Avtar Singh Sidhu
Vice President Supply Chain
Thane
I can’t understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I’m frightened of the old ones.
John Cage
Summary
Dynamic Senior Supply Chain and Sourcing leader with over 30 years of experience driving sustainable business value through the design and implementation of resilient, cost-effective, and ethically responsible supply chains. Expertise in strategic sourcing, supplier partnerships, risk management, and digital transformation consistently enables the achievement of operational excellence. Proven ability to mentor future leaders and influence executive strategy, fostering long-term competitive advantages across global operations. Committed to leveraging deep industry knowledge to enhance organizational performance and sustainability.
Overview
30
30
years of professional experience
8
8
Certificates
4
4
Languages
Work History
Vice President-Supply Chain
AARAV Fragrance and Flavors Pvt Ltd
Thane, Mumbai
03.2022 - 08.2025
- Looking after Procurement & Imports of Chemicals & End to End Logistics, imports, Exports, Shipping Lines, ICD's, Production, Capex, Opex, CSR, Stores, Warehouse all end to end Supply Chain activities.
- Led cross-functional teams of 33 officials for the successful completion of major projects, resulting in increased efficiency and client satisfaction.
- Identified opportunities to improve business process flows and productivity.
- Collaborated with senior management to develop strategic initiatives and long term goals.
- Established a culture of continuous improvement, fostering innovation and driving sustainable growth across the organization.
- Demonstrated proficient leadership skills to motivate employees and build competent teams.
- Transformed customer experience by designing and executing comprehensive service improvement initiatives aimed at enhancing satisfaction levels.
Vice President
Goldstab Organics Pvt Ltd
Mumbai, Vapi
09.2019 - 02.2022
- Leading all the commercial activities of sourcing, imports, warehousing, stores, logistics, and shipping. New Product Development, Developing New Vendors for indigenous and imports.
- In addition, looking after Plant Expansion, Projects, Stores, Logistics & Warehousing (Multi Locations) with a team of 18 officials and reporting to Director.
- Strategically looking after 280 Cr+ Purchase & Inventory, maintaining the COGS levels & inventors as desired levels to meet the cash flow standards
- Led cross-functional teams for the successful completion of major projects, resulting in increased efficiency and client satisfaction.
- Established a culture of continuous improvement, fostering innovation and driving sustainable growth across the organization.
- Implemented and developed operational standards, policies and procedures.
Head Commercial
PatCham FZC
Dubai, Bharuch
01.2016 - 09.2019
- Handled a base of 900 Cr+ (130 Million $) sourcing of Chemical RM, MRO Spares, Consumables, Packing Material, Logistics, International Shipping, Warehouses for all three countries & multi locations.
- Setting up an independent new mfg project from grass root level within a record time in India.
- Heading a team of 22 SCM professionals.
- World's second largest manufacturers of Paint Driers, Paint & Ink Additives, PVC Compounds & Stabilizers, Catalysts in UAE, USA & India.
Manager Commercial
Apar Polymers Ltd.
Bharuch, Gujarat
04.2012 - 01.2016
- Responsible for Sourcing of RM, Imports, Chemical & Gases, Consumables, Packing Material.
- Looking after 380 Cr Purchase with a team of 12 officials & reporting to Vice President Commercial.
- India's leading Manufacturing of PBR & SBR Rubber, Synthetic Latex & other polymers.
- Increased profit margins by effectively controlling budget and overhead and optimizing product turns.
Manager SCM & Merger and Acquisitions.
BASF Ag
Ludwigshafen, Bahruch
08.1998 - 04.2012
- Member of Global Supply Chain Pool & Member of Mergers & Acquisition for South East Asia.
- Involved in procurement of Raw Material, Solvents, Capital Goods and Consumables.
- Involved in Brown & Green Field Projects to completion of production.
- Looking after Imports and indigenous supplies, Corporate Purchase exposer of 9 years in 28 Countries as a star performer in Global Supply Chain Pool.
- Handling Multi - Million MT strategic purchases worth Billions of $'s in Styrene, Monomers, 2EHA, Iso Nonic Acids & Specialty Chemicals.
- Finalizing the contracts for chartered vessels, storage tanks, mega Global logistics.
- As a member of M&A team, involved in base audits for 21 companies in various SEA Countries.
- Member of Global Supply Chain was awarded due to consecutive Star Employee & got opportunity to move to Global Supply Chain Pool and hovering around 28 countries and second in command for sourcing & material planning for these countries.
- World's largest manufacturer of Specialty Chemicals & Styrene's, polymers, Aroma Chemicals, Dye Pigments and other Specialty Chemicals.
- Accomplished multiple tasks within established timeframes.
- Achieved significant cost savings by renegotiating contracts with key vendors, without compromising service quality.
Management Trainee - Officer Materials
Tata Chemicals Limited
Mithapur, Gujarat
06.1995 - 08.1998
- As a Management Trainee got through exposure in entire Supply Chain related dept's, such as procurement, imports, exports, stores, Dispatches, logistics & shipping.
- Assisting in Procurement of raw material, consumables, packing material & DPOL Stores.
- Gained knowledge of company policies, protocols and processes.
- Assisted supervisors in setting clear goals, establishing priorities, and monitoring progress to ensure successful completion of tasks.
- Improved management skills by participating in rigorous training programs and workshops.
- Developed problem-solving abilities through hands-on experience with real-life business scenarios.
Education
Ph.D. - Studying For Logistics & Supply Chain Management
04.2001 -
Chartered Financial Analysts - CFA Level-2
04.2001 -
Diploma - Primary, Secondary & Flexible Packaging
02-2018
Executive MBA - Supply Chain & Logistics
01-2014
Post Graduate Diploma - International Trade
12-2012
Post Graduate Diploma - Supply Chain Management
04.2001 -
Post Graduate Diploma - Materials Management
04-1996
Bachelor of Science - Chemistry
12-1992
Matriculation - General Studies
04.2001 -
Skills
Procurement strategy
Financial budget oversight
Proficient in negotiation techniques
Zero-based budgeting
Experienced in strategic sourcing practices
Process improvement leadership
Operational efficiency
Strategic business insight
Accomplishments
- Suggested rotation of entire commercial department so all the officials can fill the gap in absence of one & was successfully implemented by the Management during my first engagement at Tata Chemicals.
- Executed four Brown & Green Field Projects Successfully before the timeline, savings worth 13 Cr in a land deal in 1999 at BASF India.
- Took Strategic calls in long term contracts helping to save millions of $ during BASF Germany on sourcing of Styrene Monomer.
- Implemented process for Chartered shipping lines & ports, storage terminals & logistics thus easing the complicated process & savings worth millions annually prompting transfer to HO as a reward & further rewarded for best ideas & performing more than expected during my days at BASF.
- Eliminated excess inventory & brought inventory under control easing the cash flow, synchronizing the warehouses at pan india, proper control over logistics prompting savings worth 9 Cr annually during my Apar Industries days.
- At Patcham, implemented the strategic sourcing, took calls for bottom fishing on several raw materials prompting better control on inventory & savings worth 40 Cr in a year thereafter recurring savings enhancing the bottom line.
- Implement strategic calls on basic raw materials prompting proper control on cost and assured timely deliveries, changing the packaging, revamping the warehouse & logistics leading to ease and systemic & transparent approach leading to 20% savings without hampering the quality at Goldstab Organics. Savings worth 74 Lacs on containers demurrage charges during Covid on force majeure clause, took up this clause tactfully & paid only 25K as a good gesture.
- At AARAV changed the entire process in Sourcing, Production, Customer Care, Logistics, RM Stores, Warehouse, Packaging, Logistics prompting a better control on inventory, liquidating dead & slow moving inventory from 48 Days to 15 days, enhancing the order to dispatch efficiency to 96% from 21 days to 5 days leading to more flow of orders & customer satisfaction, consolidating the logistics leading to fast deliveries & savings more than 25%, Revamping the primary & secondary Packaging giving more durability, attractive look besides 20% savings, bringing down the COGS from 59% to 52% by taking strategic calls & bottom fishing in RM pricing using my skills of a CFA, bottomline is enhancing the value of SCM dept, from "Worst & neglected to Best Department" at AARAV prompting to super increments & promotions. Maintained the same headcount from 100 Cr of sales to 300 Cr inspite of attrition.
- Thinking out of the box for the nation as well, got appreciation certificates from the Indian Railways, Government of India, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Highways.
- Facilitated by Narmada College of Management, Doon School, FICCI, CII for Supply Chain thesis.
Contributing for the Nation
Additional Information
* 25 Years in the role of SCM leadership role
* Industries handled: Polymers, Rubbers, Chemicals, Scialty Chemicals, Aroma Chemicals, FMCG, Paint Driers, PVC Stabilizers, Catalysts, Automobiles, Green Field & Brown Field Projects.
* Led Global Sourcing, Production, CSR, Warehousing, Logistics, Shipping, Ports, Stores, Customs, ICD's, Packaging.
* Countries worked & looked after: 28 countries spread over Europe, Asian Countries, Australia & South America.
* Scale: Products handled 3000+, Volumes in Millions of tonnes, Maximum Team Size 72 Direct& Indirect white collard officials, Maximum Sourcing Value spend in a year 1.8 Billion $.
* Delivered maximum cost reduction in a year 280 Cr through strategic Sourcing and Vendor Consolidation.
* Number of plants handled 33 across 4 continents.
* Stabilized supply during Covid disruption with almost zero plant shut down.
* Improve inventory turns & releasing 78 Cr of working capital.
* Mitigating supply risk management.
* Adherence in global compliance ( ESG, SOX, Third stage vendor audits )
* Successfully implemented, SAP B1, SAP S/4 HANA, SAP ARIBA, VRM across procurement, Planning & S&D modules.
* Building leadership & talent development, succession plan, Culture initiative, High potential Development.
Stakeholder & Board Exposure.
Member of Global Supply Chain Pool at BASF
Member of Compliance & HSE at BASF Global
Financial Control Member at PATCHAM
Member of Audit committee at PATCHAM
Executive Committee Member at AARAV
Investor & Customer Infractions
CXO interactions
Certification
IIM Udaipur: Certificate in Essential Leadership Development
Timeline
Vice President-Supply Chain - AARAV Fragrance and Flavors Pvt Ltd
03.2022 - 08.2025
Vice President - Goldstab Organics Pvt Ltd
09.2019 - 02.2022
Head Commercial - PatCham FZC
01.2016 - 09.2019
Manager Commercial - Apar Polymers Ltd.
04.2012 - 01.2016
Copenhagen Business School - Ph.D., Studying For Logistics & Supply Chain Management
04.2001 -
CFA Institute - Chartered Financial Analysts, CFA Level-2
04.2001 -
Indian Institute of Management - Post Graduate Diploma, Supply Chain Management
04.2001 -
The Doon School - Matriculation, General Studies
04.2001 -
Manager SCM & Merger and Acquisitions. - BASF Ag
08.1998 - 04.2012
Management Trainee - Officer Materials - Tata Chemicals Limited
06.1995 - 08.1998
Indian Institute of Packaging - Diploma, Primary, Secondary & Flexible Packaging
Copenhagen Business School - Executive MBA, Supply Chain & Logistics
Indian Institute of Foreign Trade - Post Graduate Diploma, International Trade
Indian Institute of Materials Management - Post Graduate Diploma , Materials Management
M.S. University - Bachelor of Science, Chemistry
Languages
English
Hindi
Punjabi
Gujarati
Work Availability
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
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Activities
- Exposure to OHSAS, ISO 9001-2017 from UL, ISO 14001: 2004 by TUV, TS 16949
- Mentor of Supply Chain for ISO 9001-2017 & 14001: 2004
- Active Member for HSE, FFQ, MOVE, Lean Management
- Kaizen, 5-S, Move, Development Circle, Leadership formation
Professional Snapshot
In Depth knowledge of Aroma Chemicals, Specialty Chemicals, Ingredients, Polymers, Rubber, Additives, Paint Driers, Inks, Dyes, Catalysts, Strategic Sourcing, Vendor Development, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Shipping, Warehousing, Ports etc.
Key Competencies And Skills
- Supply Chain Management
- Budget management
- Strong negotiating skills
- Zero based costing
- Strategic sourcing
- Change & Lean Management
- Process Management
- Business acumen
Personal Information
- Father's Name: Brigadier Shingara Singh Sidhu
- Date of Birth: 1972-05-17
- Marital Status: Married
- Highly Motivated & Disciplined from a family of Defense Background
Activities
- Strategy & Direction Setting
- Sales & Operations Planing
- Financial Ownership & Performance
- Procurement & Supplier Management
- Operations & Logistics oversight
- Risk, Resilience & Crisis Management
- Digital Transformation & Analytics
- Leadership, Talent & Culture
- Cross Functional & Executive Collaboration
- Sustainability & Governance
Professional Snapshot
28, 9, Aroma Chemicals, Specialty Chemicals, Ingredients, Polymers, Rubber, Additives, Paint Driers, Inks, Dyes, Catalysts, Strategic Sourcing, Vendor Development, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Shipping, Warehousing
Key Competencies And Skills
- Supply Chain Mastery of Functional Depth
- Leadership Talent Development
- Financial, Budget & Commercial Acumen
- Strong Negotiating skills with Zero Based costing
- Strategic & system thinking
- Change & Lean Management
- Process & Risk Management
- Business Acumen
- External Partnership & Ecosystem Management
- Sustainability & ESG Leadership