Sanat J. - Chief of IT, Operations, & Digital Transformation

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New Delhi, India

Experience

Oct 2023 - Present

2 years 3 months

India

Head – IT, Operations & Digital Transformation

Agristo NV

I spearhead IT, end-to-end operations, and digital transformation initiatives, driving execution, strategy, and P&L accountability in a ₹2 bn+ portfolio.
I lead a dedicated team of over 100 colleagues with a focus on strategic alignment of business objectives with technology adoption, focusing on maximizing revenue and efficiency through digital means.
Business & Strategic Leadership: P&L Management, Business Strategy, Post-Merger Integration, CapEx Program Management, Cross-Border Execution, Change Management, Stakeholder Engagement, Team Building & Leadership.
Digital Transformation & Enterprise Systems: SAP S/4HANA ERP, Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), Enterprise Architecture (LeanIX), Cloud Migration (AWS, Azure), AI/ML & RPA, Data Governance, Master Data Management, Business Intelligence (Power BI, Tableau), IT/OT Integration.
Supply Chain & Planning: Supply Chain Strategy, Integrated Business Planning (IBP), S&OP, Demand/Supply Planning, Vendor Selection (OMP, Blue Yonder, Kinaxis, o9 Solutions, SAP IBP), Logistics Optimization, Procurement Strategy, Global Supply Chains.
Industry & Functional Expertise: Software Products & Services, CPG, FMCG, Telecom, IT & Technology, Food & Beverage, Brownfield/Greenfield CapEx, Industry 4.0, Smart Manufacturing, ESG & Sustainability, Global Key Account Management.

May 2021 - Oct 2023

2 years 6 months

Antwerp, Belgium

Product Roadmap & Tech Innovation Consultant

OMP

Consulted multiple global Fortune 500 companies on supply chain transformation, product discovery through end user interactions, digital innovation, and business strategy.
Led customer discovery programs, co-created software product roadmaps, and advised C-suite executives on supply chain digitalization.
Customer discovery & product strategy:
Conducted 100+ hours of structured customer interviews across 25+ companies.
Engaged customers across five continents: APAC, Americas, Europe, Asia.
Voice-of-Customer programs capturing pain points, requirements, and unmet needs in supply chain planning.
Use case development and requirements prioritization for supply chain planning solutions.
Co-created product roadmaps for AI-driven supply chain solutions incorporating digital twins and scenario planning.
Contributed to a €0.5 M project pipeline through strategic product positioning and go-to-market strategies.
Supply chain digital transformation & innovation:
AI/ML-driven demand forecasting and predictive analytics solution design.
Digital twin development for supply chain scenario planning and simulation.
Real-time supply chain visibility and control tower concepts.
Sustainability and ESG considerations in supply chain planning.
Emerging technology assessment: IoT, blockchain, edge computing for supply chain applications.
Cross-industry supply chain insights:
CPG/FMCG best practices (Nestlé, P&G, Beiersdorf, Bahlsen).
Pharmaceutical supply chain compliance and planning (J&J, Bayer).
Chemical industry characteristics (BASF).
Food & beverage dynamics.
Consumer goods planning and promotional forecasting.

Mar 2019 - May 2021

2 years 3 months

Milan, Italy

Digital Transformation & Post-Merger Integration Manager

STL - Sterlite Technologies Limited

Directed IT integration and process alignment post €47 M acquisition in Europe; ERP, CRM and planning platform rollouts within 12 months.
Managed cross-border ERP and data warehouse migration, improving financial close cycle by 25% and reducing master data errors by 60%.
Orchestrated seamless integration as production capacity scaled from 1 M fKM to 7 M fKM.

Nov 2017 - Feb 2019

1 year 4 months

Deputy Manager - Key Accounts Transformation & Strategy

STL - Sterlite Technologies Limited

Developed internal KAM analytics and dashboards for top 15 strategic customers.
Institutionalized KAM governance framework.
Enhanced customer engagements and value-based partnerships.
Conducted KAM analysis & Intel, including Voice of Customer.
Identified avenues of collaboration & inorganic growth.
Managed flawless customer experience: visits, shared-days, tech workshops, portals.
Supported post-merger integration of STL & Metallurgica Bresciana.

Jul 2015 - Nov 2017

2 years 5 months

Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, India

Head of Production - Optical Fibre Draw

STL - Sterlite Technologies Limited

Led the optical fibre draw team of 50+ full-time employees and 20+ off-roll shift associates.
Managed growth and delivery planning and drove new capacity stabilization.
Streamlined processes in line with business goals, enforcing 100% SOP compliance and process adherence.
Improved overall productivity through OEE improvements and innovative practices.
Developed quality new products through engineering innovation to ensure customer delight.

Feb 2015 - Jul 2015

6 months

Shanghai, China

Lead - Knowledge Exchange Program

STL - Sterlite Technologies Limited

Benchmarked critical processes across global units in India and China.
Researched industry-wide best practices, trends, and technology/process upgrades.
Analyzed socio-economic and cultural contexts for workforce development.
Conducted SWOT analysis of SBUs to develop customized improvement roadmaps.

Jun 2013 - Feb 2015

1 year 9 months

Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, India

Associate Manager - Planning and Control

STL - Sterlite Technologies Limited

Translated product demand into raw material formulations.
Conducted capacity and operations planning, process selection, and line planning.
Scheduled jobs and monitored plan vs variance vs trade-offs.
Converted S&OP plans into operational plans.

Summary

Enterprise technology, IT, & Digital Strategy leader with over 13 years of global experience across Belgium, Italy, Netherlands, China, and India, directing company-wide IT strategy, digital transformation, technology innovation with effective change management for all stakeholders across the business value chain.

Proven Country head/CIO in a Multi-national group leading large, multicultural teams and delivering multi-million-dollar cost savings and efficiency gains through strategic execution of ERP (SAP S/4HANA), MES, WMS, TMS, and IT/OT integration initiatives.

Proficient in deploying AI/ML, RPA, IoT, and robotics to enhance process efficiency and spearheading robust cybersecurity, cloud adoption, disaster recovery, and data governance programs across multi-country IT operations.