CEO Today Middle East Awards

www.ceotodaymagazine.com 56 CEO Today Middle East Awards 2019 united arab emirates Can you give a little background on your company; its history and business philosophy? Airolink group of companies which was established in Republic of Ireland, has offices in Dublin, UAE & India. We are one of the leading civil contractors in the UAE. We specialize in all kinds of residential, commercial and educational institutions offering a complete construction package from land acquisition, design, construction, through to completion (turn-key). The expert team of our company offers every project the benefits of quality, cost competitiveness, and the experience of a proven contractor. Throughout our history, we have met every contract cost, schedule and performance requirement for each contract we have been awarded. What attracted you to the field of construction and how did your career path take you to where you are today? Well, back in 2001 in Ireland, there was a small boom going on and construction was the biggest industry. I didn’t have any connection to construction at the time. In fact, I started my own restaurant as an initial construction package, and that’s where I got the idea. Soon, I realized that there was a huge demand for construction. In 2008, Airolink extended its wings to the UAE. We started off by establishing ourselves as a military contractor and took baby steps to reach where we are today, doing all kind of building contracting projects all over UAE. What does it take to be a leader in Dubai’s construction sector? What are the difficulties that you and your competitors are faced with? Ut most dedication and focus in delivering quality and cost-effective service to clients while meeting deadlines consistently is what it takes to be at the top of UAE’s construction sector. Lack of liquidity is a major challenge faced by many in the industry. Although bank finance is available, it’s only for those contractors who have strong legacy of project deliveries. For Contractors, financial discipline – or lack of it- is a major issue. Over the last few years, we have seen several construction companies gone down due to this simple factor. When you talk about leadership, what do you think are the challenges one has to face as a Young Leader Challenges are always abound in any business. Some are rewarding but some are harsh but nevertheless they all teach you a lesson. Therefore, with every challenge I face I do not falter, for I know the solutions are within my understanding too. The biggest challenges I ever faced was in early stage of my career in Ireland when I had started my company. It was the time of recession and there was a severe Labour unrest. Handling those challenges professionally especially as a budding entrepreneur was the biggest challenge. It took some time, but I had successfully handled the situation and had overcome it. Which sectors does your company operate in? Airolink has an unlimited Licence in Dubai & Sharjah and Special classification license in Abu Dhabi, qualifying it to undertake civil construction works in all kinds of Building construction work anywhere in UAE. What differentiates Airolink from other contracting firms in Dubai? We are a sustainable business with healthy cash flow situation. This allows us to undertake greater risks. Besides, we run a very disciplined business when it comes to financial discipline. Can you tell us a bit about projects that Airolink is currently working on? Airolink has completed over AED 5 billion of work and has another AED 5 Billion more to be secured this year. We have ongoing works in hospitality, retail and education, with more than 25,000 students actively engaged within school facilities built by Airolink. Many of these ongoing projects are with well-established clients and incorporate elaborate design into the structure or façade. The company thrives on design challenges and is committed to exceeding the expectations of its clients. Seven City Towers at JLT, Dubai Q Q Q Q Q Q Q