Kamel M. KAMEL
Director of Digital Business Unit – Assystem Radicon
With nearly 20 years of experience in engineering and digital strategy, Kamel leads the Digital Business Unit at Assystem Radicon in Saudi Arabia. He holds a degree in Electrical Engineering from Alexandria University, an MBA in Business Administration from Grenoble Ecole de Management, and a Chief Digital Officer certification from MIT Professional Education.
Throughout his career, he has held strategic and technical leadership roles across the energy and infrastructure sectors, notably at Schneider Electric and BTGroup KSA. His expertise includes AI, IoT, cybersecurity, Digital Twin, PLM, PMIS, VDC, and low current systems. Since 2023, he has been driving Assystem’s digital expansion in the Kingdom, delivering integrated, high-value solutions and supporting large-scale transformation initiatives aligned with national development goals.
In the context of complex construction projects, digitalisation has become a strategic advantage. The integration of digital solutions is now widely embraced by stakeholders in the sector, with 77% believing that digital transformation is a key factor in increasing productivity, and 49% highlighting its role in automating tasks and processes (Infopro Digital Studies Survey – 2024). These opportunities are especially promising in the energy sector, which is actively advancing cleaner infrastructure, adopting more efficient processes and striving to meet sustainable development goals.
Thanks to Assystem’s expertise in construction management over nearly 60 years, and in particular working on major infrastructure programmes all over the world, we can now measure the tangible gains generated by digitisation: the use of augmented engineering can reduce construction times by 15%, for example by deploying the AWP (Advanced Work Packaging) method, automatically lowering the associated construction costs, thanks to a faster return on investment for our customers.
“This shift isn't theoretical: it’s real, measurable, and already happening. The integration of digital tools was instrumental in ensuring our projects met both their performance and sustainability goals"
according to one of our customers, technical director of a major nuclear operator.
Opportunities of digitalisation in construction
Compared to sectors like manufacturing, the construction industry has yet to fully harness the performance potential of digitalisation. However, the nuclear renaissance underway in North America, Europe and Asia – driven by large-scale projects and the emergence of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) - presents a unique opportunity to accelerate digital adoption. By leveraging digital tools and methodologies, the sector can enhance project replication, improve efficiency, and support the delivery of safe, sustainable infrastructure.
By digitising workflows, automating data integration, and enabling predictive analytics, digital transformation empowers engineering and construction firms to:
- Increase accuracy and precision: e.g. digital tools like BIM allow for better planning, coordination, and communication between stakeholders, leading to fewer errors and rework during construction.
- Enhance communication and collaboration: e.g. digital collaboration tools such as cloud-based project management software improve project visibility and accountability and reduce delays caused by miscommunication.
- Improve safety: e.g. technologies such as drones and robotics can be used to perform dangerous or repetitive tasks, reducing the risk of injury to workers.
- Save time and cost: e.g. tools such as mobile apps for construction monitoring and reporting enable real-time tracking of project costs, schedules, and progress for faster decision-making and reduce the risk of cost overruns or delays.
Overcoming challenges within a digital transformation
If the significant benefits digitalisation offers to the construction industry are clear, implementing these technologies comes with its own set of challenges. Let's mention a few of them, which we regularly encounter in our clients' projects.
Resistance to change and skills gap:
One of the most common obstacles is resistance to change, often stemming from a lack of familiarity with new technologies. One effective way to ease this transition is by using innovative tools that make new processes more accessible and intuitive. Assystem has explored this approach through immersive technologies that support change management and improve operational efficiency. For example, in the context of site control and monitoring, Assystem developed Holoreka, an augmented reality solution that enhances quality assurance and inspection activities. By overlaying digital information onto real-world environments, Holoreka enables inspectors to visualise and verify technical data directly on-site, improving accuracy, traceability, and collaboration. This kind of experiential technology helps teams better understand complex procedures and supports faster, more confident decision-making (learn more about this project here).
Data silos and fragmented communication
Many construction projects suffer from a lack of integration between different teams and tools. This results in data silos, where valuable information is not shared across departments or stakeholders, leading to miscommunication, inefficiencies, and rework.
“To overcome this challenge, cloud-based Project Management Information Systems (PMIS) offer a centralised platform that integrates data from different teams, ensuring all stakeholders have access to real-time information. These systems eliminate data silos, enhance communication, and provide a single source of truth for decision-making “
says Kamel M. Kamel, director of the digital Business Unit of Assystem Radicon (in Saudi Arabia).
A good example of this in action is a project Assystem led in Saudi Arabia, where we rolled out a cloud-based PMIS to support a major infrastructure programme. It’s a real-world case of digital tools driving smarter project delivery. The system allowed the project’s stakeholders, including engineers, architects, and contractors, to collaborate in real time, reducing delays caused by miscommunication. The centralised platform ensured that everyone had access to the most up-to-date plans and documents, leading to a 15% reduction in project delays and significant cost savings.
The use of technology such as digital twins is also a way to avoid issues with siloed data or partial communication between stakeholders. Digital twin provides an answer to questions around the agility, predictability and performance of industrial processes by reducing the time spent on data research and reconciliation, contributing to knowledge sharing of engineering and construction data between all project contributors. As a real asset to our augmented engineering approach, Assystem relies on digital twins at every stage of a complex project. In construction and commissioning management, for example, Assystem was tasked with creating a complex model of an existing facility. Thanks to the strengths of digital twins in modelling data and processes throughout the entire project lifecycle (learn more about digital twin by clicking here), this model enabled the acquisition of relevant information and technical data on the plant configuration to optimise operations and information management (learn more about this project here).
Limited Predictive Capabilities for Risk Management
Construction projects are inherently risky due to factors like weather conditions, supply chain disruptions, and unforeseen site conditions. Traditional risk management practices are often reactive rather than predictive, leaving projects vulnerable to delays and cost overruns. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning tools can analyse large volumes of historical project data to identify patterns and predict potential risks (learn more about how Assystem use AI at the service of its engineering activities here). By flagging issues before they occur, AI-driven predictive analytics enable construction teams to make proactive decisions, improving risk management and project outcomes.
As part of an infrastructure construction project in Europe, Assystem deployed AI-driven predictive analytics. The system analysed data from past projects, local weather patterns, and supply chain trends to forecast potential delays and material shortages. As a result, the project team was able to adjust early, avoiding delays and saving 10% of the project’s estimated costs.
Beyond AI, we believe that digital technology must also be used systematically in Project Management Office approach (PMO). For example, an advanced project control offering helps clients deliver projects on time and within budget by ensuring comprehensive oversight of cost and schedule performance, seamless data integration, advanced performance indicators and informed data to facilitate decision making. That’s the kind of augmented services that we deliver every day for our customers and their construction projects (discover here how Assystem performed a PMO and Global Risk Management (GRM) for nuclear revamping and construction projects).
Inaccurate and Outdated Project Documentation
Another challenge for construction projects is the reliance on outdated or inaccurate documentation. Paper-based documents or disconnected digital systems lead to errors in design, procurement, and construction phases, often resulting in costly rework. Here again, the digitalisation of construction management practices, via solutions like PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) or BIM (Building Information Modelling) can easily overcome these issues.
Already deployed in the manufacturing sectors, the PLM revolution is now underway in the engineering of complex infrastructures. Based on a collaborative approach, a PLM tool makes it possible to control, centralise, share and secure all of a project's engineering data throughout its lifecycle and to reconcile the various states of configuration. Assystem recently deployed a PLM methodology for a major project of the CEA (French Alternative and Atomic Energies Agency) : the complete revamping of the Jules Horowitz Reactor (RJH) information system. Assystem is operating this setup using major technological components, in particular the 3DX PLM platform for functional benchmarks, digital model synthesis, engineering data, etc. (discover more about this key PLM project here).
The use of BIM, with its ability to generate 3D models that integrate all project data into a single shared platform, also represents a key response to the challenges mentioned above. With BIM, every stakeholder works from the same set of accurate, up-to-date information, reducing errors and improving coordination across all project phases.
“Assystem used BIM technology in the design and construction of many infrastructure projects in Europe. By integrating architectural, structural, and MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) systems into one digital model, the model allow to detect potential clashes and resolve before they happen, saving millions in rework costs of construction.”
explains Kamel M. Kamel.
Whether for nuclear projects in France (4D BIM for the holistic integration cell of ITER Tokamak complex), for rail transport infrastructure in the United Kingdom (Planning, project controls function and implementation of 5D BIM solution) or for territorial development programmes in India (Design and Construction Supervision of a bridge over Sabarmati river in India), BIM is a digitalised and collaborative reference system used by Assystem experts to aid the communication, exchange and management of data throughout the life of an installation.
Conclusion
Digitalisation isn’t about adopting technology for its own sake. It’s about unlocking new levels of efficiency, risk reduction, and innovation. It plays a pivotal role in managing the growing complexity of construction projects and meeting the increasing demand for efficient practices. As a strategic enabler, digitalisation empowers companies to adapt to evolving market expectations, regulatory requirements, and the challenges posed by large-scale, multidisciplinary programmes. This is particularly relevant as the global nuclear sector enters a new era of growth. From EPR2 developments in France to FOAK SMR and large power reactors deployments in North America, Europe, Middle East and Asia, countries are investing heavily in next generation nuclear technologies. Digitalisation will be critical in derisking nuclear programs, enabling project replication, accelerating delivery, and ensuring long-term performance.
Assystem is proud to support this transformation worldwide. By embedding digital approaches at the core of operations, construction stakeholders can move beyond traditional reactive workflows and embrace proactive, data-driven decision-making—laying the foundation for a confident delivery of their programs on time and on budget. .
To find out more about how Assystem can support you with your digital transformation, click here.