Aravind Babu Nukathoti
Lab & Innovation Infrastructure Manager (Senior Lead Engineer)
Bengaluru
Summary
Senior Lab & Innovation Infrastructure Leader with 12+ years of experience in establishing, scaling, and governing corporate R&D laboratories and Centres of Excellence. Proven track record in greenfield lab setup, ₹5.5 Cr CAPEX ownership, OPEX governance, vendor development, innovation enablement, and global stakeholder management. Experienced in leading multi-disciplinary teams, driving utilization and ROI, and enabling open innovation through structured startup and ecosystem collaboration.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
5
5
Certifications
1
1
Language
Work History
Lab & Innovation Infrastructure Manager (Senior Lead Engineer)
Mann+Hummel Filters Pvt. Ltd.
Benguluru
09.2024 - Current
- Mentoring engineers beyond direct reporting lines and supporting global product management initiatives.
- Hosting weekly Innovation Management Review meetings with CTO and VP, tracking risks, delivery, and outcomes.
- Owning a global digital innovation governance platform enabling structured collaboration with startups.
- Managing SharePoint-based extranet portals for startup communication, project tracking, dashboards, and automated escalations.
- Supporting MH Innovates 2026 open innovation program, engaging startups, scale-ups, accelerators, research institutes, and incubators.
Lab & Innovation Infrastructure Manager (Lead Engineer)
Mann and Hummel Filters Pvt. Ltd.
Benguluru
01.2021 - 08.2024
- - Led end-to-end establishment of a 4,500 sq. ft. greenfield corporate R&D lab with ₹5.5 Cr CAPEX over 18 months.
- - Defined lab concepts, layouts, business justifications, URS, and technical specifications for equipment and infrastructure.
- - Evaluated 3–5 suppliers per project; conducted factory audits, technical trials, demos, and vendor rejections where required.
- - Led installation, commissioning, SOP creation, safety reviews, go-live, and stabilization phases.
- - Managed mechanical, environmental, material characterization labs and development of custom test rigs.
- - Planned and executed CAPEX & OPEX budgets (₹28 Lakh annual OPEX), maintaining cost variance within ±5%.
- - Achieved >85% lab utilization for 11 months annually; delivered right-first-time quality and on-time execution.
- - Participated in price negotiations, TCO and lifecycle cost evaluations, AMC and service contract finalization.
- - Balanced technical integrity with organizational politics; defended budgets and declined non-viable stakeholder demands.
Senior Engineer – Labs & Testing
Mann and Hummel Filters Pvt. Ltd.
Bangalore
01.2013 - 01.2020
- Conducted testing and characterization of filter media, elastomers, PU foams, metals, and adhesives.
- Performed field failure analysis, root cause investigations, and delivered corrective recommendations.
- Supported import, installation, calibration, and maintenance of test equipment.
- Participated in round-robin testing to validate methods and equipment performance.
- Consistently exceeded individual KPIs for quality, delivery, and operational excellence.
- Determined equipment failure root cause and implemented solutions.
Service & Testing Engineer
Measure India Corporation
Hyderabad
01.2010 - 01.2013
- Installed, serviced, and maintained servo-hydraulic and electromechanical universal testing machines and burst testing systems.
- Conducted mechanical testing of metals and prepared samples as per international standards.
- Implemented preventive maintenance strategies reducing machine downtime.
- Constructed test environments and designed and executed test plans.
- Provided technical support to development teams and debugged test systems.
- Obtained components, supplies and equipment to support testing.
Education
MBA - Innovation & Entrepreneurship
KL University
Andhra Pradesh01.2024
B.Tech - Engineering Technology
BITS Pilani
Rajasthan01.2018
Skills
Laboratory work supervision
Laboratory safety
Problem-solving abilities
Team leadership
Supplier relationships
Innovation management
Materials science
Continuous improvement
Certification
-Technology Entrepreneurship: Lab to Market – HarvardX (edX)
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
-Employee of the Quarter – Q2 2017, -InCube-II Innovation Finalist -Top 10 Global Innovation Candidate (25,000+ employees) - 2018, -Employee of the Year – 2022, -Digital Hero – Global Implementation – 2023
LEADERSHIP & TEAM MANAGEMENT
- - Built and led teams of 3–5 engineers; handled recruitment, technical interviews, onboarding, and training plans.
- - Mentored junior engineers and successfully turned around two underperforming team members.
- - Delivered internal and external workshops and training programmes for employees, suppliers, and cross-functional teams.
INNOVATION & CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
- - Led global digitalisation initiatives including DAQ optimisation and R&D sample shipment platforms.
- - Reduced global sample shipment turnaround time by 50% (1.5 weeks to 4 days), saving 1 FTE per location.
- - Delivered ₹35 Lakh savings through DAQ-related efficiency improvements.
- - Recognised as Employee of the Year, Digital Hero, and Top-10 Global Innovation Candidate (25,000+ employees).
STAKEHOLDER & ECOSYSTEM ENGAGEMENT
- - Managed relationships with global OEMs, service providers, auditors, consultants, and external testing laboratories.
- - Conducted lab demos and technical reviews for senior leadership, customers, and global stakeholders.
- - Enabled joint testing, validation, round-robin testing with Germany, and external lab qualification based on ROI.
Timeline
Lab & Innovation Infrastructure Manager (Senior Lead Engineer)
Mann+Hummel Filters Pvt. Ltd.
09.2024 - Current
Lab & Innovation Infrastructure Manager (Lead Engineer)
Mann and Hummel Filters Pvt. Ltd.
01.2021 - 08.2024
Senior Engineer – Labs & Testing
Mann and Hummel Filters Pvt. Ltd.
01.2013 - 01.2020
Service & Testing Engineer
Measure India Corporation
01.2010 - 01.2013
B.Tech - Engineering Technology
BITS Pilani
MBA - Innovation & Entrepreneurship
KL University