KEF Chronicle March 2015

Issue #2, March 2015

IN THIS ISSUE

FROM THE EDITOR IN CHIEF Page 4 - 5

CONTRIBUTORS Page 6 - 9

LIME LIGHT Page 10 -13

COLUMNS PERSPECTIVE Page 14 - 22

TALKING POINT

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Page 23 -25

TRENDLINES LOOKING FORWARD Page 26

PEOPLE Page 27 - 33

KEF TECHNOLOGY Page 34 - 35

FEATURES

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KEF INNOVATION Page 36 - 39

SHOWCASE Page 40 - 41

IN - FOCUS Page 42 - 43

ONE TO WATCH Page 44 - 47

LOOKING BACK Page 48 - 52

PROFILES Page 53

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ON THE COVER Page 54 - 55

REGULAR FEATURES GIVING Page 56 - 61

VOICES Page 62 - 63

MOMENT OF BLISS Page 64 - 65

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‘MAKE IN INDIA’ TOWARDS A SELF-SUSTAINED FUTURE Small innovations make a big difference and when we link them all, holistic development is achieved.

At the dawn of this New Year, we are poised to touch greater heights of progress by riding on the new wheels of growth, which are truly ‘Made in India’.

The ‘Make in India’ initiative mandated by the Government of India will undoubtedly transform the economic skyline. The initiative that focusses on ‘manufacturing’ will lay special emphasis on heavy industries, employment and human resource empowerment.

While ‘Make in India’ is aimed at linking India into global supply chains, KEF continues its journey of being different under the leadership of Faizal Kottikollon - Man on a Mission (page 10), shares Perspectives (page 14-22) on the needs of the society, thereby creating A New Era for Business and Society (page 23-25). In a competitive and diverse market like India, teamwork plays a crucial role and at KEF, we are constantly Building Dream Works, Through Teamwork (page 27).

In order to turn business goals into results, one needs the right talent. By Avoiding Recruitment Oversights (page 29) and Empowering the Workforce with Training (page 31), talent sourcing and retaining issues can be handled in an efficient manner.

As envisioned by the government, ‘Make in India’ will bring an economic boom in the country.

However, it is vital for manufacturers to get support in overcoming the challenges from production, to distribution and sale of products. By launching KEF Industrial Park (page 34) in Krishnagiri, Tamil Nadu, we are embracing new technologies to achieve ‘zero effects’ on the environment, ‘zero defects’ in manufacturing and reduce the construction time by fifty percent.

At a time when the nation’s economy is opening up and encouraging entrepreneurs to innovate, we at KEF assure total support to the government by rebuilding schools, signing new partnerships, inspiring young minds, giving back to the society, and promoting & producing products ‘Made in India’.

Shabana Faizal

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CONTRIBUTORS

THOUGHTS FROM

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Faizal Kottikollon

Shabana Faizal

Sivaraman Balagopal

Founder and Chairman of KEF Holdings, Faizal Kottikollon, is a visionary industrialist and philanthropist, widely respected for his ethical corporate governance, business acumen and practical contributions to the improvement of the human condition through a number of socially responsible enterprises. Faizal Kottikollon built one of the world’s most technologically advanced, integrated steel casting foundries for the oil, gas and power sectors called Emirates Techno Casting (ETC). ETC was later sold to Tyco International for a value of USD 400 Million. Now, KEF Holdings is working in Infrastructure, Healthcare, Agriculture, Education, Investments and Metals.

Shabana Faizal, as the Vice Chairperson of KEF Holdings, oversees the global Human Resources and Administration functions of the group.

She was instrumental in setting up the Emirates Techno Casting (ETC) Community Center, now named the Shabana & Faizal Community Center, which focused on the holistic and personal development of the workforce at ETC. She also heads the Faizal and Shabana Foundation, the philanthropic arm of KEF Holdings, whose aim is ‘Giving to Create Impact’. The focus areas of the Foundation’s interventions are primarily Women and Children.

S. Balagopal is the General Manager Chairman’s Office at KEF Holdings. A native of Thiruvananthapuram, he is a finance professional and has been with the Group for the past 9 years. Prior to joining KEF Holdings he was Deputy Head of Credit at Emirates NBD.

Prashant Mehta

Sreekanth Sreenivasan

T P Sreenivasan

Prashant Mehta, VP – Investments, is a banking professional possessing over 12 years of experience in the industry. In his role, he advises the group on investment decisions, new investment products and identifying new opportunities in local and global markets. A native of Mumbai, India, he has sound experience in wealth management and private banking.

Sreekanth Sreenivasan, Head – Business Development, is a strategy and business development professional with over ten years of experience in the field. He is also responsible for the Corporate Communications portfolio at KEF Holdings.

Sreekanth started his career at the United Nations, first as a Junior Professional Officer at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) – the UN’s Nuclear Watchdog and later as a Private Sector Development Consultant at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). Prior to joining KEF, he headed business development for the Afras Group of companies which had investments in the UAE and India.

T P Sreenivasan, former Ambassador of India, is the Vice-Chairman and Executive Head of the Kerala State Higher Education Council with the rank of Vice-Chancellor. The Council has the mandate to advise the Government of Kerala on all matters pertaining to the Universities and other institutions of higher learning in Kerala. A former Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations, Vienna and Governor for India of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna and Ambassador to Austria and Slovenia (2000-2004), T P Sreenivasan has served in the Indian Foreign Service for 37 years. His previous postings were as Deputy Chief of Mission in the Embassy of India, Washington (1997-2000), High Commissioner of India to Kenya and Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations in Nairobi (1995-1997), Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations, New York (1992-1995) and Ambassador to Fiji and eight other South Pacific Island States (19861989). He has also served in New Delhi, Tokyo, Thimphu, New York and Yangon. He rose to the highest level in the Indian Foreign Service in 2001 and retired in 2004.

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CONTRIBUTORS

Larry E. Snoddon

Yeshasvini Ramaswamy

T Sreedhar

Larry E Snoddon is a member of APCO Worldwide’s International Advisory Council and company vice chairman. He plays an active role in senior client counsel, business development and strategic development of APCO. Corporate strategic communication, corporate governance, investor relations, public affairs, financial services, and healthcare are some of the areas he has worked throughout his career.

Yeshasvini Ramaswamy is the Managing Director of e2e People Practices Pvt. Ltd; a Leadership Audit firm that helps entrepreneur CEOs scale their businesses.

A former management consultant at Infosys BPO, she has built her expertise in creating people engagement models to help organizations track their ROI on HR related investments and business performance.

T Sreedhar, Managing Director of TMI Network, manages among other divisions of TMI Network, the Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) division, headquartered in Hyderabad, India. TMI RPO has its roots in recruitment, advertising, employer branding, and has been working with large Indian corporates. For one of their prestigious clients, a large leading private sector bank in India, it received the prestigious HROA Recruitment Customer Relationship of the Year Award.

Prior to joining APCO, Mr. Snoddon served as vice chairman and a member of the executive committee and board of directors of Young & Rubicam Inc. He also served as worldwide president and chief executive office for BursonMarsteller. He has worked with Merrill Lynch, CBS Inc., DuPont, Accenture, Sun Microsystems, Coca-Cola, Nike, Pfizer, Merck, Johnson & Johnson, GlaxoSmithKline, among others.

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In recognition of her work in encouraging entrepreneurs, she has been nominated as a co-Program Director for the All India IIM entrepreneur accelerator program. In 2012, the State Department, Govt. of The United States of America, nominated Ms. Ramaswamy to represent India in the prestigious Fortune Most Powerful Women Program.

Aladin Niazmand

Joseph Sebastian

Gayatri Aditya

Aladin Niazmand is the Director of TAHPI, an International firm of Health Planners and Designers and the CEO of the KEF-TAHPI Design Studio with over thirty years of experience in this field. TAHPI operates from ten countries covering the region between Australasia, South Asia, Middle East and Africa with a total of 250 direct and contracted staff.

Dr. Joseph Sebastian has a doctorate in social work and over two decades of social development experience. Starting his career as a community development worker, Dr. Sebastian went on to become an academician, professor and principal of YCISS, Satara, Maharashtra.

Prior to becoming the Head of the Faizal and Shabana Foundation, Dr. Sebastian was Executive Director of the Indo Global Social Service Society and before that he was the Director Operations and Director Monitoring and Evaluations at Project Concern International, a US-based non-profit organization.

An artist, Gayatri lives and works in Shanghai.

She conducts Museum Educational projects in Shanghai and researches on techniques to promote Indian traditional art to open new windows of thought and innovation for children. Apart from this she spends her time reading children’s books and bringing up her two daughters.

The company provides a full spectrum of services for the procurement of healthcare facilities from service planning and briefing to medical planning, architectural and interior design.

Aladin has been personally responsible for the planning and design of over 150 hospital projects in a wide range of disciplines, both public and private. He has provided huge inputs into the creation of the new generation of Health Facility Guidelines from Australasia to South Asia and the Middle East.

He is involved in various initiatives for the industrialisation of healthcare procurement and all the enabling techniques.

These include re-useable design catalogues, ready-to-use standards and guidelines, precast and prefab production techniques replacing traditional construction.

Aladin has been a speaker at numerous International health conferences and regularly gives Master Classes in Health Planning.

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LIME LIGHT

MAN ON A MISSION Faizal E. Kottikollon is a man of vision. What he has achieved today, is a dream he saw years back.

And if you are still curious about what he is thinking now, read on.

Kottikollon came to Dubai from the US on a holiday in the year 1995 along with his wife Shabana and they loved this place and decided to stay on. He had earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering from the Manipal Institute of Technology in India, followed it up with an MBA from TA Pai Management Institute in Manipal and a Master’s in Industrial Engineering from Bradley University in the US.

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Man on a Mission.

This is how the Founder, Chairman and guiding light of KEF was referred to in an exclusive feature of the Arabian Business magazine. Here’s a peek into his journey of turning a $5000 investment into a half a billiondollar fortune by tapping into the notoriously closed oil and gas market.

He is now looking to leverage that know-how by teaming up with world-class partners to drive down the costs of education, healthcare and housing - helping to improve the lives of millions.

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During the early days, people generally saw UAE as a trading place and not as a manufacturing place.

This is where he got the spark and went further in researching more about the region and the product he chose was for oil and gas industry. He decided to manufacture valves, which is a huge commodity for the petrochemical sector. Kottikollon noticed that although the oil and gas industry was a major driver of economic growth in the region, much of the manufacturing for parts was done abroad and shipped into the region. Valves being a vital part in the oil and gas sector, importing them from the US and Europe incurred huge costs for the oil companies. Starting with a capital of $5000, Kottikollon set himself an ambitious ten-year plan to break into the notoriously tight-knit oil and gas community and bring local manufacturing and innovation to the industry. The first step was taken in 1995 when he established Al Ahamadi General Trading in Ajman. The company traded in scrap metal and today boasts an average annual turnover of $70m.

Once the company got recognition as a supplier to the European valve makers, the local companies soon began to realize that they could do business with Kottikollon by eliminating the middle men, enabling them to purchase their products cheaper and faster.

As the first venture took off, Kottikollon approached the National Bank of Dubai (Emirates NBD now) and got a funding of $3m for the factory in 1997. Just two years down the road, his first foundry - Emirates Techno Casting FZE in the Hamriyah Free Zone in Sharjah - was up and running. Within a span of ten years, the company had grown to become the key supplier of valves to major oil and gas companies in the region, and recognized as the third most technologically advanced foundry in the world. “This product was half a million dollars per valve, but we were selling it for $300,000. The gap was so huge.

At the time the world went into outsourcing, so they made the castings in India or China, the machinery in Eastern Europe and the assembly in Western Europe. What we did was to bring it all under one roof, from design to assembly, and the client was nearby so there was no shipping cost. We really took the industry by storm.”

In 2008, Dubai International Capital (DIC), the investment arm of government-owned Dubai Holding, acquired a 45 percent stake in KEF Holdings, Kottikollon’s newly formed parent company. By

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2012, during Dubai’s economic downturn, DIC was eager to exit many of its investments and Tyco International, a $20bn conglomerate, acquired a 100 percent stake in the company, which was worth $400m at that time.

Kottikollon, while staying on as Chairman, planned to grow the business into a $1bn company within five years and open more facilities in Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

Kottikollon’s net worth is estimated at $510m with zero debt. Commenting upon giving up control of his prized company that he grew from the ground up, he says, “I asked my wife at the time. The recession was playing in the back of our minds. You don’t see how the world could go. We took a decision for the family and sold with no regrets. What we are doing now is much more exciting.”

His passion for innovation has certainly transformed the oil and gas industry in the region. And his love for the home country resulted in setting up of the Faizal and Shabana Foundation, a charitable trust in India, which aims to leverage the business models they developed in the oil and gas sector. “The world is full of opportunities if you are prepared to work hard. Making money should not be the only objective. That is what we are doing now. You have to give something back to your home country.”

He studied what was most lacking in India and noticed that the infrastructure was at least 50 years behind that in the Gulf. To address this need, he set up an industrial park to manufacture precast buildings. Similar to the model he established with the valves foundry, Kottikollon’s factory in India is able to deliver precast schools or hospitals at prices that significantly undercut the current contractors in India. “In India, 65 percent of students go to government schools which are in a bad state. The government schools are run down and teachers are unmotivated. We asked IIM (Indian Institute of Management), an equivalent to the Stanford or Harvard, to do a study of what is going wrong in the public education.” The first pilot school project was to rebuild the Girls Vocational Higher Secondary School (GVHSS) in Nadakkavu in Kerala. In this school with 2,400 girls studying, it had only eight running toilets. Because of that, kids and teachers did not want to go to the school. Using the precast

concrete technology, the team rebuilt the school in just 95 days, which would otherwise take two to three years. The school is now one of the top five in the country, run by a government. The concept has taken off and the government now wants 100 more schools, which will have 250,000 students.

However, Kottikollon does not want to limit the concept to the schools. He is now taking forward the technology to transform the healthcare sector.

Working with the precast plant in India, Kottikollon has struck a deal with the prestigious Cleveland Clinic in the US to develop cost-effective clinical processes. Under the new model, Kottikollon and the Cleveland Clinic are developing, they aim to build a standard hospital that normally costs $1bn for just a tenth of the price. Kottikollon has also partnered with Stanford University in the US to develop healthcare technology that is effective but cheaper to produce and replicate. Under their plans, the first hospital is scheduled to be ready by the end of 2015.

Apart from education and healthcare sectors, Kottikollon is also developing sustainable farming models and training farmers in India to make the most from their small holdings. He is also looking to adapt the successful precast construction model to the affordable housing sector in the Gulf. “We are looking at what human beings really need.

They need decent housing, good education, good healthcare and good food,” Kottikollon says.

When asked about competition, he says, “If you want to build a hospital you need 15 consultants.

So this bunch of people will be unhappy. They will say this guy is killing our bread,” he laughs.

Having visionary thinkers like Faizal E Kottikollon, the world indeed will become a better place.

“We are looking at what human beings really need. They need decent housing, good education, good healthcare and good food,” Kottikollon says.

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PERSPECTIVE

LIVE, WORK, PLAY AND SUCCEED Every life has a purpose. The day you find that out, the whole world around you changes. Balagopal says, “Life is too short and the almighty has sent you here to serve others, enjoy life and take life as it comes. You must treat yourself, the family and the people around you with total affection and sincerity.

One must not be greedy, overambitious or cunning.

Instead be patient and show respect for others and work with complete dedication and passion. Living life this way will not only bring you growth and prosperity, but also to the society.”

Balagopal’s mantra of success is simple and if one can practice it, there won’t be any stopping. He shares some essential tips that will hone your skills in decision making.

It is always hard to say ‘NO’, so why is it essential to say ‘NO’?

He recommends that reading the article by Brian de Haaff, CEO of Aha! Labs Inc. will explain how you can master the art of saying ‘NO’ when it is needed.

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This is very critical for a person to be successful, gain and maintain the respect of person who is asking for something. By choosing to say ‘NO’ when needed will not end the relationship with the person, but only improve.

Understand that a person would not request you to do something without a solid reason, it is meaningful to that person, so you should take time to understand why the request is important for him. Being involved in the request will tell the other person that you value his request and what he is trying to achieve.

Define your vision. It is crucial to fully understand your own objectives before you decide which requests you are able to dedicate attention to.

One should take a ‘goal first approach’ in which the major goals are defined and only agree to help with projects that work towards achieving those goals.

This will help you to concentrate on what is critical at the time and it will help you to say no right away to other requests, without wasting time. Balagopal

has seen this strategy working fine, especially when a lot of business interests approach KEF’s Founder and Chairman – Faizal E Kottikollon. According to Balagopal, Mr. Kottikollon takes a quick decision and never takes time to delay a decision.

Respond quickly. One should not wait beyond an hour to say ‘YES’ or ‘NO’, you need time to move on to the next issue. If you contemplate over all requests, it is simply because you don’t have the courage to say ‘NO’ and you know that you do not have the interest or time to say ‘YES’ for certain requests. The quicker you decide the ‘NO’ the more respect the person will have for you.

Explain why? Saying ‘NO’ without an explanation will appear harsh, because it leaves the other person confused. Once you explain the reason for the refusal, then the other person will comprehend better. Also ensure that the ‘NO’ should be polite and clear; be transparent so that your decision is well understood and respected and the ‘NO’ should not be for personal reasons.

Living in the UAE for almost 26 years, S. Balagopal - General Manager has had an eventful life and career.

In this column, he shares tips for young executives to excel in life and work.

He believes that in a fast growing and demanding society, people approach people with good and bad intentions and by acquiring the skill to differentiate them, one can accommodate the right requests without wasting time and effort.

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PERSPECTIVE

GLOBAL MARKETS: WHAT KEEPS INVESTORS AWAKE AT NIGHT An often asked question to investors in global markets has been, “What keeps you awake at night? ” The answers to that question are different at different times depending on the mood of the global economy, the latest headlines and the immediate event risks. And if we rely on history as a teacher, more often than not it was the things that we did not worry about that should have kept us awake. And in hindsight, we always believe that we should have seen it coming.

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Let’s look at some of the events that have kept global markets worried in the last couple of months.

Falling Oil Prices: Oil prices fell over 50% last year. Oil producers the world over looked at OPEC and Saudi Arabia for support to the falling prices. The supply glut grew stronger with Saudi refusing to cut production. Oil prices were in a free fall as oil inventories rose all over the world. To my mind, this is the first of many battles that will ensue between oil and shale producers. Oil importing countries such as US, China and India are beneficiaries of the collapse in the price of oil. But it’s only a matter of time when rigs will close, supply will fall and prices will rise. If the current battle does not bring around some bankruptcies, I’m sure the next one will.

Grexit: Alexis Tsipras took over the reins of Greece with the promise to end austerity measures or renegotiate the terms of the bailout with their European counterparts. As negotiations went to the wire, the probability of a Greek exit or “Grexit” as the term came to be known in financial circles increased. Tsipras, in spite of his best efforts has been unable to change much in the agreements and Greece managed to get a four month extension of the loans. I expect the Greeks to appreciate Tsipras’s efforts in the short term but will eventually demand more delivery from the government on its promises. The Greece story is far from over and will resurface with renewed vigour at the end of the current extension.

Russia Sovereign Default: As more stringent sanctions got imposed on Russia and the fall in oil prices took effect, the Ruble collapsed against King Dollar, depreciating over 100 % in a couple of months. The Russian central bank intervened to save the currency using all possible measures. While Putin has promised a

truce with Ukraine this month, the credibility of that promise remains in doubt. The probability of a Russian default is low, but if triggered, the effects of the same could devastate the world economy.

US Interest Rate cycle: Interest rates in USD have stayed low for over half a decade fuelling an unprecedented rise in the bond markets.

When will the music stop and the party end is a question most investors are trying to answer.

With the US engine firing on all ends, and the unemployment rate falling at its fastest over the last year, we believe that the end of free money is in sight. Rates may not skyrocket in 201 , but will definitely be higher at the end of the year than where we see them today.

And back home, in India, Arun Jaitley presented the first full year budget of the Modi government. The budget balanced growth and fiscal consolidation while laying the roadmap for a stronger economy. The boost to the infrastructure sector and the plans, if implemented will become the foundation stones of an economy that will grow at an unprecedented pace in the coming decade.

The key will lie in the implementation of what has been promised.

The benefits of the fall in oil prices, fiscal consolidation have been reflected in the strength of the rupee. On the flip side, a stronger currency would hurt export growth.

As interest rates increase in the US, we expect the INR to gradually weaken and drift towards 65 against the USD. Disclaimer: The world is flooded with various data points. Every time an economist connects different data points, a new picture emerges.

The dots I connect today, give me the picture I paint today. I am always wiser tomorrow.

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PERSPECTIVE

KEF: BUILDING THE FUTURE The creation of India’s smart cities will require us to quickly adopt not just modern – but futuristic – processes across the board, right from arranging urban spaces, to designing its transportation, communication and building infrastructure. Offsite and modular construction will undoubtedly be an important part of this equation.

There is always one straightforward question we get at KEF – what kind of company are we? Are we a manufacturing company?

A construction company? A healthcare company? Is KEF a social entrepreneurship? Unfortunately there is no straightforward answer. The description that suits us most is this – KEF is a new era engineering enterprise that uses technology to transform the way that infrastructure, healthcare, education and soon, agriculture, are delivered to the end user. Engineering and technology/innovation are always the key words that resonate with us since they are the foundation to every pursuit of ours. With KEF Infra, we are constantly innovating in the way buildings are designed, engineered and assembled. At KEF Health we are at the forefront of creating cutting edge care path delivery systems. These process-based tools are designed to guide clinical work flows and assist our team at PMHP Hospital in making guidelines operational.

India, more than any other nation, is on the brink of a revolution in construction. The government has already resolved to create a hundred smart cities and have in their most recent budget made an addition outlay of INR 70,000 Crores for infrastructure. The country needs such cities, which will become new hubs for sustainable economic activity and employment. To give us a sense of the vastness of the work at hand, Mr Amitabh Kant, Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion, Government of India who was the chief guest when KEF Holdings launched its India operations in November 2014, perhaps summed it up best when he said that in just the next few decades, India will build much more than it has built in the last 5,000 years.

With the Government committing to build 60 million homes — 40 million in rural areas and 20 million in urban areas – it is going to need fast, durable and most of all – intelligent building techniques to lead the way. Europe and North America switched to offsite construction techniques decades ago and the switch was a natural one due to the fact that it assembles a structure far more quickly and efficiently than can be done by a traditional, in-situ build. Sophisticated software is

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used to “pre-engineer” the building process, which identifies problems that would cause costly delays on a construction site – as well as wasted materials – well before the first concrete is poured. Further benefits such as reduced cost due to minimal wasteage, reduced labor, bulk purchasing, and an earlier return on investment all make offsite construction the only way to make construction “intelligent”. The increased energy efficiency and significant reduction of carbon produced during the operations allow for “greener” buildings to be erected.

Access to sanitation and toilets is a topic of immense relevance in India today especially with the Prime Minister announcing the Swacch Bharat campaign which is a focal point of his Government. Today, 600 million of Indian citizens, or roughly half the population, lack access to toilets and sanitization and this is clearly one of the biggest challenges faced today, particularly in rural areas. A World Bank study estimated that poor sanitation could be costing us $54 billion in treatments for illnesses, early deaths and lost productivity.

We need scalable solutions that would require little to no maintenance. At KEF’s Industrial Park, we will work with highly automated and cuttingedge processes including robotics. Such technology will enable the prefabricated bathroom factory to make 30,000 bathrooms a year, making this the

largest automated bathroom factory in the world.

We will extend the technology to general modular construction as a “pod” or “module” is in the simplest terms, a pre-built room. A completely engineered solution that is built in the factory, transported to site and hoisted into place, it will be a high quality product that is cost controlled and increases efficiency with minimal wastage of raw materials.

By reducing the manufacturing cycle from 10 days to just 3 days, thousands of units – whether they are toilets, hospital rooms or hotel rooms - can be transported across the country and to the GCC. Technology enables us to leapfrog and execute solutions for the most basic problems. Offsite construction means a lean manufacturing process suitable for the modern processes of logistics and assembly. What is required is a shift in construction trends towards freezing design requirements so that onsite works are minimized. “Planning, planning and planning” is the mantra when it comes to offsite construction and we now have tools and software at our disposal – such as building information modelling – to make this a reality in our lifetime.

With 3D printed houses being prototyped in the US and China, but still a long way off from being a viable option, KEF will continue to push the envelope when it comes to the way solutions for essential sectors are designed, delivered and executed.

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PERSPECTIVE

HIGHER EDUCATION 2.0: VISION OR ILLUSION? Higher education in Kerala is not in shambles, as is generally believed. It plays a major role in the development of the state by creating graduates for the public and private sectors. Kerala graduates excel in competition in India and abroad. But higher education in Kerala focuses on imparting knowledge, not on generating knowledge and related products and processes. It lacks coordination and it is disorganized, outdated and resistant to change.

While we have islands of excellence, the vast majority of the institutions are mediocre. Therefore, our centres of excellence get no incentives, our dedicated teachers get no training, exposure or recognition, our brilliant students get no opportunities to excel, our excellent researchers have no facilities and our able administrators are unable to perform. We need a new system of higher education, ‘Higher Education 2.0.’ for the 21st century with good infrastructure, teachers’ training programmes, modern technology, excellent research facilities, enhanced autonomy and international links.

and to strive for greater achievement. Motivated students will impel teachers to do their best and motivated teachers will strive to improve their teaching and evaluation systems. Educational policy must contain incentives and disincentives to motivate the stakeholders to excel. Motivation comes with the vision of opportunities.

To accomplish this, the prerequisites are four M’s —Motivation, Mobility, Mindset and Money, all of which are in short supply. Motivation to excel, to be the best, does not seem to come naturally to the Keralites except when they face stiff competition outside the state and abroad. They seem to have developed a comfort level with the system they have inherited and are resistant to any change.

A truly liberal education is what we need to design in Kerala. Adding skills is a welcome first step, but a liberal education ensures mobility. Mobility should also apply to teachers, who should move form college to college and from university to university.

The teachers should also have exposure to education abroad. They can also add to their education by taking MOOCS courses in additional subjects. Universities should automatically recognize each other’s degrees and credit transfers should be routine.

The motivation has to arise from a sense of ambition on the one hand and an incentive system on the other. All stakeholders have to develop a sense of purpose and desire for fulfillment to put in their best 20

Mobility is a hallmark of education systems in developed education systems. Students, teachers and administrators do not confine themselves to one institution or even one subject stream. This is a luxury for countries, which do not have employment constraints, where students take up subjects not because of professional orientation, but because they are genuinely interested in the subject. Unlike here, they mix and match subjects like humanities, sciences and fine arts and often shifts from one discipline to another. So they do not have square pegs in round holes or vice versa. No one is stuck in a discipline chosen by parents.

A change in mindset is the most important requirement of all. Years of stagnation in the system have created a

mindset that militates against acceptance of change.

Routine does not demand extra effort and hence the resistance to change. The mindset of students is the easiest to change. The mindset, which prompted everyone to try for engineering and medicine, has already changed among them. Resistance to the autonomous colleges is only on account of mindset.

Opposing autonomy is like resisting independence.

Who does not want to have the liberty to choose what to teach and how to teach it? Who does not want the teacher, who teaches, to evaluate answers?

The wide distrust of teachers, who are suspected to be subjective, the wide distrust of management and distrust of the Government are all part of the mindset. Since the changes sought are fundamental, the change in mindset also has to be fundamental.

When it comes to money, there cannot be two opinions. Money is needed to accomplish anything.

The advent of RUSA is specifically designed to infuse large sums into education to ensure access, equity and excellence. The targets are clear and the funds are adequate, if they are dispensed with care on the basis of plans and performance. The reluctance of the state Governments to accept the RUSA structure and methodology has made its implementation slow and unpredictable.

But no one believes that we can have a new system of education with public money alone. A Planning Commission Report asserts that the kind of money required for reshaping education will be available only if at least half of it comes from the private sector. The self-financing institutions brought in private money into education in Kerala, but Kerala still does not permit private universities. Permitting private universities is a practical way of finding not only resources, but also superior educational institutions. Sooner rather than later, the state will have to legislate to invite private universities, even foreign universities, to operate in Kerala. The mindset has to change to get money for education.

Once the four M’s have been acquired, the identified areas can be tackled. Infrastructure is a prerequisite for quality education. Traditional attributes of good students like meager food, torn clothes, dog like sleep and stork like meditation are no more valid. Nor can there be high thinking where there is low living. The infrastructure spectrum is very wide in Kerala, ranging from the modern structures of private institutions to very basic facilities in the Government sector. The inadequacies affect not only classrooms, but also libraries, laboratories and games facilities. A young politician observed recently that every discussion on education ended with proposals for brick and mortar investment, not intellectual inputs. It is true that

education shapes the mind, but the mind needs the body and the body needs sustenance, comforts and conveniences to make the mind work. Infrastructure is as important in education as ideas and thoughts.

A truly professional faculty is at the heart of education. Their qualifications, training, dedication and commitment play a crucial role in any education system. We have many dedicated teachers, but we also have teachers with a mercenary mentality.

The remuneration for teachers has increased, but it is without insistence on quality. Teachers do not require any training before they start teaching. Of course, many of them turn out to be good teachers, but many students are sacrificed in their learning by trial and error. The method of appointing teachers on a permanent basis without any meaningful midterm evaluation or incentives and disincentives is a sure recipe for disaster. Competitiveness can be encouraged only if the better teachers are acknowledged and encouraged. A first rate Faculty Training Academy with facilities for compulsory training programmes for all teachers and refresher courses is a crying need for Kerala.

What has changed the education scene in the world is the use of technology for teaching. Massive Open Online Courses, Flip Schools and examination based on dealing with actual situations rather than writing of essays are products of technology advan cement.

Much investment has been made in computers and related technology, but in actual fact, very little use of technology takes place except in a very few institutions. The technology revolution is tantalizingly close, but we have not embraced it. The reason is not only reluctance to learn new technology, but also the level of comfort that educationists feel in the present system. But in the process, we are depriving our education system of the blessings of technology.

The only way to supplement the knowledge of the teachers is by integrating MOOCS and other technological marvels into the curriculum and by establishing an evaluation system. We cannot catch up with the rest of the world unless technology is deployed in a measured, but prompt manner.

One of the reasons why Indian universities are not on the list of the best world-class universities is the lack of research facilities that lead to inventions and discoveries, new products and processes. Many of the best universities not only have patents, but also Nobel Prizes to their credit. We gather knowledge, but we do not create knowledge in our universities. National research is carried out in research institutions. They have to be integrated into the universities or new research universities have to be established.

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Autonomy has been a watchword in education, but in actual practice, the universities are dependent on the Government for funding and the affiliated colleges are dependent on the universities. We do not have a culture of autonomy because it is the person, who pays the piper that calls the tune. Unless the educational institutions are financially independent, no amount of autonomy granted to them will be complete. The establishment of autonomous colleges with academic freedom is only the first step, but the students, the teachers and the management dread even limited autonomy. Their autonomy should grow to the point of abolition of the affiliation system.

International linkages determine the quality of every educational institution. Moreover, our institutions should attract foreign students so that Kerala could become a hub of higher education. International contacts are also useful to learn new techniques of teaching and learning, which have been proved useful abroad. The key concepts behind international education – globalization, intercultural sensitivity, critical thinking, diversity, learning to work with others and adaptability – are all terms that in the last decade have become buzzwords, even for the general public. But these are not merely convenient clichés. More international educational activity now is having an impact on higher education. We have the advantage of cost, but quality has to be established by collaboration in research and other academic activities. The asset we have is the highly successful academic community from Kerala we have in several countries. Many of them are willing to volunteer to teach here and a methodology for it should be established. International exchanges are essential for a modern educational system.

Skill development is the new fashion in higher education in Kerala today. Institutions for skill development like the polytechnics were neglected for years because most students wanted supervisory jobs and went for engineering degrees. The fundamental issue is that dignity of labour is absent in the society and the wage structure favours those who work the least in the hierarchy. The theory of designated professions to various castes has also been a factor, which has influenced choice of professions. Adding one skill or another in a haphazard manner, may, at best enable graduates to do some odd jobs at home, but it will not lead to alternate employment. A totally liberal education with skills integrated in the educational curriculum is the way to develop skills either though new institutions like community colleges or through existing universities. Skills development is a slogan today, following stray availability of funds from various sources; it has to become a way of life in education. Industry –academia linkages, which will 22

determine the skills to be developed, are essential.

Teaching welding to English Literature students is a fad, but skills like managing the media and creative writing skills will add to their employability.

The good news in this context is the establishment in Dec 2013 of the National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF). A quality assurance framework which organizes qualifications according to a series of levels of knowledge, skills and aptitude. These levels are defined in terms of learning outcomes, which the learner must possess regardless of whether they were acquired through formal, non-formal or informal learning. The NSQF would also help shift emphasis to outcome-based learning - both in the general and vocational space. By shifting the focus from inputs to learning outcomes, the NSQF would aim to tackle several challenges.

NSQF will also facilitate Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) that is largely lacking in the present education and training scenario. Additionally, it would help alignment of Indian qualifications to international qualifications. In other words, there is a mechanism is in place today, which will integrate skills development of various kinds with the mainstream education system. But whether this is being implemented is a matter for verification.

An apex body to coordinate the work of the universities, with the authority to intervene in acute situations, is a long felt need. The Kerala State Higher Education Council (KSHEC) was, perhaps, conceived in this context, but the relevant legislation created a toothless body, purely advisory in character, which the universities and the Government treat with benign neglect at best. The answer, as suggested recently by the prominent educationist, B. Eqbal, is to strengthen the KSHEC and give it the kind of authority that is envisaged by the Governor in his proposal for a Council. At the same time, the exercise of the powers of the Chancellor, as spelt out in the statutes, must be welcomed.

The Kerala Higher Education system is no closer to change, even though several steps have been taken to modernize several aspects of it. The changes in the world and the changes in the status of India have opened up vast opportunities and challenges. We need an education system, which can make use of the opportunities and meet the challenges. Such a vision remains an illusion for the present. Turning this illusion into reality is the challenge that the policy makers in Kerala face.

TALKING POINT

A NEW ERA FOR BUSINESS AND SOCIETY Larry E Snoddon, Vice Chairman at APCO Worldwide, has been always watchful of companies cropping up, creating niche markets and drawing value out of it. But seldom has he seen any which prosper by serving the community in the process. Larry believes that the philosophy followed by KEF, bringing business and society together for creating ‘shared value’, marks the dawn of a new era in business. Read on as he sheds light on changing the way business is done.

that governments must shoulder the burden of furnishing answers to society’s challenges.

Businesses, on the other hand, have not been seen as part of the solution – in fact, some think they prosper at the expense of community.

The global community, numbering 7.2 billion people, is today encountering social, economic, environmental, and health challenges on a historic scale. Almost half of the world’s population lives on less than $2.50 a day, approximately 780 million people do not have access to clean water, an estimated 2.5 billion people lack access to improved sanitation and around 774 million people cannot read or write. At the same time, companies are striving to grow, find new markets and create value. But for whom?

In an effort to meet certain social needs, a few countries have enacted laws for CSR. Denmark requires companies to include CSR information in their annual financial reports. India became the first country in the world to require companies meeting specific criteria to spend 2 percent of their profits after tax on social development.

However, these are temporary fixes and not long-term solutions.

In my recent exposure to KEF, I believe it is a new kind of company that is working untiringly to create a new era for business and society.

On one hand, people generally have a mindset

In response, firms have been engaging in a host of corporate social responsibility (CSR) or philanthropy programs. While many of these programs have garnered goodwill, the impact on the ground is not sufficient.

In a Harvard Business Review study, Michael Porter and Mark Kramer speak of ‘shared value’ which is obtained from the ‘right kind of profits’ generated from serving social needs. Their writings have been accepted by many and are helping to create a new approach to business and society.

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Almost half of the world’s population lives on less than $2.50 a day, approximately 780 million people do not have access to clean water, an estimated 2.5 billion people lack access to improved sanitation and around 774 million people cannot read or write. At the same time, companies are striving to grow, find new markets and create value. But for whom?

Traditionally, managers see social problems as creating costs for businesses – in energy and raw materials, costly accidents, healthcare expenses and the need to re-educate workers. But the prosperity of a company and the health of communities around it are closely intertwined. A business not only needs a successful community to buy its products but also should provide them the required infrastructure and a supportive environment. A community needs successful businesses to provide jobs and services for its citizens.

As I understand KEF’s strategy, the company’s role is nothing less than bringing business and society together to meet today’s needs in terms of ‘shared value’. This means creating economic value in a way that also creates value for the society. KEF is in the process of re-imagining how society and corporate performance are interdependent.

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They started by seeing that society’s needs – such as education, healthcare, food security – create the most important marketplaces. Then they looked at their expertise in technology, efficient manufacturing and processes to deliver the most effective products and solutions with speed, efficiency and effectiveness. This includes creating a modern, engaging company culture where employees feel they have an integral role and are valued as people as well as professionals.

Finally, they bring together local communities and governments with their global partners to forge local expertise.

Business, of course, can be a powerful force for change when it applies its particular expertise to customer needs. One only needs to look at the automobile, medical progress, telecommunications to see how business can make a positive impact. By applying KEF’s deep experience in manufacturing, technology, and

business processes, it is at the leading edge of how companies are transforming themselves to meet society’s needs.

In education and healthcare, KEF saw that the built environment was crucial in terms of reducing cost as well as increasing effectiveness.

A positive environment reduces stress, increases productivity of students, nurses and staff, as well as increasing overall satisfaction with the experience.

KEF Health is building a model PMHS hospital in Calicut by applying large-scale manufacturing and assembly to hospital construction. In collaboration with world-famous Cleveland Clinic, they will deliver the hospital in a short 15-month period, compared to the normal four-year time frame. This, in turn, will cut costs and speed services to some of the neediest communities in the state. It will employ 2,000 people directly and 8,000 – 10,000 indirectly.

KEF’s goal is to demonstrate that the techniques can be replicated over and over to serve society.

KEF is also addressing society’s need for high quality food, grown and harvested in the most ecologically positive manner. The firm is creating a fully integrated organic farm that will be self-sufficient in water and energy. Due to be completed next year, it will also train over 5,000 farmers annually to extend its positive impact.

Driving home the ultimate social contribution, KEF has positioned the Faizal and Shabana Foundation at its heart to extend its reach and impact. An example is the comprehensive upgrade of a local girls’ school in Kerala, using KEF’s techniques and processes in collaboration with the community and local government.

Always with a focus on results, the school’s goals are to ensure 30% of graduates can pursue higher professional education; to be ranked among the top ten schools in India within five years; and to become a pilot project than can be replicated across Kerala and India.

By improving affordable housing, Tata Housing (India) and Pfizer (Venezuela) have been catalytic in creating healthy communities.

Hindustan Unilever redesigned its hygiene products to reduce the national incidence of diarrhea, which kills more than 500,000 Indian children every year. Larsen & Toubro (L&T), an Indian construction company, is increasing the industry’s workforce quality through vocational training institutes it has introduced across the country. Nestlé, of course, is well known for its iron fortification program across Asia and Africa.

Faizal, Shabana and their KEF colleagues are turning their business experience and expertise to drive innovation and productivity in addressing society’s most pressing problems.

Their approach has a strong foundation and endorsement in the ideas of the best business minds today. No doubt, KEF is pointing the way and will inspire others to follow.

In my recent exposure to KEF, I believe it is a new kind of company that is working untiringly to create a new era for business and society.

In these examples, KEF is demonstrating how it can bring its business expertise to bear, collaborate with important partners, and deliver scale and market presence to make a meaningful impact on education, healthcare and agriculture as well as other areas it identifies in the future.

KEF is not alone as some of the world’s finest companies are also helping to take forward this new era of applying business expertise to social needs.

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LOOKING FORWARD

KEF TENNIS CHALLENGE, SERVING THIS MARCH

At KEF, team spirit goes beyond the limits of workspace. Supporting tennis enthusiasts from around the world, KEF is set to host its seventh annual tennis challenge to reiterate its support to overall community wellness through encouraging sports among the regional and international youth and amateurs.

It’s that time of the year again when young players will battle it out for the championship at the seventh edition of the KEF Tennis Challenge. The event is scheduled for 6 and 7 March and will be held at Ajman Kempinski, the Radisson Blu Sharjah, and the KEF Villa in Sharjah. The company’s founders Faizal Kottikollon and Shabana Faizal will welcome 70 players from all age groups from India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, the UAE, the UK, Mexico and Uzbekistan.

The event will also see an exclusive pre-tournament seminar by acclaimed experts from Transform on topics ranging from overcoming the most common tennis injuries and strength training to mental preparation for a match and de-bunking pre and post workout nutrition myths. Transform is a UAE based group that specializes in sports medicine and physiotherapy.

This year’s edition offers participants the opportunity to compete for prize money worth US$10,000 and will be officiated by qualified white badge umpires from the International Tennis Federation.

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PEOPLE

BUILDING DREAM WORKS, THROUGH TEAMWORK It takes a great team to reach the pinnacle of success and in order to achieve the company’s visions and goals, it is important to imbibe a work culture that inspires working together in teams.

In a diverse and competitive market like India, companies cannot ignore the need for establishing a work culture based on teamwork. An environment of teamwork builds trust, which in turn enhances the speed, efficiency and effectiveness of executing a project. The enthusiasm that seeds from collaborative working, brainstorming and sharing the joy of success is incomparable. Teams build a company’s culture and character, so it is vital for organizations to form a right mix.

Though building a team in a workplace is now common, there are but a few who understand how to develop an effective team and how to create the experience of teamwork. No matter what you term your team-based improvement effort – continuous

improvement, total quality, or self-directed work teams, your ultimate goal is to strive and enhance customer experience and thereby company revenue.

A successful team building requires attention to the following factors: Communicate Objectives: Build an understanding of the objective of the team formation and the strategy of how the team will be used to attain the corporate goals.

Set Targets: Clearly communicate the expectations for performance and outcomes.

Assess Competencies: Understand the capabilities of the team members – their knowledge, skills and experience and have a perception of the gaps that need to be fulfilled to undertake the activities for achieving the target.

Authority and Control: Ensure that the team is empowered with freedom, accountability and

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authority required to accomplish the tasks without any hindrance. At the same time, make sure that the team understands their boundaries and acts within these limitations and constraints (monetary, time and resource) defined at the beginning of the project.

Rewards and Recognitions: Acknowledge the achievement of each milestone in a project and reward the successful upon completion of its goals. Care needs to be taken to award both team

and individual performances. While the system of rewarding needs to be designed appropriately, the team should also be discouraged of reprisals and finger pointing.

Accommodate Team Culture: The organization should create an environment that suits team-based, collaborative working, which might be different from traditional, hierarchical working patterns.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Building a Team Relationship

Don’ts Be sensitive to people’s feelings.

Realize that your perception is your reality and not everyone else’s.

Honesty and openness.

Speak from your own experience.

Be patient.

Realize that this is something new and there is no “tried-and-true” formula to follow.

Assume everyone thinks like you.

Expect everyone to participate equally.

Demand others to change first.

Expect that all your expectations will be met.

Give up at the first sign of tension or conflict.

Be willing to give up some control.

Be accountable for your responsibilities.

Admit that you do not have all the answers, or even know all the questions.

Believe that everyone has something to offer.

Ask plainly for what you want from another person.

Build mutual understanding and trust.

Listen.

Do’s 28

To attain corporate visions, organizations need to focus on grooming leaders who understand the importance of teamwork and can bond with their team to create a healthy environment that enables the leaders to acquire the commitment and sincerity from their team members required for achieving the company’s vision.

PEOPLE

AVOIDING RECRUITMENT OVERSIGHTS Finding the right talent is crucial for an organization’s success. Recruitment is an art, but it is pure science when it comes to Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO). With a well-defined recruiting strategy, RPO can do wonders in not only saving the firm’s time and cost but also improving the quality of its human resources.

People are the key assets of a company and investing in the right candidate has a direct effect on the business results. In today’s competitive and demanding marketplace, it is important to have a clear staffing strategy and for that companies are switching from the conventional hiring method to a more structured format – Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO). This is a fast growing industry in India and projected to see an annual growth of 25-35 percent. Led mainly by the MNCs, the last few years have seen many an entrance by Indian organizations.

The RPO services are seldom used to meet the recruitment needs of mid or senior-level employees.

It is majorly used when companies have a high volume of hiring requirement for junior or midlevel employees across geographies. By using RPO services, companies are immediately able to scale up to meet the needs for the volume and reach for recruitments. Having said that, the decision makers must also take utmost care while entrusting the job to an external firm.

A recent survey on RPO in India has not shown

inspiring results. On evaluation, the following reasons stood out: RPO process not customizable to client requirements: Most large RPOs have well settled processes and have been successful globally. This in itself, sometimes, becomes a challenge. The process is not customizable to the client’s unique requirements. “The candidates’ detail form fields are not tuned to suit different positions/functions/ levels – what happens is that you either have too much information from the candidate or critical information required to proceed further is missed out,” says Peter Ballem, EVP, TMI Group.

Lack of grasp over the client’s organization culture: While most RPOs understand the hard factors of the job role requirements and are able to present matching profiles, none of them pay attention to the cultural aspect and precious time is lost in the time they take to understand and correct their approach.

This delay results in the recruiting manager losing confidence over filling the position through the RPO and soon the requirement will be passed on to recruitment consultants.

No vertical specialists in the RPO Team: There are hardly any vertical specialists in RPO who understand the industry and the challenges of the role sought by the client. The matter accentuates because no two organizations within the same industry vertical are the same, leave alone sourcing candidates for another industry. If there is no one in the RPO

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vendor’s team who has worked in a similar industry, the client is going to have a challenge making them understand the requirement.

No recruitment DNA for the RPO vendor: “The process is agreeable and the criterion for profile matching is submitted, but still closures are not happening – what do you do with excellent looking dashboards & analytics when positions do not get filled. You cannot wish away a ‘recruiter’ in recruitment. Only a good recruiter can get both the candidate and hiring manager on the same page and make the consummation happen,” says T Sreedhar, Managing Director of TMI Network. Mostly RPOs end up closing only the easy to fill positions (e.g. the positions with multiple vacancies) and the rest take a back seat. By the time the RPO pays attention to the ‘difficult to close’, the client has already run out of time. Failure of the RPO to align with the firms’ sourcing priorities, difficulty of the position to fill, etc. will only result in escalations and precious time will be wasted in reviews and worse, blame games.

Inability to activate multiple sourcing channels simultaneously: Typically most RPOs recruit an army of recruiters who are constantly trying to source, access and keep candidates. This works in situations where clients have time for filling the position.

However, when you are running short of time, there will be a need to release recruitment advertisements, use channel partners, and make physical presence in locations where the requirements exist, to ensure that the response management system is geared up. Furthermore, the RPO will need access to talents in remote locations for niche requirements and only local small consultants have a reach to them. Alternatively there needs to be a structured candidate reference process so that the RPO can take advantage of reaching out to the right talent.

Organizations need to choose wisely when it comes to deploying an RPO to take care of their recruitment needs. What they need to understand is what they entrust into the hands of the RPO – the building blocks to the future of their organization.

By using RPO services, companies are immediately able to scale up to meet the needs for the volume and reach for recruitments.

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PEOPLE

EMPOWERING WORKFORCE WITH TRAINING In order to be ahead of the race, one has to stay updated always – be it individuals or companies.

Job responsibilities continually evolve as the company matures, and oftentimes employees are left without the skills they need to complete their newly assigned tasks. Companies need to assess and empower their employees with the training required to realize the visions of the company and thereby improve the personnel’s lives. However, providing the right training is not sufficient, it is also essential to make them understand the need, value the learning and put the knowledge to good use.

Often organizations subscribe to a widely popular but rarely admitted training fallacy, that training is not as natural as any other activity that the organization and its workforce conducts for business growth. The employees tend to look at the training department as a bunch of lofty idealists, far removed from the grime and rut of their daily “operational” routines. This is a reason why some of the well-intentioned training schedules do not break even and cannot bring the intended value.

The lack of buy-in from the stakeholders due to their perception of training as a cost creates a natural aversion to any schedule that does not bring them money.

SOME INTERESTING COMMENTS ON TRAINING Training is just another “demand” on the employee’s time by the management. The attendance is compulsory but there is no proportionate decrease in targets and timelines.

Training team has their metrices and they use the employees as their guinea pigs to attain the target KRAs. Training platform is used to indoctrinate employees with all the unstated agendas that the management wants to implement.

Training platform is used as a leverage to make employees feel that they are incompetent.

Training is an activity for activity sake; there are no follow-ups, no hand holding, no pro-active action on the training feedback.

Companies need to assess and empower their employees with the training required to realize the visions of the company and thereby improve the personnel’s lives.

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Those who believe that they do not need training cannot be administered training. It is not a bitter pill that can be forced down. Training has to be imbibed. This also is the fundamental difference between training and instructing. Only instructions are meant to be followed.

So for successfully implementing any large-scale training plan, we need to first get the stakeholder’s buy-in for the program. A sense of calling is at the heart of empowerment.

Taking into account the above, it is imperative that a training program be rolled out with just the same amount of planning, enthusiasm and training (of the training personnel) as your company would roll out a new product.

It should enjoy more top management time (and not less) and capture as much mind share as perhaps a prominent gossip in the company.

STEPS TO CREATE RIGHT PERCEPTION FOR THE TRAINING PROGRAM 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Initiate a survey for assessing the training interest level within the organization.

Create and present a report of the Training Intention measured through the survey.

Set up a meeting with the top management for kicking off the training program and present the Training Intention Survey details.

Prepare the role chart for various functions involved in training implementation.

Identify the personnel to take charge of these roles, train and arm them with process flow charts and formats.

A TYPICAL TRAINING INTENTION SURVEY A) Do you believe that training of self is an integral part of self-development?

• Yes • No • Depends B) Is there some functional or behavioral area that you would like to improve upon?

• Yes • No • I don’t know C) If given a choice, would you nominate yourself to a training program organized with you in our mind?

• Yes • No • Depends on my supervisor’s sanction D) When was the last time you attended a structured, planned training program?

• In the last 90 days • In the last 180 days • In the last one year • Its been over a year • I have not attended one

REPORT AND PRESENT TRAINING INTENTION SURVEY RESULTS A) Current interest level towards training B) Whether there is a concern in terms of interest level C) Actions required on the top management’s part to ensure that training exercise gets additional boost D) Ideas on how to make this program a success E) Blocking of top management calendar, at least 3 working days every month purely to be dedicated to training.

F) Getting the training budget approved: • Training promotion • Training logistics • Training content • Training delivery • Training coordination/ anchoring • Training efficacy analysis and consulting • Training implementation documentation for business continuity

PREPARING ROLE CHARTS AND IDENTIFY PERSONNEL A) Admin anchor B) Trainer anchor C) MIS anchor • Attendance reports • Assessment reports • Feedback documentation D) Corporate Interface • Person to provide the weekly presentation on status • If all the roles are based out of corporate office, the personnel handling such roles should be advised to present their own status update.

To effectively implement the training program, it needs to be promoted within the company. Activities like choosing a theme, setting a mascot, creating a calendar, displaying posters and producing communiqués can be done to create an interest, capture mind share and sustain the momentum of the training program.

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IMPLEMENTING THE TRAINING Assuming that the above is done and the training team is empowered with the money from finance, and motive from management counterparts, it is time for putting the intentions to operation. Some of the important components in delivering a training program successfully in an organization are as follows.

• Aggregate the training needs of all stakeholders at various levels • Take into account the sector, priorities, competencies and expected outcome of the trainees • Batch and schedule the program

TRAINING NEED ANALYSIS

EFFECTIVENESS EVALUATION

• Assess the training program • Collect feedback in terms of facilitation, impact, effectiveness and coordination of the training • Review the effectiveness internally and with the receivers of the training • Audit the expenses, attendance, feedback and the content

• Set the objective • Map the content and delivery means to match the target audience comprehension skills • Method of training - through presentations, interactive questionnaire, casestudies, roleplays, activities, outbound activities • Train the trainer

CONTENT DEVELOPMENT

COORDINATION AND DELIVERY

• Aggregate the training needs of all stakeholders at various levels • Take into account the sector, priorities, competencies and expected outcome of the trainees • Batch and schedule the program

The essence of empowerment is maximizing human potential, not simply delegating authority.

Empowered employees always rise to the occasion, do the best job possible, and help the company compete in the global marketplace. That is why it is important to empower your employees with the right training to help the company attain its goals and accomplish new heights.

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TECHNOLOGY

A CONCRETE STEP TOWARDS CONSTRUCTING A GREENER FUTURE Through KEF Industrial Park, KEF Infra intends to collaborate with the community to reduce waste and pollution, share resources, create job opportunities and achieve sustainable development.

In an effort to protect the environment and preserve it for the next generation, KEF is harnessing the power of its state-of-the art technologies. KEF Infra has recently inaugurated its first industrial park in India - KEF Industrial Park. The new facility is designed by following an ecologically responsible design discipline and will provide the required infrastructure to conduct research and development in the construction sector of India.

With a vision to deliver high quality buildings in record time and at reduced cost, the KEF Industrial Park has 5 dictinct units: Precast, Prefabricated bathrooms and modular, joinery and fit out, aluminum and glazing 34

and stone processing. A cutting edge research and development lab is also established to test, innovate and improvise various building materials, technologies and implementation models.

The industrial plant follows an ecological design built to minimize environmentally destructive impacts by integrating itself with life environment and processes. The design objectives for the project include maintaining concern for the local environment and creating a self-sustaining project, while adhering to the cultural and ecological authenticity of the local area.

WHY THE ECOLOGICAL BALANCE IS MAINTAINED? • • • • • • •

To avoid impact on nature (water, flora and fauna), raised pathways are built To support local biological diversity, local vegetation plantation is designed To reduce storm water run-off green roofs are designed To reduce the water use in landscapes, water-wise garden techniques Landscape irrigation using water from showers and sinks, known as gray water Integrated Pest Management techniques for pest control Energy-efficient landscape design in the form of proper placement and selection of shade trees and creation of wind breaks • Permeable paving materials to reduce storm water run-off and allow rain water to infiltrate into the ground and replenish groundwater rather than run into surface water • Soil management techniques, including composting kitchen and yard wastes, to maintain and enhance healthy soil that supports a diversity of soil life • Integration and adoption of renewable energy, including solar-powered landscape lighting

The plant uses photovoltaic systems to provide power, and green roofs for insulating the buildings.

The technology used for the construction of the industrial plant also contributes towards maintaining a perfect ecological balance. For instance, the pod construction unit reduces the carbon footprint by preventing the need for transporting the materials to construction site and keeping the construction away from the eco-sensitive area.

pollution, share resources, create job opportunities and achieve sustainable development. The ecoconstruction techniques integrate materials and technologies into manufacturing buildings by optimizing energy efficiency, limiting water consumption, and maximizing use of recycled, recyclable and non-toxic materials. We respect the environment and make efficient use of resources to manufacture buildings that are economical in energy, sustainable and comfortable.

Through KEF Industrial Park, KEF Infra intends to collaborate with the community to reduce waste and 35

INNOVATION

BUILDING STRUCTURES IN THE MIND, MANUFACTURING AT THE FACTORY Conceptualizing unique designs and executing it with precision is the hallmark of KEF Infra. The component-based, design and build process has revolutionized the world of construction. The critical components of construction are designed, engineered and manufactured at the factory, and delivered at the appropriate stages of a construction project. This is not only more practical, but has wider cost and time-saving implications.

KEF Infra aims to deliver an extensive range of off-site construction elements utilizing its sophisticated manufacturing capabilities for buildings hotels, medical facilities, residential apartments and villas, commercial buildings, and educational infrastructure. Pre-engineered modular industrial buildings can be up and running in half the time of traditional construction, with minimal disruption to current operations. While modularization minimizes the cost of construction, it maximizes quality and time savings.

The state of the art machinery and equipment in the fabrication unit at KEF Infra’s precast factory is capable of taking huge volumes of work (upto 5 million square feet) for demanding projects of any size. The modular buildings being manufactured totally in-house at the factory avoids any on-site delays and overruns associated with traditional building. The streamlined and logical sequential 36

process followed ensures assembly of different components in time and in place through team benchmarking systems, with active process control for high standards of quality and cost control with respect to maintenance and regulatory compliances.

Precast concrete combines the inherent characteristics of concrete with the accuracy, speed and quality of industrial production.

The professionally equipped team of KEF Infra enables erection of the various precast elements at the construction site.

Whether they are used for storage, or as a secure area for manufacturing, the manufactured buildings are a quick and cost-effective solution for industrial operations. The result is built-tolast structures.

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Graphic Concrete™ speaks the language of creativity. It adds life to the walls and builds inspiring concrete surfaces industrially with its own discrete, coloured, personality and style.

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INNOVATION

GIVING A CREATIVE PERSONALITY TO SURFACES Graphic Concrete™ speaks the language of creativity. It adds life to the walls and builds inspiring concrete surfaces industrially with its own discrete, coloured, personality and style.

The graphic concrete™ concept was developed to build a better environment by industrializing the production of large-scale concrete surfaces using technology that enables architects to create visually creative designs on prefabricated concrete. It gives architects and designers the freedom to design and use patterned concrete surfaces, in unique ways. The patented technology, graphic concrete™ is based on the innovation of interior architect Samuli Naamanka.

With this technology, KEF Infra will, at its Industrial Park in Krishnagiri, efficiently produce ‘industrial architecture’, to enable creation of stylish and unique concrete surfaces. Architects can use graphic concrete™ designs for precast facades, sound barriers, partition walls, building parts, slabs and precast floors.

THE TECHNOLOGY The fundamental idea of graphic concrete™ technology is the application of a surface retarder onto the surface of a special membrane against which a precast element is cast. Casting of the precast design elements takes place in the precast unit and is prepared by cleaning the mould and cutting the membrane according to the element drawings. Instead of design patterns, imagery or inspirational quotes can also be transferred on to the membrane. The membrane is spread out

on the clean mould table with the retarded side facing the concrete. The reinforcement is placed on the membrane and the casting starts.

The mould is filled with concrete mass. The surface retarders that are printed onto the membrane exposes the concrete surface by not allowing the concrete surface to harden in the casting. A high pressure washing is used to reveal the details of the pattern. A vibrating table removes air from the concrete and on the subsequent day, the mould is raised and the element comes off. The element is transported to the washing area and the membrane is rolled off. The unhardened surface that is left is washed away. The normal depth of the pattern called the fine exposure is about 1 mm. The image can consist of several different printing units. The element is dried and is now ready to be transported to the building site.

Thanks to graphic concrete™, the precast industry can produce impressive concrete surfaces out of pure concrete with no add-on materials. This enables focus to be rendered to cost effectiveness and safety of use, which are important factors.

Architects can be creative with these very simple tools in order to achieve distinctive surfaces on concrete by altering the aggregate, pigmenting the concrete mass and, most importantly, by giving the concrete surface different pattern designs or printing images. The end result is a patterned, smooth or completely exposed surface.

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SHOWCASE

KEF HOLDINGS BEGINS OPERATIONS IN INDIA

KEF makes its entry into the Silicon Valley of India – Bangalore.

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In a grand function attended by top dignitaries, KEF Holdings inaugurated its office in Bangalore, India. The launch of KEF Holdings (KEF House and KEF Industrial Park - Phase 1) in India was celebrated at an exclusive event held in November 2014 followed by Gala Dinner at the Grand Ballroom, JW Marriott, Bangalore.

The inauguration event kicked off with a welcome message by Shabana Faizal, Vice Chairperson of KEF Holdings followed by a keynote speech by Faizal Kottikolon, Chairman of KEF Holdings.

Chief Guest Amitabh Kant, Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Government of India in his speech, praised the efforts of KEF Holdings in elevating the infrastructure, healthcare and education to a world-class level in a fast and affordable manner. He also noted that the group’s social responsibility initiatives are truly inspiring.

PatrickDunne, GM Modular Division, KEF Infra, made an elaborate presentation on the concept of pre-fabricated bathrooms and Harri Lanning, the Managing Director/CEO graphic concreteTM spoke briefly about his company’s technology and later on, Aladin Niazmand CEO of KEF - TAHPI design studio, shared his views on how modular design and construction can drive healthcare costs down.

Bangalore serves as the nerve-centre for Indian start-ups and this launch will provide KEF immense opportunities for establishing and expanding its operations, given the high availability of potential candidates in the region.

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IN-FOCUS

HELLO SINGAPORE KEF opens office in one of the most vibrant business hubs in Asia – Singapore.

In its latest move to expand, KEF opened its new office in Singapore’s most popular financial and trade centre - 1 Raffles Place. Located at the southern tip of the Malaysian Peninsula, Singapore’s booming economy leads the world rankings as the easiest place to do business. Thanks to its first-class infrastructure, workforce, legal and financial framework and long history of political stability.

Strategically located at the crossroads of east and west, Singapore gives KEF Holdings the opportunity to take advantage of the region’s vast investment potential, growing consumer market and affordable resources to consolidate its business activities.

For the fast growing Asian economies such as India, Indonesia, Vietnam and China, Singapore is considered to be an ideal hub for foreign investments. The opening of the office in Singapore marks yet another important milestone in KEF’s journey.

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ONE TO WATCH

BRINGING THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION TO HEALTHCARE DESIGN AND PROCUREMENT

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Healthcare currently consumes a large proportion of the total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of every Country. For the last 3 decades, this cost has been steadily rising, often faster than the overall growth of the economy. Many Countries already have a substantial deficit in healthcare funding. A significant part of the cost is in the Design and Construction of healthcare facilities.

To compound the problem, developing countries are experiencing a boom in urbanization, growing middle class, increasing life expectancy, ageing of the population, increasing awareness of health issues and expectations of improved health care. Today’s healthcare demand is a challenge, let alone the future demand at the future’s procurement cost.

Clearly, without a major change, healthcare is increasingly unsustainable.

Private hospital profit margins become increasingly slim, insurance premiums become un-affordable and Governments are forced to choose between Health, Education, Roads, Security and other public services. This is not theory. It has already happened in many Countries with mature healthcare systems.

Given this inevitable crisis, a major change may come from re-examining what is the core mission of a healthcare facility. We submit that it is what the name suggests: Health Care.

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Such care needs to be provided as quickly and as efficiently as possible. Healthcare facilities are effectively machines for healing and maintenance of the body. They need to have the right elements, be patient and staff-friendly but not necessarily opulent or extravagant. Healthcare facilities are not Hotels with equipment bolted on. For that, there are many excellent real hotels and resorts.

They are not someone’s home to be designed and decorated to their personal taste. They need to perform critical functions just like the hi-tech equipment they contain. They do need to provide for a wide range of people, cultures, age and gender. They need to be safe and trusted rather than subject to hit and miss depending on numerous people and companies involved such as the client representatives, designers, project managers, builders, equipment suppliers etc. Just one or two of the above may be the weak link in a chain that can fail with catastrophic costs, both in monitory terms and in healthcare outcomes.

We must overcome this variable outcome due to the prevalent do-it-yourself procurement methodology.

The KEF-TAHPI Design Studio, in Dubai’s Healthcare City, visualizes a world where healthcare facilities are of predictable, high quality.

They improve every year whilst getting cheaper to deliver, maintain and operate. They would look like confident and proud, with brand recognition.

Looking around for solutions one finds numerous examples such as computers, cameras, cars. Apart from constant improvement in features, looks and usability, they are the same price or cheaper today than 10 or even 20 years ago.

These are products of Industrial Design, Innovation and Production on a large scale. Industrial revolution produces such products in many fields with incredible precision and attention to safety such as high speed trains and plains. At the KEFTAHPI Design Studio we have been planning for over 15 years to deliver healthcare facilities using industrial techniques.

This involves a two-part approach, Soft Modular and Hard Modular.

Soft Modular is about the compartmentalization of the knowledge of healthcare design into units of planning from Departments and Services down to Rooms, Content, Finishes and Specifications.

An information catalogue of 50 Functional Units of planning plus 500 unique rooms types, each

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fully specified, pre-designed and engineered with multiple permutations can be used to create hospitals of any size or specialization. These form the raw components of rapid design. Each component would be fully audited to comply with all the relevant standards and guidelines out-ofthe-box.

These elements could then be used for healthcare projects from refurbishments and extensions and new facilities. It would be a matter of choosing the right elements rather than re-inventing every element every time for every project. The KEF-TAHPI Design Studio, established at Dubai Healthcare City has been established just for this purpose.

The KEF –TAHPI Design Studio goes even further. Using the same components, we offer 6 categories of complete hospital designs from the smallest Rural and Remote hospitals with 15 to 18 beds to major metropolitan teaching hospitals with 500+ beds and all required facilities. These entire hospitals would also be fully designed and engineered with a small range of possible customizations.

Hard Modular takes these modular designs, then pre-fabricates them in components and delivers them through the industrial efficiency of scale with consistent quality. These will be available at a substantially lower cost than the traditional procurement methods. They replace “construction” with “transportation” and “assembly”. They would be fully functional at the time of delivery with nothing missing for full operation including all medical and non-medical equipment, furniture, software and automation systems. In short these are Hospitals delivered like large passenger aircraft.

They will be known by capacity, model and the KEF-TAHPI brand. They will come with a warranty like any industrial product.

TAHPI has been at the forefront of Healthcare design for decades, not only delivering hundreds of facilities but also authoring the healthcare standards and guidelines of many Countries.

TAHPI is also the developer of a vast range of automation software for healthcare briefing, planning and design management. KEF is a major industrial group with two prefabrication factories in India and the UAE, delivering all the components required for healthcare facilities. These include fully precast concrete structure, room pods for

small rooms and flat-pack wall and components for larger room types.

KEF-TAHPI currently guarantee the delivery of healthcare projects at 20% less cost and 30% less time than the lowest traditional delivery method. Within 5 years, KEF-TAHPI aim to achieve 50% cost and time reduction for all projects compared with a QS estimate for the traditional procurement methodology.

So, one might ask what is the catch? What is the disadvantage? The answer is simple. Clients would not uniquely own the design. Just like cars and planes they simply receive the “product”.

Design and Engineering will effectively be at no cost. Furthermore, they will be trading infinite variability and personal design preferences with “selection” from a design catalogue. These catalogue hospitals will come with a limited range of options and choices such as finishes, cladding types and branding elements. Effectively clients will be exercising their own creativity by choice in a showroom environment.

There are many projects underway at any given time, designed under the traditional, slow and variable processes. It is not too late for these to be delivered under the KEF-TAHPI industrial system.

The KEF-TAHPI Design Studio can convert any existing plans into the modular equivalent, ready for delivery and assembly. Although this solution will not be as efficient as the 6 fully designed modular hospitals, nevertheless they will provide substantial cost and time saving.

The catalogue of KEF-TAHPI’s 6 classes of Modular hospitals including numerous samples of individual departments and room types is available for viewing at the Design Studio as well as the KEF-TAHPI showroom at Arab Health 2015. The showroom incorporates 3 standard room types including a bedroom, bathroom and utility room. These represent the quality expected of the KEF-TAHPI brand.

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LOOKING BACK

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June 14, 2014: Pratibha Samman 2013 Award by State Bank of Travancore Faizal Kottikollon received the award for outstanding contribution by an NRI to society and in the field of infrastructure. The award and citation were given to him by the then Governor of Kerala, Mrs. Sheila Dikshit. The other awardees were Mr. TK Jose (of Kudumbasree fame) and Dr. MS Swaminathan (father of India’s green revolution).

August 26, 2014: Piling Works Commences at PMHP Hospital Site, Calicut The initiation of concrete piling works began onsite.

September 20, 2014: GVHSS-Nadakkavu Ranked Top 5 Government Day School by Education World GVHSS-Nadakkavu, rebuilt by the Faizal and Shabana Foundation, was rated among the top 5 Government Schools in the country. The school caters to over 2,400 girl students and the transformation in academic and co-curricular activities are visible.

November 13, 2014: Commercial Production begins at KEF Industrial Park, Krishnagiri The phase 1 commercial production (precast) was launched for elements for PMHP hospital.

December 11, 2014: Licensing and Technology Transfer Agreement signed for KEF Polypod Licensing and Technology Transfer Agreement for KEF Polypod was signed in KEF’s DIFC office for the design and construction of modular bathrooms, hospital rooms and hotel rooms.

December 21, 2014: Insight Prize for Education by Reporter Channel For initiating a transformation in public education in the State of Kerala through the upgrade of GVHSSNadakkavu in Calicut, Kerala, India.

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LOOKING BACK

January 1, 2015: Concrete works begins by KEF Infra for its 1st client: Family Accommodation at Yenepoya University, Mangalore Groundbreaking and concrete works for KEF Infra’s first project took place.

February 16, 2015: Indian CEO of the Year Innovation Award by ITP In recognition of the efforts of Faizal Kottikollon in successfully driving innovation and technology through various industries, previously in manufacturing valves for the oil and gas sectors and now infrastructure and healthcare.

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February 21, 2015: Rotary CSR Award In recognition of the efforts of KEF Holdings in integrating and internalising Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) into their core business operations through the Faizal & Shabana Foundation.

February 22, 2015: A visit to Juma Al Majid Center for Culture and Heritage A meeting took place with Mr. Juma Al Majid, the eminent businessman and philanthropist, at the Juma Al Majid Center for Culture and Heritage. Mr. Faizal Kottikollon and Mrs. Shabana Faizal were given an exclusive, personal tour by Mr. Al Majid through his one of a kind library of books and manuscripts collected from around the world and the restoration centre. The center serves as a cultural reference point for scholars from all around the world.

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LOOKING BACK

JANUARY 26 - 29, 2015: KEF-TAHPI DESIGN STUDIO AT ARAB HEALTH 2015 KEF-TAHPI Design Studio, a Joint Venture of KEF Holdings and Australia-headquartered company TAHPI, is poised to transform the world of healthcare.

The newly formed design studio showcased its innovative range of design solutions at the Arab Health 2015 during 26-29 January, 2015. The Arab Health Exhibition & Congress is the largest of its kind in the Middle East.

While KEF displayed its unique pre-fabricated modular construction capabilities, TAHPI demonstrated its technologically superior healthcare design expertise at the event. The aim of KEF-TAHPI Design Studio is to

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implement a design and construction process that is smart and fully industrialised.

Five Catalogues, each having a unique prototype were unveiled at the show. The catalogue showcases five prototypes of modular hospitals including numerous samples of individual departments and room types so that clients can conveniently choose from the design range. The showroom at Arab Health incorporated three standard room types including a hospital bedroom, bathroom and utility room, entirely designed and prefabricated by KEF-TAHPI Design Studio.

PROFILES

ANDRE DIENST JOINS AS GENERAL MANAGER – KEF INFRA Andre Dienst, a German national, is a seasoned professional highly skilled in modern Precast Concrete techniques. He recently joined KEF Infra as its General Manager and is based at the group’s India office in Bangalore.

His last assignment was with Abdul Latif Jameel Ltd. in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as Director, where he was in charge of setting up a new company for the industrial manufacturing of home solutions and related Real Estate Development organisation. He was responsible for carrying out operational and strategic businesses of the compete enterprise. Prior to this, he worked with Eastern Asphalt & Mixed Concrete W.L.L. Eastern Precast in the Kingdom of Bahrain. He joined the company as Operations Manager and within a short span of time he was promoted as General Manager, where he devised the company’s budgeting, marketing and development strategies.

Andre holds a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Applied Sciences for Civil Engineering, Germany and spent his initial years working in Germany, where he gained the working knowledge and experience in the construction industry. He is an inspiring leader and has sound experience in organising talent and leading employees coming from different countries.

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ON THE COVER

Construction Week, one of the region’s popular magazines in the construction industry, covered the lead story in its recent issue on KEF Holdings’ vision to industrialise the construction process.

At a time when the construction industry is just on a slow sailing mode, KEF Holdings is thinking different and inspiring change. A recently published article in the Construction Week magazine reveals KEF Holdings’ efforts in the modular construction domain.

Elaborating on the use of technology in construction, the article sheds light on achieving cost and time benefits. The technology application dramatically reduces the number of workers and amount of materials used in the construction process.

The company’s $50 m first plant is designed to create new buildings in the 42-acre KEF Industrial Park, which has been built at Krishnagiri in Tamil Nadu. The park will employ 400 people once all the factories are open. The productivity that can be achieved here will be incomparable.

The article notes the fact that the modular construction of a building requires intensive design engineering work upfront using Building Information Modelling (BIM) software. Andre Dienst, the new General Manager of KEF Holdings’ infrastructure division, mentioned that the precast construction method can reduce quality issues. The school in Kottikollon’s home state of Kerala is one example of building using precast panels.

The company, which is in the process of delivering structural elements for a new hospital in the Calicut area of Kerala, debunks the myths associated with

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modern construction techniques. People generally believe that this type of construction can only be done with mass and low-cost housing. It further reiterated the fact by opening the KEF Park in India to deliver the most sophisticated projects with major MEP elements.

Kottikollon mentioned that although the factory allows for modular elements such as wards or bathrooms to be created cheaply, KEF’s infrastructure plant is flexible enough to create any sophisticated building design.

The other aspect covered in the article is about robotics being used in the construction process and the perfection achieved in creating exact shapes. Also when coupled with the use of graphic concrete, one can achieve impeccable wall finishes that requires no further external painting or plastering. The benefits of embracing new construction methods not only eliminates the middle men but also saves 50% of construction time than the conventional methods.

The article made a special mention about KEFTAHPI Design Studio, the company’s new venture to transform healthcare. The aim of the studio is to implement a design and construction process that is smart and fully industrialised.

The article concluded with Kottikollon’s vision of changing the world of construction through total automation and achieving perfection.

ON THE COVER

AN OFF-SITE APPROACH KEF’s dedication to transform the construction industry is making news. Here’s a snapshot of the article about KEF Industrial Park in India recently published in BGreen magazine, the region’s first and only magazine that covers stories relating to sustainability and environmentalism within the business world.

The article begins with a mention of the location benefit of KEF Industrial Park – Krishnagiri, Tamil Nadu, India and moves on to describe the new construction techniques embraced by KEF Holdings to change the face of India’s construction industry. The article elaborated about how KEF is harnessing the power of technology in its 42-acre industrial park which is an integrated facility dedicated to delivering international standards in precast construction to clients in South India, in the cities of Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Kochi.

Emphasising on the green side of work at KEF, the article shed light on the functions of the park that are in harmony with the natural surroundings. The park conforms to LEED Platinum standards and will emerge as one of India’s greenest industrial facility.

The advantages of off-site approach were discussed and the challenges of the traditional building methods were highlighted.

Faizal Kottikollon had mentioned about the need for

infrastructure facilities which will multiply by 2050 in India and the construction industry has to be swifter in its approach to execute projects by maximising utility and conservation while minimising wastage and impact to the environment. Economic and environmental sustainability are compelling dimensions of the offsite construction model, he added. The lego-like construction model saves 50% of the construction time and 30% of its costs. Modular construction methods and materials allow a building to be more readily deconstructed and moved to another location should the need arise, so complete building reuse or recycling is an integral part of modular technology.

The other highlight of the story was the KEF Industrial Park’s three-pronged green strategy which focuses on energy efficiency, water conservation and waste management. The facility is packed with sustainable features including the use of green building materials as well as various energy efficiency measures to reduce heat ingress and save energy, harnessing natural light to reduce dependency on artificial light, implementing rainwater harvesting techniques and using energyefficient systems in lighting.

The article concluded by elaborating on how KEF is working to deliver homes, toilets, schools, colleges and hospitals and its mission to take India ahead by delivering excellence in infrastructure.

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GIVING

LIGHTING A BILLION LIVES – ENERGIZING THE FUTURE Lighting a Billion Lives is an initiative of the TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute). This is in response to a very unfortunate state of affairs in the 21st century. When most of India is galloping to be the most developed, we still have places where clean and healthy lighting is not available. They are forced to use kerosene lamps which are not environmentally friendly and which creates health problems for the kids.

As per the Household air pollution and health – a fact sheet updated as on March 2014 by World Health Organization – the key facts at the global scenario are: • Around 3 billion people cook and heat their homes using open fires and simple stoves burning biomass (wood, animal dung and crop waste) and coal.

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• Over 4 million people die prematurely from illness attributable to the household air pollution from cooking with solid fuels.

• More than 50% of premature deaths among children under 5 are due to pneumonia caused by particulate matter (soot) inhaled from household air pollution.

• 3.8 million premature deaths annually from noncommunicable diseases including stroke, ischaemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer are attributed to exposure to household air pollution.

In the area of household lighting, in India over 291 million people were living without electricity in 2010.

As per the International Energy Agency Annual report of 2012, globally, 1.3 billion people use kerosene lamps and inhale its polluting fumes every evening.

Lighting a Billion Lives (LaBL) Campaign - An initiative

by TERI, which is geared to bring about a change and fulfill the hopes of energy impoverished households, which are in need of clean, easily accessible, and cost-effective lighting solution. It is a new ray of hope for billions who aspire to bring about a change in their lives.

Faizal and Shabana Foundation has extended its support to provide clean and affordable lighting systems by supporting TERI in setting up the Solar Charging Stations (SCS) in villages across Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Karnataka under the aegis of

“Lighting a Billion Lives Initiative”. Under the project, 65 SCSs were set up using the innovative financial model of LaBL, in three states, thereby impacting more than 16,000 lives.

Shaheen, 30 year old lady, from Roudalaband village in Raichur District of Karnataka State, is the daughterin-law of Farzana Begum. Shaheen is a local energy entrepreneur who manages a SCS. She has been trained by TERI and has excellent understanding of how to manage her business. She has five solar panels which enables her to charge 50 solar lamps. Two of them are used in their home itself. Her mother-inlaw, Farzana is a bangle seller who goes around to village fairs in their mobile shop. Farzana’s husband also joins the mobile shop as he is free from farming work. One of the lanterns is used by her motherin-law, who takes it with her when she goes for the fairs as these are very remote villages where there is either no electricity or reduced supply with evenings and nights being power cuts.

Shaheen says that she is able to make an added income of over Rs. 1,500 a month. More than the income, she says it’s the availability of light at the flick of switch that is important. Her kids use the solar lanterns to study, her husband to go to the farm for irrigation (as it is better when done at night) and her relatives-in-law use it for the business of selling bangles. All in all, a very happy family because of the solar lanterns that Faizal and Shabana Foundation has helped them obtain.

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GIVING

THE ART OF LEARNING

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KEF believes that learning should go beyond the realms of books and classrooms.

Education is as vast as the open sky. It needs to trigger thought process, inculcate teamwork, nurture leadership, imbibe learning, and encourage creativity.

If knowledge is about knowing the answer, then intelligence is about asking the right question. Children from the Government Vocational Higher Secondary Schools for Girls (GVHSS), Nadakkavu in Calicut, Kerala demonstrated the power of knowledge during an art week held in early August 2014. The focus of the session was to make children reach out and connect with living sciences, working environment, and management techniques, through art.

The activity was carried out as a journey set for seeking answers to questions like ‘how do we express ourselves?’, ‘how do jobs in the world connect to individual’s ability to function?’, and ‘how do we function as a community?’ The children were to decide the decorum of action for finding their leaders, interacting with each other for assimilating ideas, deciding the manner of representation, managing time and finally depicting their perspectives in the form of art – as paintings on a wall.

The results achieved through this group activity in terms of teamwork, time management and creative art form on the walls were well beyond anyone›s imagination. The enthusiasm that this project created was amazing and was very visible in the energy levels of the students.

Beyond all achievements, is the beautiful Warli Wall that will always remain a souvenir to remind the students and staff of the learnings that were drawn from the project.

MAJOR LEARNINGS SUMMARIZED FROM THE ACTIVITY • The most unexpected person stepped forward to be the team leader • The most help came from children who attended the workshop on day one and two • The most unassuming group would evidently be the first to finish • Just because the children are shy, they are not afraid to voice their opinion • The children evolved an understanding that the group can work faster and efficiently only if they communicated effectively with each other • They were very mindful of the other classes that were taking place in the classrooms • They were always happy • Monsoon rains never stood a problem between the children and their objective of completing the work!

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SHOWCASE

CHILDREN AND ROBOTICS A NATURAL MATCH

In its effort to deliver excellence in education, KEF recently introduced Robotics by EduTech in the Government Vocational Higher Secondary School for Girls at Nadakkavu, Kerala. Introduction of technology in education is a great investment in knowledge A two-day workshop on robotics was organized in the school in November 2014 which threw light on the natural traits in children to understand the nuances of the subject.

Currently, two units are being given to the school for the students to use. And in order to spread awareness among other children, the facility will be open for outside students on Saturdays The workshop received overwhelming response from the students. Their thrill was evident, as they refused to go for breaks and wanted to continue the program. On the second day, as the trainers wound

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up the session and were leaving for lunch, the high school students who could not complete their program the previous day came up and requested to finish the portion they missed. The trainers were also excited with the response and they paid heed to their request. They also mentioned that it was their first experience in a government school. “Children always amaze us wherever we go. They exceed expectations. May be we are seasoned not to have such high expectations�, Christopher Dhas, Business Head (School Division) of Edutech, a Chennai based company that provides technological assistance in education, said.

GIVING

EXTENDING A HAND OF RELIEF FOR FLOOD VICTIMS

Working towards improving the quality of lives is the underlying philosophy of the Faizal and Shabana Foundation and it believes in giving back to the society in as many ways as possible.

Due to the continuous rainfall that resulted in floods, many parts of the state of Jammu and Kashmir were ravaged, completely devastating the Srinagar city on September 07, 2014. The floods affected 5,642 villages, 800 of which were completely submerged and scores of people were rendered homeless. The loss, economic experts said, is over a trillion rupees. Many NGOs came forward post the flood and engaged in rehabilitation of the worst hit places.

Continuing its humanitarian work, the Faizal & Shabana Foundation partnered with Indo-Global Social Service Society (IGSSS) and distributed hygiene and kitchen kits to the flood affected families in Srinagar. The Faizal & Shabana Foundation provided support for 1400 families by furnishing them with the relief items. These 1400 families were part of the 15750 families that IGSSS had been reaching out to provide immediate relief assistance in partnership with various other donors in 70 areas in three districts of Srinagar, Bandipora and Baramulla.

The Head of Faizal & Shabana Foundation, Dr. Joseph Sebastian visited the flood affected areas and personally handed over the kits with essential Non Food Items (NFIs) to the flood victims.

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VOICES

WORDS OF INSPIRATION - AMITABH KANT’S SPEECH

During the launch event of KEF House in Bangalore, India in November 2014, Amitabh Kant - Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP), Government of India was the Chief Guest. Here is the inspiring speech he delivered at the event.

Faizal and Shabana, their parents, their relatives, honourable ministers, the Chairman of the Planning Commission, my colleague Mr. Gupta - the Commissioner of Industries, all the distinguished guests and the technology partners of KEF Holdings who are all here.

In many ways, Faizal and Shabana represent the young vibrant dynamic India. You know in the next two decades, we are going to see about 350 million Indians moving into urban areas and the latest McKinsey study says that by 2050, 700 million will move to the urban land in India. This implies that India has to create two and a half Americas 62

in four decades. And in reality, as I talk here today, every minute in India, there are 30 Indians moving from rural areas to the urban areas. The challenges involved in the urbanization process has already ended in America, Europe and is nearing completion in China. In India, urbanization has just begun and actually in the next few decades, the country will build much more than it has built in the last 5,000 years. So, in the next few decades for India will be challenging. Now when urbanization happened in America, land, gas and water were all cheaply available and therefore one could make sprawling cities; could live in New Jersey, travel to New York, guzzle gas, could create cities like Atlanta where

98% of the people travel by car. The Americans made polluting cites and actually the rest of the world has followed them, especially China which has created models like Atlanta. The ecological footprint of Atlanta is 12 times more than a city like Barcelona where 66% of the people travel by public transportation and another 18% either cycle or walk, therefore the challenge for India is to make cities which have less of an ecological footprint and copy cities like Singapore, not cities like Atlanta. If India has to speed up the process of urbanization, it is important to harness the power of technology.

How does a country like India use technology to make a big jump and that is precisely what the Prime Minister is talking about, when he talks about ‘Make in India’, when he talks about ‘Digital India’, ‘Skilling India’, all these converge so that India can leapfrog in the next few decades. India has to grow at the rates of 9-10% per annum year after year for three decades or more to be able to lift a large segment of our population above the poverty line.

This cannot be done by the government alone. It needs very young dynamic people like Faizal and Shabana to make this a reality.

precast all of this through technology and this is the right direction one needs to go.

You know, the government has recently liberalized the foreign barricade of investment in construction.

The government wants FDI - foreign direct investment that it used to get about just four years back. India used to get about $6bn worth of foreign investment in the construction sector - it had fallen down to 1bn, hence it is fully liberalized now. This will remove out all constraints and I see a huge growth in the construction industry in the coming years to come. So this is a great opportunity for India to grow, prosper, to create a completely new sustainable India. In fact, India has got this opportunity to create a completely new India which is far more sustainable than the rest of the world in which we can create a process of urbanization and then become a model for the rest of the world.

Construction in America and Europe has reached saturation level, is nearing completion in China and in India it has just begun. It is the right time to unleash young entrepreneurs. KEF’s efforts are just right, they are creating a new sustainable India which can then become a model for the world.

It requires technology and more manufacturing units to leapfrog. That’s what the KEF leaders are talking about and the new facility in Krishnagiri is the example. You can mark my words, in future you will be creating, India will be creating. Soon, land will be a challenge in our country and this will prompt you to create vertical structures.

You will see cities which will be very balanced, which will be vertical offering good quality of life backed by good public transportation. It won’t take you one and a half hours like it did for me while coming from the airport. The need of the hour is more green spaces, and better public transportation to take you to the destination of development.

Today is the launch of KEF’s first factory here, but in the next five years, you will see at least 30-40 factories across India and in about 10 years you will see the same company having hundreds of factories. So the partners to my mind are the ones who have joined them in this collaborative effort.

It’s a goldmine partnering with Faizal, and let me remind you that their stock values will really soar high in the years to come and people like you, who have assembled here, please put your shares, take a good interest in this company because what he has done today is to understand the power of technology and use it to make a giant leap towards success. He is putting together machines, robots, joinery by applying technology. He’s creating walls, he’s creating buildings, he’s creating hollow slabs, he’s creating bathrooms, modular, pre-fabricated,

The only other point I want to make is that, it’s great that young people like Faizal & Shabana are also socially committed. When I was Collector in Calicut, I have seen Faizal as a young boy, I have greatly admired his father Mr. P.K. Ahammed. He was a very dynamic man and Faizal has inherited all the great qualities of his parents, and I think Shabana has inherited all the great qualities of her parents. So this is a very lethal combination of great entrepreneurship and the great thing about what the group has done is not only the creation of this factory, but inspiring other businessmen in India.

What’s more important is when young people give back to the society, and that’s what it takes to be a great Indian. I have been to the Nadakkavu School as Collector, I was Collector in Calicut for a long time. The Faizal and Shabana Foundation has radically transformed it. They have transformed the lives of young girl students in that school. They not only recreated the building, but also integrated it with good learning. The group brought in Indian Institute of Management (IIM) to teach, train, inspire, and motivate teachers and that is a great thing. When people make money, they must give back to the society and that is the greatest quality which this young couple has. That is called social commitment. So ladies and gentlemen, kindly give them a big round of applause. Thank you very much.

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MOMENT OF BLISS

A GEM FROM THE PAGES OF HISTORY, REVIVED Mysore, popularly known as the City of Palaces, holds a prominent place in the history of India. The city, former capital of the Mysore Maharajas, still exudes a regal brilliance beyond compare. The rich collection of artifacts that the Mysore Palace displays is truly awe inspiring.

It’s indeed a moment of pride for Faizal Kottikollon and Shabana Faizal when they won the bidding of the Royal Carriage. This horse-drawn State Carriage was exclusively used for the Royal family of Mysore and to transport European Royalty, including her Majesty Queen Victoria and His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. The Royal Carriage measuring 3 meters high, 6 meters long and 2.5 meters wide is thought to be of British origin, nearly 200 years old and last used at the Chamundi Religious Festival in 1927.

With the detailing and design that has gone into the structure, one can easily describe it as an exquisite piece of art. The Royal Carriage features an imposing

In an auction held during the year 2012 by one of UK’s specialist classic vehicle auctioneers Historics at Brooklands, Faizal Kottikollon and Shabana Faizal won the bid to own a piece of Indian history – the Maharaja of Mysore’s 1825 State Carriage.

and ornately finished cruciform body with a vaulted domed roof, situated atop double elliptic springs and iron bound artillery patterned wheels. Painted olive green, the carriage has floral and heraldic motifs and most of the 16 windows offer dropdown decorated panels and shutters for privacy. The interior is upholstered in beige damask and the roof has decorative paintwork, carved border moldings and finials.

This Royal Carriage was offered at an auction by an Australian firm, Leonard Joel in 1974 and is believed to have been offered by a private British collection.

It was later exhibited at Sotheby’s Olympia in 1991.

The carriage, acquired in 2012, was sent to Fairbourne for an extensive and delicate restoration which lasted for more than two years. In November 2014, it was brought to Dubai for assembling and is now at the residence of Faizal Kottikollon and Shabana Faizal.

“The more you looked at it, the more you could appreciate the work that went into it and there’s so much heart and soul put into it. So that was what I felt when I first saw it.” – Shabana Faizal “When I saw the carriage, it was a fantastic feeling. Finally it’s here too. It’s amazing.”

– Faizal Kottikollon

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“When I saw the carriage, it was a fantastic feeling. Finally it’s here too.

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CONTACT US KEF HOLDINGS Regus One Raffles Place, 1 Raffles Place Tower 1, Level 24, Singapore 048616 Email: info@kefholdings.com THE KEF COMPANY LTD. Office 501, Precinct Bldg 5, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), Dubai, UAE Email: kef@thekefcompany.com FAIZAL & SHABANA FOUNDATION No. 29/1, Srinivasa Nilaya Uttarahalli Main Road, Ken Sweet Homes Layout, Bangalore, Karnataka - 560060, India Email: joseph@faizalshabana.org KEF INFRASTRUCTURE INDIA PVT. LTD. No.34, Ground Floor, Embassy Diamante, Vittal Mallya Road, Bangalore – 560001 Karnataka, India

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