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T.E. Raja Simhan

Chennai, Sept. 14

Satyam Computer Services Ltd has roped in senior officials, including retired, from Boeing, Airbus, Cadence and Bombardier to strengthen its aviation practice.

Mr John Douglass, former president and Chief Executive Officer of Aerospace Industries Association of America, which represents US aerospace manufacturers, will join Satyam as an advisor. He is also an advisor to the Senator, Mr Barack Obama, the Democrats’ Presidential candidate.

“Mr Douglass has accepted our offer,” said Mr Subu D. Subramanian, Director and Senior Vice-President, Satyam.

The company is gearing up to meet the demand of international firms that are eyeing India to take advantage of available skill base, technology base and cost advantage for global and Indian opportunities, he said.

The global aerospace industry spends $60 billion on engineering. Currently, India Inc accounts for less than one per cent of this market, as compared to 12 per cent overall offshoring in engineering services.

Utilisation of ‘offset clause’ and global export commitment requirement will fasten the investment by foreign aviation players in India, he said.

Mr John Peter Holding, Chief Architect, Bombardier Aerospace, has also joined Satyam as an advisor. In 2003, Mr Holding became Executive Vice-President of Integrated Product Definition and Planning for the New Commercial Aircraft Program, a position he held until 2005 when he retired from Bombardier.

While Mr Douglass and Mr Holding will help Satyam have access to large customers in US and Europe, Dr Kota Harinarayana of the National Aerospace Laboratories and former programme director and chief designer, LCA-Tejas, will advise Satyam in the domestic aviation programme, Mr Subramanian told Business Line.

In the next level, Satyam has roped in domain consultants to execute projects.

Dr Martin Kraus, who heads Airbus A400 Military Systems, will join Satyam from October 1. Mr John Lyunn from Boeing has joined Satyam to add an international perspective, especially in the US market, Mr Subramanian said.

Mr Gajbir Singh of Cadence will help Satyam in the Indian market, he said. “All these people will bring in a set of their own people to Satyam,” he added.

The next level is to build scale. At present, Satyam has around 1,200 people working in the aviation sector. This number keeps increasing even as customers want Satyam to do an integrated project from design to delivery.

Satyam currently works with top aviation companies who want “us to take complete responsibility and do turnkey projects. They also want us to be their risk sharing partners and take complete responsibility right from design and development to manufacturing and delivery,” he said.

For Satyam, the manufacturing sector contributed nearly 24 per cent of the company’s total revenue of $2,138 million for fiscal ending March 2008.

The aviation sector contributed 15 per cent of the manufacturing sector, said Mr Subramanian.

More Stories on : Software | Airlines | Satyam Computer Services Ltd | Human Resources

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