Mohammad Abu Asif is chief executive officer (CEO) at Giriraj Civil Developers Limited. He is a World Bank-certified public-private partnership (PPP) procurement professional with nearly 30 years of experience in the construction industry. He has led major projects such as the Crompton Greaves M-7 Division in Bhopal, Eicher Volvo’s manufacturing units in Dewas and Pithampur in Madhya Pradesh, Andritz’s facility in Faridabad (formerly Flovel-Sulzer Hydro Limited) and various expansions for the Birla Group and Omega-Renk Bearings in Bhopal. He is a pioneer in promoting the use of pre-engineered buildings in India.
He has also worked on key infrastructure projects such as the AIIMS housing complex in Bhopal, student hostels at IIITM Gwalior, and housing at Bharat Oman’s refineries. His experience in the railway sector includes serving as project director of the Rani Kamalapati (Habibganj) Railway Station Redevelopment Project under the PPP model and the Egmore-Chennai Railway Stations Redevelopment Project under the EPC model, as well as overseeing the development of the Chattarpur station, Chandimandir station and Jogeshwari New Terminal under the item rate model, and the redevelopment of Khajuraho station.
According to Asif, “After Independence, the major challenge was creating a sustainable and self-reliant economic ecosystem. To achieve this, infrastructure development became a top priority. We therefore adopted a model of government-financed infrastructure projects in key sectors like agriculture, industries, education and health. This approach significantly contributed to the creation of basic amenities for citizens. Now, as we continue to grow, we are increasingly adopting the PPP model, which has yielded excellent results in sectors like roads and airports, and to some extent in railways. Looking ahead, the PPP model is expected to expand into other sectors like water, energy and healthcare.”
Asif strongly believes that management is a dynamic process. He emphasises focusing on end requirements and, during crises, remains open to input from all stakeholders. He prefers adopting the path with the least resistance while exploring solutions, ensuring they are implemented on time.
As a member of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage and the American Society of Civil Engineers, he continues to drive impactful projects in railway and infrastructure development.
Asif is a civil engineer from REC (now NIT) Warangal. In his leisure time, he enjoys reading as a stressbuster, along with photography, spending time with friends, swimming and playing squash and badminton.