Manuel Manso Morato

About

Print

Manuel is the Head of Construction – Europe and Latin America at MDD, where he oversees construction-related matters throughout the region. He is based in the firm’s Madrid office. A civil engineer and building surveyor, Manuel specializes in forensic delay analysis, loss of productivity assessments, and the quantification of damages arising from complex construction disputes. He has extensive international experience across Europe and the Americas with also appointments in the Middle East and Asia, and has worked on matters involving power generation, oil and gas, transportation, mining, industrial facilities, and large-scale infrastructure projects, amongst others.

Manuel is regularly appointed as an expert witness in arbitration and litigation proceedings and has prepared more than 50 expert reports, providing oral testimony in numerous international arbitrations under direct examination, cross-examination, and concurrent expert evidence. He has worked on disputes ranging from USD 5 million to more than USD 1.5 billion and is recognized for combining practical construction experience with rigorous technical analysis to deliver clear, well-supported expert opinions.

Prior to joining MDD, Manuel built an international career advising on delay, disruption, and damages matters across a broad range of construction, infrastructure and energy projects. He has participated in negotiations, mediations, arbitrations, and litigation proceedings before well-renowned institutions including the International Chamber of Commerce, ICDR, CAM Santiago, CCBogotá, and the Court of Arbitration of Madrid.

A frequent speaker at industry conferences and workshops, Manuel presents internationally on delay analysis and damages in construction projects throughout Latin America, Spain, and Europe. He is fluent in Spanish and English and possesses several professional certifications and awards, including being a FIDIC Certified Contract Manager.

Manuel has been recognized by Lexology Index (formerly Who’s Who Legal) as a recommended construction expert and a Future Leader in the construction sector. Clients and peers have highlighted his technical delay analysis expertise, thorough approach, and ability to effectively explain complex construction matters in simpler terms.

Manuel holds an MEng in Civil Engineering, an MSc in Civil Engineering, a BEng in Building Surveying, and a BSc in Road Technologies. He studied at Edinburgh Napier University in the United Kingdom and the Universidad de Burgos in Spain and was awarded a full-scholarship visiting student placement at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York. Manuel has also combined his professional career with serving as a visiting lecturer in engineering and construction at the University of Burgos for several years.