Cross-cultural leader in project management
Born in a remote location in Southern India, the dynamic Ahamed Faizal showed remarkable grit to emerge as a Cross-cultural Leader in Project Management across countries and industries. With 14+ years of experience in Oil & Gas, Energy, Minerals, Technical Service, and Manufacturing, Ahamed is renowned for his expertise in creating and managing Manufacturing Facilities (Offshore Jackets, Topsides, PAR/PAU Modules, Piping Spools), creating business strategies and New Product Line Development, right from development to delivery.
Today, he is an Aramco-approved Project Manager at Saipem Taqa Al-Rushaid Fabricators Co Ltd, Saudi Arabia and is responsible for the fabrication management of multiple subsea and fixed offshore facility projects for Saudi Aramco LTA contracts; handling P&L responsibility, customer relationships, and HSSE and quality compliance.
This is a huge feat for Ahamed, the first graduate in his family. “I often joke that I didn’t choose any profession as my career; it somehow found me. My destiny took a turn in grade 11, when I was handpicked for IIT-JEE preparation by a mentor. From then on, I was fascinated by Physics and graduated in Mechanical Engineering from Anna University, Chennai. I also obtained multiple certifications and credentials, including PMI-RMP, Chartered Engineer, and the recent Senior Management Program from IIM-Kozhikode.”
Ahamed began his career as a Trainee Engineer in Larsen & Toubro Ltd. After working as a Production Engineer for a few projects, he moved to Production Planning and took on extra work for a role in Project Planning as well. This helped him move to estimations and new customer handling, thereby stepping into business development. Soon, he found himself selected as an Executive Assistant to the Business Unit Head.
His tenure as an Executive Assistant gave him a good experience in understanding business dynamics, decision making, ensuring profitability, capex & open budgeting, operations management, etc. He took the opportunity to get associated in his first international project with M/s. Kuwait Oil Company and based on his performance, the client selected him to head the effort. The successful completion of this new product line opened many more fronts for the facility from various customers.
In 2018, Ahamed was headhunted to lead the overall logistics operation for Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project. The very next year in 2019, L&T mobilized him back to establish a fabrication facility in Saudi Arabia as part of its IKTVA commitment to Saudi Aramco. Despite the COVID pandemic challenges, Ahamed conceptualized and developed a Fabrication facility (150,000 Sqm) for piping spools, onshore & offshore modules. The facility started producing and he also ensured a strong order book for 3 years with a clear business model for both operational and financial success.
In 2023, Ahamed joined Saipem, having emerged as a key leader in the region. His sound knowledge and hands-on experience to handle multiple roles in EPCIC value chain with clear focus on delivery and profitability set him apart from the competition. “People close to me often point out that project management suits me well. Maybe it’s because I tend to be a bit bossy, always wanting to plan every detail and monitor progress meticulously. This trait isn’t limited to my professional life; even my vacation needs to be carefully planned. I can’t help but feel uneasy when I have to go with the flow instead of having a structured plan”.
Ahamed’s top achievements includes
● handling India’s Largest Logistics Contract for Nuclear Power Corporation of India and
● Consistently being lauded as ‘Outstanding Performer’ across companies. Ahamed also is known for
● for training and grooming young Saudi nationals for handling various key project roles.
Ahamed’s leadership style is collaborative without any differentiation in team hierarchy. “I strongly believe in developing people for my role rather than being protective about my own position,” he reveals.
A self-contented person, Ahamed maintains a clear demarcation between personal and professional timing. He believes that working overtime is related to inefficiency and encourages his team to have their dedicated personal time. He says setting priorities and arriving at a conclusive reply is how one can balance the challenges.
Something Ahamed himself discovered during the pandemic. “My time management now is very different to pre-Covid days. I take an hour off every evening to go for a jog, unwind, and visualize my future self. The rest of the time, especially weekends, is dedicated to family. My hobby includes reading books, mostly nonfiction and related to biographies, science, and history.”
For young professionals aspiring towards leadership, Ahamed advises thinking big with a clear vision. “Have a big-picture mindset and think beyond the current status quo. Stay ahead of the curve through lifelong learning. I make a conscious effort to stay curious about the world, constantly seeking to understand how things work and why. I expose myself to different people, opinions, and business models to get inspiration and broaden my perspective.”
Getting ready for another year of projects, team meetings, and the inevitable challenges, Ahamed is armed with years’ worth of experiences and a lot of gratitude.
