Since 2009, alum Sheela Maini has been quietly building the organizational backbone that allows one of the world’s most innovative creative firms to thrive. While designers imagine bold visions, she focuses on the systems and strategic foundation that make those ideas achievable.

Seventeen years, one global creative powerhouse, and countless landmark projects later, Sheela still says she is not a designer. Yet as CEO, she has been designing something just as vital: the operating blueprint that enables the company to grow, evolve, and deliver on the world’s audacious design challenges. While architects sketch skylines, she engineers how the organization functions, collaborates, and succeeds.

In this interview, Sheela explains how she supports world-changing work by balancing creativity, strategy, and disciplined execution.

Your role has evolved over the years. How do you describe what you do?

I have been here for 17 years. I initially joined as CFO and became CEO the following year. My responsibilities have shifted as the company has scaled, but one thing has remained constant: our founding partner leads creative direction, while I lead the design of the organization itself.

I am not involved in architectural design. Instead, I’m responsible for profit and loss, operations, systems, and the infrastructure that allows our creative talent to do their best work.

What is the biggest challenge of leading a creative organization?

Leading a company founded on creativity comes with a unique tension. Our mission is to create places, spaces, and destinations that improve people’s lives. But delivering the best possible creative output does not always align perfectly with time and budget constraints.

Every ambitious idea must be shaped within real boundaries. Without budgets, schedules, and measurable expectations, no project would ever come to life. So the greatest challenge is also the greatest responsibility: protecting creativity while honoring the constraints that make execution possible.

Another personal challenge has been stepping away from daily decision-making. As we grew, I needed to trust the exceptional leaders we brought in and empower them to shape the organization. Shifting from daily control to strategic oversight has been an adjustment.

The second challenge is preserving the heart of the firm—our identity and DNA—as we expand globally. Growth is wonderful, but culture must grow with it.

What still excites you about your work?

I still get energized by the new opportunities we pursue. I love evaluating potential partnerships, entering new markets, and deciding which challenges to go after next.

Years ago, we created a list of dream projects we wanted to achieve before retirement. One was winning an airport—and we secured our first one in Zurich two years ago. It’s a massive undertaking, especially since the new facility must be constructed while the existing terminal stays active. It is now in design and scheduled for completion in 2035.

We also recently broke ground on our first stadium project in Las Vegas—another long-term goal. Each new competition teaches us something, helping us sharpen our approach over time.

Even though you’re not an architect, you must have personal favorites. What projects stand out?

It’s always difficult to choose because every building is the way it is for a reason. But a few projects hold special meaning.

One is a small project: a gymnasium built at our founding partner’s former school in Copenhagen. The roof is curved using the same mathematical formula as the arc of a ball being thrown. It’s an elegant detail most people may never notice, yet it transforms the courtyard into play spaces students naturally gravitate to.

Another favorite is our Via residential building in New York, a project that helped establish our presence in the United States. It resembles a sloped wedge, creating a central courtyard shared by residents. I love it not just for the architecture but because it marked a major shift in our journey and coincided with my relocation to New York.

I’m speaking to you today from our studio in Copenhagen—a building we designed, financed, and built ourselves. It is not enormous, but it represents who we are and how we work. I was deeply involved in its development, and since it is home to our team every day, it remains close to my heart.

What is the best advice you received early in your career?

Some of the best guidance I received was about communication. I work with highly visual thinkers, so the clarity of how I present ideas—whether in a document or a slide deck—can shape entire decisions. I learned never to overcrowd a page and always be intentional with structure.

Another partner often challenged me with a simple question: “What’s the so-what?” It pushed me to focus not just on the information but on the meaning behind it.

Has the alumni network helped your career?

Absolutely. Early in my career, I worked for several alumni, and the network opened doors that might not have been available otherwise.

People understood the problem-solving skills and experience that alumni bring even after only a short time at the firm. That recognition accelerated the opportunities I received and helped shape my career trajectory.

What is your favorite city to get lost in?

New York remains my favorite city to roam. I lived there for eight years, so it feels familiar, yet it constantly reinvents itself. Even in neighborhoods I knew well, I still discover something new every time I return.

New York can be challenging and overwhelming, but its energy is unforgettable—and once it becomes part of you, it’s hard to let it go.

What inspires you outside of the office?

I read a lot, listen to podcasts, and watch films and shows with my three children—it’s an easy way for us to share time and conversations that matter at their stage of life.

Right now, I am particularly inspired by British nutrition expert Louise Parker, whose work has influenced me for more than a decade.

Later today, I’m taking a class in ocean kayaking. I turn 50 soon and have been thinking about what kind of 50-year-old I want to become. I want to spend more time practicing things that are simply good for me.