Rohin R Shah, MSc FRICS
Managing Director, Meghraj Properties Limited

Can you describe your organisation and your role?

Meghraj Properties Limited is a real estate investment manager for high net worth families. My key role is investment strategy for each of our client’s portfolios together with overseeing the performance of their assets.

What is your greatest achievement in your career?

My greatest achievement was to establish a business in India with no prior business knowledge of the country or its market place, travelling there informally in 1992, formally establishing a “one man operation” jointly with a firm of UK chartered surveyors in 1995 and ultimately merging the business with Jones Lang LaSalle in June 2007 to create the largest firm of property consultants in India, Jones Lang LaSalle Meghraj.

What is your vision for the Indian property market?

My vision for the Indian property market is that it continues to liberalise creating a more level platform for the various players that operate in the market - investors, developers, occupiers and the regulatory authorities.

In addition, the improvement of professional standards and ethics and the creation and development of high quality property education at Universities and Colleges throughout the country to bring the various disciplines of real estate into a managed and formalised process will be essential as the markets develop.

What is your advice to young Indian professionals wishing to join the
property profession?

My advice would be to obtain suitable undergraduate or postgraduate education in either direct property subjects or related property subjects such as architecture, engineering, economics, law, marketing etc. and then to work with one of the consulting agencies whether foreign or local or to find employment with developers, investors, the government or educational establishments to further their knowledge and experience.

Membership of the RICS would be the natural next step once the formal education process was complete.

What does RICS mean to you?

Membership of the RICS defines the highest professional standards, globally recognised, and associated with a history of providing outstanding real estate knowledge and expertise. RICS are responsible for setting standards and codes of conduct across the world and across property sectors for the benefit of occupiers, investors, developers, consumers and the environment.