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Vijay Kavasseri, operations director at Musanadah Facilities Management: Each week, My Morning Routine looks at how a successful member of the community starts their day — and then throws in a couple of random business questions just for fun. Speaking to us this week is Vijay Kavasseri (LinkedIn), operations director at Musanadah Facilities Management.

I’m Vijay Kavasseri, operations director at Musanadah Facilities Management and a fellow of the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM). I’ve spent over 20 years in the facilities management (FM) sector across the GCC, focused on operational strategy, client management, and service delivery. My work is driven by passion for operational excellence, team development, and continuous improvement in integrated FM solutions.

At Musanadah, I lead operations across the Kingdom, managing a team of more than 1.7k professionals. I oversee delivery, client relationships, and the overall performance of our operations. In 2024, our efforts were recognized when we were named Best FM Company in Saudi Arabia at the SBIS Awards.

We are scaling our operations at several major Vision 2030 developments, including AlUla, Jeddah Port, and King Abdullah Economic City. We’ve recently launched a new sustainability and energy optimization division, expanded our computer-aided facilities management capabilities, and are getting ready to launch a full-service home and property maintenance offering across the Kingdom.

Continuous improvement, curiosity, and resilience define my approach. I champion knowledge-sharing across the team and building a culture of performance benchmarking, pushing us to exceed expectations and deliver real results. I’m particularly interested in how IoT and predictive maintenance tools can transform FM. These insights help me drive smarter, more scalable, and sustainable service models across our operations.

Discipline remains a core constant in my personality. Whether it’s through structured team meetings or strategic planning, I believe preparation drives performance. Consistency in planning and execution helps drive performance and builds trust with clients and my team. That preparation and reliability are what keep us ready to deliver under pressure.

“It’s all about people”: Facilities management is built on relationships, and by focusing on trust and long-term partnerships, we’ve achieved near 100% client retention and growth that’s triple the market rate. It’s a simple but powerful reminder that people always come first.

Each morning starts at 7am. I have a short 15-minute commute to work, during which I listen to spiritual music to start the day feeling calm and centered. Once I’m at the office, I touch base with my core leadership team. It helps align priorities and ensure we are supporting frontline operations effectively.

My days are typically a mix of strategic reviews, client meetings, and performance monitoring. Staying current with FM industry news and regional developments is part of my routine. We rely on data, feedback, and trend analysis to adapt and improve. I try to remain accessible to the team and lead by example, always with an eye toward long-term value and consistency.

In the evenings, I usually head to the gym for an hour and then play 30 minutes of table tennis to help me stay sharp. After that, it’s dinner and downtime with a show on Netflix, Amazon, or StarzOn. I’m usually in bed by 10:30pm.

For work-life balance, I stay physically active. I like hiking in the Kingdom’s mountains, playing table tennis, and hitting the gym regularly. Being outdoors clears my mind, table tennis keeps me sharp, and time with my family is the best kind of reset. These activities keep me grounded and bring clarity to my thinking.

One book that’s stuck with me is Open, the autobiography of tennis legend Andre Agassi. It is honest, raw, and motivational. He opens up about everything — hair loss, marital struggles, pressure from his father — and how he dealt with it all. The biggest takeaway for me was the importance of resilience. That message continues to influence the way I approach challenges, both in work and in life.

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