He is the first certified Facilities Manager in India from International Facilities Management Association, USA. And has put in over 16 years of work in this area across companies in diverse industries like Eiko Computers, Taj Group of Hotels, BPL, Mothercare, IBM, National Semiconductor and VeriFone (Hewlett Packard) besides his current stint at Cisco. He is the Founding and Current President of the International Facilities Management Association – India Chapter and is behind many new initiatives meant to improve facility management in India. He recently coordinated completion of a “New World Workplace” for Cisco in Mumbai that he says is futuristic and a pointer to the kind of workplaces of tomorrow. This passionate professional with an ever-smiling face, is a Free Mason, he is also the trustee of Freedom Foundation and Comprehensive Trauma Consortium in Bangalore. We take great pleasure in welcoming the First Person for our Office Interiors special issue – Paddy Menon Head – Facilities of India Operations of Cisco.

How did you get into facility management?

It was a mix of coincidence and deliberate action on my part. In fact I began my career as a human resources professional and out of the creative urge to do something and due to the influence of my architect friends across the world, I got attracted to facility management. My first stint was with Mothercare wherein we tried to create a feel and look supporting the business. It was exciting and challenging and after that I have never looked back.

What is the status of facility management in India?

It is catching up going by the response we receive to our IFMA meeting these days. It is encouraging because world over, facilities management has already been accepted as a separate discipline and it is just a matter of time before it happens in India too. Bangalore could right now be called the FM capital of India because it is this city with its doing of technology facilities which gave birth to this concept. Even to this day you will find more facility managers in Bangalore than anywhere else in India.

In your experience what are emerging to be components of any functional and aesthetic facility?

Interms of shape, I would go in for rectangular over other shapes. Interms of material I would go in for glass and steel. Glass represents openness, transparency and when used well also conveys a better image. Steel because it is a better alternative and lends itself well to any interiors and actually complements what the designer is doing. Coming to colours, in tune with the employee psyche of today, it is going to be vibrant colors.

What are the factors driving the move towards future workplace?

The key drivers would be factors like people are becoming 24 X 7, work has become pervasive (ie., anywhere) and radically different needs of employees of the new economy. Let me outline these needs which are critical and to be considered in making any corporate facility today. Ownership, mission/purpose, learning and development, fun, pride/reputation, flexibility and work/life balance.

According to you, how would the future workplace look like?

You would have IP telephony as the architecture for video, voice and integrated data. Wireless (both office and home networking and OS, which are, wireless and network aware. Transportation, which is net ready, like your car which has integrated Internet with audio, voice and information. Workspaces where sensors monitor presence enable services after authorization. Flat panel plasma displays and input devices that include voice recognition, keyboards and writing implants. Access and security which would be handled by biometrics. All these would be packaged with interiors that would use vibrant colors and relevant materials to make it a fun place to work.

What would be the revised role of a facility manager?

The role would transform from the current task-based one to one where he just becomes a relationship manager managing various suppliers who would be providing these various services that make up this new workplace. This is no futuristic statement as already one can see many services under a facility manager being outsourced to specialized suppliers and this would only increase.

What would you consider as your biggest achievement so far?

I would consider singularly bringing together the facility manager’s community in India, getting IFMA to India and thus raising the standard bar to global benchmarks. This I would consider to be the single biggest achievement of my career so fat.

Which would you consider as an outstanding corporate facility in your experience?

I would have said the New World Workplace that we have just completed in Mumbai, which has invited rave reviews in the media for its structure, interiors and conceptualisation. Other than that the Verifone and Monsanto facilities in Bangalore. Verifone for its uniqueness and employee orientation and Monsanto for its fusion of Indian artefacts with MNC office functionality.

What is your professional ambition?

To become a workplace evangelist of global repute who catalyses changes within the facility manager’s community and facilities adoption to new concepts and workplace trends.

Issue BG11 Feb02