Unnikrishnan Ramakrishnan - Senior Engineering Program Manager

Q: Where is Unnikrishnan based?

Unnikrishnan is based in Au in der Hallertau, Germany and can operate in on-site , hybrid , and remote work models.

Q: What languages does Unnikrishnan speak?

Unnikrishnan speaks the following languages: Malayalam (Native), German (Advanced), English (Advanced) .

Q: How many years of experience does Unnikrishnan have?

Unnikrishnan has at least 16 years of experience. During this time, Unnikrishnan has worked in at least 4 different roles and for 4 different companies . The average length of individual experience is 4 years and 1 month . Note that Unnikrishnan may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

Q: What is Unnikrishnan's latest experience?

Unnikrishnan's most recent position is Project Management, New Project Acquisition, Best Cost Countries, PMO & Processes at Confidential (VW Group) .

Q: What companies has Unnikrishnan worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Unnikrishnan has worked for Confidential (VW Group) , ZF Mobility Solutions , and DENSO Automotive Deutschland GmbH .

Q: Which industries is Unnikrishnan most experienced in?

Unnikrishnan is most experienced in industries like Automotive and Manufacturing .

Q: Which business areas is Unnikrishnan most experienced in?

Unnikrishnan is most experienced in business areas like Quality Assurance , Product Development , and Project Management . Unnikrishnan also has some experience in Strategy , Research and Development , and Operations .

Q: Which industries has Unnikrishnan worked in recently?

Unnikrishnan has recently worked in industries like Automotive .

Q: Which business areas has Unnikrishnan worked in recently?

Unnikrishnan has recently worked in business areas like Project Management , Strategy , and Quality Assurance .

Recommended expert

Au in der Hallertau, Germany

Check rate

Experience

Feb 2024 - Present

2 years 6 months

Ingolstadt, Germany

On-site

Project Management, New Project Acquisition, Best Cost Countries, PMO & Processes

Confidential (VW Group)

Project Leadership

Led engineering and consulting projects for Volkswagen Group companies, ensuring strategic alignment and successful delivery.
Oversaw agile and series development projects, including Virtual Development (HiL, SiL, MiL) and Process Engineering (Advisory).
Proficient in initiating and overseeing projects with external partners under time/material and fixed-price based models.
Accountable for resource planning and staffing, annual budget forecasting, and KPI tracking across Engineering and PMT Projects.

Strategic Leadership & Business Growth

Executive Steering & Governance: Led CTx-level steering groups, SteerCo, ProCo, and PMO.
Process Optimization: Implemented ASPICE (STAGES), PMO, OKR, CRM and Risk and Opportunity Management in Projects.
Business Development: Spearheaded project acquisitions and offers, focusing on BCC implementation and competitive pricing strategies.

Aug 2023 - Jan 2024

6 months

Ingolstadt, Germany

Program Manager – ATS AD-System Engineering

ZF Mobility Solutions

Position concluded following successful completion of probation due to the cancellation of the Level-4 autonomous program and subsequent organizational restructuring.

Project Leadership

Led cross-functional team in developing Level-4 AD system.
Conducted product reviews and strategy with executive leadership.

Strategy Development

Product Innovation, Roadmap Design & Procurement.
Lead Timing, Cost, Quality, Scope & Risk Control.

Engineering

Led AD-System (Sensing & Computing) development.
Coordinated dev efforts with OEMs, suppliers & service partners.

Oct 2012 - Jul 2023

10 years 10 months

Munich, Germany

Engineering Team Manager

DENSO Automotive Deutschland GmbH

Role: Manager at Mobility Electronics- ADAS team (2022 – 2023)

Earlier Role: Manager HUD Development Team (2012 -2021)

Engineering

Led System Engineering & Project Management team.
Oversaw EU-OEM development of HUD & ADAS sensors.
Specialized in System Engineering & Project Management.

Strategy Development

Led global coordination of product roadmap and symposium.
Key contributor to ASPICE and FuSa process improvement.

Business Development

Project Acquisition: Spearheaded RFQ/RFI bids for EU OEMs.
Product Promotion: Led demo car builds and strategic showcases.

Jul 2008 - Feb 2011

2 years 8 months

Coimbatore, India

Senior Hardware Engineer

Robert Bosch Engineering and Business Solutions

Role: Electronic Controller Units (ECU) hardware development for engine management and hydraulic control system (Daimler, Rexroth, CNH, Linde-MH).

Harware Development
Test and Development Systems
EU OEM projects

Industry Experience

See where this freelancer has spent most of their professional time.

Experienced in Automotive and Manufacturing.

Automotive

Manufacturing

Business Area Experience

See which departments and functions this freelancer has contributed to most.

Experienced in Quality Assurance, Project Management, Strategy, Product Development, Operations, and Sales.

Quality Assurance

Project Management

Strategy

Product Development

Operations

Sales

Summary

Senior Engineering Program Manager with 13+ years of experience leading ADAS, cockpit electronics and autonomous driving programs for Tier-1 suppliers and OEMs including DENSO, ZF and Volkswagen Group. Expertise in cross-functional program leadership, ASPICE-driven development, engineering transformation and strategic customer engagement across global automotive organizations. Proven track record in leading international engineering teams, RFQ acquisition, product strategy and delivery of complex automotive systems from concept to industrialization.

Skills

Leadership
Project Management
Strategic Localization Of R&D And Leveraging Best-Cost Country Capabilities
New Product And Roadmap Development (Npdp)
Technical Sourcing And Manufacturing
Engineering
Adas And Cockpit Engineering
Automotive Series Development
Manufacturing And Industrialisation
Product Qualification: Apqp, Ppap Process
Product Strategy
New Product Development (Pep)
Cost Optimization And Va/Ve
Market & Technology Scouting
Product Management

Languages

Malayalam

Native

German

Advanced

English

Advanced

Education

Oct 2020 - Jun 2021

Quantic School of Business and Technology

Executive MBA · Product Strategy & Operations · Washington, United States

Oct 2011 - Jun 2012

University of Applied Sciences Emden-Leer

M. Eng · Technical Management · Germany

Oct 2004 - Jun 2008

Cochin University of Science and Technology

B. Tech · Electronics Engineering · India

Certifications & licenses

NPDP

PDMA

Six Sigma Yellow Belt

CPRE Foundation Level

IREB

Project Management Professional (PMP)

Project Management Institute (PMI)

PMP®

PMI

Statistics

Experience

Total positions 4

Experience in Automotive 16.5 y

Avg length 4 y 1 m

Longest experience 10 y 9 m

Global Experience

Countries worked in 2 (Germany, India)

Primary country Germany

Expertise

Recent roles Project Management, New Project Acquisition, Best Cost Countries, PMO & Processes, Program Manager – ATS AD-System Engineering, Engineering Team Manager

Main industries Automotive, Manufacturing

Main business areas Quality Assurance, Project Management, Strategy

Qualifications

Highest degree Master

Certifications earned 5

Profile

Created

July 2026

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Frequently asked questions

Have questions? Find more information here.

Where is Unnikrishnan based?

Unnikrishnan is based in Au in der Hallertau, Germany and can operate in on-site, hybrid, and remote work models.

What languages does Unnikrishnan speak?

Unnikrishnan speaks the following languages: Malayalam (Native), German (Advanced), English (Advanced).

How many years of experience does Unnikrishnan have?

Unnikrishnan has at least 16 years of experience. During this time, Unnikrishnan has worked in at least 4 different roles and for 4 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 4 years and 1 month. Note that Unnikrishnan may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

What roles would Unnikrishnan be best suited for?

Based on recent experience, Unnikrishnan would be well-suited for roles such as: Project Management, New Project Acquisition, Best Cost Countries, PMO & Processes, Program Manager – ATS AD-System Engineering, Engineering Team Manager.

What is Unnikrishnan's latest experience?

Unnikrishnan's most recent position is Project Management, New Project Acquisition, Best Cost Countries, PMO & Processes at Confidential (VW Group).

What companies has Unnikrishnan worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Unnikrishnan has worked for Confidential (VW Group), ZF Mobility Solutions, and DENSO Automotive Deutschland GmbH.

Which industries is Unnikrishnan most experienced in?

Unnikrishnan is most experienced in industries like Automotive and Manufacturing.

Which business areas is Unnikrishnan most experienced in?

Unnikrishnan is most experienced in business areas like Quality Assurance, Product Development, and Project Management. Unnikrishnan also has some experience in Strategy, Research and Development, and Operations.

Which industries has Unnikrishnan worked in recently?

Unnikrishnan has recently worked in industries like Automotive.

Which business areas has Unnikrishnan worked in recently?

Unnikrishnan has recently worked in business areas like Project Management, Strategy, and Quality Assurance.

What is Unnikrishnan's education?

Unnikrishnan holds a Master in Product Strategy & Operations from Quantic School of Business and Technology, a Master in Technical Management from University of Applied Sciences Emden-Leer and a Bachelor in Electronics Engineering from Cochin University of Science and Technology.

Does Unnikrishnan have any certificates?

Unnikrishnan has 5 certificates. Among them, these include: NPDP, Six Sigma Yellow Belt, and CPRE Foundation Level.

What is the availability of Unnikrishnan?

Unnikrishnan will be available part-time from August 2026.

What is the rate of Unnikrishnan?

Unnikrishnan's rate depends on the specific project requirements. Please use the Meet button on the profile to schedule a meeting and discuss the details.