Sanjay Agarwal: Pioneering Excellence at IJM India Infrastructure Limited

In the dynamic world of infrastructure development and management, visionary leaders play a crucial role in shaping the future of our communities. Selected as World’s Best Emerging Leader, Sanjay Agarwal, Director and COO at IJM India Infrastructure Limited, embodies a commitment to excellence, strategic insights, and transformative leadership in the infrastructure sector.

Architect of Transformation

Sanjay Agarwal, armed with a wealth of experience and a visionary mindset, is at the forefront of IJM India Infrastructure Limited’s pursuit of redefining infrastructure development and management. His journey is characterised by a passion for innovation, a deep understanding of construction dynamics, and a commitment to delivering projects that uplift communities.

Under Agarwal’s leadership, IJM India Infrastructure Limited has risen as a key player in the infrastructure sector. The company, founded on the principles of cutting-edge technology, sustainability, and a commitment to delivering infrastructural projects, has positioned itself as a trusted name in providing innovative solutions that enhance the quality of life.

Pioneering Sustainable Solutions

Agarwal’s tenure is marked by a dedication to pioneering sustainable infrastructure solutions. His guidance and strategic acumen have led to the establishment of groundbreaking projects that challenge traditional infrastructure paradigms, embracing green technologies, community welfare, and efficient project management.

An integral part of Agarwal’s vision is the company’s strong focus on a community-centric approach. IJM India Infrastructure Limited is dedicated to providing infrastructure that serves the needs of the community, ensuring that projects align with the best interests of the regions they serve.

Future Trajectory and Vision

Looking ahead, Sanjay Agarwal continues to steer IJM India Infrastructure Limited towards further innovations in infrastructure development and management. With a commitment to pushing the boundaries of infrastructural strategies and a focus on community well-being, the company is poised to achieve even greater success in the competitive infrastructure sector.

Sanjay Agarwal’s leadership at IJM India Infrastructure Limited epitomises the influence of visionary thinking and dedication to infrastructure excellence. His commitment to innovative solutions, community well-being, and industry impact positions the company for sustained growth and success in the competitive infrastructure sector.

In conversation with Sanjay Agarwal, Director and COO at IJM India Infrastructure Limited

What makes a strong leader? What are your key leadership strengths are make the strongest attributes of success.

A strong leader should have integrity, self-awareness, courage, respect, empathy, and gratitude. They should be learning agile and flex their influence while communicating & delegating effectively. I focused on relationship-building, exhibit humility, empowered others, stayed authentic & consistent.

My belief Empathy is one of the top leadership strengths, it enables to understand others motivatiowional values & feelings. Being able to relate to others on an emotional level can help leaders find the best way to align their values with the goals of the team. As an leader I always take sole responsibility for group performance.

An accomplishment that you consider to be the most significant in your career? What challenges did you face to reach to the success.

My passion for infrastructure since child hood always attracted & motivated me to engage with mega engineering project & in this process my leadership quality & Team work sprit cited by legends in the industry in early stage of my career & provided me with opportunities to lead projects from incubation stage to finish; the most significant break I shall consider first Highway Project in India in year 2000 on PPP mode (Built Operate & Transfer) for Ministry of road & Transport Government of India based on first model concession agreement.

The biggest challenge was to convince all involved in construction of 150 km first toll highway to be  be completed within budget by private funding & thereafter able to operate successfully by collecting user fee in lieu to recover investment in 20 years of allotted time frame this was First in India on large scale but we did it successfully & thus made my place in Indian Infrastructure field. This was only possible as I was used to work with a large & diverse team and thrive on finding the best in my colleagues & kept pace with technological change in this industry.

What is a role of leader in these challenging times.

In Challenging times:  leaders shall create or promote a changed vision, develop a plan for change, and manage resistance and conflict throughout the change.

The five roles of leaders include Team Player & decision  maker, communicator & change agent, coach & talent advocator, must be an Inspiration visionary & influencer , facilitator & strategist.

What is your vision and how do you share that with your shareholders, employees and others?

A “vision” is destination tells coworkers why they are working for organisation & It paints a picture of success, provides dream – goal for everyone should be working towards & our leadership is the driver on the road towards that objective.

Our corporate vision is to be a leading Indian conglomerate provide Quality products & services, build Trusted client relationships, practice Safety health & environment, Employee welfare,Corporate Governance, Ethical conduct

Maximising Stakeholder Returns.

And our mission is to deliver sustainable value to our stakeholders and enrich our lives with the IJM Mark of Excellence.

How do you drive active business renovations and how does that impact your subordinates?

Doing so is easier said then done, however updating business strategy requires bit of preparation as well acute understanding of how each innovation will impact organization & subordinates as a whole

The most prominent reason in our industry  influence a business is productivity. It goes without saying that engaged, happy, & motivated employees at work have increased productivity. Productive employees are precious in business, as they generate a lot more revenue for the company.

Promote collaboration & teamwork, offer opportunities for growth & development, provide regular feedback—both positive & constructive. Offer flexible working hours opportunities when possible are some factor which makes rolling business renovations in order to beat completion.

How do you integrate corporate philanthropy or corporate social responsibility as a part of your business strategies?

Both terms are often interchanged. While corporate philanthropy focuses more on support of required fields and publicly beneficial projects CSR is a concept focusing on general impact of company’s actions on society, namely both on national and global level.

CSR in India is obligatory law when you make profits & such spends helps to improve various aspects of society as well as promote a positive brand image of companies enhancing Corporate Value


What has been your driving force or philosophy in life?

The Power of Thoughts & Imaginations – Passion is the greatest driving force within us. At times, we might not find the right opportunity but with our passion we can create one.

Motivation is a key factor that initiates process, guides, & maintains goal-oriented behaviours. well-defined desire & a clear vision helps to achieve what you want from life it’s by belief.

How do you plan to drive your business at a global level?

IJM incorporated in Malaysia 40 years ago & has global footprint, IJM India incorporated 25 years ago outside domestic market in line of vision of global expansion to improve international growth potential of mother company by exploring Infrastructure & Highway business in India.   

How do you define success and how do you measure up to your own definition?

Success is doing the assigned work within stipulated time & directly linked to goal & achievements According to me handwork maintaining integrity with self confidence are key to success. At the time of moving towards our goal achievement we may do mistakes & if we learn from them is called success.

Success is achievements in life.

In your opinion what is the most significant aspect of leadership?

Motivating employees, inspiring them, & fostering enthusiasm for projects is one of the most important leadership qualities & a key to success because only motivated employees are good employees. The 3 qualities that make a human leader are: authenticity, empathy & adaptivity.

Good leaders are all about making informed decisions, but are always mindful of the timeframes involved. And once a decision is made, they commit to it and see things through. They realise that putting-off important decisions can have significant effects on an organisations productivity & growth.

Your perception of an empowered society. How far your industry has/can contribute for the same?

Social empowerment is the process of building the autonomy, power, confidence & other necessary means to enact change and pave the way for a better future. Empowerment takes place at both the individual and the collective level.

Empowered society can work with & influence other societies.

• Clarity: First step in empowering employees is to clarify goals and expectations.
• Support: Second step in empowering others is to support them by providing the resources they need to succeed and removing any obstacles that may hinder progress.
• Autonomy: is the practice of motivating others to accomplish important goals & enable people to take initiative, make decisions for themselves and solve complex problems.

The construction industry is one of the most important activities for economic & social development, being responsible for modifying the environment for the implementation of resources for the benefit of society such as: highway, energy generation, basic sanitation, communications, transport & urban Infrastructure.