Regional Director Design and Engineering SWA
InterContinental Hotel Group
Total years of experience :25 years, 11 Months
Functional Head and Business leader for integrating Design, Development, Operations to drive both growth and profitability for an International Brand Organization for their regional operations in SWA by resolving functional conflict by focusing attention on the business driver.
Distinctive Accomplishments across the tenure
• Strategic leadership by redefined design team function from design management to business champions, resulting in immediate improving in our business relations with our developers and owners’ community.
• Mentoring and establishing commercial reality into all owner dialogue and financial asset management
• Business Technical oversight over the development of 17 activity projects and a pipeline of 50 hospitality projects
• Review of New Hotel Opening processes across AMEA, working our regional offices in Singapore and Dubai.
Distinctive responsibility for design & technical operations of the Indian arm of the Dubai developer, integrating marketing and branding positions into the development process to enhance customer focus and quality of end product within an evolving corporate management revamp of operations
Distinctive Accomplishments across the tenure
• Pivotal role redefined design team function from a cost centre to revenue generation, thereby becoming the lynchpin of 600m US$ annual business, driving corporate re-structuring across related business functions, changing KRAs’ and reviving the business fortunes by creating the platform for profitability from a moribund company after 4 years of continuous losses.
• Establish a key cell for strategy and planning to develop a 3 year business plan of future projects, providing leadership and focus to sales and finance, the creation of cash flow and business models and monitoring their implementation
• Leadership role in driving the creation of an accountable and responsible culture within the organization, becoming the gate-keeper for all new launches, tender package delivery and variations to contracts.
• Championing the introduction of cost consultants, BIM modelling, to provide independent audits on the design process with direct reporting to the CFO, with the full support and backing of the CEO.
• Star in the design management of a new 50-acre luxury mixed-use development and the successful lunch of phase 1 (commercial towers) working in close association with the marketing team.
of Projects Planning & Design
•Effectively the COO of all technical operations responsible for evolving and implementing strategic initiatives to change corporate management to fast and programme bound delivery of projects within the cost and quality market sensitive environment.
Distinctive Accomplishments across the tenure
•Award of 3m sq ft of affordable housing under a design and build contract, with the project to be delivered in 50% less time than traditional means and within budget under a lump sum guarantee price.
•Launched the first 1.6m sq ft of residential development as part of 20 year project to build a new township in Chandigarh, covering all aspect of design, detailing, construction and construction management.
•Establish a new strategic and operational team to instigate 30m sq ft of development during the course of 18 months across a diverse spread of projects and different channel partners.
•Building on success to introduce and execute a number of Design & Build Contracts with international contractors in a market where the developer traditional undertakes all design and construction activities internally, and thereby redefine the norm for completion time (by more than 50%) while staying within budget and improving quality.
•Expanding the out sourcing model both in construction and design team management to and in the process significantly improve the talent pool of resources and improve the bottom line of the company.
•Institute cash flow management tools for both design consultants and project execution to transform the management of business resources
•Took the initiative to engage with and introduce foreign funding partners to the finance team to aid the expansion plans and stability
•Champion the use of BIM technology and detail implementation procedures to improve design co-ordination, construction delivery, site management and cost control
Established this strategic company providing advice on real estate development to leading companies in Delhi, overseas real estate investment companies as well as consultancy firms.
Distinctive Accomplishments across the tenure
•Strategic head of operations for masterminding the implementation of the master plan for a new city community on a 125 acre township in Bangalore, providing guidance on how to realise the company's business case (residential and retail), appointment of consultants and directing key project managers.
Chief Operating officer for the architectural division of a multi-discipline engineering consultancy firm servicing global and Indian clients.
•Responsible for creating the business case, and managing the design and construction process for a new corporate office interior fit-out, achieving a strong brand identity for a 1/3rd of the cost of the parent company fit-out
•Consultant in charge of business & design development of the first corporate office building built in Delhi in the last 15 years and first design and constructed to international standards and advisor on branding and marketing of the project
•Building design management skills, including the focus on translating business goals into technical brief for various corporate, commercial and retail projects team from within the Bharti Realty organization.
•Change Management and strategic counsellor for converting a CAD service BPO from a ‘Rasta to Vector” operation into a 3D service provider.
•Developing strategic planning and design management competency for a major medical establishment entering into the medical tourism market.
•Implementing change management, and operational effectiveness following a Corporate structure review for a leading Mumbai real estate company
•Implementation of best-in-class business / operational practices for as applied construction of a new township being developed on the outskirts of Mumbai
•Strategic advice to international investment funds looking to pursue business opportunities in the Indian market place
•Strategic overview and design management of various residential and township projects in and around the NCR region.
•Interpreting client's business objectives into viable concept proposals and strategic management of their implementation by the design team.
Joined as Senior Vice President responsible for the Mall of India and rose in April 2008 to position of Senior Vice President of all mega retail projects
Distinctive Accomplishments across the tenure
o Spearheaded operations as key member of the management team responsible for policy advice to the Vice Chairman.
o Pivotal in strategic and concept planning of a range of retail projects across the South and West region of India, resulting in abandonment of some projects and concentration of resources on others.
o Managing teams of project managers on the delivery of retail projects across India.
o Significant role in evaluating and implementing management system process to speed up communication, enabling effective management reporting to enhance clarity and actual performance of local consultants initiating timesaving of 3 months off the detail design progress have been achieved.
o Introduced & re-defined design norms and standards (based on international experience as applicable to Indian market conditions) and applied to actual projects to establish brand leadership
o Holds the distinction of handling projects ranging from Rs. 300 to 2, 000 crores.
o Infrastructure and traffic engineering master planning for mega projects both retail, commercial and SEZ that dramatically improved the viability of projects.
o Streamlined electronic transfer of documents and email correspondence by the introduction and championing of ASITE.
o Leading role in establishing timelines, stage wise approvals for the speedy implementation of retail design projects, and negotiation of sliding lump sum scale of fees for international architects, thereby reducing time from inception to concept by 3+ months.
o Fully integrating leasing, marketing and brand positions into the development management role
Distinctive Accomplishments across the tenure
•Stellar role as Business unit head controlling team of 60 staff; managing operations for fee income, expenditure control, deliverables and programme management while increase profits and freeing resources for other projects.
•Successfully established new customer base (India) and maintained solid relationships with existing customer base.
•Instigated a new business strategy to develop potential clients into satisfied customers, growing one divisional business unit from scratch into highly profitable unit for the Indian market.
•Instrumental in overseeing the specialist teams, interacting with Construction Management & Cost management teams, local technical experts on code compliance to ensure timely project delivery.
•Streamlined the interior design construction documentation process, while increasing quality of documentation to delivery fast track projects to meet the demands of the casino clients.
•Developed design management structure to integrate the role of the construction management team into design and documentation progress saving time and cost both in the design and construction phase by 4+ months, while enhancing the quality of the finished project.
•Oversee the construction management of an multi awarding winning corporate office including quality of all architectural finishes and specialist sub-contractors
•Negotiated new client's orders worth 200% more than the initial project based on the successful execution of the works, and appointed to oversee additional projects by the same client organization.
•During this time became the client relationship manager for all projects at Hong Kong International Airport.
•Assumed the role of Country Head for India and within six month took the liaison office of one person and grew it into a full fledge office of 12 staff.
•Organized the secondment of staff from Mumbai to Hong Kong both for training and addressing shortage of staff at the Hong Kong office.
•Secured contracts with the Taj Group of hotels, Quinn Property Group (Ireland) and Fire Capital (Venture capital fund) for major projects run out of HK and Mumbai.
•Held a number of meetings with the 6 leading builders/ developers in Mumbai (including Reliance, Tata, India Bulls), which later resulted in various commissions for Aedas and expanded operations from Mumbai to Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai resulting in the appoint a full time Country Head from Aedas UK.
•Joined as Associate and rose to the position of Director in July 05
Distinctive Accomplishments across the tenure
•Pivotal in delivering production information, operations resources, driving continuous improvement, root cause analysis, supervising the production teams (20 employees directly under my supervision) and managing project expenditure.
•Undertook market research for expanding operations into Mumbai and securing contacts, which resulted in opening a new market in association with brand objectives.
•Successfully managed the procurement, design resolution, release of construction information, statutory and license approval and administration process for the new concept of City Resort Hotel in the lower portion of an existing office tower, saving 2 months off the 18 months programme.
•Instrumental in handling the complete project management of large scale & prestigious commercial re-development in the CBD; the building designed to exacting standards demanded by international finance companies has won many awards.
•Extensive involvement through the management and leadership of the architectural team to complete the final stages of the retail extension at an International Airport.
•Handled the entire project management, the phasing of the works in a 24/7 building, co-ordination and programming of government inspections, organization of fire engineering studies and reports to realize the client's objectives to provide an exciting boundary free retail experience, while maintaining an operational international airport.
•Benchmarked design and finishes against global standards, implemented best practices demonstrated overseas.
•Received letter of commendation from the premier Hong Kong retail estate developer for work on Chater House and the Landmark Mandarin Oriental Hotel.
•Team leader for Chater House which has been nominated for various / winning various industry design/construction awards.
•Established quality control procedures and managed the ISO accreditation process for Aedas as their appointed Quality Assurance Manager.
•Pivotal role in developing and producing CAD manual and other documents for streamlining office procedures, and maintaining quality control to assist the growth of the company from 40 to 400+ employees within a 6 year period.
•Key clients /major orders handled included Hongkong Land, Hong Kong International airport, MTRC. Also became a recognised expert on stone/timber selection/ use/ detailing etc.
Registered Architect (UK) (RIBA Part III)
Honours
Honours (RIBA Part I)