The growth of any organization today is totally dependent on good engineering solutions & services. AXISCADES, a technology solutions company, is bringing expertise to cater engineering and smart manufacturing needs of large enterprises. Under the leadership of Arun Krishnamurthi, AXISCADES is committed to delivering engineering excellence for a better future through effective collaboration and partnerships built on integrity.

Arun Krishnamurthi holds a master’s in Computer Applications from Pune University, in addition to BSc in Mathematics from Delhi University. Before joining AXISCADES as a CEO & MD, he worked with Wipro as a Sr. Vice President and with Tata Technologies as the president for the Europe region. As a business leader, he has been focused on improving market positioning, wallet share, customer traction, optimization, cost reduction, and turnaround.

Arun Krishnamurthi engages in an exclusive interaction with Siliconindia.

Tell us about your professional experience and what inspired you to venture into the automotive segment.
In 2021 December, I joined AXISCADES as CEO & MD from Tata Technologies, London, where I was the president for the Europe region and before this, I served at Wipro, London as a Sr. Vice President and Global Head Utilities.

Automotives have always been a passion and I have been an ardent motor head for a very long time. I owned a variety of vehicles when I lived abroad, this coupled with my love for traveling led us to just driving leisurely around the country during several family vacations spent in the US and Europe. This passion and experience prompted me to jump into working in the automotive sector with wholehearted joy.

What are the responsibilities you have to handle as a CEO & MD and summarize the business strategies you have adopted post-pandemic?
AXISCADES is a very innovative company in the engineering product development phase and what differentiates us from the competititors is that even after being a small cap company we work with the best brands in their respective verticals. Going forward, our strategy will be to strengthen and increase our wallet share with major customers while diversifying the sector mix, increasing client portfolio, and bringing in new logos that will become key and strategic clients to the organization. We are also pivoting our business towards Embedded & Digital and that will play a big part in our future.

Tell us about some key business challenges that you face and how you successfully overcome them. Also, define AXISCADES as an organization and how it is currently positioned in the industry.
I have been fortunate enough to work with great organizations and fantastic leaders who have given me opportunities to work on challenging assignments and learn from each one of them. My focus has been on spending as much time as possible in the field, since there is no better way to learn about an industry, than to be part of it. The other thing that has benefitted me is working with teams of really smart and efficient individuals; I am a big team player and sincerely believe that an enthusiastic team motivates you to explore opportunities and unleash innovation.

AXISCADES has come a very long way since its inception in 1990. From being an engineering service provider to one of the leading technology and engineering solutions companies that is the preferred choice for Fortune 500 companies. By posting impressive Year-on-Year growth throughout the decade and expanding its portfolio of Technology solutions offerings in Automotive, Aerospace, Heavy Engineering, & Energy verticals, AXISCADES is well poised to increase its market presence in the evolving and transforming Automotive sector. Also, with our acquisition of Mistral, we are extremely well positioned to offer solutions with embedded capabilities.

The power of the team is much more than that of an individual

What are the industry trends you think a leader of the automotive domain should remain aware of and how do you remain aligned with the ongoing industry trends of the automotive segment?
Rapid technological innovations have forced automotive giants to adapt to new challenges. A leader must be aware of the electric vehicles, autonomous & shared vehicles, connected car tech, automotive electronics, and embedded tech that are disrupting the automotive market through their ground-breaking advancements in innovative technology solutions. Along with that, Artificial Intelligence’s impact on the industry has been colossal and it has facilitated in completely transforming the sector through innovations in ADAS, edge computing, IoT devices, and more.

Regular reading through Trade and Industry periodicals, online blogs and articles, industry leaders panel discussions, and interviews, keep me abreast of the industrial undertakings, activities, and trends in the automotive industry.

What are the changes in market behaviour that you anticipate and what will be your advice for the budding professionals in this domain?
With the advancements and rapid redistribution of R&D investment in the sector especially , with technology giants venturing in, there will be integration of cars into a holistic ecosystem. By 2028, 70 percent of vehicles sold will utilize the android automotive operating system, up from less than one percent today. Also, the Car-as-a-Service model will materialize strongly in the near future, and looking beyond, these models are expected to merge with a greater focus on customers and fleet utilization growing exponentially.

A vast, multi-disciplinary field, the automotive industry requires professionals from a myriad of backgrounds who possess the required expertise in their specializations. For this, one needs to have a multidimensional skill set while constantly learning, unlearning, and relearning to stay ahead.