CEO Insights Magazine

Leaders in project management are distinguished by their capacity to strike a balance between vision and execution, regularly completing difficult projects on schedule, within scope, and budget. An outstanding example is Vibhor Agarwal, Executive Director of Asia Infrastructure Solu- tions.Vibhor is a professionally qualified architect with twenty-five years of experience in project mana-gement as opposed to conventional architectural posi-tions. His career started in India when he joined his mother's architectural practice, expanding it from a small group of workers to more than 200. He moved into the business world, working for more than three years as the Head of Real Estate at Modi Industries. After that, Vibhor worked for a short time as the Regional Manager for North India at DTZ (now Cushman and Wakefield) and eventually moved to Singapore.

As a Project Manager in Singapore, Vibhor began his career at Surbana Jurong overseeing Housing and Development Board (HDB) projects. In 2018, after almost five years, he was hired as an Associate Director by Arcadis, which is now Asia Infrastructure Solutions. With just two employees at first, Vibhor was entrusted with growing Housing and Development Board (HDB) Singapore's project management division. He has expanded his staff to 192 people over the years, and he currently manages 75 projects with a combined worth in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Vibhor now holds a substantial share of the Singaporean market for Housing and Development Board (HDB) project management.

In a recent interview with CEO Insights magazine, Vibhor shared his strategies, future roadmap, and vision for the company. Let’s read about it.

Can you describe your leadership approach and the key methodologies you follow to inspire and lead your team effectively?

I consider myself to be a people person. I establish trusting relationships with my staff, and I

don't use complex techniques to motivate them.

I employ the delegating, talent development, and team management abilities I learned from running my company to effectively lead a large team. My main goal is to establish a workplace culture that values employees as unique persons in addition to their contributions.

What is the ‘success mantra’ that has consistently helped you achieve positive out- comes in your career?

My guiding principles are dedication, perseverance, and ownership. I think the secret to success is to own everything you do completely and consider it your work, not merely the work of the corporation. I anticipate the same level of account ability and ownership from my team in all they do.

Success takes time. It requires patience, resilience, and a will not to give up. I have taken my time building my journey because I know that even the most difficult obstacles can be overcome with perseverance.

How do you keep yourself up to date with the ongoing industry?

It can be difficult, but I prioritize keeping up with the latest developments in the building industry. I try to attend conferences, seminars, and lectures with leaders in the business at least five times a year though my workload might make it challenging. I don't miss any important events to stay up to date on the latest developments, such as digitalization, artificial intelligence, and robotics in the construction industry. For instance, the need for labor is already being reduced in locations like Singapore, where robots are already employed for jobs like painting houses.

In our bimonthly talks with senior management, we analyze market trends and new technologies, and how they may be applied to our projects. I stay up to date on industry advancements and trends due to these interactions.

As you look ahead, what excites you the most about the next phase of your professional journey?

My biggest excitement for the next stage of my career is the chance to expand my mentoring and leadership activities. I have a

strong desire to mentor the future generation of professionals and include cutting-edge technology such as artificial intelligence and sustainable building methods into our projects. I am excited to promote cross-disciplinary coo- peration and service diversi-fication in order to accelerate corporate growth.

My desire to use my skills to make meaningful contributions is driven by the changing problems faced by the real estate and construction industries. I also have a strong commitment to lifelong learning, am open to new ideas, and want to increase my knowledge by working with professionals in the field and continuing my education.

What advice would you offer to aspiring leaders who are looking to make an impact in their fields?

I advise aspiring leaders to always work toward empowering people and to lead with a purpose. Giving people the resources and self-assurance they need to succeed is essential to creating strong teams.

Another important thing is to never stop learning.

Vibhor Agarwal, Executive Director, Asia Infrastructure Solutions

Vibhor Agarwal has a Bachelor's in Archi-tecture from Piloo Modi College of Archi-tecture and an MBA in Human Resources from IIM Calcutta. He has held leadership roles at prestigious companies such as Arcadis, Surbana Jurong Private Limited, DTZ International Property Advisors, and Groupmkm (Modi Group). His expertise spans construction supervision, project manage-ment, business deve- lopment, and operational leadership across diverse sectors in India and Singapore.

•Hobbies: Fitness and Music
•Favourite Travel Destination:
Interlaken in Switzerland

Awards and Recognition: Project of the Year Award (Second Runnerup) – Project Management Institute (PMI), Singapore Chapter, for an Housing and Development Board (HDB) project, Construction Professional of the Year (Finalist) – RICS, Southeast Asia, Project Management and Building Consultancy Team of the Year (Finalist) – RICS, for an Housing and Development Board (HDB) project.