Fairoz H. Miller
Executive Manager – Oil Sector Projects for M/s. Combined Group Contracting Co. (K.S.C.C.).

-- by N.C. Mohandoss & A.N. Natarajan

“Client is our prime focus and anything else comes later. Understanding them thoroughly and best of relations with them helps in completing project successfully and without delays, too. Philosophy of being obedient to God is my inner strength”, says Mr. Fairoz H. Miller, Executive Manager – Oil Sector Projects for M/s. Combined Group Contracting Co. (K.S.C.C.).

Originally, hailing from Kutch area in Gujarath, born in Chandrapur and later settled in Maharashtra; the family was running flour mills in Mumbai, from which the surname Miller was derived. Fairoz did his school at the famous Hill Station, Panchgani and then completed his Civil Engineering from Sardar Patel Engineering College of the Bharatiya Vidhya Bharan – Bombai, in 1968.

He started his career in Crompton Greeves Company, a reputable Engineering Firm in Kanjun Marg (Mumbai) in their Projects Department and joined Mahendra Shah & Co., where he did design and construction work for many mini-steel plants. To name a new few, (1) Polysteel India Ltd., Bhavagar, (2) Western Mini Steel – Mumbai, Haryana Polysteel Plant, belonging to (3) Haryana Industrial Development Corp. (HIDC), from concept to commissioning and gained rich experience in the field.

Landed in Kuwait in 1976, Fairoz worked in Kharafi for 2 years and another ten 10 years in United Arab Contractors Co. (URACO); and then shifted to Combined Group Contracting Co. (CGCC).

In URACO, Fairoz worked as a Project Manager for Road Division and undertook many roads, motorways and infrastructure jobs. Mutla Abdally road was one of the major projects during this time.

In Combined Group Contracting Co. (CGCC), Ghazali Motorway, which was a joint-venture with an Italian company, but later on, CGCC finished the works independently.

During 1998, with relations built-up while handling Oil Sector Project with KOC, Fairoz shifted himself and handled Oil Sector projects in the company. CGCC – Oil Sector Division in Kuwait engaged in Pipelines, Civil, Mechanical and Electrical works. Starting from a small beginning, today, the company is a major player with more than 6,000 workforce in the group including 1,400 for Oil Sector alone.

Fairoz proudly admits that confidence, which is bestowed upon him with an all-out support by the company and freedom to work (in the interest of the company), had been major factors for his success in his job.

What he learned from his ex-organization in India at Polysteel, “if you don’t get what you want in time, it will always be your fault; there will be no delays from our (company) side”, has remained deep in his heart as a dictum to achieve his goals. Fairoz’ another strength is his acumen in tendering; he learned a lot in tendering from his boss, Mr. Sabit Refai, while he worked in URACO, which made him as knowledgeable as he is today. In fact, he is planning to write a book shortly, entitled “How you win a Tender”.

Fairoz is a man of simplicity combined with humanity and this drives him to evolve solutions to workers’ problems by discussing with them openly. His humanitarian approach aids him to maintain reasonable salary and benefits to workers through the company, to drive best results out of them.

One of Fairoz’ major hobbies is to train youth in competitions like elocution, public speaking, etc. He makes lectures on Islamic subjects with modern science.

He was a General Secretary for IIE – Kuwait Chapter and is a member of the Institute of Lighting Engineers – India, in addition to the Indian Institute of Engineers.
His wife, Mrs. Faiza, has always been with him with family support & as an advisor for collective wisdom. His eldest son, Furqan, after finishing his Engineering from Griffith University in Brisbane Australia, is currently working with KOC – Core Group; and another son, Rizwan, after graduating in Environmental Engineering from Griffith Univeristy in Brisbane Australia, is working with AMEC for KOC; and daughter, Mrs. Masarrat, is settled in Bangalore.