LBL chief business development officer and deputy director Jerome Luciani-Khao.
As a pioneer in the construction industry since 1991, LBL International has completed more than 400 high-profile projects that have helped shape the Cambodian landscape.
While its first projects in the 1990s were related to the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) and the rehabilitation of the infrastructure, LBL later ventured into the construction of commercial and residential projects, office buildings and luxury hotels.
It has even been involved in the construction of a power plant and built factories as the Cambodian economy developed after years of civil turmoil.
“During our journey, we have worked on some really original and innovative projects for Cambodia.
“We were, for example, the design and build main contractor for the Jay Pritzker Academy in Siem Reap, which is considered the first ‘green’ school building in Cambodia.
“The Pritzker Prize is widely considered the Nobel for architecture, and the fact we were chosen for the design and construction of this project in Cambodia speaks volumes.
“Just recently we were also the designer and main contractor for the first giant aquarium and zoo in the country,” said LBL chief business development officer and deputy director Jerome Luciani-Khao.
Contributions to sector
LBL’s continuous success has certainly not been possible without its dedicated staff, especially the young engineers who produce such quality work across a wide range of diverse projects.
“Without our staff, we would be nothing. It brings us pride to see young engineers and workers applying to LBL as they know that they will be at a place where they will work on a lot of really diverse projects.
“Our company is also a place where they will learn to work with the highest expectations of quality, both internally and from our clients,” said Luciani-Khao.
There is no glass ceiling at LBL, with anyone able to climb the career ladder, and that the majority of its directors and managers started at junior level or even as interns is testimony to this.
“We believe that through our system of training and promotions, we have contributed to providing our staff with experience and instilling high standards, and by extension the industry as a whole.
“Moreover, we believe that we have also contributed to the development of the country by having had thousands of people on the payroll over three decades.
“And with the adoption of the Law on Construction in 2019, LBL is already adopting all of these new requirements, contractually or by practice, and it is good that the sector will be better regulated as it will improve standards,” said Luciani-Khao.
Luciani-Khao said a large part of LBL’s success was in its ready adaptation to the latest developments.
“To be sure of providing optimal productivity and the best quality, services and pricing for our clients, we need to have the best tools.
“Much investment in technology and digitalisation is planned to help our team be more efficient to be ready to meet new requirements for clients.
“We initiated these changes a few years ago, and our goal is for every department and all teams to have proper digitalised tools to support their work,” he said.
Sustainability drive
LBL also plans to increase the sustainability of its organisation
as many aspects of its business are not yet optimised – including logistics and transportation, as well as material consumption and wastage.
“We already started this change this year by participating in the CEE Competition to reduce our consumption of energy.
“The extension of this first initiative is to have a proper green team with a manager specialised in sustainability to change our company in the long term for the benefit of our employees, projects, our clients and the country,” he said.
In order to prepare for the coming years, Luciani-Khao said LBL is to adopt a new brand identity, which will be presented next year.
“This new identity will be an illustration of our solid implantation in the Kingdom as a leading company in the sector, and will symbolise our expertise in design, engineering and construction,” he said.
