Great AEC software is shaped not just by technology, but by a deep understanding of how architects, engineers, fabrication and construction professionals work – the decisions they make, the constraints they face, and the responsibility that comes with turning design into reality.
That perspective sits at the core of Jad El Alam’s approach to his new role as Vice President of Product at ALLPLAN. In this interview, we speak with Jad about his journey from engineering into product leadership, the experiences that have shaped his perspective, and how he sees the future of ALLPLAN’s product ecosystem evolving.
Firstly, Jad, congratulations on your new position as Vice President of Product for ALLPLAN. Could you briefly share how your career began?
Thank you! After completing my Civil Engineering degree, I went on to specialize with a Master’s degree in reinforced and prestressed concrete. I began my career as a structural engineer, working on design projects across the world and gaining early exposure to the realities of delivering complex structures.
A particularly formative experience was spending time on the execution side with a contractor involved in one of the largest airport projects in the Middle East. Being close to construction highlighted how important it is for engineers to have tools that are not just technically accurate but also efficient to use.
That experience shaped how I think about engineering to this day. It taught me that good design is rarely about idealized models alone – it’s about making sound decisions within real project conditions. That grounding in practice has stayed with me throughout my career and continues to influence how I approach product development and leadership today.
What drew you from structural engineering into engineering software, and eventually into AEC software product leadership?
Engineering was part of my environment from an early age. My father was a structural engineer, and I grew up fascinated by both construction sites and the design process. Spending time in his office and listening to discussions with detailers sparked a lasting interest in how engineering decisions shape the built world.
I ended up following in my father’s footsteps. However, as I progressed in my own career, I found myself equally drawn to the tools engineers rely on. I always felt torn between pursuing structural engineering in practice and exploring the technical possibilities of software. Ultimately, I realized that by working on engineering software, I could contribute to improving how engineers design, analyze, and deliver projects.
When engineering software is done well, it helps engineers explore options, understand consequences, and make better-informed choices. Moving into software – and later AEC product leadership – therefore allowed me to stay close to engineering challenges while contributing at a broader scale.
You’ve held several leadership roles at SCIA. How have those experiences shaped your approach to product strategy?
I joined SCIA initially as a consultant, working closely with customers across support, training, and pre-sales. My early experience gave me a direct understanding of the challenges engineers face in practice and the expectations they place on their software, which helped me provide better support. Over time, I took on broader leadership responsibilities, including leading the global support organization, which further deepened my connection to our user community.
Pursuing an Executive MBA later in my career reinforced my interest in the strategic dimension of product development. It became clear to me that creating meaningful engineering solutions requires not only technical expertise but also a structured understanding of how products deliver value across different markets and workflows.
These experiences shaped how I think about product strategy today, and continue to guide my work within ALLPLAN, where the focus is on delivering connected solutions that support engineers throughout the design-to-build lifecycle.
What motivated you to take on the VP of Product role at ALLPLAN now?
Over time, my responsibilities expanded beyond individual products to the wider engineering portfolio, so this role felt like a logical next step. What made it particularly compelling was the opportunity to think holistically about how projects move from concept through detailed analysis and design, detailing, and ultimately construction.
Today, that means working across the full ALLPLAN portfolio – including SCIA and FRILO – to ensure our solutions evolve in a connected way, supporting real workflows rather than isolated tasks. Architects, engineers, and construction professionals rely on continuity of data and intent throughout a project, and my focus is on strengthening how our technologies work together to deliver that.
For me, this role is about helping shape a unified product vision that supports our customers not just at individual stages, but across the entire design-to-build lifecycle.
As the new Product Lead, what is your vision for SCIA and ALLPLAN?
Engineers need tools that are both rigorous and well connected. So, the software should help break down traditional silos to enable workflows where analysis, design, detailing, and construction intelligence work together to support better decision-making.
Within ALLPLAN, this means evolving our solutions as part of an integrated ecosystem that increases productivity while maintaining the highest engineering standards. Our goal is to make it easier for users to move between disciplines without losing intent, context, or data quality.
Equally, structural engineering should not feel isolated from the wider BIM process. Instead, it should fit seamlessly within it, contributing intelligence at every stage of the project lifecycle and helping teams deliver more efficient, buildable, and reliable outcomes.
Artificial intelligence is becoming an important topic across the AEC industry. How do you see AI shaping the future of engineering software and workflows?
AI will play a transformative role in an industry that has historically been slower to digitalize. As project complexity increases and the global demand for engineers continues to grow, AI offers an opportunity to support productivity in a meaningful and responsible way.
Importantly, AI will not replace engineers – it will augment their capabilities. Many manual or repetitive tasks that once required significant time and effort can increasingly be automated or accelerated. This allows engineers to focus more on core engineering judgement, design quality, and problem-solving rather than routine processes.
Within ALLPLAN, our focus is on applying AI in ways that are practical, reliable, and aligned with real engineering workflows. The goal is not technology for its own sake, but to help professionals deliver better outcomes more efficiently while maintaining full control over their decisions.
As an engineer yourself, how does your technical background influence your product decisions?
An engineering background brings a healthy level of skepticism – in a positive sense. I tend to ask whether a feature genuinely helps an architect or engineer make better decisions, or whether it simply adds another layer of abstraction. That perspective helps keep product discussions grounded in real use cases rather than theoretical possibilities.
Engineering also teaches you to think in systems. Design choices are rarely isolated, and the same applies to software. Decisions made in analysis affect detailing, construction sequencing, and ultimately performance on site. Keeping that chain in mind is essential when shaping product direction.
Looking at the wider Nemetschek Design Division, how do you see the future of ALLPLAN’s products evolving?
What’s particularly compelling about the Nemetschek Design Division is the opportunity to support the entire design-to-build lifecycle without forcing a single, rigid way of working. Each discipline has its own priorities, but they all depend on consistent, trustworthy data and increasingly intelligent workflows.
For ALLPLAN, that means continuing to strengthen the link between design, engineering, detailing, and construction, especially where prefabrication and buildability are concerned. Engineers play a critical role in turning design intent into something that can be manufactured and built, and our tools should support that responsibility clearly and efficiently.
Looking ahead, I see increasing importance around connectivity, interoperability, and the responsible use of AI to enhance decision-making and productivity. When applied thoughtfully, AI can help teams manage complexity, automate routine processes, and enable professionals to focus more on high-value engineering tasks.
And on a personal note, what do you enjoy doing when you’re not thinking about ALLPLAN products?
Spending time with my family – including my two wonderful daughters – and away from screens is important to me. I enjoy activities that reset my focus, whether that’s getting outdoors, travelling when possible, or simply stepping back from problem-solving for a while.
Living in Paris also offers daily inspiration from some of the world’s most iconic engineering achievements. Being able to experience structures like the Eiffel Tower firsthand is a constant reminder of the impact thoughtful design can have.
Is there any final message you’d like to share with ALLPLAN customers?
My message is a simple one: engineering remains at the heart of what we do. The challenges facing the built environment are becoming more complex, and engineers play a central role in addressing them, through better design, the smarter use of data, and the responsible application of AI to support productivity and informed decision-making.
Our focus is on supporting that responsibility with solutions that are reliable, well connected, and genuinely useful in practice. By continuing to strengthen how our technologies work together across the ALLPLAN ecosystem, we aim to help professionals spend less time on repetitive processes and more time applying their engineering expertise where it matters most.
I’m excited about the direction we’re taking and about continuing to work closely with our users to shape solutions that help them deliver high-quality, buildable projects with confidence.
Thank you, Jad, for taking the time to share your perspective. With engineering insight and practical thinking at the center of product leadership, the future of ALLPLAN is in very capable hands.
