Arun Kumar

Led onboarding and lifecycle management of an Interconnect product portfolio valued at $60Mn annually, enabling successful launch of 50+ NPIs and achieving 8–10% cost savings through proactive project management, PFMEA analysis, and strategic sourcing initiatives. 

Owned and managed a catalog of 800K+ SKUs in the cable and connector category across Farnell’s global portfolio, including RF/coaxial, circular, modular, heavy-duty, sensor, automotive, and data communication connectors. 

Oversaw sourcing, supplier relationships, lifecycle management, and go-to-market readiness, ensuring availability, competitive pricing, and compliance with ISO 9001, RoHS, and REACH standards.

 Collaborated with 15+ leading interconnect manufacturers (TE Connectivity, Molex, Amphenol, Alphawire, ITT, 3M, Neutrik) to define sourcing strategies, negotiate pricing, and qualify 100+ critical components using detailed specification review and competitive benchmarks; led quarterly business reviews (QBRs) to monitor supplier KPIs and align with global sourcing objectives, employing vendor development techniques. 

Spearheaded a £1Mn business model transition from direct ship to drop ship, resulting in a 20% reduction in lead times and significantly enhancing customer delivery reliability. 

Conducted High Runner Analysis on 50K+ connector SKUs to establish stocking strategies, address gap-fill opportunities, and align supply for NPI launches, applying mitigation plans, compliance controls, and supply chain process validation. 

Partnered with cross-functional teams in engineering and marketing to define and execute 3 new category roadmaps, utilizing value chain mapping and customer insights to guide development and align with strategic sourcing goals, driving continuous improvement through product management.

Performed BOM-level cost analysis across 40+ assemblies and benchmarked supplier pricing to identify 5 12% cost-saving opportunities, leading technical review meetings focused on quality standards and integrating process improvement strategies, leveraging competitive strategies.

Delivered 30+ strategic presentations to senior leadership on supplier selection, cost impacts, and sourcing risk mitigation plans, demonstrating strong communication and problem-solving skills while addressing contracting challenges and ensuring compliance with ISO 14001, RoHS, and REACH environmental standards, enhancing project management skills.

Bachelor in Electronics and Communication, Nitte Meenakshi Institute of Technology (GPA: 8.6)

2014 — 2018