Soma Sankaran Email & Phone Number

VALES was formed to help companies cut their development time. VALES brings over 30 years of global experience to help customers launch products quicker.PHOTONICSEblana PhotonicsFocuz ManufacturingThe focus is to help customers deliver integrated solutions that are smaller, faster and cost effective. We can help you with- Light sources for fiber sensing and datacom- PIC solutions- PIC integration & assembly (including flip-chip bonding)- PIC Design & Testing- OSAT & Chip assemblySPACE & DEFENCEZES (Zero-Error SystemsVIAVI SolutionsGLOBETRONICSWe help customers with solutions for - PNT Resilient solutions against spamming, spoofing & hostile interference- Rad . Hard solutions for COTs- FOG

Singapore, -, Sg

o Joined as Asia Pac VP in 2017, focusing mainly in China. Grew that business, doubling the business in the first year, 30% in the 2nd year & despite 2019 slow down, 11% in 2019. Identified multi-million dollar pipeline in Telecom & Fiber sensing.o Took over WW forecasting in 2017, stabilised fluctuating revenue stream by focusing the team on key accounts and brought it within 10% (from > 50%) by negotiating longer term contracts, doubling $/transaction and focused on quick turns by selling from inventory. Reduced excess inventory by 5X. o Took over WW sales in 2018. Drove the weekly demand & revenue meetings, and helped growDenseLight business by 29% in 2017, 39% in 2018 and 47% in 2019.o Initiated and executed DenseLight’s strategy to drive InP chip sales to Silicon Photonics companies across the globe. Closed an NRE with a key telecom company in China & worked internal teams to deliver prototypes. Won an order with a major SiP based supplier in EU for DenseLights’ lasers, and won the first design wins in US.o Identified the need for DFBs, SOAs for the growing 5G as wells as coherent communications markets world wide . Worked with New Products team to create standard products and together with the sales team, drove design win into several customers across the globeo Implemented the company’s first CRM system based on Odoo, established track & closing metrics. Worked with the sales team to establish a healthy multi-million-dollar funnel, that is tracked on a daily basis, with 70% of these opportunities from China, the rest in Europe & US>o Initiated & established DenseLight’s marketing & social media strategy. This included- Revamping the website- create DenseLight’s first series of application notes to increase brand as a sensing expert- Started DenseLight’s LinkedIn updates - Worked with marcom companies to do press releases, & organised press briefings- Spearheading participation in SPIE Photonics West (US), OFC (US) , CIOE (China)

Took a break and got lots of calls from my former customers to help them develop business. I set up this consultancy to help SMEs and local business develop sales and market strategies, and expand overseas. Helping customers with ideas, to develop and then cost effectively manufacture products through partners in North Asia as well as ASEAN. Business development (online) in the security & lighting/home automation space.Started an on line business, from my love of cycling. Worked with a company abroad to bring in a bluetooth based lock. Advertised through social media platforms targeting specific groups. Ensured customer satisfaction, and scored high in customer response. This business makes a small profit, but keeps me touch with the new way of sellingAlso got the chance to be a home maker, making breakfast, going grocery shopping and making dinner, being a psychiatrist, running errands and being a very obliging and cheap Uber driver. And oh yeah - got back to my love of cycling. Loved every moment of it, my favorite moment in the day, sipping coffee watching Star Trek before starting work.

Durham, Nc, Us

Cree brought me in to establish & grow the South Asia region. With a team of 1 sales manager & 1 application manager I drove growth in SSL both directly and through the channel. This was done by identified growth markets, ‘must-win’ segments and stakeholders. We then formulated & executed short-term growth strategy, typically by identifying a customer pain, and then delivering a solution. At CREE I became an evangelist, convincing stakeholders of competitiveness & lower ownership costs using Cree’s new technology over incumbent solutions. Key achievements: - Year on year average growth of 40% in South Asia, from < $2M, to a few 10s of Millions- Became the local expert on lighting – established CREE’s credentials by attending government forums & advising government bodies on public lighting. This included Thailand – won Cree’ first streetlight project, tendered by Bangkok Metropolitan  Malaysia’s major streetlight project in the Southern corridor, by their public works department Singapore’s Housing Development Board, wining their first tender to convert public housing lighting to LEDs- Turned around dying automotive account and grew to a few $5M in chip sales, helping customer win deals with leading automotive players in EU. Cree got designed into a new series of Mercedes E-Class & interior lighting- Planned & executed Key Account Strategy at Cree – through close C-level relationships & strategic price negotiations, grew +8 accounts, from $0 to > $1M each, with 2 of them > $2M & 1 over $10M. Accounts were tracked through Sales Force

San Jose, Ca, Us

Continued as the Sales manager in South Asia, and then was then chartered to grow the India market for Avago. Formulated & executed India growth strategy. Brought in a team of application and sales engineers and a set of new channel partners. India grew 42% in the first year and each of the new channel partners brought in > $1M business each.

Santa Clara, Ca, Us

As the sales manager, I focused on growth in South AP. Key acheivements -1. Grew a major printer company business from $200K to $3M+2. Won a Singapore government tender ($2M+)3. Worked to win tenders in Thailand, India & Australia > $1M/yr.4. Won first Gigabit Ser-Des chip order in the region 5. Grew data-com (fiber) business to > $500K/yr.6. Grew industrial & military data-com business to > $5M

Palo Alto, Ca, Us

Moved to the sales organisation as an application engineer, and subsequently asked to focus on Channel Development & Marketing programs. In the later position, the focus was to help grow the channel business - implemented a channel design protection and reward program, simplified and set up the first quote process to help improve sales call efficiency, designed several sales tools for the field team and set up the first response centre for field questions and to help resolve issues. Set up a field quality return process, and implemented it across AP

Palo Alto, Ca, Us

I joined HP as an engineer responsible for production. Key tasks were to improve yields at testing working with front end engineers & production, writing test programs for IC testers (in Unix), interfacing with QA on customer field failures & responding with corrective action. I was part of R&D team as the testing expert

Santa Clara, California, Us

Responsible for front end wire-bond process

Mba, International Business

Social Media Marketing

Btech (Hons), Electronics & Electrical Communication