Winning Abroad, Building Ahead: Surendra Sharma on Creating a Global Mark

Surendra Sharma on taking Advance Infrastructures from proven Indian execution to a larger international play.

Surendra Sharma has spent more than three decades around pipelines, infrastructure projects and the demanding business of getting things built. His career has taken him from project sites in India to Malaysia, Bangladesh, Georgia and Australia, before he moved into leadership at Advance Infrastructures Pvt Ltd (AIPL). A civil engineer with experience in project and risk management, Sharma has seen the industry from the ground up.

The company has taken another significant step in its international journey by securing a major project in Abu Dhabi, adding greater weight to its plans for the Gulf and giving Sharma a new challenge — turning international opportunity into sustained growth. According to a MEED report, China Petroleum Engineering & Construction Corporation (CPECC), the main EPC contractor for ADNOC Onshore's South East off-plot facilities project, has awarded AIPL a subcontract for pipeline construction and associated works at the Asab and Sahil oil fields.

In this conversation with Corporate World, Surendra Sharma, Chief Executive Officer, AIPL speaks about the Abu Dhabi breakthrough, what it takes for an Indian EPC company to compete abroad, and the importance of people and execution.

Q. AIPL has secured a major project in Abu Dhabi. What does this milestone mean for the company's larger growth plans?

This recent subcontract is an important milestone in our international journey. Estimated at $74.3 million and with an execution period of 21 months, the project involves pipeline construction and associated works at the Asab and Sahil oil fields in Abu Dhabi's Southeast cluster. It gives us an opportunity to demonstrate our capabilities on a larger international platform and creates a foundation for pursuing more opportunities in the region.

The project is being executed under China Petroleum Engineering & Construction Corporation (CPECC), the main EPC contractor for the wider South East off-plot facilities project. The scale of the overall development makes this particularly significant for us. The project involves work across several oil fields, including the installation of more than 270 kilometres of flowlines and the tie-in of over 150 wells.

The biggest change has been the confidence we have gained in our ability to operate in international markets. Entering a new geography is never simply about winning a contract. You have to understand the market, regulations, clients and local practices and, importantly, build the right team.

Our experience in the GCC has helped us understand these aspects much better. It is certainly a proud moment, but winning the contract is only the beginning. The real test is execution. That is where our focus is now.

Q. What makes international EPC projects different from the projects you have handled in India?

International projects require a much greater understanding of local regulations, documentation, compliance, procurement practices, manpower requirements and cultural nuances. You cannot assume that what works in one market will automatically work in another.

My own experience of working on projects in countries such as Malaysia, Bangladesh and Georgia has helped me appreciate this. You learn to adapt without compromising on the standards you have set for yourself.

Q. You have spent a large part of your career on project sites. Has that experience changed the way you lead a company today?

Definitely.

When you start your career as an engineer, you are focused on completing the task in front of you. As you move into larger responsibilities, you realise that successful execution depends on hundreds of decisions made by different people.

My years on project sites taught me the importance of planning, communication and taking ownership. They also taught me that a problem rarely gets solved by simply passing it up the hierarchy. Someone has to take responsibility and find a practical solution.

As a CEO, I try to carry that thinking into the organisation. I want people to have ownership of what they do. At the same time, they need the freedom to communicate problems early. In infrastructure, hiding a problem never makes it smaller.

Q. AIPL has collaborated with several big players in India. What have these collaborations taught you about running a business?

They have taught us the value of reputation.

Through our experience collaborating with clients such as IOCL, GAIL, and HPCL, we have been involved in projects which were difficult and time-consuming. It does not take much time for us to realize that technical expertise is just not enough. The client has to see that you will be reliable during tough times.

For us, this has meant being consistent on the aspects of safety, quality, timelines, and communications.

Q. Does moving into international markets change the culture of a company?

It should, but without losing the fundamentals.

When you enter a new market, your people have to become more adaptable. They have to understand different ways of working and become comfortable with diversity in teams.

At the same time, certain things should never change — your approach to safety, quality, ethics and accountability.

Q. Saudi Arabia remains another important market for AIPL. What role does it play in your larger strategy?

Saudi Arabia is a very important market for us because of the scale of infrastructure development taking place there.

Our joint venture, Advance Saudi Co. Ltd., with Mubarak Al Suwaiket Oil & Gas Services, was established with the objective of building a stronger local presence. The idea is not simply to bid for projects from outside the country. We want to develop local capabilities, invest in people and equipment, and build an organisation that can participate meaningfully in the Saudi market.

The Saudi market also requires a long-term approach. There is tremendous opportunity, but there is also strong competition. You have to demonstrate capability, compliance and commitment to the market.

Q. Technology is changing infrastructure rapidly. How much of AIPL's future will depend on it?

Technology will play an increasingly important role, particularly in project planning, monitoring, communication, documentation and safety.

But I don't think technology replaces execution experience. It makes good execution more efficient.

For example, better digital systems can help management identify delays or deviations earlier. Data can improve planning and resource allocation. Remote monitoring can provide better visibility of projects.

The important thing is to use technology because it solves a problem, rather than adopting technology simply because it is available.

Q. Safety is one of the biggest concerns in large infrastructure projects. How do you ensure that it remains a priority as the company grows?

Safety has to be part of the culture, not simply a department.

You can have excellent safety manuals and procedures, but ultimately it comes down to how people behave on the ground. Supervisors have to take ownership, workers have to be trained and management has to demonstrate that safety will never be sacrificed to meet a deadline.

A project can be delayed and recovered. A serious accident can change lives permanently. There is no commercial justification for compromising on safety.

Q. What has been the biggest leadership lesson of the last few years?

That you cannot build a large organisation around one individual.

When a company is small, the founder is involved in almost everything. As the organisation grows, that becomes impossible and, frankly, undesirable.

Your responsibility as a leader changes. You have to build people who can make decisions, develop systems that support them and create an environment where accountability is understood.

I have increasingly focused on building a team that can take the organisation forward rather than trying to personally control every aspect of it.

Q. After decades in the industry, what still excites you about the business?

The fact that every project is different.

You can have a technically similar project, but the terrain, people, logistics, client requirements and challenges will be different. There is always something that requires you to think differently.

And there is a certain satisfaction in seeing something physical take shape because of the work of your team. A pipeline, a piece of infrastructure or an entire project remains long after the meetings and paperwork are over.

That is what attracted me to engineering in the first place, and that part has not changed.

Q. What do you want AIPL to look like five or ten years from now?

I want AIPL to be recognised as an Indian company with genuine international capability.

We don't want international expansion to be about putting flags on a map. We want to build a business that can consistently execute complex projects in different markets.

That means strengthening our technical capabilities, investing in people, adopting useful technology and building strong local partnerships.

Most importantly, I want the company to remain credible. Growth is important, but how you grow is equally important.

Q. And personally, what would make you feel that you have built something meaningful?

If the organisation can continue to grow and perform well without depending on me personally, that would be a meaningful achievement.

I would like to see young engineers and professionals within AIPL take on larger responsibilities and eventually lead projects and businesses of their own.

I started my career on project sites. I know how much you learn when you are given responsibility early and allowed to solve real problems.

If we can create that kind of environment for the next generation, while building an Indian EPC company that can compete confidently in international markets, I would consider that a worthwhile legacy.

For me, the objective has never been only to build projects. It is to build an organisation that can keep building long after any one individual has stepped away.