Kevin Offin - Founder & Creative Director
Kevin is the Founder and Creative Director of Graphite, leading projects across a range of sectors.
He has extensive experience in leading project teams across a broad range of sectors including education, commercial, high rise, private residential and hospitality projects, established during his 22 year career.
Kevin is a Canadian-born and globally educated architect who has worked with award winning practices in Canada, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates. Kevin also spent time as a senior design manager for the worlds largest private schools company where he oversaw projects in the US, UAE and South-east Asia.
He has worked both in design studios and client side as a design manager, all of which has provided him with extensive experience in diverse global markets from design to delivery and operations.
Steve Hextall - Director of Operations
Steve is a Partner and Director of Operations at Graphite and leads the companies strategic vision and growth.
A professionally chartered senior business leader with over 33 years of experience in management and operations across a broad range of projects, sectors and geographies Steve is a team player dedicated to helping employees improve their skills and techniques in order to reach individual and organization aspirations.
A visionary behind company growth, operations and strategies and a detail-oriented multi-tasker who thrives in fast-paced environments.
Steve is a Project Management professional with a proven track record of successful design & management of a broad spectrum of projects. He has worked in the UK and in the multi-cultural and challenging environments of Singapore, China, Hong Kong, and the Middle East in client facing roles that have entailed the establishment and implementation of corporate governance, required full P&L responsibility, business development, marketing, the allocation of project resources and implementation of project controls.
EDUCATION
2012 IOSHH – Managing Safely
2012 Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council – Estidama PQP Buildings and Communities
2009 LEED – Green Associate
1999 Member Chartered Institute of Building – MCIOB
1995 College of Estate Management, Reading UK – Bachelors Degree (Hons) Construction Management
1991 University of Huddersfield UK – Higher Diploma in Architecture
Raina Viegas - Team Leader Architecture
Raina is a professional Architect with over 18 years of experience in Design Development and Management of Projects of various scales and sectors in the UAE.
With a proven track record of success, she has taken a leadership role in managing projects through Design Development, Production Information, Statutory Approvals, Specifications, Tender process and Post Contract supervision.
Raina brings design coordination expertise to the studio and has extensive experience in the education, hospitality and retail.
She is the thread between our discipline specialists at Graphite and leads the coordination of our Building Information Modelling team.
EDUCATION
2000 Manipal Institute of Technology, India – Bachelor of Architecture
Kavita Solanki - Principle Architect
Kavita is a highly creative, diligent, innovative and hardworking architect, with over 20 years of experience has worked on high profile Masterplan, Commercial, Residential and Hospitality projects in prestigious architectural practices. She has an exceptional design management skills with wide ranging experience in concept design, presentation, detailing, planning, coordination with various stakeholders, project documentation, preparation of tender documents and site supervision. Both the knowledge of urban design and professional practice in architecture has increased her ability to analyse a project & its diverse issues and propose viable solutions for the benefit of the project, client and community. Kavita’s communication skills and problem-solving nature make her a leader with an ability to guide , motivate and learn within a team. Kavita believes architecture is about three E’s, Engaging, Evolving and Expressing, which is reflected not only in her work but also in my attitude towards everything
EDUCATION
1999 Bachelor of Architecture
2011 Master of Urban Design
Fatma Elfeki - Team Leader Interior Design
Fatma is Lead Interior Designer at Graphite.
Fatma started off in the industry as an intern but was quickly promoted to a junior interior designer where she got exposure to working on a variety of commercial projects for multinational corporate brands.
In 2018, Fatma pursued her Masters degree in Art and Design History from Kingston University London. Once she completed her degree, she moved back to Dubai where she was promoted to an intermediate/ mid-level interior designer, her rapid rise has since seen her promoted to the role of Team Leader at Graphite where she runs the studios interior and FFE design department.
EDUCATION
2019 Kingston University, London, UK – Masters Degree in Art & Design History (Hons)
2016 American University of Sharjah, UAE – Bachelors of Interior Design (Cum Laude)
Dhafir Al Jawad - Senior Project Manager
Dhafir is a construction management professional with 32 years of professional experience. His primary focus is on promoting the company’s mission and vision, overseeing operations to ensure projects timely delivery with high quality and HSE standards with ultimate budget control efficiency, He establishes and implements project controls and maintains balanced relations with clients and operational stakeholders.
Dhafir is responsible for our post contract site teams, engineers and project coordinators,
EDUCATION
Licensed Engineer by Dubai, Abu Dhabi & Sharjah Municipalities – UAE
2013 Member of UAE Society of Engineers
1989 University of Baghdad, Iraq – Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
1989 Member of Iraqi Engineers Union
Paudie Garvey - MEP Engineering & Design Manager
Paudie is an experienced Engineering Manager with over 15 years’ experience in Project Management on both small and large scale Residential, Commercial and Industrial Projects. He has represented both consultants and contractors and is responsible for overall management of our MEP services engineering function and is a professional responsible for overseeing and managing Graphites design, installation, and maintenance of the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems in our buildings and infrastructure projects.
EDUCATION
2003 Dundalk Institute of Technology, Ireland –National Electrical Diploma Certificate
2001 Newry Institute of Further & Higher Education. Ireland – BTEC Business Management
Mohamed Ashik - Commercial Manager
Ashik is a qualified Civil Engineer with 7 years of experience, specifically 5 years of GCC experience in the field of Cost Management and Quantity Surveying.
He has established professional credibility in the areas of Pre-contract Management, Feasibility estimate, Post Contract, change order analysis and Claim Management.
Ashik is well organized and task focused with fine-tuned analytical, coordination, problem-solving skills, and communication and is responsible for overseeing financial and contractual matters, ensuring that Graphites projects are completed within budget and in compliance with contractual agreements.
Ashik heads our commercial team which incorporates MEP quantity surveyors employed on contract basis.
EDUCATION
2016 Anna University, India – Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering
