Colliers Engineering & Design names Esra Abumounshar director of innovation

Colliers Engineering & Design has created a director of innovation role and tapped Esra Abumounshar to lead firmwide work on digital strategy, AI governance and technology adoption. The move signals a deeper push to use data and emerging tools to improve project delivery, efficiency and client service.

Why it matters: - Colliers Engineering & Design is formalizing innovation as a firmwide priority, with AI governance and digital transformation now part of its leadership structure. - The new role is designed to improve how the firm supports employees, serves clients and delivers projects across its architecture, engineering and design businesses.

What happened: - Colliers Engineering & Design appointed Esra Abumounshar, RA, as director of innovation, a newly created position. - Abumounshar will lead digital strategies across the firm, with an emphasis on data and AI strategy and governance, process optimization and emerging technology evaluation. - The company announced the appointment Oct. 30, 2026, in Holmdel, New Jersey.

The details: - Abumounshar has more than 15 years of experience in architecture, sustainability, design technology, digital transformation and product leadership. - Her remit includes strengthening performance, efficiency and business outcomes through technology-enabled change. - She will work across the organization to advance workforce upskilling and technology enablement. - Her prior work has centered on workflow optimization, design and delivery quality, data centralization and AI adoption. - Most recently, Abumounshar was global director of digital and AI at Arcadis. - At Arcadis, she helped develop the company’s digital and AI transformation strategy and supported an AI-enabled end-to-end framework for the Architecture & Urbanism division. - Earlier, she was senior practice manager at Ulteig, where she led product strategy and technology solutions for renewables, transportation and infrastructure. - She also held roles at Stantec, where she led global design automation initiatives and delivered sustainable facilities. - Jennie Muscarella, chief strategy officer at Colliers Engineering & Design, said Abumounshar brings technical expertise, strategic vision and industry leadership. - Muscarella said Abumounshar’s experience with digital transformation and AI initiatives will support the firm’s long-term growth.

Between the lines: - The appointment suggests Colliers Engineering & Design sees innovation as an operating discipline, not just a branding effort. - By tying innovation to culture, data and responsible AI, the firm is signaling that technology decisions will be managed centrally rather than left to isolated teams. - Abumounshar’s background across architecture, sustainability and product leadership points to a role focused on execution, not only strategy. - In her own comments, Abumounshar framed growth, technology and innovation as one connected ecosystem that should help teams deliver stronger work for clients.

What's next: - Abumounshar is expected to build out digital strategies, governance practices and process improvements across the firm. - Colliers Engineering & Design will likely use the role to expand its use of AI, data-informed workflows and emerging technologies. - The company’s broader innovation agenda will focus on improving client outcomes and internal efficiency as it scales.

The bottom line: - Colliers Engineering & Design is elevating innovation into a dedicated leadership role, betting that AI, data and process modernization will be key to future growth.