Architect Behzad Kharas, Founder of The BNK Group, shares how he bridged the gap between creativity and execution, building one of India’s foremost design-and-build firms driven by innovation, speed, and sustainability.
By Amber Dias
When Architect Behzad Kharas launched The BNK Group, his mission was simple yet ambitious, to bridge the longstanding disconnect between inspired design and its flawless execution. What began as a response to this industry gap has evolved into a leading design-and-build practice shaping India’s luxury interiors, hospitality, and healthcare spaces. In this candid conversation, he opens up about early challenges, his philosophy on leadership and profitability, and the future of “responsible luxury” in an ever-evolving Indian market.
Excerpts from the interview…
When you founded The BNK Group, what gap in the market were you aiming to address?
When I started the company, I realised there was a lack of professionals who could translate great design into reality as a single solution provider. This translation was missing, and I decided to address this gap. That is how the design-andbuild business model began in luxury residential interiors. Today, we continue to address the same gap across different sectors, including hospitality and healthcare interiors.
What were some of the earliest challenges you faced in building your firm, and how did you overcome them?
Challenges came in all forms, starting with acceptance of the idea itself. Historically, clients would purchase materials on their own and get the work done through labour. They assumed we would compromise on the quality of materials, and so on. Contractors would bill randomly without any system. We didn’t have set systems to manage work orders, no processes, no right people, and the list went on, all the way to cash flow issues, as clients wouldn’t pay when we needed them to. Anyway, after 16 years filled with many successes and even more failures, I firmly believe that people and processes are what truly change the way we work, and when those are in place, most challenges automatically fade away.
Architecture is often seen as more artistic than commercial. How do you balance design innovation with business profitability?
While architecture and interiors are considered professions — like those of doctors, lawyers, and accountants — I believe that we are in the business of creativity. As professionals, we all look at profit and loss, and therefore, we are automatically in a business. Many designers focus solely on the creative aspect, as that is the core of this profession and what we are taught in design school. However, what we are not taught is how to convert or monetise our creative endeavours. For us, design always comes first, followed by the build or execution phase.
Creativity is a tangible asset, but its physical manifestation is often considered a non-tangible asset. People tend to pay more for non-tangible assets or products than for tangible services. We have built a revenue model that is fundamentally profitable, while still being driven by creativity in every endeavour.
How do you differentiate your business in the highly competitive architecture and design market?
Being relevant is the key to continued success in any creative professional service, be it an architect or an actor. Your designs have to reflect the time we live in, and at times, even stay ahead of it. Systemisation of design and project execution, through clear agreements and the aid of technology, help us remain efficient, different, and competitive.
I constantly ask myself, “Why should a client give me business and not my peer? What are we doing differently that makes clients want to keep coming back to us?” When we start finding answers to these questions, we begin implementing new ideas that our peers may not be exploring. Today, our main USP is: Good Design, Great Detail, Exceptional Speed. If you’re able to design and deliver a project in record time, sustained growth naturally follows.
As a business leader, how do you approach building and retaining a strong creative team?
As mentioned earlier, people are what we see as an investment. Salaries are not costs, they are investments. We are in the business of human resources. Good talent leads to good output and great revenue. It’s that simple.
While culture within the organisation builds loyalty and trust among employees, rewards and recognition build aspiration. Financial appraisals come last, but they are still crucial. I’ve always believed that whether or not the company is profitable today, you must ensure your team is well taken care of, because sooner or later, it will pay off. We are currently focused on upskilling long-time team members to take on greater responsibilities, through training, leadership programmes, employee benefits, and being empathetic to their needs. This is what’s helping us build a bigger, stronger team.
What values or principles guide your leadership style?
Being humble, honest, and humane are my three core inner values. I imbibe these and strive to impart them to all my colleagues and employees at work. At times, I am like a father or brother to them, and at other times, the stern headmaster.
Being self-critical is such an important quality. As a boss, you may often believe you’re right, but if you start recognising your mistakes, accepting them, owning them, acknowledging them, and apologising, you grow as a leader. This not only shows maturity but also demonstrates that you are being reasonable and fair. Never being influenced by just one side of a story or forming opinions based on limited information helps maintain a balanced sense of judgment. This allows you to make better-informed decisions.
How do changing real estate and urban development trends in India influence your business decisions?
Trends don’t always translate into opportunities. They are indicators, signals of which direction to explore, especially if you’re not already involved in that space. For example, post-COVID, the hospitality business in India has seen a massive surge in the number of hotels being opened, driven purely by domestic tourism and business travel. Ironically, this same sector was on the verge of bankruptcy during the pandemic. Trends shift constantly and are purely indicative.
We recognised this opportunity and built an international team of designers operating from our Dubai office, working on top-tier hospitality projects.
The same applies to the healthcare sector, which will always remain in demand due to the average quality of healthcare infrastructure in smaller towns. That presents a clear opportunity. We are currently exploring how to modularise healthcare design for faster implementation at a lower cost.
What new opportunities do you see in luxury interiors and architecture as the Indian consumer evolves?
Today, we talk about “responsible luxury” — luxury that is rooted in climate consciousness and cost-efficiency. It’s about exploring ideas and products that have the least impact on the Earth’s energy resources and are sustainable in their usage. Now, it’s no longer about the most expensive fabric or marble; it’s more about what is truly needed.
How has sustainability and green building impacted the business side of your practice?
We look at sustainability as sustenance, not just a buzzword. We ask: Which products are well-engineered to withstand the test of time, use the least energy to produce, and consume minimal energy during their lifecycle? What best design practices can we integrate into our projects — such as passive cooling and the use of locally available materials? Efficiency in design and operational functionality is a key factor in achieving true sustainability.
Where do you see The BNK Group in the next decade?
I dream of — and am actively working toward — a roadmap where BNK becomes India’s first design-and-build company to be listed on the BSE with a ₹1,000 crore valuation.
What advice would you give young architects who want to succeed not just as designers, but as entrepreneurs?
Don’t let your passion kill you!
