Can you share a brief glimpse into your career journey? What has been the most pivotal moment in your career, and how has it shaped your professional growth?
My journey started in sales and finance in the late 80s, but the real turning point was in 2001 when I moved into the real estate world. This coincided with the rise of global capability centers and offshoring in India. At GE Capital International Services/Genpact, I led their real estate expansion during a period of exponential growth. We set up large capability centers across India as well as overseas. Apart from designing, building and managing new properties, the work also included negotiating with state governments to acquire subsidized/free land and get reductions in certain tariffs/taxes.
The real estate sector in India was in a nascent stage then. One of the challenges was managing large facilities and complex 24X7 employee transportation services for thousands of employees. At that time, I understood the immense potential of the real estate sector in India’s burgeoning service industry. That decision in 2001 proved transformative, allowing me to gain expertise in a field that became integral to India’s growth story. Since then, I’ve remained in the real estate industry, adapting to its ever-changing landscape.
What are some of the significant challenges you’ve encountered in the industry, and what measures can we adopt to address them?
Having worked on the client side for over a decade and a half and realizing the immense benefits of hiring an International Property Consultant (IPC), like Cushman & Wakefield, educating clients about the advantages of specialized outsourced facilities management (FM) is a key challenge, even today.
Surprisingly, around 80% of companies in India still believe that they can manage their large facilities in-house by recruiting blue-collar workers and a few “facilities experts”. But fortunately, large Fortune 500 companies are now understanding the value that IPCs like Cushman & Wakefield bring in terms of safety, compliance, ethics, technology and sustainability. In-house property management often leads to sub-optimal services, while outsourcing to specialists enhances productivity, introduces global best practices and reduces costs.
Another challenge lies in government-owned organizations, where contractual terms for FM services are less flexible, which can present challenges for multinational property consultants. Hence, they mostly end up doing business with local suppliers who provide sub-optimal services.
There is, therefore, a need for industry bodies like FICCI, NASSCOM, CII etc. to step in and create an ongoing dialogue with public sector enterprises, to educate them on the benefits of outsourcing to IPCs.
How have you integrated sustainability and eco-friendly practices into your facility management strategies?
At Cushman & Wakefield, we firmly believe that sustainability has to be integrated completelyin every service that we provide to our clients. We have been relentless in our pursuit of creating a healthier, greener and sustainable planet. We have dedicated resources, material, and educational programs for employees as well as our partners. We closely work with some of the world’s largest real estate occupiers and investors, who share a similar sustainability purpose as ours. Our motto is “We will never settle for the world that’s been built”, but constantly drive forward towards a more sustainable one, every day.
With this shared purpose being our guiding light, our approach is to offer integrated sustainable real estate solutions- from certifications to going beyond net zero. We have extensively worked with our clients to implement solutions that meet ESG requirements tailored to their needs. We also work around enabling them to get the right certifications & recognition, from the right institutions that promote eco-friendly practices. Some of these are – USGBC (U.S. Green Building Council Certification), Net Zero Water, Net Zero Waste, WELL Health Safety etc.
What innovative technologies or processes have you implemented to enhance operational efficiency and user experience within your facilities?
Technology and innovation are deeply ingrained in our operations and client services. We’ve adopted cutting-edge technology in India and have established ourselves as the best technology-enabled FM company. Some of the tech enabled solutions we have successfully implemented are – labour compliance management, building compliance management, predictive maintenance, preventive maintenance, QR based checklist management, to name a few.
In your opinion, what are the essential qualities and skills that have contributed to your success in facility management, and what advice would you give to aspiring professionals in this field?
The key qualities that have contributed to my success are integrity, curiosity, adaptability, and optimism. When I started working in the realm of facilities management in 2001, I had no prior experience. Nevertheless, I had an innate knack for learning and adapting quickly and knowing that, just as the global business leaders were getting convinced about the benefits of outsourcing, I would quickly work out methodologies on how to manage real estate and facilities, as outsourcing to India grew. Both curiosity and the ability to quickly learn were essential to my personal growth. Plus, I firmly believe in “the harder I work, the luckier I get”.
I believe that true leaders are those who excel when the circumstances/situations are unclear. Given that our minds are hard-wired to see uncertainty as a risk or a threat, it is important not to avoid these feelings but learn to embrace the discomfort as an expected and normal part of the learning process.
In the early 2000s, the world realised the huge potential of India’s high-quality and low-cost workforce, and I could clearly see the enormous opportunity that lies for real estate growth. Being able to predict “what’s next” has really helped me in my journey.
Six Sigma was another important skill that I picked up at GE. It gave me a solid foundation in data analytics and business process mapping, which are key in designing and managing large-scale operations.
Lastly, I would advise young professionals to have zero-tolerance with respect to ethics, compliance and safety. These are non-negotiable requirements in the field of facility management. Building a culture based on these values, is vital for long-term success.
I would also strongly advise them to be execution-oriented. The key to their organization’s and their personal success lies in timely plan execution. Don’t be scared of failing—it’s okay to fail at times, then learn from your mistakes and try again.