About ABD Advisory
Most schemes are lost early—long before the first stone is laid. ABD Advisory exists for the critical point before decisions harden, ensuring your project's structure and capital align with long-term success.
How We Think
Most schemes are not lost on site. They are lost earlier — in the structure that was convenient rather than correct, in the funding that assumed a programme nobody had tested, in the method chosen because it was the method everyone uses.
ABD Advisory exists for the point before those decisions harden. We are engaged by developers, sponsors, contractors and manufacturers who want senior judgment applied to a scheme while it can still change shape.
We take a small number of engagements at a time. That is deliberate.
Leadership
Abdulla Alawadhi
Abdulla Alawadhi is a highly respected Emirati business leader and strategic co-founder of ABD Advisory. He provides essential counsel on the UAE market, institutional relationships, and government navigation, ensuring that global concepts are successfully rooted in local reality. His deep understanding of the region's socio-economic fabric is a cornerstone of the firm's success in Dubai and beyond.
Co-Founder
With a background rooted in the UAE's most influential institutions, Abdulla brings an authoritative perspective on how large-scale development intersects with national policy and infrastructure goals. He serves as a bridge between private sector innovation and public sector objectives, facilitating partnerships that are both strategically sound and culturally aligned.
At ABD Advisory, Abdulla acts as the critical advisor for international organizations entering the Middle Eastern market. His senior judgment is applied to ensuring that projects are not only technically correct but also institutionally supported. His focus is on long-term value creation and the alignment of capital with meaningful regional impact.
Andrew J Bannister
Andrew is a pioneering figure in the industrialization of construction, with a career dedicated to transforming how the built environment is designed and delivered. As the Founder and CEO of The GUILD of MMC, he has been a vocal advocate for Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), working with governments and developers to adopt more efficient, manufacturing-led processes.
Principal & co-founder
With a deep background in design and architectural technology, Andrew understands the critical intersection of digital engineering and physical assembly. He has led large-scale housing programs and infrastructure projects, consistently proving that higher quality and lower carbon footprints are achievable through better method selection and structural discipline.
Andrew’s expertise lies in the transition from 'convenient' to 'correct' construction methods. He provides senior guidance to contractors and manufacturers who seek to optimize their product platforms and delivery systems. At ABD Advisory, his focus is on ensuring that design and method are perfectly aligned early in the process, preventing the inefficiencies that usually emerge once a site is active.
Sanjay Manchanda
Sanjay is an operationally focused C-level executive with over 30 years of extensive and successful experience in global management and leading large operations in both the public and private sectors. His career has been marked by his ability to navigate complex market dynamics and deliver sustainable growth in diverse economic landscapes.
Principal
As the former Chief Executive Officer of Nakheel PJSC, Sanjay was instrumental in the restructuring and revitalization of one of the world's most significant real estate developers. During his tenure, he oversaw the delivery of iconic projects and steered the company through a comprehensive financial restructuring, transforming it into a profitable and stable entity. His leadership at Nakheel is widely recognized for its strategic depth and executional excellence.
A Fellow Chartered Accountant (ICAI) by training, Sanjay spent 15 years in public practice as a Partner at a Big 4 firm before transitioning into corporate leadership. His unique background allows him to blend rigorous financial discipline with visionary strategic thinking. At ABD Advisory, he applies this senior judgment to corporate structure, capital solutions, and development strategy, ensuring that projects are built on correct and resilient foundations.
What We Optimise For
We focus on the critical intersection of structure, capital, and industrialisation to ensure project success before decisions harden. By optimising early-stage decision-making, we apply senior judgment to shape schemes that are both correct and constructible. This disciplined approach allows us to deliver elite corporate guidance for the most complex global developments.