Our diverse, multi-lingual team brings world-class expertise to your business. We offer deep experience across manufacturing, service, and IT sectors. KIAP is a trusted, government-empanelled Lean consulting firm. Our team features certified Lean consultants and QCI-certified ZED Master Trainers. This breadth of expertise allows us to engage with employees at every level. We bridge the gap between strategy and the shop floor to ensure effective, sustainable transformation.
Meet the Team
Managing Partners
Ganesh Mahadevan
A metallurgical engineer from IIT-B, he started his career in Hindalco on the shop floor. Following a stint at Deloitte, he joined KIAP in 2007 and has led several operational excellence and business transformation initiatives across diverse industry sectors and geographies. His book on Lean Management for SMEs was published globally in 2023. He is currently focusing on enhancing value through Industry 4.0 and digital initiatives.
Swapnil Desai
A mechanical engineer and a PhD in Operations Management, he has two decades of consulting and industry experience, including earlier stints with Mercedes-Benz and Capgemini. Swapnil guides organizations on becoming lean and beyond by integrating balanced strategy, performance management, and financial metrics. He is also a key faculty member in the SPJIR Family Managed Business program.
Core Consulting Team
Kashyap Sheth
Kashyap explores the intervention of Design Thinking & Lean Operations by delivering Lean-Kaizen Workshops and turn-around implementation at Manufacturing entities to create direct impact on the P&L under the paradigms of Lean Thinking.
Mayuresh Patil
A B.E. Mechannical Engineer, he has worked on multiple Lean Turn Around assignments. His interest in World Class Factory Layouts has delivered many good improvements on the shop-floor.
Anupam Gupta
A Marine Engineer with MBA in Business Design, Anupam has demonstrated results in Operations Excellence. His skills in business analytics and engineering techniques are exceptional.
Sathish Pendharkar
Satish is a Mechanical Engineer from the Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai, and a Six Sigma Black Belt Certified by the Indian Statistical Institute, Bangalore. He has extensive industrial experience.
T.N. Ramakrishnan
T.N. Ramakrishnan, a mechanical engineer by qualification, has over 40 years of core engineering experience, mainly in a leading tyre manufacturing company (MRF). Working with Kanzen since 2010.
Shrutika Deshmukh
Shrutika is an electronics and telecommunications engineer and holds a PGDM in manufacturing. She has been implementing Lean in diverse portfolios under the guidance of Dr. G.
Arun Dev
Arun brings multi-continent, multi-factory experience across India, Vietnam, Nigeria, and Kenya, leading large-scale operations while working with global FMCG multinationals including Nestlé and Olam. Currently based in Vietnam, he drives Lean-Kaizen transformation, operational excellence, and cost leadership across manufacturing ecosystems.
Dr. Vallinayagam Arumugam
Dr. Vallinayagam Arumugam is a dynamic Lean Manufacturing expert with 21+ years of combined industry and academic experience, specializing in operational excellence and continuous improvement initiatives. He holds a Ph.D. in Management Studies, with focused research on lean implementations, complemented by extensive hands-on experience at Delphi-TVS Diesel Systems and academic excellence at NIT Trichy.