Biju Bhasi: An Epitome Of Strategic Leadership In Hospitality & Facility Management
Biju Bhasi
Country Manager
Hailing from Kerala, Biju’s professional journey began in hotel management. He started with Oberois Flight Kitchen in Mumbai, and moved to Dubai with Jebel Ali Hotels and advanced with a notable position at the prestigious Haldi-ram’s Group's Hotel Division as General Manager in Nagpur, also worked with Mars Group & Blue Foods in Mumbai. These Indian and international experiences laid the foundation for his subsequent roles in Africa. In 2006, Biju joined ATS (Allter rain Services Inc) as a project manager in Ghana. His expertise quickly led him to Sierra Leone. After ATS was acquired by Tsebo Solutions in 2015, he was instrumental in making it a leading facility management firm in West African countries, Sierra Leone and Liberia. Tsebo has manpower over 32,000 employees across 25 countries in Africa and Middle East.
Biju moved to Liberia and took up the responsibilities further as head operations and then country manager. He helped the company secure several major contracts with prominent mining companies. Despite the challenges posed by the Ebola outbreak, which forced the closure of operations in Liberia, his resilience and adaptability shone through.
Beyond his professional accom-plishments, Biju is an avid reader and traveler. While his roots trace back to Ernakulam district in Kerala, India, he called Mumbai is home for over three decades where he settled. Active engagement in non-profitable social initiatives has been a cornerstone along with career, he has been proudly associated the Sierra Leone Malayali Association and World Malayalee Federation and held various positions. Also hold an executive position with Sapiens Forum International, Mumbai region, fostering connec-tions and charitable contributions within our global community.
He enjoys exploring diverse terrains around the world and writing travelogues in English and his mother tongue, Malayalam. Among his favorite reads are Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari and the works of Hemingway and Arundhati Roy. His career and personal interests reflect a blend of professional success, cultural exploration, and a deep appreciation for the world around him. Outside the professional realm, he is keen for social causes. His wife, a social worker and small-time entrepreneur, and have cultivated a life dedicated to community welfare. They have raised two wonderful daughters, one pursuing a career
while the other is a student, both live in Canada.
CEO Insights is excited to interview Biju and learn more about his journey.
How do you continue to enhance your company's reputation and secure high profile clients?
Maintaining strong client rela- tionships is crucial in the facility services industry, especially within the competitive and often challenging environment of the African mining sector. We focus on delivering exceptional quality and maintaining rigorous standards. We provide top-notch services, including highly hygienic food production, adhering to various ISO certifica-tions and HACCP standards. Implementing robust food safety policies and procedures ensures that we meet the highest industry standards. By operating pro-fessionally and consistently, we establish a solid reputation that helps us retain contracts and attract new clients.
Word of mouth has also played a signi-ficant role in our growth. Satisfied clients often refer us to their networks, and we've secured new contracts through these referrals. Additionally, when senior managers from our existing clients move to new companies, they sometimes bring us along, further expanding our client base. This network effect has been securing contracts in Sierra Leone and beyond.
How has ATS Tsebo grown over the years? How do you develop brand strategy and raise brand awareness among your customers?
ATS and Tsebo have established a solid brand presence in the hospitality industry across Africa and the Middle East, catering to major clients, including leading mining companies like Arcelor Mittal, Sierra Rutile etc. In South Africa alone, our base employs over 15,000 people. And our brand is synonymous with quality and reliability in sectors such as hospitals and corporate facilities.
In West Africa, where my focus lies, ATS has been a prominent player since the late 1990s, particularly in the mining sector. We have a robust presence in countries like Ghana, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. To sustain and enhance our brand, we focus on innovation and client engagement. For instance, we've introduced a mobile app that allows clients to easily order services and manage their needs, ensuring we stay connected and responsive to their requirements.
Furthermore, ATS is well-known in the mining industry for its comprehensive service offer-ings, including catering, housekeeping, and more. By consistently delivering high-quality services and adapting to the latest trends and technologies in remotely operating African projects, we maintain our strong brand reputation and continue to attract and retain top-tier clients.
Could you share the secret formula you use to facilitate cross-functional communication with stakeholders and clients?
CEO Insights is excited to interview Biju and learn more about his journey.
How do you continue to enhance your company's reputation and secure high profile clients?
Maintaining strong client rela- tionships is crucial in the facility services industry, especially within the competitive and often challenging environment of the African mining sector. We focus on delivering exceptional quality and maintaining rigorous standards. We provide top-notch services, including highly hygienic food production, adhering to various ISO certifica-tions and HACCP standards. Implementing robust food safety policies and procedures ensures that we meet the highest industry standards. By operating pro-fessionally and consistently, we establish a solid reputation that helps us retain contracts and attract new clients.
Innovation and trans-parent client communi-cation and an open book policy, are the secret source to success of our company
Word of mouth has also played a signi-ficant role in our growth. Satisfied clients often refer us to their networks, and we've secured new contracts through these referrals. Additionally, when senior managers from our existing clients move to new companies, they sometimes bring us along, further expanding our client base. This network effect has been securing contracts in Sierra Leone and beyond.
How has ATS Tsebo grown over the years? How do you develop brand strategy and raise brand awareness among your customers?
ATS and Tsebo have established a solid brand presence in the hospitality industry across Africa and the Middle East, catering to major clients, including leading mining companies like Arcelor Mittal, Sierra Rutile etc. In South Africa alone, our base employs over 15,000 people. And our brand is synonymous with quality and reliability in sectors such as hospitals and corporate facilities.
In West Africa, where my focus lies, ATS has been a prominent player since the late 1990s, particularly in the mining sector. We have a robust presence in countries like Ghana, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. To sustain and enhance our brand, we focus on innovation and client engagement. For instance, we've introduced a mobile app that allows clients to easily order services and manage their needs, ensuring we stay connected and responsive to their requirements.
Furthermore, ATS is well-known in the mining industry for its comprehensive service offer-ings, including catering, housekeeping, and more. By consistently delivering high-quality services and adapting to the latest trends and technologies in remotely operating African projects, we maintain our strong brand reputation and continue to attract and retain top-tier clients.
Could you share the secret formula you use to facilitate cross-functional communication with stakeholders and clients?
Transparency is key for me, as it forms the foundation of our team dynamics. We maintain a three-way communication approach, with our clients, our staff, and our corporate management. I emphasize trans- parent communication and trust, allowing autonomy rather than micro-managing them.
To keep clients informed and engaged, we regularly seek their feedback and hold various forms of communication, both formal and informal. This includes periodic meetings, such as weekly and monthly reviews, as well as social events where we can interact in a more relaxed setting. These gatherings allow us to discuss performance and gather insights directly from our clients, helping us understand how we're doing and where we can improve.
With my managers across the regions, we hold weekly meetings to discuss, brief and debrief. This consistent and open communication fosters trans-parency and collaboration, which is critical to our success.
Could you share some of the core principles and values that guide your leadership?
I firmly believe that no one can achieve success alone; it is always a collective effort. This principle is at the heart of my leadership approach with a participative management style.
We make it a point to be actively involved in all management activities at the project level, maintaining a friendly and approach-able demeanor. I follow a ‘give and take’ philosophy, engaging with my managers regularly, seeking their feedback, and ensuring that they feel heard and valued. I'm always open to gathering information from my team to execute plans effectively. This participative approach not only fosters a positive working environment but also encourages innovation and efficiency.
As you consider the next chapter in your professional journey, what excites you the most about what lies ahead?
It has indeed been an eventful and rewarding path. After this fulfilling career span, I am looking forward to retirement and embarking on a new consulting venture in a few years. Given my extensive experience and expertise, I believe this consultancy will allow me to leverage my skills to provide valuable insights and solutions within the Indian hospitality market. The prospect of applying my knowledge in a new capacity and contributing to the indus-try in a different way is something I am genuinely excited about.
Biju Bhasi, Country Manager, ATS
Biju is a seasoned professional with a rich background in facility and hospitality management, particularly within the mining sector. His career spans nearly three decades, with notable experiences across India, Dubai, and African nations. Biju's dedication and excellence in his field have been conferred with several recognitions, including the Excellence in Performance award in 2017 by Tsebo, a notable achievement among his peers in South Africa. Leveraging his extensive experience and deep industry insights of two decades, Biju aims to bring strategic and innovative solutions to the Indian facility/ hospitality management market. With this goal in place, he envisions launching a consultancy firm.
To keep clients informed and engaged, we regularly seek their feedback and hold various forms of communication, both formal and informal. This includes periodic meetings, such as weekly and monthly reviews, as well as social events where we can interact in a more relaxed setting. These gatherings allow us to discuss performance and gather insights directly from our clients, helping us understand how we're doing and where we can improve.
With my managers across the regions, we hold weekly meetings to discuss, brief and debrief. This consistent and open communication fosters trans-parency and collaboration, which is critical to our success.
Could you share some of the core principles and values that guide your leadership?
I firmly believe that no one can achieve success alone; it is always a collective effort. This principle is at the heart of my leadership approach with a participative management style.
We make it a point to be actively involved in all management activities at the project level, maintaining a friendly and approach-able demeanor. I follow a ‘give and take’ philosophy, engaging with my managers regularly, seeking their feedback, and ensuring that they feel heard and valued. I'm always open to gathering information from my team to execute plans effectively. This participative approach not only fosters a positive working environment but also encourages innovation and efficiency.
As you consider the next chapter in your professional journey, what excites you the most about what lies ahead?
It has indeed been an eventful and rewarding path. After this fulfilling career span, I am looking forward to retirement and embarking on a new consulting venture in a few years. Given my extensive experience and expertise, I believe this consultancy will allow me to leverage my skills to provide valuable insights and solutions within the Indian hospitality market. The prospect of applying my knowledge in a new capacity and contributing to the indus-try in a different way is something I am genuinely excited about.
Biju Bhasi, Country Manager, ATS
Biju is a seasoned professional with a rich background in facility and hospitality management, particularly within the mining sector. His career spans nearly three decades, with notable experiences across India, Dubai, and African nations. Biju's dedication and excellence in his field have been conferred with several recognitions, including the Excellence in Performance award in 2017 by Tsebo, a notable achievement among his peers in South Africa. Leveraging his extensive experience and deep industry insights of two decades, Biju aims to bring strategic and innovative solutions to the Indian facility/ hospitality management market. With this goal in place, he envisions launching a consultancy firm.