Dr. Abdul Salam Mohammed : Pioneering Sustainable Excellence
Dr. Abdul Salam Mohammed
CEO
Dr. Abdul Salam's leadership is further highlighted by his achievements in streamlining municipal operations in Abu Dhabi, earning the Best Performance Award for four consecutive years. His contri-butions to geospatial data framework for government decision-making in Qatar have garnered international recognition and national awards.
His commitment to leveraging technology for societal progress is evident in his roles with the Indian Space Research Organization, where he led the establishment of Regional Remote Service Centers across India, and at Aligarh Muslim University, where he nurtured young talent and earned accolades such as the All India First Prize in an IEEE competition.
Dr. Abdul Salam Mohammed embodies the essence of effective leadership in business and beyond, where vision, innovation, and a steadfast commitment to excellence propel organizations towards sustainable growth and societal impact. Let’s read on.
Share with us your academic experience from the National Institute of Technology Calicut. What did you learn from the campus beyond academics?
During my time at the National Institute of Technology Calicut, I had the privilege of learning from brilliant teachers like Dr. Venkata Ramani, Prof. Srinivasan, Prof. V. K. Damodaran, and more. Beyond
academics, the campus was a melting pot of cultures, offering rich exposure to unity in diversity with students from all states and abroad. Serving as the mess manager and participating in extracurricular activities such as the IPF’s social work at a matchstick factory, elocution competitions in the Literary and Cultural Club, and involvement in the Nature's and Radio Clubs, greatly enriched my experience. These activities taught me essential skills and underscored the importance of using technology to address real-world problems.
How do you apply these experiences in driving the strategic growth of Markaz Knowledge City?
Driving the strategic growth of Markaz Knowledge City required navigating a complex model, where transitioning from engineering to planning was no easy task. My experiences in Qatar, Abu Dhabi, and Saudi Arabia proved invaluable in this endeavor. Leading the team that build such a large infrastructure in Kerala was a herculean task, fulfilling the dream of an expatriate. We broke the myth that such large-scale developmental projects are not possible in Kerala. This project demanded multi-dimensional experience and grit, addressing significant gaps among end users, government officials, media and society. It required extensive negotiations, empowerment at the societal level, and overcoming legal and regulatory challenges.
Under your leadership approach, what are the best practices you help the team cultivate in ensuring environmental sustainability ac-ross all operations?
Under my leadership, we ensure environ-mental sustainability and ancient wisdom across all operations at Markaz Knowledge City by implementing several best practices. We've introduced enzyme-based water recycling, significantly improving water conservation. We prioritize energy efficiency and alternative energy sources to reduce operational costs and carbon footprint. Maintaining air quality, preserving water quantity and quality, protecting soil quality, and promoting technology-enabled agriculture are critical aspects of our sustainability efforts. Additionally, we conduct biodiversity mapping and support local ecosystems. Using local materials and services helps reduce environmental impact and cost, and we emphasize training and awareness to instill a culture of sustainability within our team.
How do you guide the company in attracting new market leaders to be a part of your endeavor?
Embrace lifelong lear ning, avoiding catego-rization of knowledge, & remain adaptable to change across disci-plines
How do you apply these experiences in driving the strategic growth of Markaz Knowledge City?
Driving the strategic growth of Markaz Knowledge City required navigating a complex model, where transitioning from engineering to planning was no easy task. My experiences in Qatar, Abu Dhabi, and Saudi Arabia proved invaluable in this endeavor. Leading the team that build such a large infrastructure in Kerala was a herculean task, fulfilling the dream of an expatriate. We broke the myth that such large-scale developmental projects are not possible in Kerala. This project demanded multi-dimensional experience and grit, addressing significant gaps among end users, government officials, media and society. It required extensive negotiations, empowerment at the societal level, and overcoming legal and regulatory challenges.
Under your leadership approach, what are the best practices you help the team cultivate in ensuring environmental sustainability ac-ross all operations?
Under my leadership, we ensure environ-mental sustainability and ancient wisdom across all operations at Markaz Knowledge City by implementing several best practices. We've introduced enzyme-based water recycling, significantly improving water conservation. We prioritize energy efficiency and alternative energy sources to reduce operational costs and carbon footprint. Maintaining air quality, preserving water quantity and quality, protecting soil quality, and promoting technology-enabled agriculture are critical aspects of our sustainability efforts. Additionally, we conduct biodiversity mapping and support local ecosystems. Using local materials and services helps reduce environmental impact and cost, and we emphasize training and awareness to instill a culture of sustainability within our team.
How do you guide the company in attracting new market leaders to be a part of your endeavor?
To attract new market leaders to Markaz Knowledge City, I leverage its unique and functional model, which has drawn interest from nearly 65 countries and all parts of India. The city has been used for educating children in Latin America on sustainable practices and has hosted visits from numerous architecture students and experts. High-profile visitors, such as ministers both local and central, company officials that include Laxmi Mittal, Philips, Amstrong, Calzip, and more, have toured the city. Our model stands out because, unlike many proposals still under construction, it is operational. This distinction opens a vast market space, appealing to a diverse range of people and fostering socio-economic development.
Going forward, what is the future roadmap you have envisioned for your journey?
Looking ahead, I envision an ambitious roadmap for our journey at Markaz Knowledge City. We have numerous requests pending for similar projects, and we are currently progressing through the second phase and beginning the third. Our focus includes designing the City of Hope for Artisans, aiming to unite Indian artisans under one umbrella and create a global market space for them using our international network. Additionally, we are in the process of developing the City of Rehab and the City for Sustainable Life to further our commitment to social and environmental sustainability. Expanding our impact, we plan to establish skill development centers across India and a skill university to nurture and empower future generations.
In light of your strong professional experience, what would be your advice to budding industry leaders?
Based on my extensive professional experience, my advice to budding industry leaders is to prioritize vision and long-term goals over short-term gains. Choose a career path based on mission rather than solely for salary. Uphold integrity and ethics in all endeavors, and carve out a niche in the competitive market by exploring arenas with significant social impact. Prioritize solutions to alleviate societal suffering. Build a career aligned with your passion, embracing challenges outside your comfort zone. Engage with stakeholders at all levels, including employees, customers, investors, and the community. Embrace lifelong learning, avoiding categorization of knowledge, and remain adaptable to change across disciplines.
Dr. Abdul Salam Mohammed, CEO, Markaz Knowledge City
Dr. Abdul Salam Mohammed is the CEO of Markaz Knowledge City, spearheading sustainable development initiatives. With a distinguished career spanning inter-national projects in Qatar, Abu Dhabi, and Saudi Arabia, he blends expertise in engineering and strategic planning to drive impactful growth.
Going forward, what is the future roadmap you have envisioned for your journey?
Looking ahead, I envision an ambitious roadmap for our journey at Markaz Knowledge City. We have numerous requests pending for similar projects, and we are currently progressing through the second phase and beginning the third. Our focus includes designing the City of Hope for Artisans, aiming to unite Indian artisans under one umbrella and create a global market space for them using our international network. Additionally, we are in the process of developing the City of Rehab and the City for Sustainable Life to further our commitment to social and environmental sustainability. Expanding our impact, we plan to establish skill development centers across India and a skill university to nurture and empower future generations.
In light of your strong professional experience, what would be your advice to budding industry leaders?
Based on my extensive professional experience, my advice to budding industry leaders is to prioritize vision and long-term goals over short-term gains. Choose a career path based on mission rather than solely for salary. Uphold integrity and ethics in all endeavors, and carve out a niche in the competitive market by exploring arenas with significant social impact. Prioritize solutions to alleviate societal suffering. Build a career aligned with your passion, embracing challenges outside your comfort zone. Engage with stakeholders at all levels, including employees, customers, investors, and the community. Embrace lifelong learning, avoiding categorization of knowledge, and remain adaptable to change across disciplines.
Dr. Abdul Salam Mohammed, CEO, Markaz Knowledge City
Dr. Abdul Salam Mohammed is the CEO of Markaz Knowledge City, spearheading sustainable development initiatives. With a distinguished career spanning inter-national projects in Qatar, Abu Dhabi, and Saudi Arabia, he blends expertise in engineering and strategic planning to drive impactful growth.