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Alumni Profiles

Pranay Krishen (BESc 2008)

As a Sustainability Consultant at Jordan-based Terra Vertis, Pranay is responsible for the oversight and management of the firm’s Engineering Division. Since his appointment in February of 2010, Pranay has spearheaded a rigorous restructuring of the company's business model and operational framework, preparing it for strategic expansion into the Middle Eastern and North African markets. Pranay has worked with a multi-national staff of professionals to deliver innovative socio-technical solutions that target the client's triple bottom line. Recently, Pranay has been appointed as a researcher within the European Commission CORDIS: FP7 program to collaborate on the development and testing of advanced thermal storage systems for integration with existing solar and geothermal technologies in the Mediterranean Region.

Pranay passionately believes that ultimate ecological sustainability, at the necessary pace and magnitude, is achievable only through the evolution of deep-rooted social paradigms. Having identified the schooling system as a high leverage intervention point, Pranay has been active in the development of educational facilities and programming that engage young minds with sustainable living practices and ultimately infiltrate and influence the collective mindset of the wider community. Most recently, Pranay has led the development of a national EcoSchools initiative within Jordan. Through the tactical engagement of empowered public and private entities as stakeholders, the EcoSchools program is currently being deployed at eight Jordanian public schools. Concurrently, the team has launched an open-source portal that allows the Jordanian public, particularly students, teachers and other educational professionals, to collaboratively develop educational programming for a sustainable future, and has designed a 'rapid profiling' software for the efficient analysis of future school projects.

As an active member of the Jordan Green Building Council Education and Technical committees, LEED AP candidate, and speaker at a number of related conferences/workshops in the region, Pranay remains at the forefront of the Green Building movement. He has managed several high-profile international projects involving technical assessments and development of the built environment in the industrial, commercial, residential, educational, tourism and governmental sectors.

Previously, as a consultant with Trow Global, a multi-national engineering consultancy, Pranay operated within the core strategic development unit of the firm's newly established Sustainable Development division. He managed the design and implementation of the division's internal processes in addition to technical assignments that included modelling of cool roof installations in the United States, development of renewable energy initiatives for university campuses, design of process-controls for a multi-billion dollar transcontinental pipeline project, and the execution of a socio-economic and environmental impact assessment in Mexico.

During the final years of his university career, Pranay led the ground-up development of a solar powered electric vehicle with a team of over 40 engineering students, and traveled from Canada to Australia to participate in the 2007 World Solar Challenge – a 3021 km solar car race across the Outback dessert. At the same time, he served with the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) as a delegate technology ambassador during Junior Team Canada's Economic Trade Mission to Brazil.

Pranay obtained a BESc in Integrated Engineering and Technological Entrepreneurship from the University of Western Ontario (Canada), a multidisciplinary degree integrating Mechanical, Electrical, Civil, Software, and Chemical Engineering core content with and Business Management principles. He is currently pursuing LEED AP, PMP, CEM and P.Eng designations.

Pranay seeks every opportunity to play cricket; engage in natural building projects; seek outdoor adventure as a mountain biker, deep sea diver, hiker or mountaineer; or to explore the world as an avid photographer and nomadic traveller. He is fluent in English and Hindi.

"The Integrated Engineering program has helped me develop a significant functional advantage in professional interactions with teams of multi-disciplinary engineers, technicians, architects, and project managers; while also understanding and incorporating the often detached perspective of business and marketing units.

A broad and fundamentally strong technical background has served as an enabler for cross-disciplinary innovation by i) allowing for a fair assessment of gaps in knowledge, and ii) providing a sufficient foundation for the pursuit of specialized subject matter.

Having had the opportunity to work closely with Integrated Engineers, both as a student (SunStang 2007) and in industry, I can attest to the truly unique value offered by the Integrated Engineering program."

Al-Karim Moloo (BESc 2008)

Before he finished high school, Al Moloo decided he wanted to be an entrepreneur. After high school graduation, he formed a manufacturing company near Toronto to produce window wells for the residential construction industry. He designed much of the production equipment for his company.

Conquest was incorporated in January 2003, and production started in May 2003. Since then, the company has grown steadily. Conquest has been profitable from the beginning, and has expanded into new markets and products. Conquest has about 10 employees, and annual revenues of several million dollars.

"Currently Conquest has 6 full time employees, but because window wells are a seasonal product in peak season the number of employees will increase to approximately 15 by June as additional shifts are added. Downsizing during winter months has always been a difficult task for me, particular since many of the workers I would have to let go were recent newcomers to Canada with limited experience, poor language skills and worse job prospects that nonetheless were good workers. I began several programs in 2006 to help ease their transitions away from Conquest. In addition to providing cost sharing for a variety of training courses such as forklift operator courses, first aid courses, etc, I also partnered with my Employment agency, and senior staff to offer English as a second language sessions every second Sunday through the summer months to any employee interested. When employees work at Conquest they not only acquire job experience and technical training on press brake setup and operation but also have the opportunity to improve their English skills and other acquire new skills.

I believe that business not only has responsibilities toward its clients and employees but to the larger community around it. As such I have become a member of the Emery Village Business Improvement Area Committee which attempts to improve the entire community. Last summer the committee was able to successfully lobby the Toronto municipal government to upgrade the Weston and Sheppard intersection making it safer for not only pedestrians but also allowing greater truck access. This spring the committee worked the with the Public Works department of the city of Toronto to create a Façade Improvement project whereby companies in the area that improve the exterior of their buildings are eligible for some cost sharing. I also believe that giving back to the community should not just be limited to one’s immediate surroundings; as such Conquest has become a sponsor of the Aga Khan Foundation’s Partnership Walk.  A charity in which every dollar contributed is matched by CIDA for use in funding not only schools, hospitals and other infrastructure, but also micro loan programs that foster entrepreneurship in some of the world’s poorest areas where resident would have no hope of obtaining bank financing.

The Canadian manufacturing sector is reeling under pressure from a high Canadian dollar, increasingly competitive imports, and high labour costs. However, I believe that the manufactures can emerge even stronger from this period, by using the high Canadian dollar to financing purchases of new equipment that focuses on lean, efficient production of high value products."

After his business had stabilized, Al Moloo returned to school to pursue an engineering education:

"Yeats once said , 'Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire' and I agree with him. I chose integrated engineering at Western despite its distance from my office because I felt this program would provide me not only the broad engineering tools I required to progress with my business by the inspire me to find interdisciplinary solutions to design problems I would encounter in the future."

Lorcan Kilmartin (BESc/HBA 2007)

Lorcan Kilmartin (HBA/BESc 2007) completed the Integrated Engineering and Management option with the University of Western Ontario and the Richard Ivey School of Business. Lorcan was hired out of Western to work for Credit Suisse’s Investment Banking unit at their Los Angeles office. He currently works as one of 25 investment professionals for Los Angeles based Oaktree Capital’s multi-billion dollar private equity fund, one of the largest in the world.

“Having a background in Integrated Engineering provides an advantage both at work and throughout the job interview process. Recruiters are impressed with the broad knowledge base and problem solving skills that an Integrated Engineering degree provides. Integrated Engineering’s multi-disciplinary approach allows me to analyze a multitude of technical industries at exceptional detail and depth.”

Tom Ewart (BESc/HBA 2005)

Tom Ewart is Managing Director of the Network for Business Sustainability. The Network enables business sustainability by using evidence-based knowledge to foster collaboration between research and practice. Tom has worked at the Network since its inception, helping to conceive the idea, develop funding proposals, recruit over 500 members, and manage its activities from funding research to hosting dialogue events.

Tom has taught business sustainability courses in the University of Western Ontario's Masters of Environment and Sustainability program, and in the University of Waterloo's Centre for Environment and Business.

Tom graduated from the University of Western Ontario as a gold medalist in the Engineering Faculty and as an Ivey Scholar in the Honours Bachelor Administration program.

Hélène Bisson (BESc/HBA 2005)

Hélène Bisson is a 2005 graduate of the Integrated Engineering and Management program, offered by the University of Western Ontario and the Richard Ivey School of Business.  "I chose the program because it allowed me to pursue two very complementary degrees.  The program allowed me to develop a strong set of analytical and problem solving skills, which I applied to solve challenging problems, in the fields of both engineering and business."

Following graduation, Hélène chose to pursue a career in management consulting and has worked in the Toronto, Chicago, Singapore and Hong Kong offices of Bain & Company, a top-tier global consulting firm.  Over the course of her career, Hélène has had the opportunity to advise clients across various industries, including retail, agricultural products, financial services, private equity, and industrial goods.  "When I tell people that I studied Integrated Engineering, they often ask me whether my background in engineering helps me in my current field of work.  The answer is definitely 'yes'.  Studying engineering taught me how to take a complex problem and break it down into manageable parts.  Today, I employ the same approach when working with my clients.  Furthermore, the engineering curriculum helped me to develop invaluable team skills via numerous team-based design projects." 

Ian McGreggor (BESc 2002)

Following graduation, I was employed for four months as G3 Plans and G3 Collective Training within 31 Canadian Brigade Group (CBG) HQ. I was actively involved in a rewriting of the brigade 2002/2003 campaign plan, and later in the planning and coordination of the 2002 brigade concentration at Camp Grayling MI. In Sept 2002, I was sent to the Canadian Forces School of Military Engineering, in Oromocto NB, to complete Engineer Officer Training.

On completion of my training, in April 2003, I was posted to 1 Combat Engineer Regiment (1 CER), in Edmonton Alberta, and employed as the Administration Officer of 15 Support Squadron and the acting squadron second in command. In the late summer of 2003, I coordinated forest fire fighting around Kelowna as a squadron second in command on Op PEREGRINE. My duties included the squadron personnel administration, running the squadron command post, liaison with the Kelowna Task Force HQ, and coordination of frequent heli-borne movement between the camp and the squadron area of operations.

From February 2004 until December 2004, I commanded the 1 CER Armoured Engineer Troop. During this time the troop participated in several regimental exercises, a 1 CMBG exercise, and an LFWA reserve concentration. The highlight of my time in the troop was taking ownership of the Armoured Engineer Operator (AEO) course from 4 Engineer Support Regiment (4 ESR), and establishing the troop as the new centre of excellence for armoured engineering in Canada.

From January 2005 until July 2005 I was the Operations Officer for 13 Field Squadron and the acting squadron second in command. During this time I deployed on Op NORTHERN SAPPER, a sovereignty operation (SOVOP) to Arctic Bay. During this deployment I was involved in coordination with the Air Force for the transportation of squadron stores, on CC-130 Hercules, to and from the arctic. While in the north I coordinated squadron operations and ran the squadron command post. Following the SOVOP, the squadron supported the exercise control in the validation of the 3 PPCLI Battle GRoup (BG) prior to it forming the first Canadian PRT in Afghanistan. I coordinated daily squadron activities and synchronized engineer activities with the infantry battalion that was providing the overall exercise control.

From August 2005 onward I have been employed as the Operations Officer for 11 Field Squadron. On the Brigade Training Event 2005, in addition to operating the squadron command post, I was integrated into the 1 PPCLI BG planning process as the officer in the Engineer Support Coordination Center. Following the exercise, I oversaw squadron participation in pre-deployment training and participated in planning of the Battle Group deployment. Currently I am deployed with 11 Field Squadron, TF ORION on Op ARCHER in the province of Kandahar Afghanistan. While here we will work to ensure the security of the province and help the Afghani people build the national capabilities necessary to sustain a functional nation.

(Note: "G3" is army speak for the Operations Staff of a brigade or higher formation. It is also used as the title of the senior operations officer and as a prefix to the titles of his staff.)

-Ian McGregor, February 2006

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