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Hesham Gamal Gaafar

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Strategic advisor with 15 years of experience in digital twins, smart cities, and giga projects across the Middle East. I help public and private sector teams connect technology with real outcomes through roadmaps, use case framing, and stakeholder engagement.

I focus on Digital Twin strategy, BIM-GIS integration, and business value delivery, supporting both pre-sale and post-sale initiatives. My approach is grounded, outcome-driven, and aligned with real-world challenges.

I hold Dual Masters in Global Smart Cities Management from Barcelona University and Zigurat technology institute, an MSc in Civil Engineering from Cairo University, and an MBA from UoPeople, and I contribute to the Smart Cities Council in task forces focused on Digital Twins.

Available For: Advising, Authoring, Consulting, Influencing, Speaking
Travels From: Riyadh
Speaking Topics: Digital Twin, Geospatial Intelligence, Smart Cities

Speaking Fee $10,000 (In-Person), $5,000 (Virtual)

Hesham Gamal Gaafar Points
Academic 0
Author 23
Influencer 156
Speaker 0
Entrepreneur 10
Total 189

Points based upon Thinkers360 patent-pending algorithm.

Thought Leader Profile

Portfolio Mix

Company Information

Company Type:
Minimum Project Size: Undisclosed
Average Hourly Rate: Undisclosed
Number of Employees: Undisclosed
Company Founded Date: Undisclosed

Areas of Expertise

Digital Twins 42.38
Smart Cities 40.31

Industry Experience

Publications & Experience

6 Article/Blogs
The Bicentennial Schools Project in Peru: Utilizing GeoBIM for Improved Educational Facilities
Linkedin
January 25, 2023
The Peru Bicentennial Schools project is a large-scale initiative to construct 75 schools.

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Tags: Digital Twins, Smart Cities

Cracking The Digital Twin Code
Linkedin
October 24, 2021
As an AEC professional, you may have recently heard of the digital twin and wondered, "Is this another way of saying BIM?" or "What am I getting out of it?" In the next few minutes, we'll break down the digital twin code at an intermediate level of detail to avoid becoming another attractive advertisement for the digital twin and to provide some information about the implementation without getting entangled in the details.

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Tags: Digital Twins, Smart Cities

GeoBIM Solution for Building E-Permitting Automation
Linkedin
September 03, 2020
Municipalities invest a lot of time and effort into the permitting process. Municipality permit engineers have to visually check the submitted design, extract the model's data, compare it with the allowable values, and finally approve or reject the project.

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Tags: Digital Twins, Smart Cities

Software Development for BIM: What & HOW?
Linkedin
December 29, 2018
Software development is penetrating all industries and it’s time to invade the AEC sector. In this article we will talk about BIM, Software Development and the link between them. Also we are going to navigate through the roadmap of being a BIM software developer.

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Tags: Digital Twins, Smart Cities

BIM & GIS: Competition or Integration?
Linkedin
April 11, 2018
In a world where all industries trying to automate their processes and where the information technology involved in everything, the AEC (Architecture/Engineering/Construction) must finds its way to keep up with the fast rate progression in technologies. Fortunately GIS and BIM can provide an easy way for the AEC industry to integrate with the latest technology and to automate the related processes.

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Tags: Digital Twins, Smart Cities

13 things to start your career path
Linkedin
August 17, 2015
I know it is not a big time to get wise enough to give an advice but I am writing this article to document the little experience I have gained through these few years. May be it will be useful for people younger than me and may be not. May be I will believe in the same ideas in the future and may be not. May be my lines worth reading and may be it will be another bla bla article. May be they will read it after years when I become a successful man and may be no one will read it.So let`s jump to the point:

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Tags: Digital Twins, Smart Cities

14 Author Newsletters
ISO-defined Digital Twins Masterclass Recap
Linkedin
December 13, 2025
Following my recent masterclass with ZIGURAT Institute of Technology , let's cut through the hype and focus on what matters: how ISO-defined Digital Twins are solving real urban challenges.

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Tags: Digital Twins, Smart Cities

Debunking 3 Common Myths About Digital Twins
Linkedin
November 05, 2025
Digital twins have gained significant attention in recent years, with industries from manufacturing to healthcare adopting this technology to improve efficiency and productivity. However, misconceptions and myths about digital twins continue to persist. In this article, we will debunk three common myths related to digital twins

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Tags: Smart Cities

5-Step Change Management Approach for Digital Twin Adoption in Large Organizations
Linkedin
July 13, 2025
Digital Twin is being pushed into city-wide deployments with massive budgets and tremendous expectations.

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Tags: Digital Twins, Smart Cities

Data-Led, People-Driven: The Future of Digital Twins Is Human
Linkedin
May 04, 2025
The rise of digital twin technology marks a transformative shift in how we understand, manage, and optimize the built environment.

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Tags: Digital Twins, Smart Cities

Lessons from the Field: How to Build a Successful Digital Twin Strategy
Linkedin
February 01, 2025
If you're working on developing a digital twin strategy for your organization or guiding businesses as a digital twin consultant, this article provides a simplified roadmap based on a decade of experience helping organizations build digital twin systems and strategies while working with different enablers

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Tags: Digital Twins, Smart Cities

The Value of 3D: Three Dimensions of Better Decision-Making
Linkedin
December 08, 2024
In today’s complex world, the ability to visualize, analyze, and collaborate using spatial data has become a cornerstone of smart decision-making.

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Tags: Digital Twins, Smart Cities

Working with IFC in ArcGIS Pro
Linkedin
October 05, 2024
As BIM and GIS continue to converge, a recurring question that I often receive is about the integration of IFC models into GIS workflows.

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Tags: Digital Twins, Smart Cities

For Better Project Delivery: How Does ArcGIS Understand Revit Models?
Linkedin
August 24, 2024
In my consultation sessions, I often observe that one of the biggest challenges in today's AEC projects is the integration of BIM and GIS. The root of the problem lies in the communication gap between the two delivery teams, as they often struggle to understand each other's language and workflows. Therefore, the essential first step is to bridge this gap by facilitating a mutual understanding of the distinct terminologies and processes each team uses.

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Tags: Digital Twins, Smart Cities

Context-Aware Digital Twins: Highlights from My Geospatial World Forum Talks
Linkedin
June 27, 2024
Every April, the geospatial community gathers for the Geospatial World Forum (GWF), a prestigious conference celebrating and sharing knowledge on geospatial technologies like GIS, RS, BIM, CAD, VR, and AR. It’s not just a venue for discussing innovations but a hub for connecting technology and industry experts.

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Tags: Digital Twins, Smart Cities

Cognitive Digital Twins
Linkedin
March 18, 2024
Cognitive technology, a branch of computer science, mirrors human brain functions through diverse methods. It encompasses Natural Language Processing, Data Mining, Pattern Recognition, Machine Learning, Computer Vision, and Robotics.

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Tags: Digital Twins, Smart Cities

What could go wrong in the AEC sector without digital twins?
Linkedin
February 04, 2024
In recent years, the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) sector has witnessed a transformative shift with the integration of digital twin technology. These virtual replicas of physical structures have revolutionized the industry, offering a wide array of benefits from design optimization to sustainable planning. However, if the AEC sector were to abandon the use of digital twin technology, it would likely face significant drawbacks across various aspects of its operations.

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Tags: Digital Twins, Smart Cities

Saudi BIM Mandate: Empowerment through GIS
Linkedin
December 07, 2023
In recent years, Saudi Arabia has embarked on a transformative journey in the construction and infrastructure sectors with the introduction of a new Building Information Modeling (BIM) mandate. I am excited to share how Geographic Information System (GIS) technology plays a pivotal role in empowering this mandate and facilitating seamless integration between GIS and BIM. Through innovative tools and connectors, such as the Autodesk Connector for ArcGIS and various ArcGIS applications, the convergence of GIS and BIM is unlocking new possibilities for planning, design, and construction.

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Tags: Digital Twins, Smart Cities

Six Key Considerations for Successful Digital Twins
Linkedin
September 30, 2023
Building Information Modeling (BIM) has revolutionized how organizations approach design, construction, and operation, especially after having a powerful integration with game-changing technologies like IoT and GIS. By utilizing BIM methodologies and standards, businesses have achieved newfound consistency and efficiency in their projects

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Tags: Digital Twins, Smart Cities

Welcome to the Era of Spatial Computing: Apple's New Slogan and its Connection to Digital Twins
Linkedin
June 27, 2023
The technology landscape continually evolves, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in our increasingly interconnected world. Apple's recent launch of Apple Vision, a groundbreaking headset, marks a significant milestone in spatial computing. With the slogan "Welcome to the Era of Spatial Computing", Apple Vision promises to revolutionize various industries, and one area that stands to gain immense benefits is the digital twin industry.

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Tags: Digital Twins, Smart Cities

1 Executive
Esri Saudi Arabia
Esri Saudi Arabia
September 01, 2023
Esri Saudi Arabia is a fully integrated subsidiary of Esri Inc., the global leader in location intelligence. This closer integration allows us to better understand the unique needs of our clients and partners in Saudi Arabia. We are committed to transforming how businesses and organizations use maps, data, a

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Tags: Digital Twins, Smart Cities

1 Presentation
Geospatial Coordination: Enhancing AEC Workflows with GI
Youtube
November 26, 2024
Watch Hesham Gamal Gaafar talk about ‘ Geospatial Coordination: Enhancing AEC Workflows with GI ‘ at the BIM Coordinator Summit 2024, Live in Dublin, Ireland.

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Tags: Digital Twins, Smart Cities

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