The India Section of AACE International was formally launched in Chennai, India on November 28, 2015. Over 70 professionals from major organizations attended the event, which included several speakers who discussed the benefits of AACE's resources and certifications, as well as gaps in project management practices in India. The Qatar Section was also launched on November 26, 2015 with over 150 construction professionals in attendance.

1. A
n India Sec on was formally
launched at Chennai on Satur-
day, Nov. 28, 2015. The South
India Sec on took the lead and
organized the launch event at
The Hilton, Chennai. The event
was a ended by 70 professionals from reputed
organiza ons like Petrofac, AMEC Foster
Wheeler, Engineers India Limited, Saipem, ABB,
Wabag, Larsen and Toubro, Professors from IIT
Madras, Anna University, Karle Infra and senior
members from Project Management Ins tute,
Chennai Chapter.
The grand launch at The Hilton, Chennai
began with Philips Tharakan Mulackal, CCP EVP,
Vice President Interna onal Regions at AACE,
welcoming the a endees. The Director, Region
8, Jaimin Mehta, CCP PSP, delivered a short
speech men oning how professionals and or-
ganiza ons can leverage associa on with AACE
for professional excellence and cited a few ex-
amples from his own experience.
The launch formally began with ligh ng of
a lamp, a tradi onal way of beginning auspicious
events in South India. Julie Owen, CCP PSP,
AACE President; Sudarshan Karle, Director of
Karle Group; Chandrashekar Rao, Founder of
Shreshreta Solu ons; Dr. Koshy Varghese, Pro-
fessor Indian Ins tute of Technology, Madras
(IITM); Jaimin Mehta, Director Region 8, par c-
ipated in the lamp ligh ng.
Chandrashekar Rao introduced the TCM
Framework and spoke on “Effec ve use of RPs
and the TCM Framework to de-risk large capital
projects in India. He men oned that passion
and commitment are required to adopt global
best prac ces. Rather than quickly fixing things
in a panic, planning is needed while execu ng
projects. He men oned that AACE’s RPs can be
adopted by any organiza on and customized ac-
cordingly.
Dr. Koshy Vargheese, of IITM, a premier In-
dian Ins tute, spoke on the gaps in project con-
trols in India. He elaborated on the gaps in the
educa on system at the under graduate and
post graduate levels. He also men oned that the
sophis ca on of the latest integrated PM so -
ware makes it difficult to work without a lot of
training and conceptual clarity. He suggested
that clients/project owners need to start de-
manding from contrac ng agencies for be er
project control systems. Also, the requirements
in contracts should be elaborated on, very
clearly. He cau oned, “going up in project con-
trol maturity should be in stages and not be
done by aiming for a 100 percent at the first
stage. Many companies fail due to over expec-
ta on by not adop ng a step by step maturity
approach or by discon nuing these later.” He
says IIT Madras will support AACE in all ways to
expand its ac vi es in India. He has assisted
AACE in developing case studies and success sto-
ries in India.
Julie Owen, CCP PSP, President of AACE In-
terna onal, shared the strategic plan of the or-
ganiza on, highlighted strengths and focus
areas. She spoke on membership trends and
elaborated on the knowledge resources devel-
oped by AACE. She spoke about the cer fica-
ons offered, their benefits and the results of
the salary survey. She also engaged in discus-
sion with the par cipants and answered queries.
Sivakumar, VP Outreach of Chennai PMI
Chapter, thanked AACE for choosing Chennai for
the launch.
SPOTLIGHT ONTHE
INDIA,QATAR,AND
SAUDIARABIA
SECTIONS
SPOTLIGHT ONTHE
INDIA,QATAR,AND
SAUDIARABIA
SECTIONS
• SECTION SPOTLIGHT •
34 SOURCE FEBRUARY 2016
INDIA SECTION

2. 35SOURCE FEBRUARY 2016
Submi ed photo
Shown above at the launch of the India Sec on, Philips Tharakan Mulackal, CCP EVP, VP Interna onal Regions; Sankar Subrah-
maniyam, EVP, South India Sec on President; Jaimin Mehta, Director of Region 8; Julie Owen, CCP PSP, AACE President; Chan-
drashekar Rao, Founder of Shreshreta Solu ons; Sudarshan Karle, Director of Karle Group; and Dr. Koshy Varghese, Professor Indian
Ins tute of Technology, Madras (IITM); par cipate in a ligh ng of the lamp, a tradi onal way of beginning events in South India.
Submi ed photo
Shown above AACE Vice President Interna onal Regions, Philips
Tharakan Mulackal, CCP EVP, delivers a welcome address to at-
tendees at the launch of the India Sec on.
Submi ed photo
Shown above AACE Director Region 8, Jaimin R. Mehta, CCP PSP,
delivers an address to a endees at the launch of the India Sec-
on on Nov. 28, 2015, at Chennai, India.

3. 36 SOURCE FEBRUARY 2016
Submi ed photo
Shown above Chandrashekar Rao, founder of Shreshreta Solu-
ons, delivers remarks at the launch of the India Sec on. He
spoke on effec ve use of RPs and the TCM Framework.
Submi ed photo
Shown above Dr. Koshy Vargheese of IITM, delivers remarks to
a endees at the launch of the India Sec on. He spoke on gaps
in project controls in India.
Submi ed photo
AACE President Julie Owen, CCP PSP, spoke to the India Sec on about the associa on, cer fica ons, knowledge resources, mem-
bership trends, the strategic plan, etc.

4. 37SOURCE FEBRUARY 2016
Submi ed photo
Shown above Philips Tharakan Mulackal, CCP EVP, Vice President Interna onal Regions, gives the welcome to a endees at the
launch of the India Sec on. Seated from the le are AACE President Julie Owen, CCP PSP; Chandrashekar Rao, founder of Shreshreta
Solu ons; Jaimin Mehta, CCP PSP, Director Region 8; Sankar Subrahmaniyam, EVP, South India Sec on President; and Dr. Koshy
Varghese, a professor with the Indian Ins tute of Technology, Madras (IITM). The Nov. 28, 2015 launch ceremony was at The Hilton
Chennai.
Submi ed photo
Shown above is part of the large crowd of at least 70 professionals who a ended the Nov. 28, 2015, launch of the India Sec on at
The Hilton, Chennai. The launch formally began with ligh ng of lamp, a tradi onal way of beginning auspicious events in South
India. There were various speakers, including AACE President Julie Owen, CCP PSP.

5. 38 SOURCE FEBRUARY 2016
Sankar, President South India Sec on, delivered a note of
thanks. He thanked all the a endees who had taken me on a
Saturday evening to a end the launch. He thanked Mr. Sudar-
shan Karle and M/s. Karle Infra Private Limited, a Karle Group
Company, for sponsoring the sec on in India. He thanked PMI
Chennai Chapter E&C Forum, Mr. Karthik, Mr. Suresh Chavan
and Ms. Kavitha of Karle Infra for their voluntary support to
make the event successful. He men oned that, “though Mr.
Madhu Pillai, Mr. Logan, and Mr. Mohammed Rafiuddin are not
present here, without their advice and support reaching this
stage would not have been possible.”
M/s. Karle Infra Private Limited, the real estate arm of Ban-
galore based Karle Group, offered to provide support and logis-
cal services for sec on members and poten al AACE members
in India. Karle Infra has offered its address as the India address
for the sec on, using its conference room facili es for conduct-
ing sessions, sponsorship of Indian events including confer-
ences, workshops etc., and use of its office infrastructure for
sec on ac vi es. ◆
T
he Qatar Sec on was launched on Nov. 26, 2015.
Dr. R. Seetharaman, CEO Doha Bank, was the
keynote speaker. The chief guest for the event
was AACE Interna onal President, Julie Owen,
CCP PSP, and the main guest of honor was Chair-
man of Qatar Society of Engineers, Ahmed Jassim
Al-Jolo. The event was a huge success with more than 150 pro-
fessionals from construc on and associated industries in Qatar
a ending. A endees included leaders of venerated private and
government organiza ons in Qatar.
In his keynote speech, Dr. Seetharaman gave an overview
on the local construc on industry scenario and linked this with
the global financial condi on, the expected future trend of the
construc on Industry in the region, and the importance of cost
engineers in the current economic scenario.
AACE President Owen, in her speech, apprised the audi-
ence on the State of the Associa on( AACE), as well as giving in-
sights on how to implement Program Management Office
(PMO) for project success through a technical presenta on.
Mohammed Rafiuddin, CCP PSP, Director Region 7, an-
nounced the official opening of the Qatar Sec on, which was
followed by Julie Owen cu ng the ribbon. Rafiuddin also intro-
duced the team of officers for the Qatar Sec on which consists
of nine officers.
Hussain Al-Omani, CCP CEP DRMP EVP PSP, President of
Arabian Gulf Sec on (AGS), from which the Qatar Sec on has
been formed, was present during the launch. He appreciates
forma on of the Qatar Sec on and assured full support of the
Arabian Gulf Sec on to the Qatar Sec on for its future en-
deavor.
Dev Tamboli, CCP PSP, thanked each and every one for their
support in forma on of the Qatar Sec on and then laid down
the vision, mission, and objec ves of Qatar Sec on, and assured
its members of the various ac vi es to be conducted by Qatar
Sec on in the field of project management, cost engineering
and planning. The Qatar Sec on will conduct training for pro-
fessionals, technical mee ngs, social events and conferences.
He appealed to all the professionals to come forward and sup-
port the Qatar Sec on and to serve the total cost management
and project controls fraternity in Qatar. Dev also announced
launching of the Qatar Sec on website at www.aacei-qatar.org
and introduced various channels of communica on for Qatar
Sec on members, which includes email, Twi er, Facebook, and
LinkedIn.
KUDOS!! to the Qatar Sec on officers for making the event
a grand success. The Qatar Sec on officers includes:
• Dev Tamboli – President, CCP PSP
• Haresh Jayanth – Vice President, PSP
• Ryan Ace Tan – Secretary, CCP PSP
• Manoj Joshi – Treasurer
• Avinash Gaikwad – Director Membership
• Sitansh Desai – PSP, Director Technical
• Amit Ranade – Director Events
• Mohamad Daaboul – Director Marke ng & Publicity
• M I Mohammed Nizar – Director Administra on
For more informa on about the Qatar Sec on, kindly visit
www.aacei-qatar.org or email: qataraace@gmail.com or contac-
tus@aacei-qatar.org. ◆
QATAR SECTION
Submi ed photo
Shown above at the launch of the Qatar Sec on, Devdas Tam-
boli, CCP PSP, Qatar Sec on President; Julie Owen, CCP PSP,
AACE President; and Mohammed Rafiuddin, CCP PSP, Director
Region 7; cut the ribbon signifying the official launch of the
Qatar Sec on during a ceremony on Nov. 26, 2015.