The young man who landed on the shores of the Sultanate 34 years ago with raw passion and big dreams “not just to earn a livelihood but to make a mark” set up a construction and contracting company and pumped in unwavering commitment and total dedication to mould it into the award-winning, internationally recognised integrated engineering construction services firm it is today.
What else did it take?
The easy, simple habit he has got accustomed to since his college days as well, of course. It helped him do extra 20 years of eight-hour workdays.
“During my college days I woke at the crack of dawn to study. This has become a force of habit that has instilled in me tremendous discipline. Even today, I am up in the wee hours to plan and be well-prepared for the day ahead. To satisfy my curiosity, I even calculated the extra time I gained by doing that each day. Adding up these hours in the last 40 years or so, I estimate that I have worked extra 20-22 years of eight-hour workdays! It is true that the quietest hours of daybreak are the perfect time for self-reflection and personal growth. My best advice to young aspiring entrepreneurs would be to wake up early feeling inspired, focused, and charged with the drive to make the most out of each day. This is what I’ve tried to inculcate in my team as well, in order to harness their latent potential and channelise it productively,” Dr. Thomas Alexander says.
Dr. Alexander’s Al Adrak Contracting has set a strong footprint in the country having completed many landmark projects across the country over the last 30 years.
“Success is not a destination for me. It is a journey; a journey undertaken every single day.”Dr. Thomas Alexander
He arrived on the shores of Oman on March 23, 1986, harbouring a great hope for the future.
“Oman those days was a difficult terrain to navigate. Roads were few and far between and modes of transportation and communication were scarce. Just a year prior to my arrival here, the devaluation in 1985 had set back the economy. Naysayers notwithstanding, as a young entrepreneur with big dreams in my eyes and fuelled by raw passion, I set forth not merely to earn a livelihood but to make a mark in this incredible land abounding with opportunities,” Alexander recalls.
From humble beginnings with consistent hard work, dedication and an eye for the future, Alexander built Al Adrak into an award-winning, internationally recognized integrated engineering construction services firm.
“Under the astute guidance of the late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, the economy of Oman flourished, and the landscape underwent tremendous transformation. Giant strides were made in infrastructure development and we witnessed rapid construction of roads that improved connectivity across the country, bridging remote locations with the burgeoning cities. From that time in history until now Al Adrak has played a vital role in essaying Oman’s growth story over the past three decades.
We take great pride in our nation-building initiatives and endeavour to support the vision of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to take the Sultanate of Oman to greater heights,” he notes.
“Al Adrak was built from the ground up with passion, dedication and unwavering commitment. My family and friends at Al Adrak are my pillars of strength who motivate me to surge ahead with renewed vigour and enthusiasm each day,” he says.
According to Dr. Alexander, the country needs more than one million affordable homes and Al Adrak aim to bring investment to such developments. “Profit is not the driving factor for such services…the inclination to provide a better quality of life and improve the welfare of society is our core guiding principle,” he says.
Dr. Alexander touched gold in whatever he has started. Recently, he opened Adlife Hospital at Al Amerat to provide affordable healthcare with the highest quality service to the citizens and residents of Oman.
“Through our unique offerings, we hope to give back to society and to this great nation which nurtured my passion and gave wings to my dreams,” he says.
A few months back Dr. Alexander made headlines in prominent news media after he dedicated his 68-bed multispecialty hospital to the Ministry of Health as a quarantine facility to treat Covid-19 patients in the country. “We were preparing for the hospital inauguration and that’s when Covid-19 outbreak started. I have been in Oman for over 30 years. This country is my home. This is the place that made me who I am today. In this pandemic crisis, it is my duty to help in my own way,” he says.
Alexander also has a message for people fighting many battles in life especially during the pandemic. “Life may throw unexpected curveballs such as this Covid-19 pandemic, but it is important to stay strong through every situation and strive to convert challenges into opportunities for the greater good,” he says.
“On this glorious occasion of the 50th National Day of the Sultanate of Oman, Al Adrak family would like to wish the citizens and residents of our beloved nation all happiness, peace and prosperity, now and always,” he adds.
