What started as a small consultancy in Northern Alberta has, under Haydar Al Dahhan’s leadership, grown into Design Works Engineering, a multidisciplinary firm with offices across Western Canada and a reputation for integrated, human-centric project delivery. He is the company’s President, Chief Executive Officer, and co-founder, and the architect of the journey that has taken the firm from serving the construction cycles of Grande Prairie to delivering work across civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, fire protection, energy modelling, and inspections.

His path to engineering leadership started a long way from Alberta. Born in England and raised across several major international cities, Haydar moved to Canada in 2001 to continue his education and eventually settled in Grande Prairie, where he saw room to build a consulting practice serving the region’s construction cycles. Over the next decade and a half, he expanded the firm’s disciplines and footprint. In 2017, he relocated the headquarters to Edmonton to pursue a broader market and a deeper bench of engineering talent. The firm has continued to add offices, sectors, and capabilities since.

Inside the company, Haydar sets a tone that treats engineering as a service to the people who actually use the buildings, and that builds teams who work shoulder to shoulder across disciplines rather than in silos. He emphasizes long-term client relationships, technical depth across all disciplines, and a culture that supports younger engineers taking ownership of their projects.

He is a long-time contributor to the Edmonton business community. He served three years on the Board of Directors and Policy Committee of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, and in 2023, he was elected Chair of the Board. He also completed a three-year term as a director with the Grande Prairie Construction Association, where he helped shape industry events and member services. His professional registrations include P.Eng., P.E., IntPE, APEC Engineer, and MIET, reflecting a career built across jurisdictions and codes, and his leadership has been recognized in regional business publications.

Outside the office, Haydar spends time with his family and friends, stays active through sports, and remains engaged with Edmonton's cultural and civic life. He treats every project, large or small, as a chance to leave a measurable, lasting mark on the communities Design Works serves.