From Postdoc to Director Through PoDoCo: Dr. Farooq Ali’s Path to Granlund’s Data Center Project
Dr. Farooq Ali, recently hired as Project Commercial Director at Granlund Oy, has come a long way in a short time.
He first learned about the Post Docs in Companies program (PoDoCo) in 2022 while in the third year of his PhD at the University of Oulu. At an event where the program was presented, something immediately caught his attention.
“One thing that stood out to me was that the goal of PoDoCo is to help Finnish companies hire PhD scholars to enhance their presence in global markets. Given my background, I thought this would be the first place I’d apply for funding, as it seemed highly relevant,” says Ali, who has roots in Pakistan and approximately 19 years of experience in the construction industry, in Dubai and elsewhere in the Middle East.
From then on, Farooq Ali kept thinking about PoDoCo and identifying a project proposal topic.
“Specifically, I focused on finding large Finnish companies with in-house innovation departments, as I felt that would be the only place I could fit in. I knew that without proficiency in Finnish, it would be challenging to find a position in Finland’s construction industry.”
Developing strategic alliance for hospital projects
While collecting data for his PhD, Farooq Ali was involved in the Oulu University Hospital project, which helped him formulate ideas. By the time he completed his PhD in 2023, he was ready to approach Granlund.
“We received a strong recommendation from the Oulu University Hospital project. They noted that Farooq is a great person and should definitely be hired. After a few meetings to get to know him and connect him with the right people on our side, we were impressed by his background and knowledge,” recalls Heikki Ihasalo Innovation Director at Granlund.
The PoDoCo grant application was for the development of a strategic alliance for hospital projects, known as the Integrated Hospital Design Alliance (IHDA).
“In project alliancing, companies with diverse cultures and backgrounds collaborate on a construction project, temporarily setting aside their parent identities to work as one. While this seems straightforward, building trust between organizations is the biggest challenge, as it takes time but is crucial for success. My research focused on the idea that organizations should maintain and develop these collaborations through strategic alliances, rather than treating them as temporary. Unlike manufacturing, construction often sees alliances dissolve after a project ends, which wastes the trust and routines built. My research explored how to sustain these alliances for long-term collaboration and efficiency,” explains Farooq Ali.
Granlund has experience with hospital projects in Finland, designing heating, ventilation, and electrical systems, and is now expanding into international projects. The IHDA is a Finnish concept aimed at international markets, and utilizing Farooq Ali’s knowledge to enhance it was a great opportunity.
Finding an international project in Finland
During the second year of the PoDoCo period, an urgent need arose at Granlund for a large data center project, and the team was specifically looking for someone with international construction industry experience. Fortunately, they already had one available.
“From the data center project management’s perspective, they described it as a stroke of luck to have Farooq join the project. His extensive experience in international projects, coupled with a strong contract management background, made him an ideal fit. The combination of professional expertise and academic knowledge was a perfect match for the project, and they were very pleased to have him on board,” says Heikki Ihasalo.
As a result, Granlund decided to offer Farooq a permanent contract after the first year.
“It’s particularly interesting that an international project can take place right here in Finland, without the need to go abroad. You can work on international projects within Finland as well,” adds Ihasalo.
Identifying the challenges that companies face
Farooq Ali also continues to deliver some lectures at the University of Oulu.
“Last week, a colleague, who is in the final year of her PhD, asked for advice on applying to the PoDoCo program. She wanted guidance on developing a project plan. I shared my experience, explaining how I structured my plan. Since she had already gathered data from various companies during her research, I advised her to focus on identifying the challenges these companies are facing in Finland. From there, she could build her project plan around solving those issues and identify the right collaboration partner.”
Farooq Ali feels that he is in the right place now and is looking forward to working with Granlund.
This is the second time Granlund has collaborated with the PoDoCo program.
“PoDoCo has been highly effective, both in terms of research, particularly with the development of this international project concept, and more importantly, in finding the right person. It has allowed us the time to get to know each other and identify the best fit within the company, making it a true success,” says Ihasalo.
