Meet board member Aditya Pittie
We kick-off our “Meet the MITSAAA Board of Directors” series with an interview with entrepreneur, angel investor and mentor Mr. Aditya Pittie (S.M. ‘18). To learn more about MITSAAA’s leadership, please check out https://mitsaaa.alumgroup.mit.edu/s/1314/bp19/interior.aspx?sid=1314&gid=183&pgid=3424.
Tell me a little bit about yourself.
I am an entrepreneur, angel investor, and mentor with an additional focus on social impact innovation and public policy. I am the founder and CEO of the Pittie Enterprises Group, a multi-faceted conglomerate with interests in precision automotive and aerospace component manufacturing, solar photovoltaic and thermal energy solutions, Fintech, real estate, and angel investment.
I am a scion of the notable Pittie family, founders of The Raja Bahadur Motilal Poona Mills Ltd in 1893. I graduated first in my class from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree (Summa Cum Laude) in Materials Science and Engineering. I also have a Master of Science (S.M.) in Management and Technology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In addition, I completed the Global Senior Management Program at INSEAD in France.
I’m a member of the University of Michigan Engineering Alumni Board and a founding member of the University of Michigan India Alumni Association (UMIAA). I serve as a mentor for the Government of India’s Atal Innovation Mission, and formerly the MIT Martin Trust Center. In addition, I served as President of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization(EO).
How has attending MIT impacted your life?
My association with MIT has been particularly instrumental in shaping my professional career. MIT is a laboratory of innovation and ideas, and it’s ethos emphasizes and encourages scholarship, hard work, and excellence. These attributes contribute to the future success and prominence of its alumni. Recent data shows that MIT alumni have founded more than 30,000 companies, employing more than 4.6M people and generating more than $1.9T in revenues! I am proud to be a Regional Ambassador for the MIT Alumni Association and a member of the MIT South Asia Alumni Association’s board of directors.
It’s always interesting for current students and alumni to learn about the diverse initiatives MIT South Asian alumni undertake! Would you like to share an initiative that you are particularly proud of?
One of my primary ventures is PYN Autocomp, an automotive and engineering component precision machining and manufacturing company situated in Pune, India. At PYN, we are driven by our core competencies of precision machining and rapid product/component development with the highest quality requirements.
One of our key strengths is our complete engineering and product development expertise, which allows us to rapidly develop new components, establish dependable production processes, and timely delivery with reduced time and cost to our clients. We are a client-oriented company and can anticipate customer needs, backed by our cutting-edge production capabilities and world-class technology. We have been certified with the IATF 16949:2016 Quality Management System by BSI, and we have a lengthy history of supplying essential line items to our clients with zero rejection (PPM).
At PYN, we are early adopters of technology and always eager to try new methodologies. We consistently observe and apply Japanese quality standards and processes and are guided by the Toyota Production System. In fact, I had the wonderful chance to study with Prof. Jeffrey Liker, author of the book-The Toyota Way, and I support and adhere to the rules outlined in it. We are already implementing Industry 4.0, IoT, online monitoring of Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE), Statistical Process Control (SPC), Process Capability (Cp/Cpk), and AI Image Processing.
Given your vast experience in manufacturing, do you have any predictions for the future of the manufacturing industry?
Looking forward, I anticipate that manufacturing will need to be more agile, nimble, and flexible as VUCA (Volatility Uncertainty Complexity and Ambiguity) increases. Companies must also focus on financial stability by keeping overhead and leverage low. As a result, organizations with flexible manufacturing techniques and the ability to swiftly develop new components stand to gain and capitalize on new market opportunities. There are also new opportunities for precision component manufacturers in EVs, defense and aerospace, as well as benefits from the Government of India’s Make-in-India, Atmanirbhar India (self-reliant India), and Production Linked Incentive (PLI) programs.
You are a mentor, entrepreneur and a board member. What is your leadership philosophy?
As a leader, I believe in team empowerment and delegation, as well as allowing them to develop a sense of ownership and accountability. Data and analytics are essential for monitoring and making informed decisions. I believe in setting and evaluating goals and monitoring progress to keep the team on track. Quoting W. Edwards Deming: “In God we trust. All others must bring data.” I also believe in two of my favorite Peter Drucker quotes: “If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it” and “Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.” ∎
