Luis Ayala

About Luis Ayala

Quality & Continuous Improvement Leader with 20+ years of experience leading enterprise QMS governance and operational excellence across multi-site manufacturing environments. Demonstrated success reducing COPQ, strengthening warranty performance, and sustaining regulatory compliance through disciplined problem solving, risk management, and cross-functional accountability. Experienced in ISO 9001 and AS9100 systems, greenfield certification, supplier quality governance, and digital standardization initiatives that enhance performance, audit readiness, and customer confidence.Key achievements include- Reduced enterprise COPQ 45%, improving operating profit margin through systemic governance and supplier risk controls- Leading ISO 9001 new certifications and re‑certifications across multiple sites with zero findings- Led implementation of Enterprise KPI standardization- Implementing Lean systems—6S, Leader Standard Work, Tier meetings, visual management, CI maturity assessments- Built and developed a high-performing quality organization, strengthening technical problem-solving capability and enabling robust corrective action execution across all sites- Improving customer satisfaction through faster, transparent problem resolution and technical RCAs.I implemented AS9100, ISO 9001, and NADCAP accreditations for Rolls‑Royce startup facilities.I am known for strengthening cross‑functional alignment, improving process stability, and developing teams through practical, data‑driven CI and Quality systems.

Experience

1. Director of Quality

   Sumitomo Drive Technologies USA

   Jan 2023 — Present · Chesapeake, VA, US

   Executive leader responsible for Quality and Continuous Improvement across U.S, Canada, and Latin America operations. Oversaw plant quality teams, customer support, warranty operations, CI programs, and regulatory compliance across multiple manufacturing facilities. Drove strategy execution, system deployment, and organizational alignment to deliver measurable improvements in reliability, cost, and customer satisfaction-Delivered significant reduction in COPQ year‑over‑year by tightening process controls, governance, reporting, and improving cross‑functional accountability-Successfully led ISO 9001 certifications and re‑certifications for several US facilities-Championed Modernized manufacturing systems by deploying digital work instructions across all U.S. sites, replacing outdated SOPs and improving training consistency and audit readiness-Strengthened relationships with industrial customers by leading high‑visibility RCAs and improving communication alignment with internal stakeholders- Implemented systematic problem‑solving governance (8D, 5 Why), accelerating closure of issues and improving preventive actions across sites- Improved warranty governance and resolved high‑value cases through strong problem-solving techniques and governance- Championed Lean/CI adoption — including 6S, Tier Accountability, Leader Standard Work, Visual Management — increasing process stability and improving throughput in key production areas- Built a more engaged, reliable Quality organization by establishing clear expectations, structured communication routines, and leadership cadence.

Education

• Escuela Colombiana de Ingeniería Julio Garavito

  B.S, Industrial Engineering

  1995 — 2001

• Asq.org

  Certified Quality Engineer