Website:
bestgroup.co.in
Job details:
About the Opportunity
Best Group is looking for an exceptional entrepreneurial COO to build and lead our Industrial Automation, Robotics & Industry 4.0 business in India.
Through our German subsidiary, BEAS Technology GmbH, we have access to established European know-how and capabilities in industrial automation, robotics, process development, welding automation, fixtures, special-purpose machinery and smart manufacturing solutions. BEAS combines engineering expertise with practical industrial experience to develop customized automation solutions for modern manufacturing.
We now intend to build a significant automation and Industry 4.0 solutions business in India by combining German engineering know-how with Indian engineering talent, execution capability and market access.
This is not a role to simply manage an existing operation.
The selected COO will build the business.
From defining the strategy and service portfolio to creating the engineering team, acquiring customers, developing technology partnerships and executing the first projects, the COO will have end-to-end responsibility for establishing and scaling this new vertical within Best Group.
The Mandate
The COO will be expected to create a full-fledged Automation Solutions & Innovation business capable of addressing the evolving needs of Indian manufacturing.
The business is envisaged to develop capabilities across areas including:
- Industrial robotics and robotic system integration
- Custom automation and assembly solutions
- Robotic welding and manufacturing cells
- Material handling and machine tending
- Vision systems and inspection automation
- PLC, controls and industrial software
- Simulation, digital twins and offline programming
- Special-purpose machines and fixtures
- Collaborative robotics
- Smart manufacturing and connected-factory solutions
- Industrial IoT and data-driven manufacturing
- AI-enabled manufacturing applications
- Production-line optimization and modernization
- Industry 4.0 consulting and implementation
- Turnkey automation projects from concept through commissioning and after-sales support
The exact portfolio will not be predetermined. A key responsibility of the incoming COO will be to determine where Best Group can build the strongest differentiated position in the markets it operates.
Key Responsibilities
Build the Business from Ground Zero
Develop the complete business plan, positioning, operating model, organization structure, investment roadmap and go-to-market strategy for Best Group's automation business.
Identify the most attractive sectors, applications and customer segments and create a clear 3–5 year roadmap for building a scalable and profitable enterprise.
Transfer & Localize BEAS Technology Know-How
Work closely with the technical and leadership teams of BEAS Technology GmbH in Germany to identify technologies, engineering capabilities, processes and solutions that can be transferred and commercialized in India.
Create the mechanisms for technology transfer, engineering collaboration, training and localization so that the organization develops its own strong technical capability rather than remaining dependent on Germany.
Build a Solutions & Innovation Centre
Recruit and develop a high-performance multidisciplinary team comprising, as required:
Robotics engineers, automation engineers, controls/PLC engineers, mechanical designers, electrical engineers, simulation engineers, vision specialists, software/IIoT engineers, project managers, application engineers and business-development professionals.
The COO will be responsible for building a culture that combines engineering innovation with practical shop-floor execution.
Develop Customers & Revenue
Personally lead early-stage business development and establish relationships with manufacturing companies, OEMs, Tier-1/Tier-2 suppliers and industrial groups.
Identify automation opportunities within customer factories, convert manufacturing problems into technical solutions, develop techno-commercial proposals and take responsibility for converting opportunities into profitable projects.
Build Strategic Technology Partnerships
Develop relationships with leading robot OEMs, cobot companies, machine-vision providers, PLC/control companies, sensor manufacturers, industrial-software companies and other technology partners.
The objective is to build a strong technology ecosystem rather than attempting to develop every component internally.
Own Project Execution
Establish systems for:
Customer Requirement → Concept → Simulation → Engineering → Integration → Installation → Commissioning → Production Ramp-up → Service & Support
The COO will ultimately be accountable for technical quality, project timelines, customer satisfaction and commercial performance by building a product portfolio of ready to use equipment that are simple and easily customisable.
Build Recurring Customer Relationships
Create an after-sales and lifecycle-support organization covering maintenance, upgrades, programming, optimization, retrofits, spare parts, training and future automation requirements.
Who We Are Looking For
We are looking for an entrepreneurial technologist and business leader, rather than a conventional corporate administrator.
The ideal candidate would have approximately 20+ years of experience in industrial automation, robotics, system integration, smart manufacturing or Industry 4.0, with significant leadership and P&L responsibility.
We are particularly interested in candidates from either of these backgrounds:
1. Entrepreneur / Founder
Someone who has founded, co-founded or substantially built an industrial automation, robotics, system-integration or Industry 4.0 company and understands firsthand what it takes to win customers, recruit engineers, manage projects, control cash flows and build a business from zero.
OR
2. Senior Industry Leader
Someone who has held a senior leadership/business-head role within an established robotics, automation, system-integration or smart-manufacturing company and has personally been responsible for building a business vertical, market or organization.
The Candidate Should Bring
Strong experience in industrial robotics and automation; understanding of manufacturing processes and factory environments; experience in system integration and turnkey project execution; ability to understand both technology and commercial viability; strong relationships within the Indian manufacturing ecosystem; experience managing large industrial customers; P&L and commercial responsibility; ability to recruit and lead multidisciplinary engineering teams; understanding of project costing and margins; experience working with global technology/OEM partners; and the ability to translate emerging technologies into commercially viable manufacturing solutions.
Exposure to automotive, auto components, engineering, electronics, consumer durables, warehousing/logistics, defence, aerospace or other manufacturing sectors would be valuable.
Experience working with platforms such as ABB, FANUC, KUKA, Yaskawa, Siemens, Rockwell/Allen-Bradley, Mitsubishi and industrial vision/automation technologies would be advantageous, but the role requires a business builder rather than simply a technical specialist.
What Makes This Opportunity Different
This role offers something fundamentally different from joining an established automation company.
The incoming COO will have:
The platform and industrial ecosystem of Best Group in India
+
The engineering knowledge and automation capability of BEAS Technology GmbH in Germany
+
The entrepreneurial freedom to build a new business from the ground up
BEAS Technology already works across automation, robotics and customized manufacturing solutions from its German base, providing a technical foundation from which the India business can build.
The successful candidate will work directly with the promoters of Best Group and will have substantial autonomy to shape the strategy, team, technology portfolio, partnerships and market positioning of the new business.
What Success Looks Like
Over the initial 24–36 months, the COO should establish:
A credible India automation brand → A strong engineering & innovation team → Strategic technology partnerships → Anchor manufacturing customers → Successful reference installations → Repeat business → A scalable and profitable automation enterprise
Our ambition is not to create another small automation integrator.
We want to build a serious industrial automation and Industry 4.0 company capable of delivering world-class solutions to manufacturers in India and, eventually, global markets.
How to Apply
We would particularly like to hear from founders, entrepreneurs, business heads and senior automation leaderswho have built something in this sector and are excited by the opportunity to do it again—with the resources and platform of an established industrial group behind them.
Please apply with your profile and a brief note addressing:
What have you built? What was your role in building it? What would you build at Best Group?
Relevant applications may be sent to nitesh.jain@bestgroup.co.in or submitted directly through LinkedIn.
Click on Apply to know more.
