Be Like Water: Milind Nirmal’s Vision for DB Engineering & Consulting in the Asia-Pacific Region

From Engineer to Regional Leader: A Journey of Growth, Resilience, and Impact

Milind Nirmal’s career trajectory isn’t your typical story of childhood dreams meticulously planned and pursued. Instead, it’s a story of chance, resilience, and an entrepreneurial spirit that transformed him from a civil engineering graduate in India into one of the key figures leading DB Engineering & Consulting’s (DB E&C) strategy in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region.

“I became an engineer almost by chance,” Milind recalls. “After finishing school in India, I was quite undecided about my future. I applied to various programs and eventually chose civil engineering.” That decision set him on a path that would take him from small, community-led projects in India to leading the operations of one of the world’s most respected rail infrastructure companies across an entire region.

Serendipitous Journeys: From the University of Stuttgart to Deutsche Bahn and Beyond

After earning his undergraduate degree, Milind’s first hands-on experience with project work came through the church diocese, working on community halls partially funded by Brot für die Welt. “That was my first connection to Germany,” he explains. It eventually led to a scholarship to pursue a Master’s in Infrastructure Planning at the University of Stuttgart.

It was during his time there that Milind first encountered Deutsche Bahn. “One of our professors, who taught railway engineering basics, was from DE-Consult, one of DB E&C's predecessor organizations. That was my first contact point with DB, but not yet when I started my career at the company.”

Years later, after gaining extensive experience in the private sector, a recruitment consultant reached out to him about DB. “They were looking for someone to head their India operations,” he says. “I was invited for an interview at Nordbahnhof, Berlin.”

Milind laughs as he recalls, “I remember thinking it was quite remarkable to fly 8,000 kilometers for a two-hour interview. But for me, it was actually a good sign - that this was necessary. Even today, when most hiring is done through video calls, I believe in the value of face-to-face meetings.” A few weeks later, he got the call that would change his career. DB wanted to proceed.

Laying the Groundwork and building DB E&C India: From One Person to a 600-Strong Team

“When I joined DB E&C, there was no formal office in India - just a project office for a KFW project,” Milind explains. “I was the first employee.” He spent his first year laying the groundwork for DB E&C’s presence in India, often handling everything himself. “I did everything - photocopying, typing, binding, postage,” he says. “We started very modestly.”

It wasn’t until February 2013 that Milind presented a formal strategy paper for DB E&C’s India expansion. “It took exactly one year for DB AG to approve opening a branch,” he shares. From there, things began to accelerate. After winning the Kochi Metro project - a major breakthrough - Milind and his growing team moved into their first real office in 2015. By 2016, they secured one of DB International’s largest international projects at the time, a major freight corridor worth six to seven million euros.

“From one person working from home, we’ve grown to about 600 people in India,” Milind says proudly. “And that growth hasn’t stopped.”

Design Center India: From Bold Experiment to Strategic Asset

One of Milind’s most visionary achievements has been the establishment of DB E&C’s Design Center India, an initiative he planned from the very beginning. “The Design Center was part of my original strategic plan when I joined in 2014,” he explains. It began as a small, experimental team of five people working on KIB projects.

“It required some evaluation,” Milind admits. “But we got the ‘go’ to proceed, and eventually, the Design Center grew to around 300 colleagues.” It took some time, to achieve success and it was done in collaboration with Germany East and now has become an integral part of DB E&C’s operations, delivering high-quality design work not only for India but for international projects as well.

In the strategic plan, Milind had proposed that DB enters the rail operations and maintenance market in India. The turning point came at InnoTrans 2018. During discussions with NCRTC about the Delhi Semi High-Speed Corridor, DB placed a successful bid in 2020. “This project required some exceptional team work and restructuring of our organisation,” he says. Eventually, DB RRTS was established to operate the Delhi Meerut Rapid Transity System unit, while the Design Center was shifted back to the branch and continued to support DB E&C’s global operations.

Bridging Cultures: Balancing German Precision with APAC Agility

Milind recalls a moment early in his leadership that taught him an important lesson about balancing local knowledge with global processes. “There was a situation where I had a clear sense of what was needed to make a competitive bid,” he explains. However, when he submitted his proposal, it was met with pushback. “The commercial team insisted on sticking to their standard margins, despite my concerns,” Milind shares, "We ended up losing by exactly the amount I had warned about. Later, someone told me – half-joking, half-serious – ‘When you’re preparing a bid, never  let the commercial guys take the final decision.’” It’s a line that has stuck with him ever since. “That moment really reinforced the importance of trusting local market expertise and understanding the nuances that can make or break opportunities,” he says.

Embracing the 'Be Like Water' Philosophy: Adaptation in Complex Markets

Milind embraces Bruce Lee’s philosophy of "be like water" in his leadership approach. “When you encounter an obstacle, you flow around it and find your way to your destination,” he explains. “It’s not just about having more people or bigger revenue - it’s about the quality and significance of our work.”. Water can be gentle, finding it’s way, or it can be truly powerful, like the ocean, or a Tsunami.

This mindset has guided DB E&C’s involvement in India’s first high-speed rolling stock verification project. Originally, India’s high-speed line was expected to use Japanese Shinkansen trains. But after negotiations stalled, the government decided to have a local manufacturer develop a trainset within two years. “DB was selected as the design verification engineer because of our brand reputation and expertise,” Milind says. “This project perfectly illustrates how we’re choosing work that brings value to DB and is professionally fulfilling.”

Harnessing DB E.C.O. Group Synergies: Scaling End-to-End Solutions Across APAC

Milind believes in the strength of DB E&C’s connection to the broader DB E.C.O. Group. “We actively promote the operations and maintenance capabilities of DB IO to our clients,” he says. He cites examples in Thailand and Kuala Lumpur, where DB E&C’s business development created platforms for operational services. “We made it clear to the client that while we’re the engineering part of DB E.C.O. Group, we also have an ‘O’ part through DB IO for operations.”

The Human Factor: Putting People First at DB E&C

Milind reflects on DB’s culture with appreciation. “Looking back, DB is probably the best company I’ve worked for - and 80% of that is because of the people,” he says. “There’s a genuine feeling of collegiality that goes beyond business. It’s about friendships, communication, and culture.”

He acknowledges that maintaining this culture as the organization grows is a challenge, but it remains a priority. “Our employee satisfaction surveys in APAC consistently show high scores, particularly in areas like the desire to continue working with DB, future outlook, and work atmosphere.”

The Future of Rail in APAC: A Region on the Move

Milind is optimistic about the future of rail in APAC. “There’s significant investment in rail infrastructure across Southeast Asia,” he notes. DB E&C recently won its first project in the Philippines, a market they had never entered before. He also points to Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia as growth markets where DB’s brand recognition is strong.

“In India, the demand for international consultants and expatriate staff has decreased as local expertise has developed. We’re focusing on supporting and training our own experts,” Milind says. The region’s product mix is also changing, with increased demand for operations, maintenance, and new technologies like GoA4 and CBTC.

Defining DB E&C in APAC: Diversity, Speed, Innovation, Relationships, Culture

Milind sums up DB E&C’s APAC identity with five keywords: “Diversity, Speed, Innovation, Relationships, and Culture. Every market is different - from Singapore to Thailand to Korea. The pace of development here is unmatched globally,” he says. “And while APAC clients push for state-of-the-art solutions, they also value relationships and flexibility in ways that are different from the West.”

A Legacy in the Making: Leading with Vision, Integrity, and People First

As Milind looks to the future, his priorities are clear. “People are more important than business,” he says. “It’s about deciding your priorities and being like water - flexible, adaptable, and going where you require the least effort to reach maximum impact.” When people are happy, excited and motivated, they perform better, and the business automatically does well when the energy of teams are harnessed.

Milind’s journey from accidental engineer to regional leader stands as a testament to adaptability, cultural intelligence, and visionary leadership. As he leads DB E&C through its next phase of growth in APAC, his story offers valuable lessons on the importance of blending strategy with humanity – and the power of staying fluid in a complex, fast-moving world.