Harendra Singh: A Visionary With Innovative Business Strategies To Climb Unprecedented Heights In The Industry
Harendra Singh
Chairman & MD
In an exclusive interview with CEO Insights, Harendra talks more about his professional journey and the unique business operations of HG Infra Engineering.
Give us a brief detail about your educational background and professional background, and how has it helped you on your journey so far?
I have done my engineering in Civil and further worked in HPCL for three years. Later, I joined the Construction company of my father, where I learnt as well as grinded myself under his mentorship for a strong foundation, and that has helped me tremendously in my journey of last almost 30 years.
The infrastructure sector is full of daily challenges because of changes in several political and socio-economic factors. We have to be spontaneous to adapt to these changes and work according to the changing dynamics on the business front. I, like any other leader, have worked on my shortcomings and mistakes with time and experience. My leadership has also shaped and grown with time with executable experience. I have always taken a pragmatic and judicious approach to align thoughts into execution. It has helped me enhance the capabilities and achieve goals of the organisation by guiding all team members with the same vision to deliver targeted results. When the mindset of all leadership level gets rooted in each team member, all are attuned and aligned with the same aim.
The MD of a company undertakes various roles such as a leader, visionary, decision-maker and others. What different roles have you been undertaking at HG Infra Engineering?
My prime role is to direct, control the company's operations, to give strategic guidance direction to the board to ensure that the company achieves its mission and objectives. As head of the organisation, I am also a leader, visionary, decision-maker, manager, board developer, communicator, brand ambassador of the organisation, power delegator, inspiration, guide, mentor & motivator as I bring courage, passion, integrity, and resilience. I give vision & thoughts to my team for the execution wherever and whenever needed; I believe in democratic leadership to hear from all hierarchical lines.
As the MD of HG Infra Engineering, what are the strategies/methods you put forward to align your organisation with your vision and mission?
We have evolved as an organisation with our consolidated effort; today, I have no inhibition in stating that we are a process-driven, system-oriented, transparent, and technically sound organisation. We are further ready to explore and invest in the best technology to scale-up our business growth. We are exhaustively on the digitisation & monitoring of machinery equipment base, tech-enabled supply chain planning, and SAP- HANA for accounting software. All these developments have resulted in qualitative outputs and better crunching of our financial numbers. Our MIS & reporting systems, review meetings, association with our reputed advisors, auditors like PWC and other analysts have taken us to another pedestal in the corporate world.
How do you define great leadership and what do you see as the toughest challenge leaders are facing today? How do you be up to date with changes in construction sector trends so that you could always steer your organisation towards the zenith?
In the current pandemic, the greatest challenge for the leader is to maintain and build the morale of the entire team. It is to keep the employees focused and positive and inspire them despite continued
We have evolved as an organisation with our consolidated effort. Today we are a process-driven, system-oriented, transparent, and technically sound organisation. We are further ready to explore and invest in the best technology to scale up our business growth
As the MD of HG Infra Engineering, what are the strategies/methods you put forward to align your organisation with your vision and mission?
We have evolved as an organisation with our consolidated effort; today, I have no inhibition in stating that we are a process-driven, system-oriented, transparent, and technically sound organisation. We are further ready to explore and invest in the best technology to scale-up our business growth. We are exhaustively on the digitisation & monitoring of machinery equipment base, tech-enabled supply chain planning, and SAP- HANA for accounting software. All these developments have resulted in qualitative outputs and better crunching of our financial numbers. Our MIS & reporting systems, review meetings, association with our reputed advisors, auditors like PWC and other analysts have taken us to another pedestal in the corporate world.
How do you define great leadership and what do you see as the toughest challenge leaders are facing today? How do you be up to date with changes in construction sector trends so that you could always steer your organisation towards the zenith?
In the current pandemic, the greatest challenge for the leader is to maintain and build the morale of the entire team. It is to keep the employees focused and positive and inspire them despite continued
uncertainty. Building a digital & automated relationship and keeping up with technology cannot be ignored now. It is on the priority list of leadership to acquire skilled talent, to reward them for boosting the entire system, proactively influencing ownership with sense of belonging ness, the selectivity for new bids with calculated profit margin during prospecting is the best way to optimise your time and make the most informed decisions for your business is something which as a leader I am always focused on.
In your professional journey so far, which are the milestones that bestowed you with utmost satisfaction - both as an individual and as an MD?
With the grace of God as well as having good practices from the family, I have come a long way in achieving many milestones during my journey both as an individual and as an MD. I am a better mentor, guide, team player, business negotiator, executor, and more importantly, this entire journey has made me a better leader having empathy and culminating it to deliver back to the society with a motto of 'Love All Serve All'.
As MD of this organisation today, when I look back, I see the company growing in front of me from baby steps transforming also blossoming into youth from private limited to public limited, we are a bankable and trustable company. Whatever we have planned in the last few years, we have overachieved and surpassed the goals and objectives without compromising our values and ethics. I feel delighted when we are applauded extensively for our growth in a short span of time, we want to maintain this with dignity and ethics.
Please mention about the awards and recognition you have received in your journey till date?
We have won several awards like the Young Achievers Award and the CNBC Best infrastructure category award. We recently won the Asian business leadership award in some major categories in the infrastructure segments like the best company of the year, the best leader of the year, and best corporate governance award. Our company is recognised in a few milestone events and platforms organised by major prestigious forums like CII, CNBC forums and other government seminars and conferences.
Harendra Singh, Chairman & MD, HG Infra Engineering Limited
Harendra is a man big enough to admit his mistakes, strong enough to correct them and smart enough to profit from them. And for him, business is about being true to yourself, your ideas, focusing on the essentials, and empowering people for integrated performance.
In your professional journey so far, which are the milestones that bestowed you with utmost satisfaction - both as an individual and as an MD?
With the grace of God as well as having good practices from the family, I have come a long way in achieving many milestones during my journey both as an individual and as an MD. I am a better mentor, guide, team player, business negotiator, executor, and more importantly, this entire journey has made me a better leader having empathy and culminating it to deliver back to the society with a motto of 'Love All Serve All'.
As MD of this organisation today, when I look back, I see the company growing in front of me from baby steps transforming also blossoming into youth from private limited to public limited, we are a bankable and trustable company. Whatever we have planned in the last few years, we have overachieved and surpassed the goals and objectives without compromising our values and ethics. I feel delighted when we are applauded extensively for our growth in a short span of time, we want to maintain this with dignity and ethics.
Please mention about the awards and recognition you have received in your journey till date?
We have won several awards like the Young Achievers Award and the CNBC Best infrastructure category award. We recently won the Asian business leadership award in some major categories in the infrastructure segments like the best company of the year, the best leader of the year, and best corporate governance award. Our company is recognised in a few milestone events and platforms organised by major prestigious forums like CII, CNBC forums and other government seminars and conferences.
Harendra Singh, Chairman & MD, HG Infra Engineering Limited
Harendra is a man big enough to admit his mistakes, strong enough to correct them and smart enough to profit from them. And for him, business is about being true to yourself, your ideas, focusing on the essentials, and empowering people for integrated performance.