Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
I thrive at the intersection of technology and innovation within the automotive landscape. With over 14.5 years of experience across heavy machinery and automotive industries both internal combustion engines (ICE) and electric. I have had the privilege of working with some amazing companies like Ather Energy, Isuzu, Volvo Group, Daimler and TATA Hitachi. My journey has taken me from India to Japan, where I honed my skills in project management and product development while earning my MBA from IIM Calcutta. Leading teams to success is one of my greatest joys. At Ather Energy, I guide a talented group of planners to align our development planning with company wide goals. It’s rewarding to see how our collective efforts translate into impactful products that drive sustainability forward. Previously at UD Trucks, I defined project scopes and delivered new product initiatives that not only met complex timelines but also addressed critical compliance needs for markets like Japan. The most exciting part of my career was delivering large scale vehicle projects while managing a portfolio during my time at Daimler Truck Asia and UD Trucks. Seeing these projects come to life was both challenging and exhilarating. Additionally, my early days at Tata Hitachi taught me the importance of lean production strategies; implementing these helped improve performance metrics significantly across various domains. Beyond work, I'm passionate about sharing knowledge whether it's mentoring young professionals or engaging with community initiatives focused on sustainability. If you’re interested in discussing collaboration opportunities or sharing insights about the automotive industry feel free to reach out via email! Skills: Project Management | Product Development | Operations Strategy | Lean Production | Six Sigma | Cross-Functional Collaboration | New Product Development (NPD)
• Lead and mentor a team of planners to drive org-level development planning initiatives. • Defined FY26 Development Planning OKRs aligned with company-wide goals. • Managed cross-functional and cross P&L project milestones, called out enterprise risks, and supported agile scenario planning with product teams. • Reported development status to leadership and aligned on key issue resolution. • Conducted resource planning pilot and proposals to optimize utilization. • Support Change Implementation Board chair to drive product updates in sustenance phase and implement change bundling to reduce production disruptions and repeated homologation, tracked via KPIs.
(Part of Isuzu - Volvo Group) • Defined project scope and business cases for new product initiatives, securing leadership approval. • Delivered key NPD programs with complex scope and critical timeline for Japan and developed markets like cybersecurity compliance for Japan market and platform development for next gen HDT. • Completed pre-study and signed Volvo–Isuzu Alliance agreement to co-develop next-gen E/E architecture targeting next generation Heavy Duty ICE and BEV trucks. • Led organization-wide material cost improvement program from study to execution and oversaw $3M+ material cost reduction. • Developed master schedules and managed project financials reporting. • Coordinated with R&D and supplier management to ensure timely proto/series parts and successful PPAP completion.
• Defined product strategy and lead Portfolio Management in close collaboration with leadership team for export markets having total business volume of $2 billion • Successfully delivered (PL) Vehicle projects worth $ 73 million to develop LDT truck for Russia , Europe and Turkey market • “LCM Excellence Award” for exemplary work done in PMO office • Reported overall project quality gate status with financial summary (Budget, Unit cost, CM, DCVA, Payback calculations) to top management • Responsible to drive monthly Product Executive Committee meetings and briefed to management
• Managed new product development projects with cross functional team • Devised and implemented lean production strategies with Mckinsey to improve performance across safety, quality, lead time, sourcing costs, indirect mfg. cost, TPM deployment and enable capacity expansion • Managed kaizen projects to improve the factories’ productivity and achieved annual cost saving of $ 0.97 Million in 2015 • Ramped up production of new model 470GI (47T excavator) to achieve 60% increase in production • “Kaamyambi award” for exemplary efforts in energy conservation and winning ENCON award from CII
• Accomplished new product introduction of backhoe loaders in Pune territory achieving 100% YOY sales growth with revenue of $ 6.9 Million • Trained 15 dealer employees on product features and customer interaction in “Wheeled Vertical” segment • Commended at Hitachi Global awards for exemplifying brand