Q1. Could you start by giving us a brief overview of your professional background, particularly focusing on your expertise in the industry?

I am a Project Management Professional (PMP) with over 16 years of experience across the real estate and construction value chain, spanning project planning, execution, cost management, contracts, and delivery. My academic foundation includes Civil Engineering, along with post-graduate programs from NICMAR, and professional certifications in Primavera P6, SAP, and Integrated Management Systems auditing.
Currently, I head end-to-end project operations at Max Estates Limited, overseeing projects from development through delivery. 
My expertise lies in translating strategy into execution—managing complex, large-scale developments with strong emphasis on cost discipline, schedule certainty, risk management, and stakeholder coordination. Over the years, I have worked extensively on commercial, mixed-use, and significant residential developments, adopting modern construction methodologies while maintaining compliance, quality, and financial control.

Q2. What single change in occupier or investor behaviour is most materially altering decision-making in commercial real estate today, and why does it matter now rather than two years ago?

The most significant shift I see today is this:
Decision-making has moved from “Can we lease/sell this?” to “Can this asset perform consistently for 10–15 years?”
Two years ago, flexibility and hybrid work were still tactical responses. Today, they are structural assumptions. Occupiers want predictable operating costs, adaptability, and ESG readiness. Investors want assets that won’t need expensive retrofits or repositioning.
This change matters now because capital has become selective. Assets without operational resilience are getting discounted not because demand is weak, but because risk tolerance has reduced.

Q3. Which commercial real estate strategy—around hybrid workplaces, flexible leasing, or mixed-use development—looks compelling on paper but most often fails in execution, and why?

Flexible workplaces.
The concept is sound, but execution often fails because buildings are designed conventionally and operated flexibly, which is a mismatch.
True flexibility requires:
•    Different MEP zoning logic
•    Higher operational discipline
•    A different cost structure
When these aren’t planned upfront, flexibility erodes margins and creates friction for tenants. In Indian real estate, success comes when design, leasing strategy, and operations are aligned from day one, not retrofitted later.

Q4. Where has technology adoption—smart buildings, data analytics, or digital asset management—materially improved operating efficiency or tenant outcomes, and where has it failed to deliver ROI?

Technology delivers real value where it reduces human dependency or variability—energy optimisation, predictive maintenance, digital work orders.
Where it fails is when it’s adopted as a branding layer rather than an operating tool. Dashboards without ownership, sensors without workflows, and data without accountability don’t generate ROI.
In my experience, technology works best when it supports discipline, not when it’s expected to replace it.

Q5. Where do ESG requirements or regulatory standards meaningfully constrain project viability, timelines, or margins, and how are leading developers managing this trade-off without diluting returns?

In India, ESG and regulatory requirements most directly impact:
•    Approvals
•    Early-stage capex
•    Construction sequencing
The mistake developers make is treating ESG as a late-stage compliance item. Leading developers integrate ESG at the concept and procurement stages, where design decisions cost the least and save the most over time.
Handled early, ESG doesn’t dilute returns, it protects them by reducing long-term operational and regulatory risk.

Q6. Which micro-market or office segment looks attractive in absorption and rental data but proves hardest to scale operationally, and what typically limits success there?

Emerging or peripheral office micro-markets often show strong absorption initially, driven by pricing. But operational scaling becomes difficult due to:
•    Infrastructure gaps
•    Talent accessibility
•    Higher tenant churn
From an execution standpoint, these markets demand stronger asset management and operating discipline. Without that, early success is hard to sustain.

Q7. If you were an investor looking at companies within the space, what critical question would you pose to their senior management?

I would ask:
“How predictable are your project outcomes on cost, time, and operating performance and what systems ensure repeatability across developments?”
In my experience, long-term value creation in real estate is less about isolated successful projects and more about consistent execution capability. Companies that can demonstrate disciplined planning, strong governance, and the ability to deliver across cycles are far better positioned to protect margins and investor capital than those reliant on market timing alone.