Power Hour 2021: Tariq Chauhan, Group CEO of EFS, Ranks 12th

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A veteran professional entrepreneur and a Harvard alumnus, with over 30 years’ experience in leading profitable business ventures including an impressive portfolio of acquisitions. He has vast cross-industry experience specific to three decades of banking, technology, and real estate.

He has been leading EFS Group for 11 years and has established the company as a regional powerhouse and a premium FM brand. Since 2009, EFS has achieved sustained growth year-on-year, supported by USD1.5 billion in contracts.

During his tenure, EFS also prides itself by having an impressive rate of over 90% staff retention and 95% client retention employing over 18,000 people across the business, including India. Under his leadership, the revenue of the Group increased from Dhs75mn to Dhs1bn over the decade.

Tariq leads by example and is always setting the bar high for himself and his team. In 2021, Tariq introduced several new initiatives in social responsibility, learning and development programs for the blue-collar workforce, HSEQ internal campaigns, launches and pilot projects.

EFS takes a proactive management approach for matters concerning HSEQ and Worker Welfare wherein the leaders ‘Lead by Example’ by effectively defining, assigning, streamlining, and monitoring the initiatives through a structured engagement matrix that enables effective communication and performance management monitoring.

EFS believes in giving back to its employees, with emphasis on the blue-collar workforce (80% of staff) by implementing the key pillars of giving back, introspection and self-actualisation at all levels.

The firm empowers its people through initiatives that make them feel aligned and involved. EFS leaders also provide support and sponsorship to contribute to the welfare of the society that supports the organisation’s CSR initiatives.

EFS’ Competency Modelling has become a mainstream practice as a part of the HR Management System. The company has transitioned from traditional job analysis to establishing a mature competency model that systematically analyses individual performance levels underpinning their personal attributes, knowledge, skills, and ability, which in turn helps the leadership team to identify performance gaps and recommend improvements that are likely to enhance performance thereby contributing towards higher quality and worker welfare.

Ethics and values are the common thread between Tariq, EFS and staff that forms the basis of the fundamental foundation of happiness and a high-performance organisation. He walks the talk and strengthens relations with his staff on the ground through many opportunities.

Tariq is relentlessly working to build the case of upskilling the FM industry and raising the bar in built environments and workplaces. He has been supporting various impact organisations in the Middle East and India. He is also actively engaged with multiple social impact organisations and activists to build support and impact.