Varun Gopu
I am an MBA student at XLRI Jamshedpur with over 6.5 years of experience at Titan Company Limited, spanning manufacturing innovation, technology program management, and digital transformation. My career began with advanced materials and manufacturing innovation projects across Titan's Watches, Jewellery, and Eyewear divisions, before evolving into strategic program management and business partnering within the company's manufacturing functions. Over the years, I have led cross-functional initiatives in areas such as MES, traceability systems, smart manufacturing, and sustainability, working at the intersection of technology scouting, pilot execution, and manufacturing process optimisation. This work has consistently involved collaboration with academia, startups, vendors, and business leadership. I have consistently worked to solve complex industrial and business challenges through innovation, structured execution, and collaborative leadership, while developing the ability to bridge strategy, manufacturing operations, and emerging technology ecosystems.
Work experience
80 months in total
- Titan Company Limited80 months
Career highlights
Deputy Manager – Engineering Management & Business Partnering, Titan Company Limited
- Managed the technical project portfolio for Watches and Jewellery manufacturing businesses, driving initiatives with an impact of INR 30 crore
- Facilitated Titan’s first MES roadmap and digital transformation initiatives across Watches and Jewellery factories, including platform finalisation and ROI
- Facilitated collaboration across 10+ departments, multiple cross-functional teams and senior leadership for execution of enterprise-wide transformation programs
- Managed 10+ strategic initiatives involving Digital transformation and traceability systems, smart manufacturing, sustainability, and advanced material innovation across manufacturing functions
Senior Engineer – Materials & Process Engineering, Titan Company Limited
- Conceptualized and executed Naturewear Frames under Fastrack, India’s first sustainable eyewear line using castor-seed polymers
- Enhanced productivity of brass watch case manufacturing through process re-design and optimisation; co-developed a patented hard brass alloy.
- Worked on developing a tarnish-resistant silver alloy for studded jewellery, reducing customer service costs annually while improving durability.
- Conducted consumer insighting studies involving 100+ interviews, vendor visits, and mystery shopping to improve gold exchange behavior and market penetration.
- Collaborated with academia, startups, and research institutes to develop biodegradable eyewear frames, recognised at Tata Innovista and Titan Innovation Awards.
Achievements
- Unlike Awards - Piloted Innovation: Tarnish Resistant Silver
Certifications
- Six Sigma Green Belt
- Coursera - Customer Analytics
