the organisational skills of the administration team. Maricris works across the fee bids team, liaising with sub-consultants, and with the document control team. She also works closely with the HR team assisting them in policies and procedures, audits and providing general admin support.
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Mentoring others has greatly contributed to my growth and learning.
Pankti AdaniAssistant Architect
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Pankti Adani
Assistant Architect
From developing an interest infrastructure drawings and photography at the age of 16, Pankti has turned her passion into a career in architecture. Her role in the team covers the provision of design solutions from concept to schematic to detail design stage, sourcing and allocating product materials as per the design brief.
P.V. UllasSenior Associate • MEP
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P.V. Ullas
Senior Associate • MEP
With his in-depth understanding of site supervision, testing and commissioning Ullas is responsible for the strategic planning, quality assurance and audits on site, liaising with the relevant local authorities. He is a member of the Institute of Engineers, India as well as the Member of Society of Engineers, Dubai and also has Sharjah Municipality approval.
Chetna ThawaniAssistant Interior Designer
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Srinivasan ParthibanAssociate Director
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Srinivasan Parthiban
Associate Director
Srinivasan has a keen interest in green building design, construction and operations recently gaining LEED Green Associate status. An accomplished architect site manager Srinivasan is often called upon to run technical meetings, deal with all local authorities and act as the link between the client and the contractor to ensure the smooth running of the site.
Samip ShahAssociate
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Samip Shah
Associate
Samip works closely with the local authorities to obtain the NOCs and building permits necessary. He is the person responsible for ensuring the necessary protocols are being followed and the correct licenses are approved. He can also be found on site carrying out inspections and closeout procedures during the construction stage.
Shivabalan RaveendranAssociate
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Shivabalan Raveendran
Associate
As a senior engineer Shivabalan is responsible for the development of the electrical services for projects preparing detailed designs and engineering specifications as well as reports for the team and for the client. His role often requires him to be on site where he monitors the progress of a given project, checking the overall design conforms to local authority regulations and international standards.
Rudy PorminalHSE Manager
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Rudy Porminal
HSE Manager
The health and safety on a construction site is critical and as an OHSE Manager Rudy is knowledgeable, thorough and highly experienced. His role requires him to evaluate and mitigate workplace hazards and lead the initiative for safer working environments. Rudy supervises all activity on the application of safe design strategies and organises risk assessment and project HSSE reviews.
Vignesh SelvarajSenior Site Engineer
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Vignesh Selvaraj
Senior Site Engineer
The role of a site engineer requires a thorough understanding of international and local codes and standards and a background in ISO procedures. Vignesh has been with GAJ since 2017 and is a member of the Society of Engineers and Abu Dhabi Municipality Engineers. He is a certified safety professional with IOSH and holds an ISO 9001:2015 Lead Auditor QMS certificate.
Neena JacobSenior Accountant • Finance
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Neena Jacob
Senior Accountant • Finance
As a senior accountant, Neena is responsible for project accounting, including recording work in progress, issuing invoices, following up on client payments, reviewing subcontractor invoices, and liaising with auditors for project accounting and reports. She also prepares month-end reports for work in progress, planned and actual status comparison, CFA calculations, and posting sales and sub-consultant invoices.
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We consider how the building can be integrated into the landscape, and how it can best be used to create a sense of place.
Gelbert AnchetaSenior Mechanical Engineer
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Gelbert Ancheta
Senior Mechanical Engineer
Highly knowledgeable and an experienced mechanical engineer Gelbert has been with GAJ for three years and working in the UAE for more than 14 years. His role is to provide mechanical, plumbing, and firefighting design support to projects working closely with architects and the MEP team. He is also certified with Trakhees (Building Regulations & Design Guidelines – MEP).
Ejaz AhmedIT Manager • IT
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Ejaz Ahmed
IT Manager • IT
When technology fails it is Ejaz who gets the office connected again as quickly as possible. He manages the entire IT and computer systems controlling and evaluating electronic data systems while ensuring the security of data, network access and backup systems.
Suchitra JoshiSenior Architect
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Suchitra Joshi
Senior Architect
Suchitra is a versatile and enterprising professional who manages interdisciplinary and international interfaces to produce high quality deliverables on time and within approved budgets. Her role as a senior architect requires her to lead and manage all activities in the post conceptual, preliminary and detailed design stages delivering full design and tender packages ensuring everything conforms to authority requirements.
Shanmugam RamuSenior Engineer
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Shanmugam Ramu
Senior Engineer
Shanmugam joined GAJ in 2012 as a civil engineer bringing more than 16 years’ experience to the firm. As a site engineer Shanmugam has proven specific skills within the construction project supervision team handling the review of shop drawings, material submittals and site inspections.
Manikandan MuthumanickamSenior Associate
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Manikandan Muthumanickam
Senior Associate
Manikandan began his career as a junior architect in Bangalore before moving to join GAJ in 2007. As a senior team member he has honed his architectural skills and built on his extensive practical knowledge of the design process. He also has full knowledge of statutory authorities’ requirements, codes, regulations and submission requirements.
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We strive to create designs that are energy efficient and environmentally friendly
Estinely Sabandal Senior Architect
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Estinely Sabandal
Senior Architect
With more than 28 years of professional experience, 15 years of which have been in the Gulf region, Estinely is a senior level architect with comprehensive experience in preparing architectural design for the full completion of mixed-use developments, hospitality, commercial and residential buildings.
Shruti DangeSenior Architect
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Shruti Dange
Senior Architect
Shruti has extensive experience in a diverse range of projects from villas and residential buildings to commercial developments and high-rise towers. Her work ethic is committed and determined, and she works closely with the team to meet stringent deadlines with quality work.
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Godwin Austen Johnson is a place that nurtures positive mentality and fluidity in young architects.
Kiran OmanakuttanSenior IT Administrator
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Noordin AbdulghaniSenior Technician
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Sabu ThomasSenior Technician
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Sabu Thomas
Senior Technician
Equally comfortable applying his design skills using Revit BIM Modelling as he is managing a highly demanding project site, Sabu has more than 28 years’ civil and architectural experience across the Middle East and India working across a wide range of projects from hospitality and commercial to residential and education.
Steven ReyesArchitect
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Steven Reyes
Architect
Steven joined GAJ in 2022 as a highly versatile concept designer in both architecture and interior design. His conceptual skills and passion for design is evidenced through his software skills and use of design tools such as 3D (sketch-up) modelling and rendering presentations helping to deliver the team’s weekly targets
Lijo JosafBIM Modeler
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Rex RiveraSenior Architect
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Rex Rivera
Senior Architect
Rex has been with GAJ since 2014 and is an integral part of the design team. His organised and diligent approach to his work helps ensure the timely delivery of project design work while maintaining quality standards.
Pratheep KamalasananAssociate Director (HR & Admin)
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Pratheep Kamalasanan
Associate Director (HR & Admin)
With his highly approachable personality and helpful nature, Pratheep heads up the firm’s HR department as well as handling the licensing for the practice. He also handles office administration including the Quality Management System overseeing the annual audit and ensuring the firm’s business activities comply with strict guidelines and operational standards.
Pratheesh BabuAssociate Director (Finance)
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Pratheesh Babu
Associate Director (Finance)
Pratheesh joined GAJ in 2001 and is now, not only one of the longest-serving members of the team but is, also the longest serving finance professional with over 22 years of experience at the practice. Over this time Pratheesh has gained in-depth knowledge of various finance functions of the practice and is responsible for the Finance Department.
Imran KhalifaSenior Mechanical Engineer
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Imran Khalifa
Senior Mechanical Engineer
Imran joined GAJ in 2014 as a mechanical design engineer. He is a member of the Society of Engineers, UAE and a registered engineer with Dubai Municipality as well as a registered member of ASHRAE Society. His role includes reviewing shop drawings, attending technical and progress meeting and site inspections as well as the supervision of all mechanical systems.
Yousef HossamAssistant Architect
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