At the 2025 Zutari Impact Awards, one name stood out as a beacon of excellence, courage, and rapid professional growth: Aa’isha Dollie, who was crowned Young Engineer of the Year. Her journey from Cape Town to Riyadh, and from graduate to team leader in a short period, is nothing short of extraordinary.
With a civil engineering qualification from the University of Cape Town and an MBA from the Quantic School of Business and Technology, she embodies a next generation of engineers who combine technical expertise with business skills. Her journey reflects the ethos of Zutari: engineering with impact, extending boundaries while anchoring innovation in purpose.
From the Cape to the Kingdom
Aa’isha’s meteoric rise began in July 2022 when she moved to Saudi Arabia to support the Diriyah development, one of the Kingdom’s most significant and culturally rich mega-projects. With its heritage and potential to become a global tourist destination, Diriyah’s vision draws from its storied past while aiming to shape the future of Riyadh.
Initially seconded to KBR as a Discipline Engineer, she quickly took on critical responsibilities, including managing the competition for two flagship projects: the Arena and the Grand Mosque. However, her career truly took off when she was entrusted with overseeing the Public Realm and Public Art Assets for the entire 6.5 square kilometre development, a role typically reserved for more seasoned professionals.
Just six months later, she was promoted to Design Manager, and within a year, she advanced to the position of Public Realm Team Lead. In her current role, she manages a diverse, multi-disciplinary team and oversees a project valued at SAR 80 million (approximately ZAR 400 million).
Resilience, Leadership, and Purpose
Aa’isha’s journey is about more than titles; it’s about resilience, trust-building, and breaking new ground. Working in a foreign country and managing a high-pressure portfolio, she demonstrated an exceptional ability to adapt to evolving client needs, maintain high standards, and advocate for Zutari’s values in a complex stakeholder environment.
She was instrumental in procuring royal approvals on key assets like Heroes Park and Grand Boulevard, both of which are anchor amenities of the development’s master plan. She also led the Public Art Strategy, which was ratified by HRH Princess Sara, a firm reflection of her vision for her team.
Her ability to engage and mobilise a multicultural team, achieve strategic wins for Zutari secondees, and mentor junior professionals demonstrates a level of emotional intelligence and leadership that goes well beyond her years.
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Aa’isha’s journey is about more than titles; it’s about resilience, trust-building, and breaking new ground."
Engineering Sustainability and Social Impact
Her impact extends beyond Diriyah. She has authored a Net-Zero Water Strategy for FirstRand Bank, led benchmarking efforts on urban water resilience for Johannesburg, and co-developed indicators for urban water security with global and national organisations like the World Resources Institute, ICLEI Africa, and the South African Cities Network. Her output always ranges from engineering excellence to a passion for sustainability. This trait makes her not only a great professional but also a visionary leader in the built environment.
As Young Engineer of the Year, Aa’isha Dollie embodies what the Zutari Impact Awards were created to honour: engineering that builds not only infrastructure but also legacies.
Her story inspires emerging professionals at Zutari, female engineers, future generations of leaders, and anyone who is striving to create a more sustainable and equitable world.
