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PROFILE
Shaping the future: Mike Wilson President and COO of OBMI (Miami, FL), a global master planning, architecture, and design firm.
By LIISA ANDREASSEN Correspondent
U nifying OBMI’s growing global presence into a cohesive, high-performing culture is at the top of Mike Wilson’s agenda. As company COO and president, Wilson shares that they’ve recently opened new studios, onboarded emerging leaders, and expanded into key markets like London, Dubai, and Cairo. In 2023, OBMI experienced exponential growth that continued through the first portion of 2024, none of which would have been possible without the team’s support and determination. The firm had a 20 percent increase in overall employee growth and announced the opening of new offices in London and Egypt. Known for its work in Bermuda and the Middle East, OBMI aims to use its new London office as a base to grow its European business. The firm is targeting work in luxury resorts, high-end residential, and commercial developments. In Egypt, OBMI has been working on a project – SouthMED – located on the north coast. It’s a community centered on placemaking, well-being, and sustainable practices. OBMI’s
holistic and organic design approach to the master plan and architecture combines contemporary design while celebrating and preserving the site’s natural environment. Envisioned as a coastal escape, OBMI carefully planned the positioning of SouthMED to fully enjoy 100 blocks of direct access and views to the majestic Mediterranean Sea. To support an active lifestyle community, designers created multi-lane roads and nature trails to increase accessibility for exploring, walking, and cycling. “Now, my priority is to ensure that as we grow, we preserve the essence of OBMI – collaborative, agile, and design-driven – while building the systems and leadership capacity needed to thrive for the next 90 years,” Wilson says. “With this growth comes thoughtful scaling and maintaining our ‘one company’ culture across time zones, languages, and market demands.” That’s why OBMI is investing in leadership development, improving internal communication, and refining its project delivery systems.
See SHAPING THE FUTURE, page 10
THE ZWEIG LETTER SEPTEMBER 22, 2025, ISSUE 1602
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