Padam Chand Jain
Director Operations
The Client list includes to name a few, Petrochemical majors in Saudi(KSA)like Tasnee, Advance Petrochemical Company and Farabi, Indorama Group in Nigeria and Uzbekistan, Hitachi in Japan, Coromandel International, Aditya Birla group, Deepak Fertilizer and Petrochemicals Ltd and Greenkoin India.
Padam, Director Operations explains that it has been possible due to its innovative approach of getting industry professionals with 35+ year experience on board having passion to work with and enjoying mentoring young engineers and reinventing themselves. The credit goes to D K M Rao who conceived the idea of ICONS way back in 2011 and implicit and explicit faith he has reposed in the team of senior consultants and free hand I have in running the company operations.
In our quest of recognizing such leaders who are driving success with innovation across organizations, we've encountered Padam (Director, ICONS Engineering), acknowledged leader in Fertilizer and engineering consultancy fraternity for his man management and project management skills. He always feels blessed that industry veterans, each one with 35 plus year experience, more knowledgeable and brilliant in their domain than him, work as a team with him. Padam also confided that business came from KSA due to excellent network and reputation as doer of D.K.M.Rao in KSA, and breakthrough in India and Japan came through relationship developed over the years in professional life with people he has worked with in the organization Jain has worked and with technology partners and leading engineering and manufacturing companies in India and abroad. Jain is graduate in Mechanical Engineering from BHU and did his post-graduation in Thermal Engineering from MACT Bhopal in 1971. Before joining industry, Jain was lecturer in National Institute of Technology in Jaipur for two years. He has worked both in Public and private sector and has spent close to 40 years in PDIL, NFCL, MCF and Tata Chemicals before taking over as Director Operations in ICONS.
While teaching assignment gave him inquisitive nature of asking why so to make sure that students get their answers and deep knowledge of the subject, 12 years in PDIL built the foundation for plant engineering
and procurement knowledge base. He honed his skills of project management in NFCL being part of project team for first Ammonia and Urea project and head for expansion for second Ammonia and Urea Plant in Kakinada.
Five years stint in MCF as plant head was a different experience working with the senior management and plant team to turnaround company plagued with workers unrest for decades and old ageing equipment and plants. Padam left MCF in 2006 to join TCL Ammonia and Urea plants as unit head with satisfaction of leaving revamped plants and all pervading harmony between workers and management in MCF.
Working in TCL , part of most respected Tata Group, was a goal post in Jain's career. While has had less than two years before retiring from TCL, his services were extended as Project Director for another five years. TCL plant revamp done under his watch became the lowest cost revamp and completed in record time of less than 18 months in the Ammonia and Urea industry. Subsequently he was retained as advisor to Tata Projects for two years. Finally, Jain became an entrepreneur running and bringing up ICONS with 10 engineers in 2014 with more than 60 people working now and having enviable client list.
During our brief chat with Padam answered a few of our questions with candid and reminiscing fond memories.
Define ICON Engineering Services as an organization and where is it positioned in the industry?
ICONS Engineering is a design, engineering, and project management services provider company, run by professionals committed to sharing their experience and knowledge with young engineers, contributing to society by generating employment, and providing quality services to the customers in the space where big engineering companies are not affordable. ICONS services are sought by discerning customers looking for PMC services based on hands-on experience combined with modern project management tools at the optimum price, and design & engineering services for plant revamp projects.
3. Reflect on some of the major challenges you have experienced in your journey so far? How did you overcome them and what did you learn from them?
Challenges are the part and parcel of professional life. Hence, there have been some along with my professional career too. The first amongst all I faced was while implementing NFCL-2 as a Project head, as then a major Italian
Five years stint in MCF as plant head was a different experience working with the senior management and plant team to turnaround company plagued with workers unrest for decades and old ageing equipment and plants. Padam left MCF in 2006 to join TCL Ammonia and Urea plants as unit head with satisfaction of leaving revamped plants and all pervading harmony between workers and management in MCF.
Icons Services Are Sought By Discerning Customers Looking For Pmc Services Based On Hands-On Experience Combined With Modern Project Management Tools At The Optimum Price, And Design & Engineering Services For Plant Revamp Projects
Working in TCL , part of most respected Tata Group, was a goal post in Jain's career. While has had less than two years before retiring from TCL, his services were extended as Project Director for another five years. TCL plant revamp done under his watch became the lowest cost revamp and completed in record time of less than 18 months in the Ammonia and Urea industry. Subsequently he was retained as advisor to Tata Projects for two years. Finally, Jain became an entrepreneur running and bringing up ICONS with 10 engineers in 2014 with more than 60 people working now and having enviable client list.
During our brief chat with Padam answered a few of our questions with candid and reminiscing fond memories.
Define ICON Engineering Services as an organization and where is it positioned in the industry?
ICONS Engineering is a design, engineering, and project management services provider company, run by professionals committed to sharing their experience and knowledge with young engineers, contributing to society by generating employment, and providing quality services to the customers in the space where big engineering companies are not affordable. ICONS services are sought by discerning customers looking for PMC services based on hands-on experience combined with modern project management tools at the optimum price, and design & engineering services for plant revamp projects.
3. Reflect on some of the major challenges you have experienced in your journey so far? How did you overcome them and what did you learn from them?
Challenges are the part and parcel of professional life. Hence, there have been some along with my professional career too. The first amongst all I faced was while implementing NFCL-2 as a Project head, as then a major Italian
supplier for 36 critical exchangers went into financial trouble. The equipment were supposed to be delivered 12 months before mechanical completion. The order was offloaded to six manufacturers in Italy under the management of Nuovo Pignone based on a relationship built with the management as they were executing order for high pressure equipment for the same project. While exchangers were brought by a special ship three months before plant mechanical completion, and plant were commissioned in time. Building a trustworthy relationship with vendors and service providers came handy in overcoming the problem which would have pushed plant commission minimum by six months. Second, one I came across was during MCF turnaround and creating harmonious atmosphere and work culture. In fact, there were no workers union in the plant when Jain left MCF for TCL. Being independent of local politics, honest and transparent communication, and right messaging with unquestioned support from Managing Director D P Mehta helped in MCF turn around.
What has been the success mantra that constantly helps you arrive at positive outcomes?
Belief in the self, continuous learning, reposing trust in team members and treating them with respect and building relationships. Jain does not forget to subscribe his success to his mentors to name the most important in his professional life, H HJethanadani, Head of PDIL in 80s, P R Menon, MD of TCL and Tata Power while working for TCL and D P Mehta, MD, MCF and in the last to unwavering support of his wife Indra Jain.
How has been your response to the challenges posed by the covid-affected market and the need for new strategies? How would you describe your role in tackling those challenges?
Since we thrive in a technology-embedded era, we utilized the same enabling people to work from home, including meeting customers' timelines and addressing concerns of associates with properly crafted service solutions.
Based on your strong professional experience, what advice would you give to the upcoming leaders in the same industry?
Continue to reinvent yourself, treat your team with respect take care of health, and consider your vendors & contractors as your partners.
Padam Chand Jain, Director Operations, Icon Industrial Engineering Services (Icons)
Padam came onboard ICONS in 2014 and has been playing a key role in its growth story of the company
•Hobbies: reading and travelling both for business and with family
•Favorite Cuisine: Loves to try vegetarian Cuisine from all parts of India and abroad
•Favorite Books: Mahabharat & Good to Great
•Favorite Travel Destination: North -East of India & Europe
What has been the success mantra that constantly helps you arrive at positive outcomes?
Belief in the self, continuous learning, reposing trust in team members and treating them with respect and building relationships. Jain does not forget to subscribe his success to his mentors to name the most important in his professional life, H HJethanadani, Head of PDIL in 80s, P R Menon, MD of TCL and Tata Power while working for TCL and D P Mehta, MD, MCF and in the last to unwavering support of his wife Indra Jain.
How has been your response to the challenges posed by the covid-affected market and the need for new strategies? How would you describe your role in tackling those challenges?
Since we thrive in a technology-embedded era, we utilized the same enabling people to work from home, including meeting customers' timelines and addressing concerns of associates with properly crafted service solutions.
Based on your strong professional experience, what advice would you give to the upcoming leaders in the same industry?
Continue to reinvent yourself, treat your team with respect take care of health, and consider your vendors & contractors as your partners.
Padam Chand Jain, Director Operations, Icon Industrial Engineering Services (Icons)
Padam came onboard ICONS in 2014 and has been playing a key role in its growth story of the company
•Hobbies: reading and travelling both for business and with family
•Favorite Cuisine: Loves to try vegetarian Cuisine from all parts of India and abroad
•Favorite Books: Mahabharat & Good to Great
•Favorite Travel Destination: North -East of India & Europe