Gautham Manoj

Impact-driven professional with 4+ years of experience leading cross-functional teams to develop IoT enabled industrial products. Expert in identifying customer needs, solving complex problems, and making data-driven decisions. Proven project management skills with a track record of delivering innovative solutions.

Work Experience

Lead Engineer | Forbes Marshall Pvt. Ltd. | Pune

  • Headed end-to-end development of 3 new IoT-enabled industrial products, generating ~5% of the new product revenue.
  • Led cross-functional teams of 15 members to develop products to expand the IoT-enabled steam system product portfolio and strategically grow the digital services business, generating ~₹13 Cr annual revenue through product sales.
  • Collaborated with sales to devise go-to-market strategy, identifying customer needs and market potential, leading to the launch of differentiated products that achieved over 50% of annual sales targets in the first 5 months.
  • Conducted competitor analysis to identify market gaps, enhance product positioning, and introduce high-impact features.
  • Defined project plans, set milestones, and managed risks and budgets to ensure ~80% on-time delivery and alignment with business goals.
  • Optimized the design and feature mix of a new product to reduce material costs by ~30%, significantly improving profit margins.
  • Conceptualized and developed a software for internal users to connect and monitor new IoT devices, reducing manual errors during testing by ~90%.
  • Collaborated with clients to conduct on-site product testing and analyzed test data using Python to quantify customer benefits (ROI) and define the optimum product pricing, resulting in increased sales.
  • Mentored 2 trainees in new product development, instilling a customer-first mindset and enhancing team innovation capabilities


Associate Engineer | Forbes Marshall Pvt. Ltd. | Pune                      

  • Led a multi-disciplinary R&D team of 5 members to design an innovative real-time monitoring system, generating ~₹3 Cr annual revenue.
  • Reduced the monitoring system costs by ~80% by exploring various sensing solutions to meet aggressive cost and ROI targets.
  • Utilized rapid prototyping and testing techniques to experiment with new concepts, iteratively improve product features, and accelerate time-to-market, reducing the product development cycle duration by ~30%.
  • Spearheaded a cross-functional team of 12 members to develop a temperature control valve within a challenging one-year deadline, meeting target specifications and securing a sales order of ~₹3.2 Cr from an international client.
  • Reduced the temperature control valve cost by ~30% from the target cost by proactively identifying new vendors for critical components, optimizing design, and standardizing parts, ensuring a healthy margin from the order.
  • Collaborated with the international client to study the target process and create a cost-effective test setup in-house to test the product, reducing the product validation cost and time by ~75%.
  • Implemented Root Cause Analysis (RCA) frameworks to fix product performance issues and ensure on-time product delivery.
  • Collaborated on an initiative to improve R&D operational metrics, on-time delivery & year-to-date product launches by ~20% by creating project tracking tools and dashboards to monitor project plans, statuses, and bottlenecks of all R&D projects.
  • Evaluated the lifecycle of a mature product line, designed a new concept, and developed an internal roadmap and quick prototype, helping the product to jump the curve and stay competitive.


Graduate Trainee Engineer | Forbes Marshall Pvt. Ltd. | Pune                          

  • Designed a steam trap to reduce energy wastage and improve efficiency in a refinery process, generating ~₹6 Cr annual revenue.
  • Developed a simulation model of the steam trap and devised a factory setting logic for the entire product line, significantly reducing the manhours needed for on-site product installation by ~50%. 
  • Published a research paper on the effect of design parameters on the performance of the steam trap developed.
     
Accomplishments

Patent Applications: Filed 3 Indian patents (pending) in FY 2023-24 for the new products developed.

  • Anti-freeze Drain Valve - 202321016665
  • A system for failure detection in a condensate pump - 202221060448 
  • A steam trap202221052224 

Best Engineer: Awarded ‘Best Engineer – R&D (FY21-22)’ from a team of 150 employees at Forbes Marshall for successfully developing a new product within a tight 1-year timeline and securing a ~₹3.2 Cr order from an international client.

FM Star: Awarded FM star of the month twice for going out of the boundaries and achieving results in the projects handled

Runner Up: Won 4th prize at a national level design challenge conducted by Autodesk for conceptualizing a home automation solution

INSPIRE Scholarship: Awarded INSPIRE scholarship for being in the top 1% of students who wrote Higher Secondary Examination in 2014                                            

  

 

Education

B.Tech - M.Tech (Dual-Degree Mechanical Engineering), Indian Institute of Information Technology, Kanchipuram, Chennai
 

Certificates

Lean Six-Sigma Green Belt, KPMG

Introduction to Data Analytics, Google

Python for Data Science, AnalytixLabs

Digital Transformation, BCG-UVA Darden
 

Co/Extra-curricular
  • Elected member of PGPX Media & Marketing Committee, responsible for ideating and creating engaging content for the social media handles of IIMA PGPX
  • Published research paper ‘Effect of design parameters in a bimetallic steam trap response’
  • Led a team of 5 in the Industrial Design Club at IIITDM, organizing and getting sponsorship for intra & inter-college events/workshops
  • Founded the Graphic Design Club at IIITDM to create marketing content for events, including 'Samgatha' and 'Cluster Events
  • Winner of ‘Design Now’ challenge conducted by Autodesk at institutional level
  • Successfully completed Pune Flo Half Marathon-2019
  • Volunteered with the CSR team in Forbes Marshall to create audiobooks for disabled students preparing for competitive examinations
     

Quick Look

  • Work Experience: 4.6 Years
  • Previous Roles

    Lead Engineer, Forbes Marshall Pvt. Ltd.

  • Function : Product Management/Development
    Project/Program Management
    Research & Development
  • Industry/Sector: Manufacturing & Engineering
    Technology
Work Experience

Lead Engineer | Forbes Marshall Pvt. Ltd. | Pune

  • Headed end-to-end development of 3 new IoT-enabled industrial products, generating ~5% of the new product revenue.
  • Led cross-functional teams of 15 members to develop products to expand the IoT-enabled steam system product portfolio and strategically grow the digital services business, generating ~₹13 Cr annual revenue through product sales.
  • Collaborated with sales to devise go-to-market strategy, identifying customer needs and market potential, leading to the launch of differentiated products that achieved over 50% of annual sales targets in the first 5 months.
  • Conducted competitor analysis to identify market gaps, enhance product positioning, and introduce high-impact features.
  • Defined project plans, set milestones, and managed risks and budgets to ensure ~80% on-time delivery and alignment with business goals.
  • Optimized the design and feature mix of a new product to reduce material costs by ~30%, significantly improving profit margins.
  • Conceptualized and developed a software for internal users to connect and monitor new IoT devices, reducing manual errors during testing by ~90%.
  • Collaborated with clients to conduct on-site product testing and analyzed test data using Python to quantify customer benefits (ROI) and define the optimum product pricing, resulting in increased sales.
  • Mentored 2 trainees in new product development, instilling a customer-first mindset and enhancing team innovation capabilities


Associate Engineer | Forbes Marshall Pvt. Ltd. | Pune                      

  • Led a multi-disciplinary R&D team of 5 members to design an innovative real-time monitoring system, generating ~₹3 Cr annual revenue.
  • Reduced the monitoring system costs by ~80% by exploring various sensing solutions to meet aggressive cost and ROI targets.
  • Utilized rapid prototyping and testing techniques to experiment with new concepts, iteratively improve product features, and accelerate time-to-market, reducing the product development cycle duration by ~30%.
  • Spearheaded a cross-functional team of 12 members to develop a temperature control valve within a challenging one-year deadline, meeting target specifications and securing a sales order of ~₹3.2 Cr from an international client.
  • Reduced the temperature control valve cost by ~30% from the target cost by proactively identifying new vendors for critical components, optimizing design, and standardizing parts, ensuring a healthy margin from the order.
  • Collaborated with the international client to study the target process and create a cost-effective test setup in-house to test the product, reducing the product validation cost and time by ~75%.
  • Implemented Root Cause Analysis (RCA) frameworks to fix product performance issues and ensure on-time product delivery.
  • Collaborated on an initiative to improve R&D operational metrics, on-time delivery & year-to-date product launches by ~20% by creating project tracking tools and dashboards to monitor project plans, statuses, and bottlenecks of all R&D projects.
  • Evaluated the lifecycle of a mature product line, designed a new concept, and developed an internal roadmap and quick prototype, helping the product to jump the curve and stay competitive.


Graduate Trainee Engineer | Forbes Marshall Pvt. Ltd. | Pune                          

  • Designed a steam trap to reduce energy wastage and improve efficiency in a refinery process, generating ~₹6 Cr annual revenue.
  • Developed a simulation model of the steam trap and devised a factory setting logic for the entire product line, significantly reducing the manhours needed for on-site product installation by ~50%. 
  • Published a research paper on the effect of design parameters on the performance of the steam trap developed.
     
Accomplishments

Patent Applications: Filed 3 Indian patents (pending) in FY 2023-24 for the new products developed.

  • Anti-freeze Drain Valve - 202321016665
  • A system for failure detection in a condensate pump - 202221060448 
  • A steam trap202221052224 

Best Engineer: Awarded ‘Best Engineer – R&D (FY21-22)’ from a team of 150 employees at Forbes Marshall for successfully developing a new product within a tight 1-year timeline and securing a ~₹3.2 Cr order from an international client.

FM Star: Awarded FM star of the month twice for going out of the boundaries and achieving results in the projects handled

Runner Up: Won 4th prize at a national level design challenge conducted by Autodesk for conceptualizing a home automation solution

INSPIRE Scholarship: Awarded INSPIRE scholarship for being in the top 1% of students who wrote Higher Secondary Examination in 2014                                            

  

 

Education

B.Tech - M.Tech (Dual-Degree Mechanical Engineering), Indian Institute of Information Technology, Kanchipuram, Chennai
 

Certificates

Lean Six-Sigma Green Belt, KPMG

Introduction to Data Analytics, Google

Python for Data Science, AnalytixLabs

Digital Transformation, BCG-UVA Darden
 

Co/Extra-curricular
  • Elected member of PGPX Media & Marketing Committee, responsible for ideating and creating engaging content for the social media handles of IIMA PGPX
  • Published research paper ‘Effect of design parameters in a bimetallic steam trap response’
  • Led a team of 5 in the Industrial Design Club at IIITDM, organizing and getting sponsorship for intra & inter-college events/workshops
  • Founded the Graphic Design Club at IIITDM to create marketing content for events, including 'Samgatha' and 'Cluster Events
  • Winner of ‘Design Now’ challenge conducted by Autodesk at institutional level
  • Successfully completed Pune Flo Half Marathon-2019
  • Volunteered with the CSR team in Forbes Marshall to create audiobooks for disabled students preparing for competitive examinations