Raju Lal has oil in his blood. After working at Hindustan Petroleum Corporation, an Indian public sector oil company, and now as a team member of Ernst & Young’s oil and gas vertical, Lal certainly knows the industry.

And because the oil industry is one currently in the spotlight, Lal has been in demand. In fact, Lal recently lent his analysis expertise to publications Business Standard and Businessworld, where he offered his views on the high price of crude oil and the possible future of those prices.

But Lal knows more than oil—he knows business, too, and does double duty with Ernst. As a partner in the firm’s new Business Advisory Services practice, it’s clear Ernst is headed back full force in the consulting direction. In leading the BAS team, he is considered an expert in business process improvement, supply chain management and strategic cost management. In addition, under his leadership, the practice has more than quadrupled its size and client roster within a year’s time, according to nominator and fellow consultant Vishal Sharma, who, like Lal, is based in India.

“We have been going full throttle in bringing the BAS practice into being over the last year,” Lal says.

Even though the BAS practice is young, Lal knows Ernst will put the needed resources into it, he says, explaining, “Ernst & Young has always encouraged superior performance and continually evolved itself in the methods of working to bring what is the best value to our clients and communities we serve.”

Like most consultants, an average day for Lal is a busy one. “A typical day is all about corporate client meetings, proposal/project reviews with the team, recruitment and training planning, [and] interaction with fellow partners on opportunities and initiatives,” he says.

What might be most impressive about Lal’s contributions to the consulting world is the limited time he’s had to make them. After working at Hindustan, which employed the services of Arthur Andersen, Lal learned more about the consulting world, and only joined Ernst’s ranks in 2000.

In his off hours, Lal treasures his time with family. “From the heavy work routine, it is extremely important to be rightly productive, to preserve the energy and recuperate. This I do, through my two young sons, talking to them and spending my time with my family and parents. I take an annual vacation during the festival season to relax, rejoice and be with myself and family.”

When asked about his plans for the future, Lal says he’s putting his energy into BAS. “At this stage, my five-year goal would be to help build the new BAS practice of Ernst & Young to one of a global scale where we are recognized as leaders worldwide in this business.”

But he’s not only looking out for his future—he’s concerned about those just starting at Ernst, too. “Ernst & Young is committed to making a difference to its clients and society at large,” he says. “In the recipe for success of our business, success of each member is a key ingredient. Therefore, when someone joins us with energy and passion for the work one wants to do, one should be sure that leadership here shall take care to assist them in achieving their potential.”