---
title: "Rahul Bihade - Director - Brakes Engineering at Wabtec Corporation in Greater Bengaluru Area | Tal"
description: "Meet Rahul Bihade, Director of Brakes Engineering | Transportation & Safety-Critical Systems | Product Strategy, NPI & Lifecycle Engineering | 29 Years in Engineering | Global Engineering Organization based in Greater Bengaluru Area. AI stack includes gemini, github copilot, and hedra."
image: "https://tal.club/meet/rahul-bihade/share-image"
---

# Rahul Bihade on Tal

## Headline

Director of Brakes Engineering \| Transportation & Safety\-Critical Systems \| Product Strategy, NPI & Lifecycle Engineering \| 29 Years in Engineering \| Global Engineering Organization

## About

Engineering leadership for transportation and safety\-critical braking systems, with deep expertise in product strategy, requirements, NPI, and lifecycle engineering across global teams\. Bringing 27 years of engineering experience across transportation, off\-highway equipment, and industrial systems, with current focus on brake engineering strategy and execution\. Work spans product requirements, design, systems engineering, validation, product support, and lifecycle management, connecting customer needs with robust engineering and product delivery\. Current scope includes: \- Leading a global brakes engineering organization across design, systems engineering, validation, product support, and lifecycle management \- Driving New Product Introduction \(NPI\), engineering governance, Design for Manufacturing \(DFM\), digital engineering, and engineering standardization \- Establishing engineering operating models, resource planning, technical reviews, engineering KPIs, and continuous improvement practices \- Aligning engineering execution with customer requirements, manufacturing, supply chain, quality, sourcing, and commercial priorities \- Building technical capability through competency development, succession planning, coaching, and mentoring A Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, with practical experience applying structured problem\-solving and process improvement to engineering and development work\. Core methods and systems include NPI, DFM, digital engineering, engineering KPIs, Lean Six Sigma, product requirements definition, product planning, lifecycle management, and cross\-functional technical reviews\. Earlier engineering chapters included safety\-critical earthmoving platforms, hydraulic excavators, industrial transmissions, and automation\. Those experiences shaped a systems\-oriented approach to product architecture, design validation, manufacturability, reliability, and engineering governance\. Historical achievements include growing an engineering support team from 3 to 45 members, developing business from $0\.2 million to $3\.1 million over three years, and creating parametric assemblies spanning 70–80 transmission variants\. Focused on advancing engineering organizations that deliver dependable transportation and braking systems through clear requirements, disciplined product development, technical rigor, and continuous improvement\.

## Location

Greater Bengaluru Area

## AI stack

gemini

github copilot

hedra

## Work experience

Director \- Brakes Engineering at Wabtec Corporation at Wabtec Corporation, Apr 2026 \- Present · 7 mos, Banglore, \- Lead a global brakes engineering organization spanning design, systems engineering, validation, product support, and lifecycle management, aligning engineering execution with customer and business requirements\. \- Drive New Product Introduction \(NPI\), engineering governance, Design for Manufacturing \(DFM\), digital engineering, and engineering standardization across safety\-critical braking systems\. \- Establish engineering operating models, resource planning, technical reviews, and engineering KPIs to strengthen execution visibility and continuous improvement\. \- Align engineering priorities with manufacturing, supply chain, quality, sourcing, commercial, and executive stakeholders to accelerate product delivery and improve operational performance\. \- Build engineering capability through competency development, succession planning, coaching, and technical leadership mentoring\. \- Apply Lean Six Sigma Black Belt methods to engineering and development processes, emphasizing quality, efficiency, and disciplined problem\-solving\.

Director of Engineering at Wabtec Corporation, 2026 \- Present · 10 mos, Lead the global Brakes Engineering organization, defining engineering strategy and execution aligned with business growth and customer requirements\. Direct multidisciplinary engineering teams responsible for design, systems engineering, validation, product support, and lifecycle management\. Drive New Product Introduction \(NPI\), engineering governance, Design for Manufacturing \(DFM\), digital engineering, and engineering standardization\. Establish engineering operating models, resource planning, technical reviews, engineering KPIs, and continuous improvement initiatives\. Partner with global manufacturing, supply chain, quality, sourcing, commercial, and executive leadership to accelerate product delivery and improve operational performance\. Build high\-performing engineering teams through coaching, succession planning, competency development, and leadership mentoring\.

Sr\. Engineering Manager Design \- Medium Wheel Loaders \(MWL\) \(Earthmoving Division\) at Caterpillar Inc\., Oct 2023 \- Apr 2026 · 2 yrs 7 mos, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Sr\. Engineering Manager– Hyd\. Excavator \(HEX\) at Caterpillar Inc\., Jul 2015 \- Oct 2023 · 8 yrs 4 mos, Chennai , India, § On\-going career development provided an opportunity to train as a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt § Leading a team for local and global support for Hydraulic Excavators\. Responsible for Design and Development projects for quality, delivery & performance, Resource management, process and profitable growth for the organization\. § Governing all the activities related to Product Engineering like Strategy, Concept, New Design, Validation, Quality, Cost, Budget, Price setting, Promotion, Introduction of new model, Final Assessment\. § As a SEM is responsible for functional support of the Service organisation, managing the complex customer service business through leadership and development of the team\. In addition, this role will drive the Solutions business through collaboration with the commercial organisation\. The SEM will create a culture to achieve customer loyalty\.

Product Engineering Manager at Caterpillar Inc\., Jan 2015 \- Jul 2015 · 7 mos, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, Support Engineering solutions to global mining & earth moving products \(Large Mining Trucks, Articulating Dump trucks and Motor Graders\)\. Exploiting my high level of project and operational know how with my natural tendencies to lead, establish strong relationships and build high performing teams, the role was dynamic, fast paced with high impact projects\.

Senior Engineering Manager at Caterpillar India Pvt Ltd, 2011 \- 2026 · 15 yrs, Led global engineering teams supporting safety\-critical Medium Wheel Loader platforms across global markets\. Defined engineering strategy, product roadmaps, platform standardization, and modular product architecture\. Delivered global NPI/CPI programs while improving quality, reliability, manufacturability, and product cost\. Established engineering best practices, digital engineering workflows, supplier collaboration, and cross\-functional governance\. Developed engineering talent, strengthened technical capability, and drove engineering operational excellence across global teams\.

Design Specialist at Rason Engineering Solution, Jan 2010 \- Oct 2011 · 1 yr 10 mos, Owned engineering, business development, execution, financial performance, and customer success\. Defined strategic plans alongside company directors and deployed operational roadmaps\. Led industrial transmission and automation system design for heavy\-duty applications\. Implemented Lean Manufacturing, Lean Six Sigma, Agile, and Project Management practices\. Built and coached delivery teams, driving immediate efficiency gains for customers\.

Director \(Design Ind\. Automation Manufacturing\) at Rason Engineering Solutions, Dec 2009 \- Oct 2011 · 1 yr 11 mos, Pune Area, India, § As the Design Director Rason Engineering Solutions for Industrial Automation team\. I was accountable for all business development, sales, project execution, financials and client support\. Working with the Directors on the strategic plan, I cascaded the operational deployment for marketing and sales, scoped and coached a pool of delivery agents and maintained a pipeline of business optimization opportunities\. Efficiency Works were practical, action oriented, highly experienced business improvement trainers and consultants, with an approach that bought immediate efficiency to teams and organizations\. The business specialized in Lean Thinking including Lean Manufacturing, Lean Six Sigma and Lean Office, Agile, Project Management and Leadership\. Industrial Automation levering 'Competitive Systems and Practices' was a proven means to reduce costs and improve sales for clients\. This is achieved by focusing on the customer, eliminating waste, improving quality, supporting culture and team growth, and growing positive learning organizations\. § Reporting to the CEO, my role was responsible for; identifying and assessing new sustainability project ideas; scoping, developing and delivering Smart sustainability projects; managing and reporting on project governance\. To exploit the market opportunity, in partnership with the CEO undertook business development and sales to ensure a healthy pipeline of commercial partners and projects were in play\. In addition, I ran the operational functions of the organization, including financial performance, HR, ICT and supplier contracting\. This required a significant amount of energy for relationship building, stakeholder management and establishment of connections within the opportunity Eco system\. The purpose was to connect the best people, with the best technology, innovation and social science, to deliver the best outcomes for the people that live, work, learn and play in our communities\.

## Education

M\.E, Mechanical Engg\. \(CAD/CAM\), Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University

PGDBM, International Business, Symbiosis institute of Management Studies

[View the original profile](https://tal.club/meet/rahul-bihade)

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