Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

About the Role

We are seeking an accomplished and commercially driven Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to lead the strategic growth, operational performance, and long-term value creation of a diversified Construction & Real Estate business.

The CEO will have overall responsibility for the organization's strategy, P&L, business development, construction operations, real estate development, investment decisions, people leadership, and stakeholder management.

The ideal candidate will be a proven senior executive with substantial experience in construction, property development, real estate investment, infrastructure, engineering, or related sectors, with a strong track record of scaling businesses, managing large project portfolios, and delivering sustainable profitability.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategy & Corporate Leadership
• Develop and execute the company's short-, medium-, and long-term corporate strategy.
• Lead business expansion across construction, property development, real estate investment, and related businesses.
• Identify new markets, development opportunities, strategic partnerships, and investment opportunities.
• Establish clear organizational objectives, KPIs, budgets, and performance targets.
• Provide strategic recommendations and regular business updates to the Board.
• P&L & Financial Management
• Take full ownership of the company's P&L, cash flow, profitability, and financial performance.
• Develop annual budgets, forecasts, capital plans, and investment strategies.
• Improve margins, operational efficiency, working capital, and return on invested capital.
• Oversee project economics, development feasibility, financing structures, and capital allocation.
• Maintain strong relationships with banks, investors, institutional partners, and other financial stakeholders.
• Construction & Project Delivery
• Provide executive oversight of the company's construction portfolio and major development projects.
• Ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget, to specification, and in compliance with applicable standards.
• Establish strong project governance, cost controls, procurement processes, and risk-management frameworks.
• Monitor contractor, consultant, supplier, and project-partner performance.
• Ensure robust health, safety, quality, environmental, and regulatory standards across operations.
• Real Estate Development & Investment
• Lead the identification, evaluation, acquisition, development, and commercialization of real estate opportunities.
• Oversee land acquisition, feasibility studies, master planning, development approvals, construction, sales/leasing, and asset disposition.
• Evaluate development pipelines and investment proposals based on market demand, risk, and expected returns.
• Build and maintain relationships with landowners, developers, investors, government authorities, brokers, and strategic partners.
• Drive portfolio optimization and maximize the value of the company's real estate assets.
• Business Development & Commercial Growth
• Develop and execute strategies to increase revenue, market share, and profitability.

Act as the principal representative of the company with the Board, investors, regulators, government authorities, financial institutions, clients, partners, and community stakeholders.

• Develop strong relationships with government and regulatory bodies relevant to construction and real estate development.
• Represent the organization at industry events, investment forums, and strategic business engagements.
• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

The CEO will be accountable for:

Revenue and EBITDA/PAT growth

Overall P&L performance

• Project delivery against budget and timelines
• Gross margins and project profitability
• Real estate portfolio growth and asset value creation
• Return on invested capital
• New business and development pipeline
• Cash flow and working-capital performance
• Customer and stakeholder satisfaction
• Safety and quality performance
• Employee engagement and leadership development
• Strategic partnerships and market expansion

Candidate Profile

Essential Experience

15+ years of progressive leadership experience, with significant senior management exposure in construction, real estate, property development, infrastructure, engineering, or a closely related sector.

• Previous experience as CEO, Managing Director, Deputy CEO, COO, Executive Director, Business Unit President, or equivalent senior leadership position.
• Proven experience managing a large-scale P&L and multidisciplinary organization.
• Demonstrated success in construction project delivery and/or real estate development.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen, including budgeting, investment analysis, cash-flow management, and capital allocation.
• Proven track record of business growth, market expansion, and value creation.
• Experience managing major contractors, developers, consultants, investors, financial institutions, and government stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of construction contracts, development economics, procurement, project risk, and real estate markets.

Preferred Experience

• Experience managing a diversified construction and real estate group or holding company.
• Exposure to large-scale residential, commercial, industrial, mixed-use, hospitality, infrastructure, or urban-development projects.
• Experience with joint ventures, PPPs, institutional investors, private equity, or international development partners.
• Experience leading organizational transformation, restructuring, or rapid business expansion.
• International or multi-country experience is highly desirable.
• Education
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Architecture, Real Estate, Finance, Business Administration, Economics, or a related discipline.
• Master's degree/MBA is preferred.
• Professional qualifications in engineering, project management, finance, real estate, or related fields will be advantageous.

Core Competencies

Strategic Leadership

Commercial & Financial Acumen

P&L Management

Real Estate Development

• Construction & Project Management
• Investment & Capital Allocation

Business Development

Negotiation & Contract Management

Risk Management

Corporate Governance

Stakeholder Management

Government Relations

Organizational Transformation

Executive Team Leadership

Decision-Making & Problem Solving

Leadership Characteristics

The successful CEO will be:

• Commercially aggressive but financially disciplined
• Strategic yet highly execution-oriented
• Comfortable managing complex and high-value projects
• A strong negotiator and relationship builder
• Data-driven and financially sophisticated
• Capable of operating effectively with Boards, investors, governments, and major clients
• Comfortable making high-stakes decisions in complex and rapidly changing environments
• A builder of strong leadership teams and organizational culture
• Originally posted on Himalayas