Across the United Arab Emirates, students will be settling into their first trimester at university. They’ll have spent time considering what discipline or degree to study, imagining their future career.
But is the career they set out to pursue at 18-years old the one they’ll end up in? Ashish Bhole, Senior Proposal Manager at Penspen’s Abu Dhabi office knows only too well that the opportunities that present themselves throughout your career can lead you to a role you never even considered.
Growing up with his family in India, there was no question about it – he was going to be a mechanical engineer. Or so he thought.
“I was always strong in mathematics and science, so I was always going to study engineering, and thought a core discipline like mechanical engineering would serve me well. As it turns out, I was accepted into the electrical engineering stream at VJTI, one of the most prestigious colleges in India. I wasn’t sure it was going to be the right field for me, as I had chosen a reputed college over my preferred discipline, but my parents were very supportive and encouraged me to go for it. My mother actually completed her Bachelor’s degree whilst I was studying – I found that very inspirational.”
Graduating during an IT boom in 2001, Ashish soon realised his degree would provide a solid foundation for his career.
“I considered going a post-graduate course in information technology, but I was then offered an opportunity to join a graduate programme with Toyo Engineering. One of the biggest engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractors in the world.
“I hadn’t considered energy until that point. I joined as a trainee engineer in the electrical design department, and got the opportunity to work on the India’s first LNG gasification plant. I worked at site for 18-months and saw the project through from design to commissioning which was a great opportunity for a young engineer.”
Making moves
After eight years, Ashish was invited to spend time working in sales and proposals – the start of a new chapter in his career. 
“ I was among the first employees selected to move from an engineering role into a commercial function, joining the Sales and Proposals team in Toyo India – it was something they had only done in Japan and it was immediately a good fit for me. I loved working on commercials and seeing how the relationship between projects, engineering, and sales came together to provide the best response to our clients’ requests.
“I soon realised that my experience as an engineer gave me a unique perspective in Sales/Proposals function. I knew how different disciplines read the scope of work, how they understood the scope of work, how they prepare estimates. In sales or proposals, we would be focused on price and competitiveness, but when I knew the engineer’s lived experience on the ground, I could challenge the scope or assumptions. I could be more balanced and look at how realistic the client’s expectation was, and suggest ways of managing this.
“When I was on site, liaising with the client was always something I enjoyed, so the client management aspect of proposals also appealed to me.”
Having found an affinity for sales and proposals, Ashish took the opportunity to join Mott MacDonald and found himself visiting the United Arab Emirates. Was it immediately clear this was where his future lay?
“Haha, no. My first visit was in July or August for a tender clarification meeting, and it was around 45 degrees. I thought, ‘maybe this isn’t the region for me!’,” said Ashish.
“When I got home, an opportunity came up in Abu Dhabi, and I thought ‘actually, why not?’. I realised the move would allow me to explore a new market after spending 12 years in India. So I moved to Abu Dhabi in 2014, and four years later, I got the chance to work with Penspen and realised working for Penspen would give me the opportunity to work on major international tenders for clients in the Middle East, Africa and Europe. I’ve been here eight years now, and I have worked on some truly fascinating energy projects.
“The move to Abu Dhabi was a smooth experience for me and my family and we love living here. One of the things Abu Dhabi has given me is ‘my time’ outside of work. I love sports and I play cricket every weekend, it’s a real passion for me.”
Looking to the future
So, from electrical engineer to proposals manager – does Ashish feel his career has taken the right path?
“People see proposals as repetitive work, but that means they aren’t approaching it correctly,” said Ashish.
“Every bid must be interpreted individually, every client has different requirements, and every bid is an opportunity for us to be better. I enjoy presenting to leadership, and our clients’ leadership, on our strategy and proposals – it’s never dull!”
From the India’s first LNG gasification plant, Ashish has seen the market evolve and is excited for the next stage of his career.
“I feel fortunate to work at Penspen as the Middle East progresses more energy transition projects. We have extensive global experience in hydrogen, CO2 and green ammonia projects, and I think as more of these projects progress in the Middle East, they will be interesting proposals to work on,” he said.
“I also see the shift in how this function operates. When I began, we had to produce several hard copies of proposals that we would wrap on a desk and deliver to the client by hand. Now everything is digitalised, with submissions streamlined through online portals. It’s much more efficient. I remember once submitted a CD as part of a bid and the client phoned to say there was nothing on the disk! Thankfully we had a hard copy, but I don’t miss that. On several occasions, we carried hard copy bids all the way to the client’s office, only to receive a tender extension. Our graduates now find that such a strange concept.”
A full circle moment
Having benefitted from a graduate programme early in his career, Ashish is now keen to support the development of Penspen’s early-career engineers.
“We have an excellent graduate programme in the Middle East at Penspen. The exposure our graduates get to a full spectrum of services and markets is unmatched,” he said.
“I’m fortunate to work with several talented young professionals, including Emiratis who are exploring career opportunities within the proposals function. Supporting their development and showing how technical expertise can be combined with commercial strategy is particularly rewarding. I believe that proposal management is an excellent career path for future Emirati talent and other young professionals looking to develop a broad understanding of our industry while contributing directly to business success”
“Everyone likes to be efficient in their work and see a direct return on their efforts. But one of the realities of the proposal profession is that significant portion of your efforts may not result in a win. That can be frustrating at times, especially when you’ve invested significant efforts over time. Obviously, the results are not entirely in our hands. I’ve learned to focus on delivering the best possible submission. The role teaches you patience, and the ability to play a long game, and when a major win does come through, it makes all the effort worthwhile.”
“I may not have intended to have a career in proposals when I started college, but looking back I can honestly say the journey has been incredibly fulfilling and look forward to the projects ahead in the MEA region.”
- Find out more about Penspen’s full project lifecycle services at ADIPEC 2026. Visit us in Hall 8, stand 8550, to learn more about our Emirati Graduate Programme and how you can engineer the future of energy.
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