Meet the Team
Nikhil Anand
For this month’s Meet the Team interview, we caught up with the financial specialist of the team – Nikhil Anand. Based in Dubai, Nikhil talks us through his day-to-day role, finding good vegetarian food in Dubai, and why Georgia is an underrated gem.
Interviewer: Let’s start with your origins at Crescar, how long have you been with the company?
Nikhil: My first project was in April 2021, and it was one of the earliest projects Crescar completed in Dubai. I was brought in as a consultant, and I must be doing something right because I’m still here, working on a project-to-project basis.
Interviewer: And how did you know Russell Watmore and the wider Crescar team?
Nikhil: Like many of the Crescar team, I used to work for Serco. I was based in the offices in Gurgaon, India, and met Russell and Shane through the company. Both were based in Dubai at the time, and I would often travel between India and Dubai for work. When Serco India closed, I made the permanent move to Dubai in 2015 and have been here ever since.
Interviewer: What’s your area of expertise in the team?
Nikhil: I specialise in project finance, which includes operational finance, commercial reviews, financial modelling, pricing and more. Put simply, my role is to work with stakeholders, gather information around a project’s requirements, and develop financial forecasts to support the bidding process.
The information isn’t always explicit, so I work closely with subject matter experts to fully understand the operational solution and ensure every aspect is reflected in the financial proposal. For example, operating the same bus service in two different countries may require a different number of drivers depending on local labour laws, geography and overtime regulations. Likewise, the overall cost of delivering that service can vary significantly due to market conditions, workforce demographics, taxation and wage legislation.
Interviewer: And how do you collate all this information and produce the forecasts?
Nikhil: With a lot of research! Understanding the nuances and policies of each country, from labour laws and people costs to technology infrastructure and local regulations, requires constant oversight, as rules are continually evolving. Calculation methodologies can change as a result, so it’s important to stay up to date.
My role is to optimise the financial performance of a project, and to do that successfully, I need a detailed understanding of every cost and every potential risk. The aim is to build a financial proposal that is robust, optimised and free from unidentified risks before it reaches governance boards.
Let me give you an example. A transport company may need 20 drivers to operate a network. However, labour laws relating to shift patterns, working hours and other local regulations, together with wider project requirements, may mean additional drivers are needed to deliver the service successfully. Local taxation and regulatory requirements for the transport sector also play an important role in shaping the overall financial proposal.
A strong financial proposal is about balancing opportunity with risk and mitigating that risk appropriately. It needs to be robust enough to deliver the contract without eroding margin or profitability. Ultimately, it’s about cost optimisation while protecting return on investment.
Interviewer: What does a typical day look like for you?
Nikhil: I’m currently working on projects across the world, from Europe to the Middle East, and I’m usually responsible for the full financial governance of a bid. That involves asking detailed questions to uncover all the information I need to develop an initial financial model.
I then work closely with stakeholders to review and refine that model, incorporating further insight into the challenges and opportunities within the bid before producing a final financial proposal that best reflects the project’s requirements.
Interviewer: To finish, I always like to ask about favourite food spots and holiday destinations. What would you recommend?
Nikhil: First of all, I’d like to debunk the myth that you can’t get good vegetarian food in Dubai. There are some truly exceptional Arabic restaurants with fantastic vegetarian options that I’d thoroughly recommend.
As for travel, I’ve always thought Georgia is a bit of an underrated gem. It’s rich in history and culture, and the climate is a welcome change from the Dubai summer heat!
Contact Us
Empower your business growth with our expert solutions. Contact us today.
Phone
+971 4 568 6377
Email
contact@crescar.com
