Rajesh Kumar: Bringing 20+ Years Of Experience And Expertise In The Automotive Domain
Rajesh Kumar
Managing Director
Considering this, Rajesh Kumar, who is the current Managing Director at AVX Electronics Sensing and Control India Pvt. Ltd, has been truly justifying the leadership word with his 20+ years of experience and expertise in the Automotive domain. With respect to that, Rajesh has 13 years of working experience with Bosch which is the largest Automotive supplier globally. Also, he has worked with Mahindra & Mahindra, which is one of the largest Automobile OEMs in India. Furthermore, he has also worked with Spark Minda, Ashok Minda group, in Indiaone of the leading Automotive companies and among others.
In conversation with, Rajesh Kumar - MD - AVX Electronics Sensing and Control India.
Kindly enumerate on major points/ factors about your professional journey that you would like us to highlight in the article.
Basically, an Electronics engineer by qualification, started my career with some start-up companies in consumer electronics in my initial years. After which took over as an Electronics Hardware engineer at Bosch, where worked on Automotive Electronics development for the earliest electronic fuel injection engine systems for Emerging markets Automobile OEMs. Thereon moved to various functions within Bosch and moved up in role and responsibilities in areas of product development, Business Development and overall system program management for various products – both Diesel and Gasoline Engine Management Systems for various Automobile OEMs.
I have also been exposed towards handling various roles and responsibilities in both International and Domestic environment and acquired much corporate experience in handling strategic business management/development, program management, core design, R&D, Engineering, to name a few. Further years, I had opportunities to work with Automobile OEMs like Mahindra & Mahindra under Powertrain Division of the Auto Sector and then with the leading Automotive organisations like the
Spark Minda(Ashok Minda Group). Presently, I handle the overall Business P&L responsibility at AVX India, from product development, sales and marketing, to manufacturing operations and the last-mile delivery.
All these years in my career, have been handling various Automobile products such as Automotive electronics, Diesel and Gasoline fuel injection Engine systems and components, driver information / instrument clusters, and Sensor and Control / Actuators.
Give us brief details about your educational and professional background. Also, explain about your current role & responsibilities at AVX Electronics and how are you leveraging the best of these elements across your company’s operations?
Every organization that I’ve worked for is related to the automotive engineering space. I bring in my decades of experience in this field to responsibly handle the overall leadership role of handling end-to-end product development, sales and marketing, program management, manufacturing operations, and engineering. We carry out our overall and plant operations in Delhi NCR area and we do have an Engineering tech-center at Bangalore location. I have been leveraging every bit of the experience that have obtained in my long career. I have gathered every needed information and operational methodologies that are related to the automotive industry. So, all these experiences and expertise have significantly aided me in my present role in AVX Electronics.
What were the major challenges that you encountered during your professional journey till date? Tell us in respect to your current role in AVX Electronics.
I joined AVX Electronics India during the start of this year and soon after had to face the COVID-19 outbreak effect and thereby had to undergo the impact, also due to the nationwide lockdown. Our company was also shut down for almost one and half months, by which our Business was heavily impacted as any other company undergone during that time, though we had to take this for health safety of everyone. Thereafter, we slowly started rejuvenating our operations from the month of May.
Although we have been heavily impacted during the Q1 phase, but however, we are witnessing a good amount of business recovery in the recent months. We are expecting to do quite well in the ongoing quarter Q3 and the upcoming Q4 as well coupled with strong demand from the market. We had to, and we are still re-aligning all our internal activities and spending according to the present Business situation and the forecast. Overall, we can impart
All these years in my career, have been handling various Automobile products such as Automotive electronics, Diesel and Gasoline fuel injection Engine systems and components, driver information / instrument clusters, and Sensor and Control / Actuators.
Give us brief details about your educational and professional background. Also, explain about your current role & responsibilities at AVX Electronics and how are you leveraging the best of these elements across your company’s operations?
Every organization that I’ve worked for is related to the automotive engineering space. I bring in my decades of experience in this field to responsibly handle the overall leadership role of handling end-to-end product development, sales and marketing, program management, manufacturing operations, and engineering. We carry out our overall and plant operations in Delhi NCR area and we do have an Engineering tech-center at Bangalore location. I have been leveraging every bit of the experience that have obtained in my long career. I have gathered every needed information and operational methodologies that are related to the automotive industry. So, all these experiences and expertise have significantly aided me in my present role in AVX Electronics.
I bring in my decades of experience in this field to responsibly handle the overall leadership role of handling end-to-end product development, sales and marketing, program management, manufacturing operations, and engineering
What were the major challenges that you encountered during your professional journey till date? Tell us in respect to your current role in AVX Electronics.
I joined AVX Electronics India during the start of this year and soon after had to face the COVID-19 outbreak effect and thereby had to undergo the impact, also due to the nationwide lockdown. Our company was also shut down for almost one and half months, by which our Business was heavily impacted as any other company undergone during that time, though we had to take this for health safety of everyone. Thereafter, we slowly started rejuvenating our operations from the month of May.
Although we have been heavily impacted during the Q1 phase, but however, we are witnessing a good amount of business recovery in the recent months. We are expecting to do quite well in the ongoing quarter Q3 and the upcoming Q4 as well coupled with strong demand from the market. We had to, and we are still re-aligning all our internal activities and spending according to the present Business situation and the forecast. Overall, we can impart
some intelligence and efficiency levels to drive productivity level to its optimum, also by constantly bringing changes in the way our organization works. Hence, with the changing market dynamics, we are consistently indulging ourselves in various innovative ways to stay relevant with the current situation.
What opportunities do you foresee in the current Automotive industry in India and how are you moulding your company with respect to the same?
We see great opportunities for the players in this Automotive segment due to the continuous changing business ideologies and because of Govt. driven regulatory norms or the standards. These standards on emissions/environment such as BS6, OBD diagnostics, electrification, etc. and safetynorms – both occupant, pedestrians, etc. which are imposed by the Government authorities for future of Indian automotive landscape. These norms will significantly demand development of many new products in the market. Apart from that, the Indian market itself is expected to grow with more and more penetration of vehicles demand in all automobile segments due to the continuous economic growth and people affordability.
In addition to that, we see further increase in several business avenues through factors, perfectly aligning with the Government of India mission of Atma Nirbhar Bharat and Make in India movement. We expect these situations will provide many opportunities when it comes to product manufacturing in India itself, thus expecting India to become the next manufacturing hub in near future and Automobile being the major segment. In the coming years, we see India will be a perfect alternative for other countries when it comes manufacturing sector, also increases in services sector too.
We at AVX India are working on the products or technologies we see for the said future demand through strong focus on Engineering (R&D), Processes and overall Product development as part of our long-term strategy. Additionally, we are actively involved in competency building and resource planning to enable Business growth in the coming years.
Do you have any advice/suggestions on your mind for the budding leaders in the Industry in India?
My advice would be that, most importantly, people need to be visionary in thinking first to create a robust long-term strategy. They would need to assume themselves as entrepreneurs to drive or execute strategy with full ownership mindset to fulfil end objectives. Ready to face challenges and stay focussed and dedicated to achieving their goals. In that way, with their continuous learning throughout the journey, will for sure lead to long term successes in their own professional and personal development.
Rajesh Kumar, Managing Director, AVX Electronics
Rajesh Kumar has more than 20+ experience in Automotive Domain of which over 12+ years with Bosch, which is the largest automotive supplier globally, and also with Mahindra & Mahindra, which is one of the largest automobile OEMs in India. Presently, he has the over all responsibility of operations in AVX India, Automotive sensors business.
What opportunities do you foresee in the current Automotive industry in India and how are you moulding your company with respect to the same?
We see great opportunities for the players in this Automotive segment due to the continuous changing business ideologies and because of Govt. driven regulatory norms or the standards. These standards on emissions/environment such as BS6, OBD diagnostics, electrification, etc. and safetynorms – both occupant, pedestrians, etc. which are imposed by the Government authorities for future of Indian automotive landscape. These norms will significantly demand development of many new products in the market. Apart from that, the Indian market itself is expected to grow with more and more penetration of vehicles demand in all automobile segments due to the continuous economic growth and people affordability.
In addition to that, we see further increase in several business avenues through factors, perfectly aligning with the Government of India mission of Atma Nirbhar Bharat and Make in India movement. We expect these situations will provide many opportunities when it comes to product manufacturing in India itself, thus expecting India to become the next manufacturing hub in near future and Automobile being the major segment. In the coming years, we see India will be a perfect alternative for other countries when it comes manufacturing sector, also increases in services sector too.
We at AVX India are working on the products or technologies we see for the said future demand through strong focus on Engineering (R&D), Processes and overall Product development as part of our long-term strategy. Additionally, we are actively involved in competency building and resource planning to enable Business growth in the coming years.
Do you have any advice/suggestions on your mind for the budding leaders in the Industry in India?
My advice would be that, most importantly, people need to be visionary in thinking first to create a robust long-term strategy. They would need to assume themselves as entrepreneurs to drive or execute strategy with full ownership mindset to fulfil end objectives. Ready to face challenges and stay focussed and dedicated to achieving their goals. In that way, with their continuous learning throughout the journey, will for sure lead to long term successes in their own professional and personal development.
Rajesh Kumar, Managing Director, AVX Electronics
Rajesh Kumar has more than 20+ experience in Automotive Domain of which over 12+ years with Bosch, which is the largest automotive supplier globally, and also with Mahindra & Mahindra, which is one of the largest automobile OEMs in India. Presently, he has the over all responsibility of operations in AVX India, Automotive sensors business.