Vyankatesh Kulkarni named as Head of Operations & Executive Director of Mercedes-Benz

Vyankatesh Kulkarni has joined luxury carmaker Mercedes – Benz as the Head of Operations and Executive Director and will start working from June 1, 2022. Kulkarni will be in charge of Mercedes-Benz India's production and procurement processes, as well as the company's transition to digitization, electrification and future smart manufacturing prowess.
"We are thrilled to welcome Vyankatesh Kulkarni to Mercedes-Benz India as the Executive Director and Head of Operations, India," stated Martin Schwenk, Managing Director & CEO of Mercedes-Benz India, in announcing this crucial leadership appointment.
Kulkarni is a seasoned executive with over two decades of experience in technology, supply chain management, and Mercedes-digitization Benz's journey. At MBRDI, Vyankatesh was responsible for numerous key global projects in the fields of planning, simulations, engineering, quality, and supply chain management.
He will expand on the world-class manufacturing facility's and related resources' strong localization competencies at Mercedes-Benz India. By leading the company's transition to electrification and technology-driven 'Smart Manufacturing' and Industry 4.0 practises of the future, he will play a critical role in reshaping the manufacturing ecosystem.
In 2008, Kulkarni joined Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India (MBRDI) and played a key role in conceptualising and establishing the 'International tech-hub' for Manufacturing and Supply Chain. Vyankatesh led a number of significant initiatives around the world using his professional insights and strategic direction.