Ashish Saraf is a distinguished professional with a rich and multifaceted career in the aerospace and defense industry. Currently, he holds the position of Vice President and Country Director for Thales in India, where he plays a pivotal role in guiding the company’s strategic direction. In this capacity, Ashish oversees Thales’ diverse business operations in India, with a primary focus on segments like Aerospace, Defense, Space, Transportation, Digital Identity, and Security Solutions. Furthermore, he spearheads the Engineering Competency Centers and is deeply committed to fostering local collaborations and driving innovation. His responsibilities include ensuring the sustainable growth of Thales in India across these crucial sectors.
EDUCATION
Ashish Saraf’s impressive educational background includes completing an Executive Leadership Program at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business in 2015. He also attended Cornell University for Managing for Execution, Strategy, and Operations in 2011-2012. His academic journey includes a Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing Management from Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Pune, obtained in 1998-1999. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, which he completed in 1997. Ashish also earned a Master of Science in International Business Administration from SOAS University of London.
CAREER
Before joining Thales, Ashish Saraf served in various high-profile roles within the aviation and aerospace sector. Notably, he held the position of President and Head of Region for Helicopters – India & South Asia at Airbus. In this role, he effectively managed and directed activities related to civil, defense, and parapublic rotorcraft markets. His tenure at Airbus was marked by a deep commitment to expanding Airbus’ footprint in the Indian region, with a focus on Airbus Helicopters, Defense, and Commercial divisions.
Ashish also played a pivotal role as the Vice President for Industry Development, Strategic Partnerships, and Collaboration and Offsets at Airbus India. Here, he was tasked with developing and expanding Airbus’ business and industry presence in India, further solidifying the company’s position in the country’s aerospace and defense landscape.
One of Ashish Saraf’s notable achievements was leading the Greenfield startup of the Sikorsky – Tata joint venture in India. This venture marked India’s largest private sector Aerospace Manufacturing company, and Ashish played an instrumental role from the initial stages of land acquisition through to full-rate production. His responsibilities included defining the JV’s business plan, strategy, vision, and roadmap. He led the acquisition, transfer, refurbishment, transportation, and purchase of capital assets, valued at $28 million, as well as the setup of IT infrastructure. Ashish established a culture of Ethics, Export Compliance, and EHS (Environmental Health and Safety) to build a world-class organization. Under his leadership, the venture met stringent metrics for cost, quality, and schedule delivery, producing aircraft assemblies and detailed components at a rate of 20,000 parts per month. He also took the helm in the development and setup of engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, IT, facilities, HR, and all support functions.
In addition to these roles, Ashish Saraf has lent his expertise to Deloitte Consulting, where he managed multiple strategic initiatives in Business Planning, Business Transformation, Operational Efficiency, Mergers and Acquisitions, and Supply Chain across a range of industries, including Aerospace, manufacturing, Hi-tech, and retail.
Furthermore, Ashish worked as a Senior Consultant for Dassault Systèmes, where he acted as an intermediary between customers and the engineering organization. His focus was on managing bill of materials and configurations for the aerospace and automotive industries. Notably, he established an engineering design competency center for product development processes and technology prove-out, significantly contributing to the growth and development of these sectors.
In conclusion, Ashish Saraf is a seasoned professional who has left a significant mark in the aerospace and defense sector through his strategic leadership, commitment to growth, and vast experience across various domains within the industry. His diverse and impressive career journey highlights his invaluable contributions to the field.
