S. N. Subrahmanyan

Whole-time Director & Sr. EVP (Construction & Infrastructure)

Mr. S.N. Subrahmanyan, 54, is a Member of the Board and Sr. Executive Vice President – Infrastructure and Construction and heads L&T Construction, India’s largest construction organisation and the construction arm of Larsen & Toubro.

A civil engineer with a post-graduate qualification in business management, Mr. Subrahmanyan commenced his professional career at L&T in 1984 as a project planning engineer. Soon, in recognition of his considerable abilities and remarkable acumen, he was made responsible for developing the MIS, budgets and strategic planning for ECC, the erstwhile Construction Division of L&T (now L&T Construction). During this phase, he also successfully set up the Ready Mix Concrete business for the first time in India.

Mr. Subrahmanyan’s early triumphs included securing prestigious orders in the buildings and factories sector that included several IT, commercial, housing, public and hospital building projects across India. He successfully laid a strong foundation for business development with India Inc. and nurtures long-lasting relationships with clients and associates.

A standout achievement of Mr. Subrahmanyan was the crucial role he played in securing and managing EPC contracts for the construction of four major international airports in India at -Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Delhi and Mumbai. The contract for the Delhi International Airport is the largest secured by L&T till date. His visionary leadership enabled the successful securing/ executing of prestigious metro rail projects in Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and the Monorail in Mumbai.

Mr. Subrahmanyan led the execution of the exacting Bangalore International Airport Limited Terminal 1 expansion project; other significant projects executed included the development of several highways and expressways connecting major cities and towns; landmark nuclear and hydropower projects; a unique port and shipbuilding facility near Chennai; various underground and elevated metro packages for Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata, transmission line projects connecting important sectors across India for Power Grid Corporation of India and many industrial electrification, air and gas insulated substation projects.

Under his stewardship, L&T Construction won the prestigious contract for the revamp of the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai – venue of India’s historic triumph in the 2011 World Cup. Under his astute leadership, L&T Construction has been contributing significantly to India’s industrial and infrastructure development and, at the same time, making a name for itself on foreign shores. L&T has also recently bagged the prestigious Statue of Unity project.

Mr. Subrahmanyan has several pioneering initiatives to his credit, principal among which are leading the way forward in construction through ‘Design and Build’ on an EPC (Engineer Procure Construct) basis, the introduction of aluminum formwork systems for qualitatively superior and speedier construction and his drive to adopt precast technology for housing projects as an ideal answer to meet India’s burgeoning urban housing demand. His path-breaking initiative of inducting global players in technology and systems enabled the construction team at mega sites to set benchmarks and deliver world-class projects beating demanding deadlines.

He has also spearheaded the efforts to win a path-breaking project involving the development of dedicated freight corridors that will realign the dynamics of freight movement in the country.

Beyond the Indian shores, he has led the company’s graduation from a civil contractor to a significant EPC player, especially in the Middle East, that is reflected in the securing of a major order for the construction of the Salalah Airport at Oman. Other noteworthy projects include a big interchange and road project in UAE, erection of several transmission lines and substation jobs all across the GCC and the construction of a wastewater treatment plant in Qatar. Some major orders bagged in the recent past feature the Riyadh Metro in Saudi Arabia - one of the largest international orders bagged by L&T thus far, the Abu Dhabi Airport airside works and the Batinah Expressway in Oman in the face of stiff international competition.

Pivotal role on industry bodies:

Mr. Subrahmanyan is a member of the Governing Council of Construction Skill Development Council of India (CSDC). He is a member of the Board of Governors of National Institute of Construction Management and Research (NICMAR). A Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers - UK, and a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers (FIE). He was the Chairman of the CII Gulf Committee for 2011-12 and is a member of the Working Committee, Projects Exports Promotion Council and many other construction industry institutions and bodies

Mr. Subrahmanyan is a most-sought-after speaker with proven credentials in the construction industry. He has also presented several papers on ‘key-topics’ at national and international seminars and conferences.

Awards & Recognition:

• Recognising the key role played by Mr. Subrahmanyan in the industry, Construction Week magazine bestowed “Infrastructure Person of the Year – 2012”.
• He was awarded as a leading engineering personality in the event ‘Glimpses of Engineering Personalities’ by the Institution of Engineers (India).
• He was awarded ‘Contractor CEO of the Year’ at the Qatar Contractors Forum & Awards function held on 22nd September 2014 in Doha.
• He was ranked 36th in ‘2014 Construction Week Power 100’ - 100 Most Powerful People in the global construction sector in a recent survey by international publication Construction Week, in its issue dated June 22, 2014.

Despite a hectic schedule, Mr. Subrahmanyan finds time to pursue eclectic tastes in business literature, western music and cricket.