AJINKYA U. BHIDE
Pune
Summary
Dynamic Supply Chain & Procurement professional with 17+ years of experience in strategic sourcing, import-export operations, CAPEX procurement, DGFT/EXIM compliance, logistics, and supplier development. Proven record in cost reduction, process optimization, digital procurement, and cross-functional leadership. Strong expertise in global stakeholder management and driving procurement governance across multi-plant environments.
Overview
2
2
Certifications
18
18
years of professional experience
Work History
Group Head Import Procurement & Supply Chain Excellence
KSB Limited
07.2017 - Current
- Lead end-to-end procurement for CAPEX, indirect materials, and bought-out components.
- Responsible for project costing in procurement, and ensuring procure-to-pay cycle compliance.
- Drive procurement excellence, digitalization, CPT mapping, SRM, supplier risk assessment.
- Ensure Import, EXIM, DGFT, and FTP compliance across all transactions.
- Tracked patterns developed with outside foundries and maintained compliance from customs and RBI points of view.
- Lead for the AEO application for the organization with internal and external stakeholders.
- Execute vendor consolidation, cost-saving strategies, and global sourcing initiatives.
- Handled Free Trade Agreements, Merchant Trade Transactions (MTT), EU VAT, and project concessions.
- Achievements: 15% lead time reduction, 20% faster import clearance, and 98% supplier OTD.
- Developed advanced dashboards and analytics models in collaboration with DTC to improve supply chain visibility, decision-making, and operational responsiveness.
- Updated contract management software and reporting frameworks to drive efficiencies and improve accountability.
- Monitored PR-to-PO cycle efficiency, identified bottlenecks, and drove process improvements with sourcing and tactical teams to improve procurement speed and accuracy.
- Coordinated risk-mitigation processes, including BIS compliance and Ministry of Heavy Industry regulatory requirements.
- Lead for the BIS localization project and consulted management over BIS QCOs under import regulations.
- Partnered with sourcing, logistics, operations, finance, engineering, and leadership teams to drive seamless supply chain operations.
- Led organization-wide supply chain improvement initiatives, acting as a central coordination point for multi-departmental alignment.
- Lead for end-to-end logistics, compliance, and RFQs.
- Identified issues, gaps, and analyzed information, data, and provided solutions to problems with statistics.
- Picked up additional tasks to aid team success.
- Collaborated with team members to achieve target results.
- Trained and mentored employees to maximize team performance.
- Met the schedule using excellent planning and coordination skills.
- Negotiated payment terms with suppliers to improve cash flow and financial stability.
- Coordinated with internal departments to understand procurement needs and specifications, ensuring accurate fulfillment of requirements.
- Reported on procurement activities and achievements to senior management, providing insights for strategic decision-making.
- Established key performance indicators for procurement functions, monitoring progress towards strategic goals.
Sr. Officer Logistics Procurement
Mahle Behr India Pvt. Ltd
08.2016 - 06.2017
- Managed import scheduling and logistics coordination for top projects.
- Interacted with global suppliers to ensure timely delivery as per project schedule to avoid OTD failure, resulting in the avoidance of penalties and production time loss to the organization.
- Led RFQ generation and negotiations for all trade lanes, with effective finalization bringing remarkable savings against overall spend.
- Handled EPCG, MEIS, SHIS, and Advance License documentation.
- Implemented Direct Port Delivery and contributed to AEO certification.
- Led warehousing projects for imported materials and oversaw the warehousing, distribution process.
- Led training sessions on regulatory compliance, enhancing the team's knowledge and skills.
- Participated in internal and external audits.
- Managed supplier relationships to foster long-term partnerships and ensure consistent supply chain stability.
Sr. Officer Logistics & EXIM
Rieter India Pvt. Ltd
01.2011 - 07.2016
- Managed SKD machine imports, ATA Carnet, exhibitions, and authorization schemes.
- Managed hub and spoke distributions from India for Malaysia, the Netherlands, and Switzerland.
- Implemented ACP and self-sealing, improving customs clearance speed.
- Achieved INR 50 Cr duty savings through effective FTP compliance.
- Handled about 1,500 container volumes in export and 150 import containers, with approximately 100 to 150 air consignments.
- Developed and maintained strong relationships with international vendors, customers, and freight forwarders to streamline operations.
- Negotiated settlement of customs duties, taxes, and fines with government officials on behalf of importers.
- Implemented tracking systems to monitor shipments and ensure timely delivery to global destinations.
- Advised on tariff codes, import duties, and taxes to optimize cost savings and legal compliance.
- Monitored global trade compliance updates to keep abreast of changes affecting import-export activities.
- Supervised team members on a day-to-day basis, confirming the performance of critical tasks in line with shipping schedules.
- Generated work-related reports for management, aiding performance tracking, process reviews, and cost-cutting measures.
Officer Export Sales
PMT Machine Tools Ltd
01.2010 - 12.2011
- Streamlined export documentation and shipments.
- Closed CNC machine export orders worth INR 80 lakhs for the US and Iran market.
- Improved coordination between production, sales, and logistics teams.
- Managed complaints with calm, clear communication, and problem-solving.
- Liaised with third-party (TPI) agencies for machine inspection as a mandatory clause from the customer PO.
- Ensured timely payments from overseas customers to maintain cash flow for the organization.
Executive Export & Bonded Warehouse
Spica Elastics Pvt. Ltd
01.2008 - 12.2009
- Handled bonded warehouse operations in Vietnam.
- Managed LC, BRC, and FTP documentation, and export reconciliations.
- Strengthened expertise in international trade and bonded warehousing.
- Ensured high document accuracy to keep trade compliance on the right track.
- Collaborated with the sales team to manage the export orders schedule, and liaised with government officials to complete export formalities.
- Looked for drawback claims, export incentives, and their reconciliation.
Education
MBA - Materials & Logistics
Institute of Management Education
Pune, India04-2010
PG Diploma - Foreign Trade
University of Pune
Pune, India04-2009
B.Com - Commerce
University of Pune
Pune, India04-2007
Skills
Strategic sourcing and procurement
Capital expenditure management
Supplier relationship development
EXIM and DGFT compliance
Customs operations and Incoterms
Accurate documentation practices
KPI tracking and dashboarding
Automated processes implementation
Stakeholder engagement strategies
Negotiation tactics and risk management
Cost optimization through supplier consolidation
Proficiency in ERP/SAP systems
Supply chain management reporting (MM)
CPT mapping techniques
Expertise in FTP schemes
Trade compliance knowledge
Accomplishments
- Led supplier scorecard and performance tracking system for governance.
- Achieved high supplier satisfaction & benchmarking across categories.
- Enhanced operational efficiency via consolidation & digital tracking.
- Represented the organization internationally (Spain, Brazil, Italy) to lead and accelerate high-value project execution, ensuring alignment with global suppliers and maintaining project delivery commitments.
Certification
Training in International Trade & Customs Compliance
Timeline
Group Head Import Procurement & Supply Chain Excellence
KSB Limited
07.2017 - Current
Sr. Officer Logistics Procurement
Mahle Behr India Pvt. Ltd
08.2016 - 06.2017
Sr. Officer Logistics & EXIM
Rieter India Pvt. Ltd
01.2011 - 07.2016
Officer Export Sales
PMT Machine Tools Ltd
01.2010 - 12.2011
Executive Export & Bonded Warehouse
Spica Elastics Pvt. Ltd
01.2008 - 12.2009
MBA - Materials & Logistics
Institute of Management Education
PG Diploma - Foreign Trade
University of Pune
B.Com - Commerce
University of Pune