JAGDISH SOLANKI
Mumbai
Summary
With 26 years of experience, I am a results-driven Project Director specializing in managing and executing Greenfield & Brownfield projects in the chemical, pharmaceutical, and bio-tech industries. I have successfully managed capital budgets ranging from £1m to £60m, consistently delivering safe, efficient, and cost-effective solutions. My strong leadership, communication, negotiation, and decision-making skills have been recognized by my peers. I am proud of my proven track record of achieving ZERO LTI and ZERO Fatality across all projects while driving cost savings, operational excellence, and environmental compliance.
Overview
27
27
years of professional experience
Work History
Project Director
Croda India Company Pvt. Ltd.
12.2020 - Current
- Providing executive oversight across full lifecycle of mission-critical, multi-million-dollar capital projects, ensuring seamless alignment with enterprise strategy, stakeholder expectations, and performance metrics related to time, cost & quality.
- Orchestrating cross-functional collaboration to define and refine project charters, strategic objectives & measurable deliverables, while maintaining executive-level stakeholder engagement and clear communication across all tiers of organization.
- Embedding enterprise-grade risk governance frameworks, proactively identifying and mitigating project risks to protect business value, ensure continuity, and maintain stakeholder confidence.
- Driving strategic alignment through structured project initiation and governance rituals, including high-impact kick-off sessions and executive-level status reviews—promoting transparency, accountability, and delivery ownership across workstreams.
- Leading procurement governance and commercial negotiations with global vendors and partners, ensuring robust contract execution in full compliance with internal controls and regulatory frameworks.
- Delivered a high-impact, flagship project ahead of schedule, driving a XX% uplift in market share and significantly strengthening the organization’s competitive edge in a key growth segment.
- Championed an enterprise-wide, cross-functional transformation initiative, optimizing project delivery workflows and reducing turnaround times by XX%, resulting in accelerated time-to-value and enhanced operational agility.
- Designed & institutionalized a robust project management capability-building program, elevating project execution maturity and standardizing best practices across business units, driving long-term performance gains.
- Realized a XX% reduction in project expenditure through precision resource planning, strategic vendor partnerships, and cost-leverage negotiations, directly contributing to enhanced EBITDA margins and bottom-line growth.
- Spearheaded end-to-end execution of the Greenfield Alkoxylates Manufacturing Facility at Dahej, Gujarat—a high-impact, sustainability-centric capital investment project valued at ₹5,556 million (£56M). Set to be operational by July 2025, the facility is designed with net-zero Scope 1 & Scope 2 emissions, Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD), and aligned with Green Building, EFfCI, and EXCiPACT compliance frameworks.
- Architected and institutionalized comprehensive Project Governance, Execution Strategy, and Risk Frameworks from inception—beginning as a single-person team. Personally drove initial blueprinting phases through long hours over several months, leading to a structured 54-month on-time, on-budget delivery trajectory.
- Delivered the Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) phase within a compressed timeline of 10 months, strictly within the sanctioned budget of ₹143.1 million (£1.43M), ensuring strategic alignment with long-term operational and ESG goals.
- Influenced Executive Board decision-making by justifying the business case for FEED investment. Subsequently led value engineering initiatives that optimized capital expenditure from ₹6,500 million down to ₹5,556 million, without compromising scope, safety, or operational integrity—securing full Board approval for the EPCM model.
- Instituted a best-in-class Safety Management System, achieving over 4 million safe man-hours with zero Lost Time Injuries (LTIs), fatalities, or TRIR incidents, setting industry benchmarks in safety excellence.
- Orchestrated a multi-tiered procurement and contract strategy involving 12 contractors, 50+ vendors, and 300+ purchase orders, delivering ₹400 million (£4M) in cost avoidance savings. Drove synergy across cross-functional stakeholders to ensure timely, compliant, and cost-effective delivery.
- Led a diverse project delivery ecosystem comprising 40 EPCM engineers, 25 internal engineers, 10 major contractors, 30 vendor partners & 850+ indirect workforce, ensuring alignment with critical path timelines, compliance mandates & business continuity.
- Cultivated a high-performance culture by defining clear KPIs, implementing structured feedback mechanisms & executing leadership development programs—resulting in 5 internal promotions and a measurable uplift in cross-functional team effectiveness.
General Manager – Projects
Perstorp Industries India Pvt. Ltd.
01.2019 - 12.2020
- Provided strategic leadership and oversight for the construction of the Greenfield 'Elephant Project'—a flagship manufacturing facility at GIDC Saykha, Gujarat, with a production capacity of 40 KTPA Pentaerythritol and 20 KTPA Calcium Formate, reinforcing the company’s growth trajectory in specialty chemicals.
- Acted as Interim Project Manager (Jan–Jul 2019) during a critical transition phase, ensuring seamless continuity in project execution, safeguarding timelines, and driving early-stage deliverables aligned with corporate and stakeholder priorities.
- Exercised end-to-end ownership in reviewing and approving the Basic Engineering Package, while embedding a value optimization lens into both Basic and Detailed Engineering stages—delivering a cost saving of ₹50 million (£0.5M) through proactive design rationalization and process efficiencies.
- Navigated the regulatory landscape with precision by expediting key statutory and authority approvals, including GIDC Building Plans, DISH, PESO, Fire, and Electrical clearances—ensuring full compliance within committed timelines, thereby derisking project delays and enhancing stakeholder confidence.
- Conceptualized and executed a site-specific Constructability Strategy to maximize on-ground efficiency. This included optimized sequencing for structural steel erection and precision equipment placement, leading to reduced rework, enhanced labor productivity, and better utilization of site logistics.
- Showcased operational resilience & crisis leadership by instituting pandemic-specific risk mitigation frameworks, enabling zero COVID-19 incidents at project site during peak disruption periods—safeguarding workforce health & maintaining project momentum.
Senior Project Manager
Novozymes South Asia Pvt. Ltd.
02.2016 - 12.2019
- Led end-to-end delivery of the Greenfield 'Saffron Project' – a state-of-the-art enzyme manufacturing facility (800 MT/a) – completed within a 36-month timeline and under the allocated CAPEX of ₹3,000M INR (£30M), aligning with global operational standards.
- Engineered and executed a holistic Project Management Framework, ensuring seamless coordination, proactive risk mitigation, and successful project delivery within scope, time, and budget.
- Designed and operationalized a robust Safety Governance Model, achieving 2.5 million safe man-hours with zero Lost Time Incidents (LTI) or fatalities, earning organizational accolades and performance-linked incentives.
- Realized strategic cost optimization of ₹200M INR (£2M) through value engineering, contract leverage, procurement efficiency, and design rationalization, without compromising on quality benchmarks or regulatory compliance.
- Directed a high-performance, cross-functional execution team comprising 25 EPCm Engineers, 5 Internal Project Engineers, 12 contracting partners, 50 vendor organizations, and 800+ indirect workforce personnel, fostering synergy and operational excellence across the project lifecycle.
Senior Manager Projects
Bayer Technology Services India
12.2008 - 01.2016
- Orchestrated end-to-end execution of a Greenfield manufacturing plant in Ambernath, Maharashtra, dedicated to PENTASA (mesalazine) production (1,000 MT/a), delivering mechanical completion and operational readiness within a 36-month timeframe and a ₹2,500M INR (£25M) capital budget.
- Directed the engineering and procurement lifecycle for 75 static equipment units across Bayer’s international production sites, ensuring full compliance with ASME and PED standards. Delivered initiative on time & within a ₹300M INR (£3M) budget, exceeding quality expectations and enhancing supply chain reliability.
- Championed the development of Bayer’s energy-neutral Green Building project in Noida, attaining LEED Platinum Certification through sustainable design, precision planning, and stakeholder alignment. Generated cost efficiencies of ₹100M INR (£1M) through advanced value engineering and strategic sourcing, while ensuring adherence to the approved ₹360M INR (£3.6M) budget.
- Led sustainability transformation initiatives at Bayer Crop Science sites in Ankleshwar and Vapi, achieving a 10% reduction in energy consumption and 5% reduction in carbon emissions, driving operational savings of ₹100M INR (£1M) with a rapid 11-month ROI.
- Catalyzed revenue generation of ₹100M INR (£1M) by strategically leading and delivering a portfolio of high-impact initiatives across internal Bayer programs and external client projects, driving operational excellence and stakeholder value.
Assistant Manager- Utilities
Sandoz Pvt. Ltd.
12.2007 - 12.2008
Ass. Manager - Engineering Services
Dr. Reddy’s Lab Ltd.
10.2007 - 12.2007
Senior Executive - Engineering Services
Wockhardt Limited
03.2006 - 09.2007
Senior Officer - Mechanical
Lupin Limited
02.2005 - 03.2006
Executive - Engineering Services
Wockhardt Limited
03.1999 - 02.2005
Graduate Apprentice Engineer
Asian Paint (I) Limited
05.1998 - 03.1999
Education
Bachelor's of Mechanical Engineering - Mechanical Engineering
Sardar Patel University
Gujarat04-1998
Skills
- Leadership
- Communication
- People Management
- Critical Thinking
- Negotiation
- Project & Programme Management
- Project Engineering
- Cost Estimation, Monitoring, Controlling
- Stakeholder Management
- Scope & Change Management
- Risk Management
- Schedule Management
- Construction Management
Timeline
Project Director
Croda India Company Pvt. Ltd.
12.2020 - Current
General Manager – Projects
Perstorp Industries India Pvt. Ltd.
01.2019 - 12.2020
Senior Project Manager
Novozymes South Asia Pvt. Ltd.
02.2016 - 12.2019
Senior Manager Projects
Bayer Technology Services India
12.2008 - 01.2016
Assistant Manager- Utilities
Sandoz Pvt. Ltd.
12.2007 - 12.2008
Ass. Manager - Engineering Services
Dr. Reddy’s Lab Ltd.
10.2007 - 12.2007
Senior Executive - Engineering Services
Wockhardt Limited
03.2006 - 09.2007
Senior Officer - Mechanical
Lupin Limited
02.2005 - 03.2006
Executive - Engineering Services
Wockhardt Limited
03.1999 - 02.2005
Graduate Apprentice Engineer
Asian Paint (I) Limited
05.1998 - 03.1999
Bachelor's of Mechanical Engineering - Mechanical Engineering
Sardar Patel University
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