Pankaj Naresh: Taking The Indian Steel Revolution To Next Level
Pankaj Naresh
CEO
With over 30 years of experience spread over several industry sectors in senior leadership roles, Pankaj Naresh brings valuable expertise in project management, sales and marketing operations excellence, organizational restructuring, & strategy implementation through his current role.
Pankaj Naresh recently engaged in a one-on-one interaction with the CEO Insights Magazine, here’s the Highlight
Throw some light on your professional background and experience. How has your journey been so far with Phenix Construction Technologies, & what drives you today?
After completing my engineering degree and post-graduation, I started my professional career in 1991. I have been privileged to get the opportunity to work with several esteemed organizations, including MRPL, Lanco Alstom (now GE)and Reliance Industries, gaining exposure by working in different business verticals, and that is the experience and perspective I brought with me to Phenix. It is an extremely competitive business, and I face new challenges & gain new learnings every day. Still, my experience and disciplined hard work enable me to cope with the
regular grind. Phenix has a great legacy, & the thought, that I have a great opportunity to take the organization to the next level, create new growth opportunities, and create a better work environment for my large Phenix family, keeps me going.
How has IIT Delhi contributed to your rise as a successful industry leader? Could you talk about the learnings & experiences you acquired from IIT Delhi & how you apply them in your current role?
I look back on my days at IIT Delhi – DMS with extreme fondness and I want to take this as an opportunity to thank my Alma Mater, to whom I am highly indebted. I had already gained a decade of experience when I enrolled in the program. However, IIT Delhi-DMS was instrumental in broadening my perspectives and providing me a platform to develop tactical and strategic thinking, which are extremely impactful in my current role. I sincerely thank my professors & colleagues who helped me grow beyond my limitations.
As the CEO,what roles and responsibilities do you majorly undertake at Phenix Construction Technologies? What is the unique proposition that your organization offers to its clients? How do you maintain the perfect balance between your personal & professional life?
I believe that my primary role is driving to achieve the organization’s strategic objectives building a collaborative as well as value-driven culture& consistently improving operational performance. We provide building and infrastructure solutions, but we primarily build long-term relationships, which are amply reflected in our large percentage of repeat clientele.
I don’t know what or if there is a perfect balance but I try to maintain my professional work timelines and adequately prioritize my personal commitments. Credit goes to my wife and children because with out their undying support it would not have been possible. Also I try to
I believe that my primary role is driving to achieve the organization’s strategic objectives, building a collaborative as well as value driven culture, & consistently improving operational performance
How has IIT Delhi contributed to your rise as a successful industry leader? Could you talk about the learnings & experiences you acquired from IIT Delhi & how you apply them in your current role?
I look back on my days at IIT Delhi – DMS with extreme fondness and I want to take this as an opportunity to thank my Alma Mater, to whom I am highly indebted. I had already gained a decade of experience when I enrolled in the program. However, IIT Delhi-DMS was instrumental in broadening my perspectives and providing me a platform to develop tactical and strategic thinking, which are extremely impactful in my current role. I sincerely thank my professors & colleagues who helped me grow beyond my limitations.
As the CEO,what roles and responsibilities do you majorly undertake at Phenix Construction Technologies? What is the unique proposition that your organization offers to its clients? How do you maintain the perfect balance between your personal & professional life?
I believe that my primary role is driving to achieve the organization’s strategic objectives building a collaborative as well as value-driven culture& consistently improving operational performance. We provide building and infrastructure solutions, but we primarily build long-term relationships, which are amply reflected in our large percentage of repeat clientele.
I don’t know what or if there is a perfect balance but I try to maintain my professional work timelines and adequately prioritize my personal commitments. Credit goes to my wife and children because with out their undying support it would not have been possible. Also I try to
dedicate some time to physical activity to maintain a healthy lifestyle. I read a lot, which generates many new thoughts and ideas, enabling me to try something new every day. I firmly believe in planning for the long term but living every day to the fullest for a gratifying life.
Reflect on some of the major challenges you have experienced in your journey. How did you overcome them, & what did you learn from them?
In my long professional journey, I have faced many challenges but one of the most challenging tasks was leading the electrification drive in Delhi distribution after the privatization of Reliance Energy. It was a unique experience handling area residents, various types of interest and pressure groups, and a lot of political influence. Another daunting challenge was when COVID struck, nobody was prepared, and I quickly realized that we had to handle this in an orderly manner to avoid chaos. We quickly organized ourselves, put safety protocols in place, and took care of our contract workers' food, stay, and safety, which gave them the confidence to stay and not migrate. I take pride that we could manage the situation reasonably well.
Going forward, what are the changes in market behavior that you anticipate, & what are the opportunities you foresee?
Significant market changes have occurred in our industry over the last 10-15 years. PEB is now an accepted solution for various buildings and in almost all the industry sectors. We largely depend on steel mills for our raw materials, driven by many geo-political situations at different times, and we must consistently work around those. But we look forward to huge growth potential in coming years as India grows, and we will have our fair share of growth opportunities. We are already setting up another plant in South India, looking at the growth potential, and considering enhancing the present plant capacity.
Pankaj Naresh, CEO, Phenix Construction Technologies
An Engineer by profession with BE (Electrical) & ME(Industrial Engineering), Pankaj Naresh has also completed his MBA from DMS, IIT Delhi. He is committed to achieving strategic objectives, maximizing operational performance & radical transformation guided by his fresh ideas and exuberant personality. He is an avid reader and loves to read the Bhagwat Gita time & again.
Reflect on some of the major challenges you have experienced in your journey. How did you overcome them, & what did you learn from them?
In my long professional journey, I have faced many challenges but one of the most challenging tasks was leading the electrification drive in Delhi distribution after the privatization of Reliance Energy. It was a unique experience handling area residents, various types of interest and pressure groups, and a lot of political influence. Another daunting challenge was when COVID struck, nobody was prepared, and I quickly realized that we had to handle this in an orderly manner to avoid chaos. We quickly organized ourselves, put safety protocols in place, and took care of our contract workers' food, stay, and safety, which gave them the confidence to stay and not migrate. I take pride that we could manage the situation reasonably well.
Going forward, what are the changes in market behavior that you anticipate, & what are the opportunities you foresee?
Significant market changes have occurred in our industry over the last 10-15 years. PEB is now an accepted solution for various buildings and in almost all the industry sectors. We largely depend on steel mills for our raw materials, driven by many geo-political situations at different times, and we must consistently work around those. But we look forward to huge growth potential in coming years as India grows, and we will have our fair share of growth opportunities. We are already setting up another plant in South India, looking at the growth potential, and considering enhancing the present plant capacity.
Pankaj Naresh, CEO, Phenix Construction Technologies
An Engineer by profession with BE (Electrical) & ME(Industrial Engineering), Pankaj Naresh has also completed his MBA from DMS, IIT Delhi. He is committed to achieving strategic objectives, maximizing operational performance & radical transformation guided by his fresh ideas and exuberant personality. He is an avid reader and loves to read the Bhagwat Gita time & again.