Monieka Khanna is the Head of Strategy and Business Development at SIPL Group, Gurgaon. Along with the education sector, she expanded into the healthcare, hospitality, and infrastructure sectors. In a short period of time, she opened a Cloud Kitchen, a unique healthcare clinic in Gurgaon, and a resort where families can spend their weekends. She is skilled in the setting up of startup schools, educational technology, budgeting, planning, public speaking, market analysis, management, and marketing.
Below are highlights of the interview conducted between World’s Leaders and Monieka Khanna:
Describe your background and what did you do before you started/joined the company?
As a choreographer, performer, teacher, and production manager for the past 18 years, I have attained a lot of knowledge in the fields of events and media. Taking all these further, I utilized my creative knowledge and practical exposure skillfully and efficiently and became a part of school organizations to achieve individual as well as the organization’s goals and objectives, and I grew with them. Skilled in setting up start-up schools, educational technology, Budget Planning, Public Speaking, Market analysis, management, and marketing. When this group was opening their education vertical, I was hired and then stayed and still a part of their entire group activities.
Tell us about the inception of the company. How did it all start?
SIPL is primarily an infrastructure company. I joined the firm as an education consultant around six years ago when they were venturing into education and wanted to open their school. From marketing and HR operations to hiring teachers and the principal and working on admission targets, I set up the school’s operation from scratch. Impressed with my strategy and operation, the firm moved me to its corporate office. I have also worked on setting up the firm’s operations in the healthcare sector, which includes setting up the firm’s medical centers, hiring doctors, and much more. During the pandemic, I have also worked on strategizing and boosting SIPL’s hotel and hospitality ventures.
Currently, as the Strategy Head of Subash Infraengineers, I take care of the entire marketing, strategize the budgeting, and make the necessary calls regarding the position and presence of various verticals of the firm and the necessary steps required. I have a team of professionals under me whom I have trained myself, helping me with all the tasks. Our digital marketing team is responsible for both online and offline marketing and budgeting for the firm’s operations.
What has made you successful? What do you value?
My strongest asset is my ability to maintain relationships and collaborate. I value my team and ensure a happy environment is created so that we all work positively towards achieving personal and organizational goals.
Which are the major services of the company and how do the company to get ahead in the competition? What value-added services does the company provide?
The company has marked its presence in various sectors like infrastructure, hospitality, health care, education, and various other land and water conservation projects. SIPL is constantly striving to achieve our future goals by adhering to the highest quality standards and adhering to our delivery schedule with our client commitment.
What are the most important aspects of a company’s culture? What principles do you believe in and how do you build this culture?
The entire team at SIPL is exposed to a very positive and inspiring work culture that promotes trust and respect for each member of the team. SIPL, also strongly emphasizes women’s empowerment.
Competitive pay packages, ensuring job security, effective and transparent management, and fast-tracked career growth opportunities help give equal opportunities to all and maintain a healthy environment and culture for all.
What is the significance of innovative ideas in the company?
Establishing a rich culture that leads to success, whether in a small or large company, is not easy.But what’s more difficult than that is sustaining that success. Herein comes into play the significance of innovative ideas that not only put any organization on the map but also helped it sustain itself for a long time.
Give us your opinion on; do organizations rely heavily on individual heroics or team processes?
Though many organizations focus on individual heroics where the name and face of the organization are prominent and easy for people to relate to, what’s going on inside the team or in the area where the real work is being done is never clear.
I strongly feel that if our process is strong and clear, any team can do wonders. In this case, rather than putting on a heroic face, we should try to support and lift each team member so that we can all grow stronger together.
What are your responsibilities as the Head Strategy Business Development of the company? What is the happiest part of your daily routine?
Currently, as the Strategy Head of Subhash Infraengineers, I take care of the entire marketing, strategize the budgeting, and make the necessary calls regarding the position and presence of various verticals of the firm and the necessary steps required. I have a team of professionals under me whom I have trained myself, helping me with all the tasks. Our digital marketing team is responsible for both online and offline marketing and budgeting for the firm’s operations. My main goal is to figure out how we can promote our brand and collaborate with other companies to make our presence known.
What advice would you give someone going into a leadership position for the first time?
I strongly believe that you have to diversify yourself, explore, and learn from it. You are the result of what you say and perceive. Keep striving for hard work and never stop. We should not be satisfied with the knowledge we have; we should discuss it with our team and give them the chance to bring out new concepts and give them the responsibility to take their idea forward.
