Ankur Pancholi

About Ankur Pancholi

I bring over 20+ years of leadership across industrial automation, process control, and AI strategy, guiding organizations through the digital reinvention of manufacturing and operations. My career uniquely blends business leadership, sales excellence, and deep domain expertise in process automation and DCS systems, enabling clients to achieve sustainable growth, reliability, and transformation at scale. Career Highlights: • Process Automation & DCS Expertise: Led business growth and large-scale deployments of Distributed Control Systems (DCS) and process automation solutions across industries — including oil & gas, chemical, power, and pharma — delivering measurable operational efficiency and compliance. • Sales & Business Leadership: Built and scaled multi-million-dollar industrial automation businesses, consistently exceeding growth targets, market expansion, and global accounts. • Digital Transformation: Spearheaded Industry 4.0 and AI-driven strategies that reshaped customer operations, integrating edge AI, predictive maintenance, and digital twins into automation platforms. • Customer-Centric Growth: Partnered with top clients to modernize legacy systems into intelligent, connected factories, enhancing competitiveness and resilience. • Executive Influence: Advised boards and senior leaders on automation strategy, AI adoption, and transformation roadmaps, driving both technological and financial outcomes. • Leadership with Clarity: Built and mentored diverse, high-performing teams across regions — combining sales excellence, engineering depth, and strategic partnerships. Core Expertise: • Process Automation & DCS | Industrial IoT | Control Systems • Sales Leadership & P&L | Business Development | Market Expansion • AI in Manufacturing | Edge AI | Digital Twins | Predictive Analytics • Transformation Leadership | Strategy Advisory | Global Accounts • Sustainable Manufacturing | Energy Efficiency | Future of Work Beyond business, I host the podcast “Beyond the Battlefield,” where I bring timeless leadership wisdom from the Bhagavad Gita into today’s world of business, transformation, and executive leadership.My mission is to shape the future of automation and manufacturing — where advanced process control, AI innovation, and human leadership converge to create intelligent, sustainable, and growth-driven enterprises.

Experience

1. Business Manager- Software & Control (India)

   Rockwell Automation

   Oct 2021 — Present · Gurugram, IN

   An Electrical Engineer and MBA in Marketing with over 24 years of leadership in industrial automation, spanning both hands-on implementation and business strategy. I’ve worked extensively across Chemicals, Life Sciences, and Consumer Products industries, delivering complex automation solutions while scaling business growth.🧭 Business Leadership: • Strategic business planning and growth execution • Sales Management & Execution • Channel enablement and distributor development • New product GTM (go-to-market) planning and field execution • Market intelligence and competitive positioning • Cross-functional leadership to align sales, engineering, and product teams • Partner enablement, sales support, and market alignment Current Role Regional Business Manager – Industrial Automation & SoftwareRockwell Automation, India Strategic Responsibilities: • Develop and implement growth strategies aligned with national business goals • Analyze market dynamics to define expansion and recovery opportunities • Lead new product positioning, launches, and competitive messaging • Act as a trusted advisor to sales, distributors, and clients across domains • Translate complex technical capabilities into business value propositions

Education

• Indian School of Business

  MBA

  2006 — 2009

• Maharaja Sayajirao University

  Electrical Engineering

  1994 — 1997

Skills

• Plc
• Control Systems Design
• Opc
• Dcs
• Allen-Bradley
• Ethernet/Ip
• Process Control
• Industrial Control
• Hmis
• Control Logic
• Programmable Logic Controller (Plc)
• Automation
• Modbus
• Profibus
• Motion Control
• Scada
• Commissioning
• Allen Bradley
• Sales Operations
• Controlnet
• Process Automation
• Controllogix
• Instrumentation
• Sis
• Devicenet