Lalit Sethi

About Lalit Sethi

Change-agent automotive Program/PMO leader driving portfolio execution, governance, and operational transformation across global cross-functional teams. Builds and develops high-performing PM organizations—coaching leaders, strengthening capability, and establishing clear accountability—while institutionalizing scalable delivery systems (stage-gate governance, change control, and execution cadence) that improve KPIs, reduce risk, and deliver measurable cost and quality gains. Fluent in German and Hindi.Selected leadership outcomes (real-world accomplishments)• IHI-Turbo America | PMO enablement: Built a turbocharger-tailored automotive Gate Review framework from the ground up; trained PMs and cross-functional teams to standardize execution, decision-making, and accountability.• Humanetics | Cross-continent alignment: Established decision forums, RACI, and escalation paths across R&D and Manufacturing to strengthen collaboration and execution flow.• HARMAN International | Governance & standardization:– Redesigned change-management governance and automated controls, eliminating a $20M obsolescence exposure within 2 years while improving product availability.– Harmonized design release and program management processes across multiple plants/business units, reducing inefficiency and avoiding high external consulting costs.• Continental Automotive Systems | Quality, innovation & cost:– Instituted an OEM field-data early-warning system to detect emerging warranty trends sooner, accelerating containment and corrective action.– Founded an Innovation Club that generated 35 patent filings in one year, strengthening the IP pipeline and competitive advantage.– Delivered an in-house Hardware-in-the-Loop capability to reproduce hard-to-detect brake software issues during edge-case maneuvers—$10K vs.~$300K outsourcing.

Experience

1. Program Manager

   Humanetics

   Aug 2023 — Present · Farmington, MI, US

   Led active-safety and Anthropomorphic Test Device (ATD) development programs supporting crash testing, ensuring compliance with NHTSA and Euro NCAP requirements. Drove cross-functional execution across R&D, Quality, Manufacturing, Sales, Supplier Management, and Procurement. Owned program financial performance (P&L) and delivered strategic program targets.Key Accomplishments• Implemented stage-gate / Gate-Review governance to improve decision quality, alignment, and execution cadence.• Established operating cadence and communication channels across functions, enabling stronger cross-regional collaboration.• Directed end-to-end program operations spanning hardware/software development, logistics, certification, and manufacturing.• Built and executed risk mitigation plans, reducing crisis incidents by 40% and improving response times by 25%.• Introduced automation using Python/AI-enabled tools to streamline analysis and reporting, improving team productivity by 35%.

Education

• Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences

  Bachelor of Science - BS, Electrical and Electronics Engineering

Skills

• Automotive
• Engineering
• Apqp
• Fmea
• Ppap
• Dfmea
• Kaizen
• Continuous Improvement
• Root Cause Analysis
• Engineering Management
• Project Management
• Product Development
• Product Innovation
• Customer Support
• Process Improvement
• Warranty Management
• Quality Assurance
• Supplier Quality Management
• Microcontrollers
• Qs9000
• Quality Auditing
• Customer Satisfaction
• Lean Manufacturing
• Supplier Quality