CEO Insights Magazine

Ambition and clarity of purpose are counted among the determinants of success. Koheli Puri (Managing Director, Studio XP Management Consultants Pvt. Ltd. ) had these qualities ingrained in her from a very young age. Her commitment to and pursuit of her goal to become an architect and to run her own company never wavered for the blink of an eye. Inspiring herself through reading entrepreneurial accounts and utilizing the resources at her disposal in the form of education, experience and skills, Koheli progressed towards and actualizedher childhood dream of being a renowned name in the design consulting industry. On close inspection of her personality, one would also find that her talents and interests are also aligned synchronously to her objectives in life.

Koheli had pursued B.Arch from Bengal Engineering College, Shibpur,and Master’s degree in Construction Management from IIT, Delhi. There after, her work in JLL as the head of operationsled to her expertise in delivering projects and managing corporate entities and erudition in best practices of the industry. Moving on to the next company enabled her to acquire skills in business expansion, marketing & delivery strategy,project management,and out-of-the-box thinking. Kohelistarted her own company in 2011 with the aid of experience and finesse that she had acquired over the years, as a fulfillment of her long-term aspiration.

Being One's Own Boss
The resolution to embark on entrepreneurship was an impulsive decision involving significant risk which meant resigning from a highly

rewarding career. Nonetheless, the high profile job had its stagnation point beyond which there was less to be done, and she opted to start a venture of her own - an immensely worth while decision in retrospect. The contacts that Koheli had from her eleven years in the industry won trustful clients and became the driving force that kept her morale high.


The enticing element of being an entrepreneur for Koheli is the absence of norms and rules which gives her the liberty to run the company the way she feels fit. It presents her the freedom to imbibe the best from the corporate culture and discard the worst. The lack of constraints also makes it easier to implement projects successfully without slowing down at the junctures of client commitment or project delivery, which in turn garners acclamation from the clientele. Independence and self-reliance guarantee failures, which must be handled responsibly. There have been occasions of deficiencies in the implementation of projects, which Koheli redressed through complete demolition and re-building of her works. Though such a gesture would incur losses, it has gone a far way in building a reputation for Studio XP.

Koheli reckons her self to be a representative of the stronger gender. "I always feel we are more sincere, responsible and greater multi tasker," asserts Koheli while describing the perks of being a woman. She has never faced any difficulties on the grounds of gender even while working in a predominantly male-dominated arena. Koheli is a practical person with relatively less emotional inclinations, which has been a contributing factor to her 'never say

never'attitude. She considers nothing to be impossible and becomes unstoppable once she has set her mind onto something. Koheli’s team is her greatest strength, whom she supports and mentors unconditionally – which has been pointed out by her clients as a weakness. Her habit of keeping a diary to plan her day by listing action points also reflects her disposition to be self governing.

Personal Life
Just a woman behind every successful man, Koheli feels lucky enough to have two men behind her success reasons. She admits that her successes have seen unceasing support from her father and husband. Encouragement from her crew at the office and her crew at home has been indispensable for her to carry things out in harmony. As an architect, Koheli’s favorite holiday destination is Dubai, which makes her marvel at the constructions that keeps pushing the limits of possibility. Unique in their project delivery methods and commitment, Dubai has lessons to take from, in her viewpoint. Koheli has reading as a hobby and recommends 'I can win' by Shiv Khera to the prospective entrepreneurs. At the same time, what she considers to be of prime importance is the attitude, as motivational books can only offer limited incentives for one’s personal growth. Koheli sets aside an hour every morning for yoga and indulges in healthy food, caring for her fitness. She spends quality time with her kids and values relationships with her family a lot.

Engaged in educating the fraternity about the construction industry, Koheli has written a paper describing the changes in the sector and offers training to students who wish to learn green building project management and other trends in the Construction management industry. She believes that commitment, right attitude and passion for work are the elements that would enable the young generation of entrepreneurs to realize their ideas. Under Koheli’s leadership, Studio XP has won accolades and has been identified among the top 100 Design & Construction brands in Asia and is set to achieve greater heights in the international construction management space.