Parag Kulkarni was named senior vice president-international
and president of A. O. Smith India Water Products Private Limited, in September
2022, with profit & loss responsibility for the Company’s operations in
India, Vietnam, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
As managing director of A. O. Smith India
Water Products Private Limited since April 2015, Parag led the company to
market-leading positions in India’s water heating and water purifying
categories. Under his leadership, A. O. Smith India has been recognized as the
country’s Most Trusted Brand for water heaters each year since 2019 and received
certification as a Great Place to Work twice. In addition, the India
team has been recognized internally for product innovation, environmental
initiatives and workplace safety.
Parag came to A. O. Smith after 22 years with
Wipro Limited, a leading technology services and consulting company, growing
from a territory sales lead to senior vice president & business head for
Wipro’s commercial lighting and consumer care group. He began his career as a
senior sales engineer with Atlas Copco India, a manufacturer of compressors,
vacuum solutions, generators, pumps, power tools and assembly systems.
Parag was named one
of the 50 Most Impactful Leaders in Global Water Management in
2017, among India’s Best Leaders in Crisis in 2021 for managing the
company through the global pandemic, and one of the country’s Most Trusted
CEOs in 2017, following the successful expansion of the water purification
business. He earned his BE in mechanical engineering from the Government
Engineering College in Jabalpur and an MDBA in business management from Pune’s
Institute of Management Development. He also completed McGill University’s
Executive Leadership Experience.