Multidisciplinary engineering, procurement and construction management company Coeng has appointed Takalani Mbedzi as its COO.

Mbedzi is the company’s first COO, having joined the company to assist the chairperson and CEO with work distribution, as the company continues to grow.

He has vast experience in the engineering industry, dating back to 2000, and has worked for several engineering companies, including Foster Wheeler, SNC-Lavalin and Hatch Africa.

“I saw this as a great opportunity to share my experience with Coeng. Its vision and mission are incredibly appealing to me and once I joined the company, I found that is exactly what I expected,” says Mbedzi.

Coeng aims to become a reputable engineering, procurement and construction management service provider that uses modern technologies and meets clients’ needs.

The company also aims to deliver sustainable engineered and plant life-cycle solutions to the industries it focuses on, including mining, energy, petrochemical, infrastructure and power generation, he adds.

Coeng’s values of honesty and integrity in dealing with clients are important to Mbedzi, which encouraged him to accept the position.

To effectively compete in the industry, the company prioritises its relationship with clients and potential clients.

Ensuring that clients are satisfied with the services Coeng provides enables the company to build good relationships with clients and win tenders for additional projects that require consulting engineers.

Mbedzi says the current market for consulting engineers is competitve, and the impact of the pandemic on the industry has placed additional strain on the consulting engineers industry, resulting in fewer job opportunities for consulting engineers and increased competition for the jobs that are available.

“We use modern technologies, reputable local and international standards, and quality services to appeal to clients and exceed their expectations,” he notes.

Coeng has a footprint in the United Arab Emirates, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Kenya, Ethiopia and Botswana. The company is aiming to expand into north African countries and is in negotiations for a project in Ghana.