With an educational background in electrical engineering, a master’s in energy and environment management, and certifications from leading institutes including IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Indore, CII, GIZ and BEE, Manish Dabkara started his career early on with energy auditing firm SGS. Post this, he worked with a German government-owned company briefly. While working on these jobs, he developed an ardent desire to do more for the planet and rehabilitate it to build a greener, safer tomorrow. This led to the start of his entrepreneurial journey with EKI Energy Services Limited (EKIESL) in 2008. Over the years, the company has become a leading global carbon credit developer and supplier and has worked with more than 2,500 clients across 40 countries. Currently, Dabkara leads a team of over 180 passionate climate experts as the chairman and managing director (CMD) and chief executive officer (CEO) of the company. The company offers a comprehensive bouquet of strategic climate solutions that enable companies across the globe to reduce their carbon footprint.
According to Dabkara, “Decarbonising the power sector is crucial to meet the Paris Agreement’s target of capping global temperature at 1.5°C. This can be achieved by increasingly adopting low-carbon energy sources and climate-resilient alternatives such as wind, solar, biomass, green hydrogen, hydro, tidal and geothermal energy, which can result in a corresponding reduction in the usage of fossil fuels.” In his view, the 2070 net zero commitment is a positive step towards stabilising the climate. India’s five-fold strategy of the Panchamritas will further provide an impetus to the net zero journey with its proposals for increased usage of renewable energy.
Dabkara’s top priority for EKI is to build a safer planet with sustainable growth for society. In line with this, it will continue strategic investments in community-based projects and strengthen its backward integration initiatives. Dabkara’s most memorable assignment has been his entrepreneurial venture with EKIESL, a journey full of growth, learning and opportunities. “Each milestone of the company has been an enriching experience for me,” he says.
He strongly advocates for companies to be employee centric and, therefore, offers a dynamic work culture with zero hierarchies and plenty of opportunities for personal growth. His aim is to rehabilitate the planet and build a conducive work space that promotes the development of best-in-class climate solutions.
