Balaji Rajan
Technical Sales and Business Development
Chennai
Summary
Senior professional with extensive experience in business development, driving strategic growth across diverse sectors, including manufacturing, industrial IoT automation, and e-commerce. Expertise encompasses consultative sales, automation, and team leadership. Passionate about leveraging technology and strategic thinking to transform ideas into successful ventures while fostering high-performing teams. Proven ability to navigate complex business landscapes, consistently delivering measurable outcomes that enhance organizational performance.
Innovative technology professional with several years of diverse experience. Skilled in enhancing systems and aligning technical solutions with business objectives. Proven success in leading projects from start to finish and contributing to organizational growth and success.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
6
6
years of post-secondary education
Work History
Head Sales and Mktg - Automation and Industry 4.0
MEL Systems and Services Ltd
Chennai, Tamil Nadu
04.2023 - Current
- Heading a team of 10+ pre-sales executives involved in consultative sales for manufacturing
- Learned and adapted quickly to new technology including Robotics, MES, IoT based Traceability, Data logging, Environment monitoring, Vison, Digitalisation and software solutions
- Doubled the RFQ pipeline and monthly proposal bids submitted to customer (tenders also)
- Acquired new business enquiries from more than 350+ targeted new companies and logos
- Successfully booked more than Rs.40Cr in orders over a two-year period
- Achieved the highest ever order-booking and billing for FY2024-25 in the thirty-year company history
Head - Direct Sales (Domestic and International Markets)
ALLPOS Software
Chennai, Tamil Nadu
04.2022 - 08.2022
- Company Overview: SAAS – Restaurant ERP
- Strategized and developed the AOP, sales budget, feature development, recruitment needs, onboarding practices & GTM roadmap
- Hired and managed a team for high volume outbound/inbound/direct sales development
- Established methods for market, competitor and feature analysis
- Added 4000+ new verified contacts pipeline / Won contracts for two national level brand names
- SAAS – Restaurant ERP
General Manager – Business Development (US Markets & Vendors)
OJ Commerce, LLC
01.2021 - 03.2022
- Company Overview: Ecommerce – Home and Outdoor Furnishings
- Established a small but high ROI Inside Sales team within the organization
- Onboarded 22 new vendors with GMV more than US$20M, generating an ARR upwards of US$1.5M in sales
- Migrated business development process from the US office to India team
- Ecommerce – Home and Outdoor Furnishings
Co-Founder / CEO
Kozzmo Beverages Labs Pvt Ltd
09.2016 - 12.2020
- Company Overview: Beverage Manufacturing
- Developed entire GO-TO-MARKET strategy including product formulation/development/ testing
- Established operations, manufacturing setup, business development, sales & distribution
- Utilized funds raised from ‘Angel’ investors in the US to grow the business
- Generated annualized revenues of more than Rs.70 lakhs from different products
- Developed a national customer base with Gross Market Value of more than Rs.150 Lakhs
- Beverage Manufacturing
Senior Manager – Business Development Head (EXPORT & DOMESTIC)
Rane Engine Valve Ltd
Chennai, Tamil Nadu
03.2013 - 08.2016
- Company Overview: Engine Component Manufacturing
- Acquisition of more than Rs.70Cr in new business with project management responsibility for developing more than 20+ new products at target profitability
- Lead a McKinsey Study at the company level to develop and deploy a five-year strategic business plan for multifold growth in the company through exploration of Cost/Capacity/Capability/ Sales opportunities
- Selected at the group level for the “High Potential Leadership Development Program”
- Engine Component Manufacturing
Senior Manager – Sales (EXPORT & DOMESTIC)
SANMAR Foundries Ltd
Chennai, Tamil Nadu
03.2008 - 02.2013
- Company Overview: Steel Casting Manufacturing
- Successfully established more than seventy new products in three years (2008-‘11) and generated in excess of Rs.120 Cr sales revenue in 2011-’12 for export/ domestic sales
- Developed supply chain (container/sea freight) delivering more than Rs.900 lacs of products every month to US clients
- Successful KAM for multiple Fortune 100 companies (GE/ CATERPILLAR/ KOMATSU)
- Received the group level “Best Performance Award” for exceeding expectations in FY’12
- Steel Casting Manufacturing
Industrial Engineer
Earth First Technologies
01.2004 - 01.2007
- Company Overview: Solar Diesel
- Solar Diesel
Estimating Manager
Electric Machinery Enterprises Inc
Tampa Bay, USA
01.2004 - 01.2007
Education
Machine Learning Certificate -
Stanford Online
Marketing Excellence Workshop - Executive Education
ISB
Master of Science (M.S.) - Industrial Engineering
University of South Florida
Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.) - Electrical and Electronics Engg.
SRM Engg. College
Skills
Business Development Strategy
Websites
Relevant Positions
- Head Sales & Mktg, Automation, IOT & Industry 4.0 (DOM), 01/01/08 - 12/31/22, Rs.100Cr+
- Head Direct Sales, SAAS POS/ ERP Software (Dom/Int), 01/01/08 - 12/31/22, US$6Mn Start-up
- GM Business Development, Ecommerce Company (US Market), 01/01/08 - 12/31/22, US$150Mn turnover
- Senior Manager (BD Head), Auto Component Mfg. (Dom/Int), 01/01/08 - 12/31/22, US$700Mn turnover
- Senior Manager (Sales), Manufacturing Conglomerate (Dom/Int), 01/01/08 - 12/31/22, US$1Bn turnover
Sales Tools Utilized
- CRM (Hubspot, FreshDesk)
- Sales Intelligence (Apollo, Uplead, Sales Navigator)
- MS Office
Timeline
Head Sales and Mktg - Automation and Industry 4.0
MEL Systems and Services Ltd
04.2023 - Current
Head - Direct Sales (Domestic and International Markets)
ALLPOS Software
04.2022 - 08.2022
General Manager – Business Development (US Markets & Vendors)
OJ Commerce, LLC
01.2021 - 03.2022
Co-Founder / CEO
Kozzmo Beverages Labs Pvt Ltd
09.2016 - 12.2020
Senior Manager – Business Development Head (EXPORT & DOMESTIC)
Rane Engine Valve Ltd
03.2013 - 08.2016
Senior Manager – Sales (EXPORT & DOMESTIC)
SANMAR Foundries Ltd
03.2008 - 02.2013
Industrial Engineer
Earth First Technologies
01.2004 - 01.2007
Estimating Manager
Electric Machinery Enterprises Inc
01.2004 - 01.2007
Marketing Excellence Workshop - Executive Education
ISB
Master of Science (M.S.) - Industrial Engineering
University of South Florida
Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.) - Electrical and Electronics Engg.
SRM Engg. College
Machine Learning Certificate -
Stanford Online
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