Over the past five years, awareness of the importance of opex-related inspections has grown significantly.

Hanna JABBOUR Vice-President, Industry Services MENAWA, SSA and South-East Asia INTERTEK

A testing and inspection partner for the GCC

March 3, 2025

Hanna Jabbour, vice-president of Industry Services MENAWA, SSA and South-East Asia at Intertek, talks to The Energy Year about driving sustainable growth across the region through quality inspections, strategic adaptability and innovations in compliance. Intertek provides testing, inspection and certification services across industries worldwide.

How has Intertek’s regional footprint been evolving in the past years?
Over the past four years, Intertek has witnessed remarkable growth, expanding across diverse sectors, including oil and gas, infrastructure and renewable energy, within the GCC region and India. Our strategy has focused on building a robust presence in these key markets, supported by consistent double-digit growth.
In the GCC, the UAE remains at the core of our regional operations, serving as both a strategic hub and a significant revenue driver. Recognising the long-term potential of Saudi Arabia, we have aligned our operations to establish a strong foothold there, supported by two landmark projects in infrastructure and renewables.
Navigating Saudi Arabia’s unique challenges, such as competitive pressures and stringent IKTVA [In-Kingdom Total Value Add] guidelines, has reinforced our adaptability. By integrating local expertise and meeting regulatory demands, we’ve positioned ourselves for sustainable growth in this dynamic market.
Intertek’s regional footprint has evolved significantly, driven by strong growth strategies, adaptability to market requirements and a commitment to delivering value across the region.

What are some projects that you are currently involved in?
Intertek is proud to be engaged in transformative projects across the GCC, reinforcing our position as a leader in inspection, quality assurance and compliance services. In Saudi Arabia, we support our oil and gas clients’ capital expenditure (capex) initiatives. With a large base of inspectors deployed across their operations, we provide essential expertise that reflects the magnitude of their operations and their trust in our capabilities.
In the UAE, we also play a critical role in supporting oil and gas clients’ operations, partnering closely with major EPC companies to ensure the highest standards of quality and compliance across their projects.
In Oman, Qatar and Bahrain, we have established ourselves as the leading inspection agency for oil and gas companies, offering comprehensive services that reinforce our position as a trusted partner in the region.
These collaborations demonstrate Intertek’s extensive regional presence, advanced technical capabilities and commitment to delivering exceptional value, driving innovation and excellence across diverse industries and projects.

What are the sectors in which you see the most growth potential?
Intertek is driving growth across multiple sectors, focusing on both capital capex and operational expenditure (opex) initiatives. Our traditional strength lies in supporting oil and gas companies with safety, quality assurance and vendor inspection services. More recently, we’ve expanded into opex projects, offering advanced solutions for maintenance and operational reliability.
We are also expanding into the infrastructure and renewable energy sectors. This includes construction supervision, on-site quality control and health and safety controls. With key projects already secured, we are extending our reach to capitalise on opportunities in these areas.

How much work do you carry out in the non-destructive testing (NDT) segment?
In the UAE, a significant portion of our NDT work is carried out for the oil and gas sector. We provide services across a wide range of projects, including offshore platforms, pipelines and downstream facilities, based on their specific requirements.
As part of our growth strategy, we are identifying operational assets across the UAE and proactively engaging with their owners to offer inspection services related to opex and advanced NDT.
Intertek is one of the largest providers of both conventional and advanced NDT in the UAE, and we are well-positioned to support any asset owner in ensuring the integrity and reliability of their operations.

Is Intertek involved in any renewable energy projects?
Renewable energy is a key focus for Intertek. We participate in solar projects across the region and are involved in some of the largest and most impactful developments, showcasing our expertise in inspection and quality assurance.
In addition, we are a key player in one of the world’s largest clean hydrogen plants, currently under construction in the region. As the primary inspection agency, we have been providing round-the-clock support locally and internationally for more than two years. This project is a major milestone for us and reflects the exciting opportunities within the renewable energy sector.

What is Intertek’s growth strategy for the next few years?
Intertek is focused on achieving strong double-digit growth in the region in 2025. Our growth strategy is built on oil and gas capex, oil and gas opex, and utility opex, three key pillars supported by our technical centre and driven by a growing focus on infrastructure and renewable energy.
Key drivers of this growth include the expanding markets in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and other GCC countries, along with continued expansion in India. We are also targeting North Africa and Western Asia to diversify and strengthen our regional presence.
Over the past five years, awareness of the importance of opex-related inspections has grown significantly, and we are strategically advancing our capabilities to position ourselves as a leader in this growing sector. Post-construction asset maintenance is crucial to ensuring operational efficiency and uninterrupted production. Asset owners must make necessary investments to ensure their facilities run smoothly.