Ashish Saraf has taken over as the Vice President and Country Head, India at Pratt & Whitney, marking a significant leadership transition for the global aerospace engine manufacturer. With over two decades of experience in the aerospace, space, defence, biometrics, and manufacturing sectors, Saraf brings a legacy of strategic transformation and operational excellence. Before joining Pratt & Whitney, he served as the CEO and Chairman of the Board for all Thales India’s businesses, spanning aerospace, defence, biometrics, cybersecurity, and the Global Capability Center. At Thales, he spearheaded efforts to drive innovation, local collaboration, and engineering expansion across India. His new role will focus on leading Pratt & Whitney’s strategic growth, customer service operations, and digital transformation initiatives in the region.
Prior to Thales, Saraf held senior positions at Airbus for over five years, including President and Head of Region – South Asia for Airbus Helicopters, and Vice President for Industry Development, Strategic Partnerships, and Offsets. He played a crucial role in driving Airbus’ ‘Make in India’ initiative and expanding the company’s industry footprint across civil, parapublic, and defence sectors. His earlier leadership as India Head for the Tata-Sikorsky joint venture saw him successfully execute a greenfield aerospace manufacturing setup. With prior consulting experience at Deloitte across the USA and Europe, Saraf’s diverse portfolio and P&L leadership are expected to significantly bolster Pratt & Whitney’s long-term growth and innovation strategy in India.