Siddhartha Dey: Paving The Way Towards Innovation In Construction Industry For Last Three Decades
Siddhartha Dey
Managing Civil EPC & Construction Projects
Siddhartha Dey, Head of Operations- Civil SBU at KEC International, is a dynamic, proactive, and articulate professional leader with international expertise in project and organizational/business administration and management. As a specialist in New Business Initiatives and Modern Management practices in the construction industry, he has 34 years of experience managing Civil EPC & Construction Projects from conception to delivery. He is well-known for his P&L leadership, change management expertise, and willingness to share knowledge.
In an exclusive interview with CEO Insights Magazine. Siddhartha Dey walks us through his professional journey along with the unique traits of the company.
Give a brief account about your professional journey. After graduating from NIT Calicut(formerly REC Calicut) in 1990, I faced initial struggles in finding my place in the construction industry. However, in 1996, I joined Hindustan Construction Company(HCC), a renowned infrastructure construction company in India. Over the course of 12 years at HCC, I worked on various hydro power projects in India and Bhutan, gaining valuable insights and experience in complex projects at remote locations. In 2008, I joined GVK at Mumbai International Airport as GM-Construction and Project In charge, overseeing the construction of Terminal T2. In 2013, I joined Shapoorji Pallonji in Oman to establish the Infrastructure BU, followed by stints at Lafarge Holcim, Adani Group, and currently,
working as Head-Operations and Profit Centre Head at KEC International at their Civil SBU.
Tell us about your learning experience from the institute. Which are the times you found those learnings beneficial in your journey so far?
REC Calicut, renowned for its leadership in engineering education, continues to be a beacon of excellence even today. As students, we were transformed into autonomous thinkers, socially responsible individuals, and professionally competent graduates who thrived in a demanding world. Our time in the hostels forged lasting bonds and prepared us to tackle any challenge that came our way. The institution's exceptional faculty fueled our passion, instilling in us the value of dedication to our chosen profession. Every success in my career can be traced back to the invaluable knowledge I gained from this revered institution.
How has KEC International been maintaining its mark as a diversified global EPC major in the construction industry?
We believe in working as partners for our clients and vendors on equal terms. Quality, Safety and Project Timelines are our essence of delivery. That’s our secret. Our primary objective is to ensure stakeholder satisfaction through our dedicated operations.
What are the best industry practices you have instilled in your team to ensure smoothing running of operations at each stage of project execution?
Construction is a complex career that presents shortcomings at every stage of a project's life cycle. The first thing I look for in this challenge is great teamwork, which I insist on in my team. Individualistic brilliance, while vital for team members, rarely works unless combined with team competency and teamwork. Then comes dedication and intelligent working, proper planning, data management where data authenticity is the key, accepting the facts and ground realities as they are to arrive at the right solutions, speak out thoughts and opinions in an open and conducive environment, allow for discussions and debates, and above all Professional Integrity.
Tell us about your learning experience from the institute. Which are the times you found those learnings beneficial in your journey so far?
REC Calicut, renowned for its leadership in engineering education, continues to be a beacon of excellence even today. As students, we were transformed into autonomous thinkers, socially responsible individuals, and professionally competent graduates who thrived in a demanding world. Our time in the hostels forged lasting bonds and prepared us to tackle any challenge that came our way. The institution's exceptional faculty fueled our passion, instilling in us the value of dedication to our chosen profession. Every success in my career can be traced back to the invaluable knowledge I gained from this revered institution.
After four years at REC Calicut & leading the dormitory life, Siddhatha says that they were profession ready in a complicated & tough professional world
How has KEC International been maintaining its mark as a diversified global EPC major in the construction industry?
We believe in working as partners for our clients and vendors on equal terms. Quality, Safety and Project Timelines are our essence of delivery. That’s our secret. Our primary objective is to ensure stakeholder satisfaction through our dedicated operations.
What are the best industry practices you have instilled in your team to ensure smoothing running of operations at each stage of project execution?
Construction is a complex career that presents shortcomings at every stage of a project's life cycle. The first thing I look for in this challenge is great teamwork, which I insist on in my team. Individualistic brilliance, while vital for team members, rarely works unless combined with team competency and teamwork. Then comes dedication and intelligent working, proper planning, data management where data authenticity is the key, accepting the facts and ground realities as they are to arrive at the right solutions, speak out thoughts and opinions in an open and conducive environment, allow for discussions and debates, and above all Professional Integrity.
What are the skills you look for in recruiting fresh candidates?
It begins with fundamental technical knowledge and progresses to key behavioral factors such as attitude, dedication, growth objectives, desire to learn at every stage and so on.
From your experience in the sector, how do you perceive the future outlook of the market and what would be your advice to leaders on the same?
The market is expanding and will continue to expand. Infrastructure is the backbone of any nation's economy, and it cannot be ignored. I would advise tomorrow's leaders to be future-ready in terms of human resource management. Man management will undergo a 360-degree transformation, and this is the key to success because every other skill is dependent on the personnel that leaders must manage. Leaders of the future cannot be the Strict Daddy of the past and, to some extent, of the present. Their adaptability, sociability, and mentoring abilities will be crucial to their success.
Where do you see yourself headed towards the upcoming years? What is your future roadmap?
My future route map is C-Suite Leadership. In addition, I have already begun attempts to give back to the society that has given me so much. I also see myself pursuing my photo graphy passion a little more by the day.
Siddhartha Dey, Managing Civil EPC & Construction Projects, KEC International
Siddhartha Dey is a specialist in New Business Initiatives and Modern Management Practices in Construction with 34 years’ experience in managing Civil EPC & Construction Projects right from development to delivery
•Hobbies: Watching IPL, Listening to Kishore Kumar and Yesudas Songs, Cooking
•Favorite Cuisine: Mutton Rogan from Srinagar, J&K
•Favorite Book: The World's Heritage - UNESCO Publishing, Collins
•Favorite Travel Destination: McLeod Ganj, Himachal Pradesh and God’s Own Country, Kerala
Awards & Recognition:
•‘Achieving effective stakeholder collaboration and developing key planning procedures prior to construction to ensure successful project delivery’- Muscat, Oman in Sept 21
Papers:‘Various Aspects of Project Management in Construction of Tala Hydro electric Project, Contract Package-1’. Conference, Organized by NEEPCO, at New Delhi
It begins with fundamental technical knowledge and progresses to key behavioral factors such as attitude, dedication, growth objectives, desire to learn at every stage and so on.
From your experience in the sector, how do you perceive the future outlook of the market and what would be your advice to leaders on the same?
The market is expanding and will continue to expand. Infrastructure is the backbone of any nation's economy, and it cannot be ignored. I would advise tomorrow's leaders to be future-ready in terms of human resource management. Man management will undergo a 360-degree transformation, and this is the key to success because every other skill is dependent on the personnel that leaders must manage. Leaders of the future cannot be the Strict Daddy of the past and, to some extent, of the present. Their adaptability, sociability, and mentoring abilities will be crucial to their success.
Where do you see yourself headed towards the upcoming years? What is your future roadmap?
My future route map is C-Suite Leadership. In addition, I have already begun attempts to give back to the society that has given me so much. I also see myself pursuing my photo graphy passion a little more by the day.
Siddhartha Dey, Managing Civil EPC & Construction Projects, KEC International
Siddhartha Dey is a specialist in New Business Initiatives and Modern Management Practices in Construction with 34 years’ experience in managing Civil EPC & Construction Projects right from development to delivery
•Hobbies: Watching IPL, Listening to Kishore Kumar and Yesudas Songs, Cooking
•Favorite Cuisine: Mutton Rogan from Srinagar, J&K
•Favorite Book: The World's Heritage - UNESCO Publishing, Collins
•Favorite Travel Destination: McLeod Ganj, Himachal Pradesh and God’s Own Country, Kerala
Awards & Recognition:
•‘Achieving effective stakeholder collaboration and developing key planning procedures prior to construction to ensure successful project delivery’- Muscat, Oman in Sept 21
Papers:‘Various Aspects of Project Management in Construction of Tala Hydro electric Project, Contract Package-1’. Conference, Organized by NEEPCO, at New Delhi