Michael Kesavan
Dubai,UAE
Summary
A results-driven senior procurement professional with 25+ years of strategic and hands-on experience across Procurement Management,
Strategic Sourcing, Global Purchasing, and Vendor Development in leading organizations across the UAE. Adept at driving cost efficiencies,
streamlining supply chains, and leading cross-functional teams. Proven ability to manage high-impact sourcing decisions, resolve complex
challenges, and align procurement objectives with organizational goals through stakeholder collaboration, ethical leadership, and sound
commercial judgment.
Overview
26
26
years of professional experience
Work History
Head of Procurement
LORJ Industries LLC
08.2022 - Current
- Company Overview: formerly Laing O'Rourke Joinery LLC, UAE.
- Lead end-to-end procurement for civil construction and infrastructure projects, driving strategic sourcing and vendor management.
- Develop and execute cost-effective strategies tailored to civil engineering timelines and budgets.
- Oversee project execution, ensuring quality, timeline, and financial compliance in civil infrastructure settings.
- Build client relationships, and identify new opportunities in the civil sector.
- Manage supplier engagement, conduct bid evaluations and negotiate contracts for civil materials.
- Plan material flow across civil project phases, maintaining accurate MRP data.
- Conduct supplier audits, optimize costs, and monitor variances for civil infrastructure needs.
- Collaborate with teams to align procurement with civil project goals.
- Develop project procurement strategies and schedules with stakeholders.
- Lead technical/commercial bid preparation, including rate analysis, and risk provisions for civil projects.
- Facilitate pre-, mid-, and post-tender meetings, reviewing proposals with a detailed analysis.
- Verify costs with estimation teams for budget-compliant civil bids.
- Manage vendor prequalification, assessments, and maintain an approved supplier database for civil works.
- Implement QA/QC procedures to enhance documentation accuracy across civil projects.
- Identify value engineering options with supply chain and design teams for civil efficiency.
- Coordinated cross-functional teams for successful procurement initiatives.
- Evaluated supplier performance to enhance procurement operations.
- Identified potential vendors and evaluated them according to price, quality, selection, service, support, availability, reliability and sustainability.
Head of Procurement
Laing O'Rourke Joinery LLC
08.2014 - 04.2024
- Company Overview: UAE.
- Managed procurement for civil construction and joinery projects, sourcing materials for large-scale infrastructure.
- Developed procurement strategies to optimize supply chain efficiency.
- Managed vendor relationships to ensure service quality and reliability.
- Analysed market trends to forecast purchasing needs effectively.
- Coordinated cross-functional teams for successful procurement initiatives.
- Trained staff on procurement processes and best practices.
- Evaluated supplier performance to enhance procurement operations.
- Managed the procurement process from purchase order generation to delivery of goods or services.
- Prepared reports on purchasing activity including cost savings achieved through negotiations with suppliers.
- Built long-term relationships with company vendors and suppliers to secure optimal prices.
- Monitored supplier performance in terms of quality, delivery and responsiveness to ensure compliance with contractual agreements.
- Streamlined supply chains to meet civil engineering timelines, reducing delays.
- Negotiated with global suppliers, achieving cost savings on high-volume, civil-grade materials.
- Delegated tasks to procurement teams to expedite work processes.
- Ordered new materials to prevent shortages and approved delivery details and times.
- Implemented stock optimization strategies and minimized product loss.
- Collaborated with other departments such as engineering or production teams during the development phase of new projects.
- Conducted market research to identify new sources of supply that offered competitive prices.
- Researched new products or technologies available in the market that could benefit the organization's operations.
- Performed risk assessments and forecasts on potential contracts and business decisions.
- Implemented strategies for cost reduction through improved terms of payment or better pricing structures.
Procurement Lead
UNIPODS LLC
06.2009 - 07.2014
- Company Overview: Rakia | Romeo Interiors LLC, Rakia
- Oversaw purchase operations, negotiating cost-effective solutions for civil construction projects.
- Led procurement for UNIPODS (off-site bathroom pods) and UNIKITCHEN (furniture) in civil developments.
- Conducted techno-commercial negotiations and managed vendor development for civil fit-outs.
- Rakia | Romeo Interiors LLC, Rakia
- Oversaw procurement compliance, ensuring adherence to company policies and regulations.
- Analyzed market trends to identify potential cost-saving opportunities in procurement processes.
- Managed supplier relationships and negotiated favorable contract terms effectively.
- Led procurement strategy development for multiple departments across the organization.
- Developed and implemented sourcing plans for key product categories and suppliers.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to align purchasing strategies with business objectives.
- Performed cost analysis on products and services offered by different vendors in order to make informed decisions when selecting suppliers.
- Ensured compliance with purchasing policies, procedures, and regulations.
- Evaluated existing contracts on an ongoing basis to identify areas for improvement or renegotiation.
- Monitored inventory levels to ensure adequate stock for production needs.
- Assisted in developing budgets by researching current product prices from various suppliers.
Group Purchase Manager
Al-Attar Group
03.2006 - 06.2009
- Company Overview: Dubai, UAE
- Planned and budgeted purchase functions for civil construction projects, negotiating contracts.
- Ensured timely material availability for civil infrastructure works.
- Coordinated L/C openings and optimized stock purchases for civil inventories.
- Dubai, UAE
Procurement Manager
Prometal Metal Industry LLC
02.2003 - 03.2006
- Company Overview: Lock Wood Interior LLC, Emirates Investment, PJSC, Dubai, UAE
- Lock Wood Interior LLC, Emirates Investment, PJSC, Dubai, UAE
- Identified potential vendors and evaluated them according to price, quality, selection, service, support, availability, reliability and sustainability.
- Managed the procurement process from purchase order generation to delivery of goods or services.
- Led cross-functional teams to streamline purchasing procedures and improve efficiency.
- Developed procurement budgets to reduce unnecessary expenditures.
Purchase Manager
Interfurn Furniture Factory LLC
01.2000 - 01.2003
- Company Overview: Seekers Furnishing LLC, Sharjah, UAE
- Seekers Furnishing LLC, Sharjah, UAE
Education
Bachelor of Commerce -
Madras University
Tamil Nadu, IndiaTamil Nadu, India
Skills
- Strategic sourcing
- Contract negotiation
- Bid evaluation
- Cost analysis
- Procurement compliance
- Supply chain optimization
- Risk assessment
- Effective communication
- Team collaboration
- Global sourcing
- Demand forecasting
- Global procurement
- Price negotiation
- Budget planning
- Quality assurance
Languages
- English
- Hindi
- Tamil
- Telugu
- Malayalam
Personal Information
- Date of Birth: 04/02/75
- Nationality: Indian
- Driving License: UAE
- Marital Status: Married
- Visa Status: Employment
Profile Synopsis - Achievements
- Transformed procurement operations, achieving significant cost savings and efficiency gains in civil construction and Manufacturing (Joinery - Fit-out, Bathroom & Kitchen Pods) sectors.
- Masterfully negotiated multimillion contracts with CXO-level stakeholders, enhancing profitability for civil projects by 15%.
- Led diverse, high-performing teams to deliver complex civil developments, improving timeline adherence by 10%.
- Championed strategic initiatives that elevated vendor collaboration and supported the completion of landmark civil infrastructure works.
Timeline
Head of Procurement
LORJ Industries LLC
08.2022 - Current
Head of Procurement
Laing O'Rourke Joinery LLC
08.2014 - 04.2024
Procurement Lead
UNIPODS LLC
06.2009 - 07.2014
Group Purchase Manager
Al-Attar Group
03.2006 - 06.2009
Procurement Manager
Prometal Metal Industry LLC
02.2003 - 03.2006
Purchase Manager
Interfurn Furniture Factory LLC
01.2000 - 01.2003
Bachelor of Commerce -
Madras University