Expert Details
Product Development, Project Management, Strategic Growth
ID: 737796
Illinois, USA
• Accomplished results-driven innovation leader with a track record in managing R&D laboratories, new product development (NPD), technology, and portfolio management in fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), EPA and FDA regulated products, government contract research (CROs), and contract manufacturing (CMOs) companies.
• Executed projects with global teams from concept to post-commercialization, through efficient project management involving stage-gate and break-through processes.
• Developed and commercialized innovative technologies and products: personal and skincare products, sustained antimicrobials, environmental and device disinfectants, disinfectors, pharmaceutical cleaners, and sanitizers, chemical gas, and liquid sensors, personal and area insect repellents, insecticides, and customized medical shipping packages.
• Developed and sustained global product portfolios (re-stage and line extensions) - Off, Autan, Mach3, Fusion, Chameleon, SafeAir, and ProKlenz brands.
• Acquired and integrated complementary and competing technologies, product lines, and companies.
Strengths:
o Consumer-centric product development
o EPA and FDA regulated products (Class I and II)
o Strong GLP and GMP knowledge
o Design Controls & documentation
o In-depth Formulation and Coating experience
o Technology/ Platform Innovation Pipeline & Process development
o External partnership (Consultants, Institutes, and Universities)
o Competitive intelligence and evaluation
o Product life cycle management
o Products registration and Intellectual property
o Technical insights into claims
Education
| Year | Degree | Subject | Institution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year: 2003 | Degree: MBA | Subject: Product Platforms, Innovation and Global Marketing | Institution: Northeastern University, Boston, USA |
| Year: 1988 | Degree: Ph.D. | Subject: Polymer Chemistry | Institution: University of Madras, India |
Work History
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 2020 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: Director | Department: R&D |
Responsibilities:Managing Centre of Excellence for Food, Home, Industrial and Automobile products, developing products from concept to commercialization for internal and external customers, supporting production and QC.o Manage R&D groups at multiple locations, and manage operating and capital budgets. o Create, develop and apply Center of Excellence - principles, processes and infra-structure. o Develop food, industrial, household and automobile products in aerosols and liquid forms. o Assess consumer trends, competing technologies and provide innovation and strategic direction to customers. o Identify strategic growth trends, allocate resources and prioritize opportunities. o Build and implement new project management, and product development tools (R&D database, Product Vision, SAP platform). |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2018 to 2019 | Employer: Lifoam - Newell Brands | Title: Innovation Manager | Department: R&D |
Responsibilities:Managed three validation testing laboratories with people and project management responsibilities, prepared validation reports for customers' FDA registration, and led innovation product portfolio of cold shippers and retail products.• Laboratory and People Management o Managed three laboratories located at Maryland, Indianapolis and California. o Managed R&D team of quality manager, program manager, package and thermal modeling engineers through setting goals, department meetings, and professional development opportunities. • Project Management o Managed and successfully validated five shippers for two pharmaceutical companies, as per International Safe Transit Association (ISTA) test profiles, generating recurring revenue of $6 - 8 MM. o Developed test protocols, executed validation tests and provided technical reports. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2017 to 2018 | Employer: PLZ Aeroscience corporation | Title: Senior Director - Strategy | Department: Sales and Marketing |
Responsibilities:Developed and implemented multi-year top-line growth strategy and defined growth segments. Work included C-suite updates with business analytics reports, development of acquisition growth pipeline for inorganic growth, and industry alliances development for open innovation and competitive edge.• Business Analytics o Created executive monthly operative business analytics status reports focusing finance, sales and marketing. • Strategic Growth Initiatives o Created a five year growth strategy and strategic vision, through customer segmentation and emerging markets. o Developed and applied three Win Growth Strategies for a 25% increase of portfolio of $500 - $600MM. o Identified and implemented multi-disciplinary cost saving projects resulted cost savings of 25 - 40%. • Portfolio Growth through Acquisition o Developed acquisition growth pipeline for vertical and horizontal growth through competitive analysis o Acquired and integrated two competitors, resulting in an increased annual revenue of $175 - 200MM. • New Technologies o Supported R&D and manufacturing in aerosol and liquid consumer products: paints and pigments, personal care and OTC products (shave, suncare, skin care, Lipcare), cleaners, edible oils o Presented a plenary talk, "Future of Aerosol Filling,” at 2018 Aerosol Summit (Nashville, TN, March 2018) outlining emerging trends and alternate aerosol technologies. o Formed alliance with plastic aerosol technologies: AiroPack and AeroPET. o Developed symbiotic growth relationship with insecticide active ingredient developers: MGK and Saltigo. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2013 to 2018 | Employer: SC Johnson and Son | Title: Manager | Department: Global Pest control RD&E |
Responsibilities:Owned responsibilities for repellents innovation and base portfolio growth of Off and Autan brands. Launched registered personal and area repellents (Line extension and restage) in global markets based on global consumer research. Managed concept to post commercialization projects through stage gate and break-through processes. Co-developed concepts, technologies and commercialized products with CROs and CMOs.• Laboratory and People Management o Managed a global R&D product development laboratory through operating and capital budgets o Managed 10-12 professionals: chemists, entomologists, package and process engineers, project managers, technicians and interns through hiring, setting growth goals, performance reviews, and regular updates. o Trained and mentored sales & technical teams through Product development 101, Repellents 101 courses. • Project Management o Managed growth and innovation projects with a variable budget of $4-6MM for ‘Off’ and ‘Autan’ brands (global market share of 600-700MM) through New Product Development process. o Directed international commercialization projects including local manufacturing and registration at Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Italy, India and Philippines. o Managed pest control products contract manufactured at USA, Canada, Europe and Asia. o Led global harmonization and redundancy elimination projects and delivered cost savings of $ 40-60MM. • Product Development, Innovation and New technologies o Developed and commercialized more than 25 personal and area repellents with suncare pigments, natural oils, dry powders - in aerosol, lotion, pump spray, gel, sachet, non-woven wipes product formats. o Steered global registration (EPA and BPR), pilot plant scale-up, GLP bio-efficacy studies, and Qualification and Quality risk assessments of Engineering, Pilot and Production batches. o Generated an organic portfolio growth of 5 - 8% with a profit margin of 30 - 40%. o Led Increased Zika crisis cross functional response team in 2016, increased sales of $25-30MM through rapid products launch, EPA approval of disease claims, and market communication. o Spearheaded global consumer research for technology roadmap development delivering ideal user experience. • Portfolio Growth through Acquisition o Evaluated, acquired and integrated products from Sara Lee, Home Brands and Exposis (Brazil). |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2008 to 2012 | Employer: Morphix Technologies | Title: Director | Department: Product Development |
Responsibilities:Built product development team and expanded laboratory capabilities and instituted stage gate process. Managed Army, Navy and Coast-guard funded programs from project submission to final delivery with periodic updates. Developed a portfolio of colorimetric sensors and improved production and quality processes.• Laboratory and People Management o Built a product development laboratory with scale up and production capabilities, set up and validation testing, instituted stage gate process, implemented quality documentation, and safety audit controls. o Hired and managed a team of 12 - 14 scientists, engineers, EH&S and project managers • Project Management o Managed projects of $8-12 MM/year funded by government agencies, wrote SBIR/STTR grant proposals, prepared project reports and delivered update presentations. • Product Development and New Technologies o Developed and commercialized toxic and chemical warfare agents' gas and liquid chemical identification colorimetric sensors with active ingredients, pigments, inorganic and organic fillers, and polymers. o Implemented new coating method and color matching tests. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2003 to 2007 | Employer: STERIS Corporation | Title: Senior Manager | Department: Formulation Technology |
Responsibilities:Developed new formulation technologies, delivered cleaning, disinfection and skin-care consumable products and medical devices (FDA class I and II) for life sciences business, and served as a Subject Matter Expert.• Laboratory, Pilot plant and People Management o Managed R&D laboratory and pilot plant through annual maintenance and capital budgets, and a R&D team of 10 - 15 scientists, project managers and technicians. • Subject Matter Expert o Edited the book, “Disinfection and Decontamination: Principles, Applications and Related Issues”. o Developed training courses: Product development 101, Cleaning validation 101, Disinfection mechanisms. • Product Development, Innovation and New Technologies o Registered with FDA, a Class II sterilant device based on peracetic acid chemistry and an assurance indicator. o Developed and commercialized new and line extension products for a portfolio of $80 - 120MM: phenol and quat based environmental disinfectants, detergents and cleaners, and skin care products. • Portfolio Growth through Acquisition o Acquired and integrated cleaning and decontamination products of Hamo (Switzerland). |
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Career Accomplishments
| Licenses / Certifications |
|---|
| o “Fast and Flawless” Global Quality Award, Execution of Zika Projects, SC Johnson, USA o "Above and Beyond" Award for launching ProKlenz cleaners, Steris Corporation, USA o Research Fellowship, Association of Universities & Colleges of Canada o Senior Research Fellowship, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, India o National Merit Scholarship, University Grants Commission, India |
| Awards / Recognition |
|---|
| o “Fast and Flawless” Global Quality Award, Execution of Zika Projects, SC Johnson, USA o "Above and Beyond" Award for launching ProKlenz cleaners, Steris Corporation, USA o Research Fellowship, Association of Universities & Colleges of Canada o Senior Research Fellowship, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, India o National Merit Scholarship, University Grants Commission, India |
| Publications and Patents Summary |
|---|
| Editor of Books- 3 Chapter in Books- 7 Patents- 8 Reviews- 6 Technical paper & Reports- 6 Course Instructor- 8 Refereed Journal- 43 Symposia and Lectures- 92 |
Language Skills
| Language | Proficiency |
|---|---|
| English | Fluent and Advanced |
| French | Beginner |
| Tamil | Native |