wajih

As I prepared for my maiden trip to Iraq, I deliberately set aside any preconceived notions. I arrived in Baghdad with an open mind, determined not to be influenced by the usual narratives: “Why Iraq?”, “How come?”, “Be careful”, or “Is it safe to travel?”. I literally muted these concerns. Upon landing, the sights and […]

Market pressures continue to push the facilities management (FM) industry to take action and innovate. In pursuit of cost efficiencies and response to industry transformation needs, agile and effective interventions are required. One critical area that both the workforce and the industry need to focus on is upskilling on-the-job. This remains a top priority for

In the backdrop of the competitive landscape and client pressure to cut costs, this is the first and last resort to upend the bottom line.   Identifying cost efficiencies in facilities management is on the mind of every FM operator. In the backdrop of a gruelling competitive landscape, coupled with clients’ demand to drop margins that

Winning must not be the only criterion; sustainable service delivery ecosystem and prudence must not be compromised. I have been an active proponent of a tactical but value-based approach to bidding for business. However, I also believe that while capitulating to the holistic needs of relevant requests for proposals (RFPs) during any bidding engagements, bidders

In the early stages of building the EFS organisation, I realised that ground-level engagement is critical for creating a robust workforce and a people-centric culture. This is particularly important in the facilities management industry, where two-thirds of the workforce is on the frontlines. We worked tirelessly to build an interactive and dynamic platform for ground-up

  When someone asks me about my title, I prefer to call myself the Chief People Officer. While the CEO is responsible for overall strategy, decision-making, and business performance, the idea that the CEO is also the Chief People Officer stems from my leadership philosophy, where I emphasise the importance of people in driving an

It is well-known that routine work engagements and formal office environments often provide open communication channels for employees to relax. However, it took me some time to grasp what holistic team engagement truly means outside the four walls of an office. While regular office dynamics involve numerous meetings, workshops, and routine interactions, they often fail

Pre-leasing reviews by Facilities Management help reduce future operating costs and meet end-user needs. The role of Facilities Management (FM) has long been seen through a narrow lens, often viewed primarily as a maintenance function focused on the upkeep of buildings and facilities. I have always advocated the multi-dimensional scope of FM. For instance, in

I must confess that I knew very little about wellness until I was engaged in a dinner conversation with my daughters about my health. After intensely scrutinising my medical tests, they convinced me to speak with Tulah, a clinical wellness concept in Kerala. When I initially met the Tulah team, there was a real focus