Q1. Could you give us an overview of your professional journey and how your roles have evolved over the years?

I began my career in core electrical engineering, managing utilities, automation, and plant systems, where I built a strong technical foundation in manufacturing environments. Over time, my responsibilities expanded from engineering execution to leading electrical, instrumentation, and utilities functions, including driving ISO certifications and automation initiatives.

As I progressed, I developed a deep interest in structured problem-solving and operational excellence. This led me to transition into Business Process Improvement, where I designed and deployed Lean Six Sigma initiatives across operations, supply chain, R&D, sales, and IT. Moving from a technical leadership role into a strategic transformation role allowed me to focus more on culture building, capability development, and enterprise-wide process standardization.

Currently, I serve as a Business Process Improvement Consultant, advising senior leadership on transformation initiatives and supporting organization-wide Lean Six Sigma deployment, particularly in Sales, Marketing, IT, and Supply Chain. My journey reflects a transition from hands-on technical execution to mentoring leaders, shaping strategy, and embedding a culture of continuous improvement across the enterprise.

Q2. What differentiates a successful improvement project from a sustained culture of continuous improvement?

A successful improvement project is one that not only meets its target but also delivers sustained results over a period of time and becomes part of a lasting culture of continuous improvement.

Q3. How should leaders rethink operational excellence beyond traditional cost reduction metrics?

Cost reduction is just one dimension of Operational Excellence. Operational Excellence is a broader umbrella and acts as a culture change catalyst to support the business.

Q4. How do you overcome skepticism when introducing structured problem-solving approaches into non-technical or cross-functional teams?

Problem-solving is a natural requirement. People want to solve problems, but they are often not aware of the “how” part of it. Once they are taught in logical ways, in simple language, and with real case studies, it works.

Q5. How do you balance analytical precision with human motivation and engagement?

Analysis is generally complex, but if it is taught in a simple and practical way, keeping the mathematical aspect minimal, it becomes meaningful. Then people’s engagement increases. Handholding is necessary initially to build confidence.

Q6. What changes when applying operational excellence in sales, distribution, or IT compared to factory environments?

Sales, distribution, and IT operate in a different world; for them, results are more important than processes. So, it takes time to help them understand how a process-oriented approach can generate much better results than their current approach. The best way is to work with them on one project they consider fairly complex. Once it is solved, they realize the value.

Q7. If you were advising a board or investor evaluating an organization’s operational maturity, what indicators would convince you that its process excellence efforts are genuinely embedded rather than superficial or metric-driven?

The best KPI is the overall result. When I say result, it does not mean only profit or production. Other parameters such as energy used, waste generated, safety performance, and the expenses incurred to achieve that result are equally important. Generally, at the board level, only the top and bottom line are seen, and other important KPIs are missed. Benchmarking these parameters with the best performers provides confidence about the maturity of Operational Excellence.