A Measured Approach

Rahul Samuel, facilities and infrastructure head, Corporate Real Estate Services, IDFC Bank, on building teams, optimising costs and developing successful strategies.

- Rashmi Naicker

As the facilities and infrastructure head of IDFC Bank, it’s easy to perceive the sense of pride Rahul Samuel has when he talks about the growth of the company and the principles it stands by. The company launched its banking operations not long ago with 23 branches for corporate and rural customers. This expansion braced the in house infrastructure and facilities team with the task to chart out meticulously planned solutions and strategies for its development.

Standing out from the crowd is no easy feat, particularly in the banking industry. In a market saturated with dozens of companies, each delivering varying degrees of expertise, it can be a challenge to distinguish yourself. However, with its youth centric colours, branding and service interface, IDFC Bank accomplished its entry into this segment with élan and has since, successfully carved out a niche for itself in this burgeoning sector.

FORAY INTO FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

Samuel, who heads the development team, is an Army veteran. It was during his service in the Indian Army that he was first introduced to the vertical as the head of facilities, commercial real estate. “The Indian Army is a highly facilities-oriented entity mainly because, besides the central and state government, it is one of the only organisations that holds the largest land parcels in the country,” states Samuel. His exposure to the industry prompted him to join the corporate FM industry, following his retirement from the Army. Samuel went on to pursue a brief stint with ACC Cement before switching over to IDFC, which was then a non-banking finance company, exactly one decade ago.

EXPANDING AND STREAMLINING PRACTICES