Nikhil Kulkarni

About Nikhil Kulkarni

With over 17 years of experience in supply chain management across various industries, I…

Experience

1. Buyer Planner Lead

   Philips

   Jul 2022 — Present · Pune, IN

   Seasoned supply chain professional with over 17 years of experience across multiple industries, specializing in supply chain management, process transformations, and the execution of both greenfield/brownfield projects. Currently leading procurement at Philips, managing an annual spend exceeding €100 million and overseeing relationships with over 250 international/local suppliers and approx. line items. I lead a team of 16 operational buyers, providing mentorship and guidance to ensure adherence to global supply chain processes and continuous development of team capabilities.Throughout my career, I have demonstrated a strong ability to drive results and build strategic partnerships. I have successfully implemented global processes at the Pune site, aligning key performance indicators with CFT, and played a pivotal role in improving part availability by closely collaborating with suppliers and resolving critical backorders. Notably, we reduced customer backorders of coils from over 2,400 to just 84 in 2023, significantly enhancing customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.My key achievements are: “Best Debutant Award – 2022” and the “Team of the Year Award – 2023” runner-up at Philips. I was also nominated for the prestigious “Philips CEO Awards – 2024,” where my team achieved runner-up status.With a need of digital transformation in supply chain operations, I have driven initiatives such as PFEP2.0 and the implementation of the CTB (Clear to Build) tool, enhancing visibility, accuracy, and responsiveness across procurement processes.With extensive global exposure, I have traveled to Europe and the US for supplier visits, fostering strong relationships and aligning supplier partnerships with business goals. My focus remains on empowering teams, streamlining operations, and delivering measurable improvements, while continuously enhancing supply chain resilience and efficiency.

Education

• Maharashtra Institute of Technology

  M.B.A., Operations Management

  2009 — 2011

• Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University

  B.E., Mechanical Engg.

  2003 — 2006

Skills

• Fmea
• Quality Management
• Negotiation
• Product Development
• Vendor Management
• Engineering
• Team Management
• Materials
• Sourcing
• Cross-Functional Team Leadership
• Tqm
• Six Sigma
• Project Planning
• Supply Chain
• Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (Fmea)
• Process Improvement
• Materials Management
• Kaizen
• Logistics
• Supply Chain Management
• Procurement
• Automotive
• Contract Management
• Continuous Improvement
• Strategic Sourcing
• Management
• Manufacturing
• Project Management
• Lean Manufacturing
• Production Planning
• Operations Management
• Quality System
• Inventory Management
• Erp