Feb 27, 2024
Meet Muaviyath Abdul Sattar - a young and energetic engineer from the built environment sector who is one of the founders of Epoch Associates, a multi-disciplinary consulting firm at the top of their game in industry in Maldives.
Starting out in 2017 with a few friends, Muaviyath incorporated Epoch Associates in a small office providing services relating to civil engineering, architecture and consulting. Fast-forward just 6 years, the company is now the most renowned consultancy firm in built environment in the country, with accredited double ISO certification from a top 4 certification body in the world and doing projects all over the nation with 50 staff.
B&P: How did you come up with the idea and vision to go into entrepreneurship so early in your career?
"I graduated in 2014 with a Masters in Engineering and within just 3.5 years working in a normal job, I talked with some close friends to start Epoch because we believed in a shared vision to build something that could reinvent the industry. We took a risk fueled by determination and after 2017 we have never looked back. Today we can be proud to have built a company of high reputation, recognized to global excellence and delivering services all over the country with the brightest talent in our team in such a short span of time."
B&P: In just 6 years, Epoch has achieved so much including feats that took most Maldivian companies in the past almost two decades to achieve. What is your secret?
"It takes quite a bit of passion, determination and right skillsets to become an entrepreneur, taking the steps to formalize and start a design and consulting firm. The important thing is to have a clear vision, goal and objective in where we want the company to be. Myself and the directors noted down where we wanted to be in 5 years, 10 years, 15 years, etc during the planning stage which really gave us a clear idea and propelled us to move forward quickly achieving goal after goal we set out. Our success formula was to work with client very closely with good communication, while providing comprehensive services using the latest technologies and very good teamwork amongst us."
B&P: What advice can you give to upcoming generations?
"My advice to the younger upcoming generations is to have a clear vision of what you want to achieve, have passion in the work and be very determined to do all it takes to deliver the product according to what the client requires. This applies to any field in an entrepreneurship setting . You will face setbacks along the way but you face it and work out solutions to overcome it"
B&P: What makes Epoch different from other firms?
"In terms of product, we provide a comprehensive package where clients can get all the needed services under one roof for their project and we put emphasis to provide a creative and unique product taking in carefully the client requirements at every stage of the project. We also incorporate sustainable designs, use of latest technology such as software and AI and observing international norms in the delivery of service. In the office, we try to create a cohesive and collaborative work environment where staff are provided lots of opportunities for personal growth and continuing professional development. I believe at Epoch, we are ahead of the rest in these aspects"
B&P: What made you go for ISO certification so early on in the firm’s inception?
"Three things drove us to achieve ISO certification - one was that there was incentive in government that the firm can get Grade A Consultant designation if it achieved dual ISO certification of 9001 and 14001 which we have now achieved in this short time span. The other is that many of our clients are foreign established brands working in the Maldives who regularly ask whether we have any accredited certifications that demonstrate our caliber, competencies and governance that is fine tuned to global recognized levels. Finally, we wanted Epoch to go beyond the borders to do lucrative projects overseas and that market requires us to have certificates that demonstrate our continuing improvement as a company that delivers services consistently at a high level that is recognized globally"
B&P: What does the future hold for the built environment sector and what are your aspirations for Epoch for the future?
"Looking towards the future, many challenges await the industry such as lack of regulations, underpricing of services and the lack of implementation of consultant categories for different types of bids. On paper we may be designated as a Grade A consultant however in some bids, there is no restrictions in some cases to who can participate in bids. Many times, due to this the project gets awarded to parties without technical capability and eventually gets cancelled.
Our aspirations for the future is to expand our markets significantly, identify niche areas and craft products / services to serve such specialist areas. We also want to collaborate more with international parties to increase our chances to serve in challenging projects of national significance such as bridge projects, airports and reclamations. We would like to see authorities facilitate more involvement for local companies in such projects so that locals can get much needed experience and skills in this once in a lifetime opportunity."