SAP (PP, MM, QM, PM, FI), MII, CRM (C4C)
Latif Mutlu Sahan
General Manager, Chief Operations Officer (COO)
Aydın, Turkey
Summary
Dynamic senior executive with over 20 years of extensive experience in leading industrial operations and manufacturing engineering. Recognized for orchestrating large-scale transformations and managing multi-site operations that drive significant improvements in production capacity, cost efficiency, and operational excellence. Expertise in problem-solving, project management, and financial oversight includes implementing lean practices that enhance productivity and streamline processes.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
5
5
Certifications
1
1
Language
Work History
General Manager
Polat Makina
01.2023 - 11.2025
- Lead organizational transformation across operations, production, planning, and engineering while driving the company toward operational excellence and digital maturity.
- Directed the relocation and commissioning of a new 30,000 m² facility within 14 days — ensuring zero downtime and complete production continuity.
- Resolved post-commissioning challenges (foundation, layout, process bottlenecks) through cross-functional task forces, maintaining uninterrupted output.
- Launched new decanter product lines, including Turkey’s largest SX920 and the high-G (3500 G) P47 olive oil model, expanding market leadership and accelerating time-to-market.
- Managed a high-risk supply chain crisis, coordinating suppliers, subcontractors, and customers to deliver 140+ machines and 33 urgent shipments in 33 days.
- Drove lean transformation in the helical conveyor line — achieving 42 % cost reduction by cutting lead time from 66 to 6 days and internal logistics from 2.5 km to 250 m.
- Established and expanded Polat Technic, creating a structured after-sales organization and improving commissioning standards, service KPIs, and technical competence.
- Championed digital transformation, including:
- Implemented SAP (PM, PP, MM, QM) modules to digitize planning, maintenance, material, and quality processes, thereby creating end-to-end operational traceability.
- Integrated Manufacturing Intelligence (MII) for real-time production data and automatic ERP synchronization, enabling instant visibility across the shop floor.
- Deployed CRM (C4C) to centralize sales pipeline management and improve customer relationship transparency.
- Introduced a configuration and pricing tool that automated quotation accuracy, reduced manual coding errors, and accelerated proposal turnaround time.
- Outperformed key operational KPIs:
- Delivered €49.8M annual revenue (+8% vs target) through improved production planning and cost discipline. €101K/person productivity (vs €82K target, +23%)
- Increased productivity by 23% per employee (€101K vs €82K target) via process optimization and line balancing.
- Reduced personnel cost by 2% vs budget while maintaining full capacity utilization.
- Improved inventory turnover from 307 to 281 days, freeing working capital and increasing operational agility.
Director of Operations & Plant
Hisarlar (Mahindra Group)
07.2016 - 12.2022
- Led the full operational transformation of Hisarlar following Mahindra’s acquisition — overseeing production, engineering, planning, and supply-chain activities across multiple facilities with more than 600 employees.
- Directed post-acquisition turnaround, harmonising production, quality, and maintenance systems with Mahindra global standards.
- Implemented lean manufacturing, reducing assembly-line cycle time by 27 % and improving Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) by 18 %.
- Launched Hattat & Mahindra tractor co-production program, achieving full homologation for export markets and 20 % higher localisation ratio.
- Developed robotic welding and sheet-metal workshops, boosting throughput and process consistency.
- Standardised cost-control and planning dashboards, enhancing visibility on scrap, downtime, and OEE.
- Championed Process Transformation:
- Introduced digital shop-floor dashboards for real-time production and maintenance tracking.
- Redesigned material flow and factory layout, eliminating bottlenecks and cutting internal logistics by 40 %.
- Established cross-functional improvement teams, driving a 15 % reduction in warranty claims.
- Outperformed key operational KPIs:
- Increased annual output by 21 % while cutting manufacturing costs by 9 %.
- Reduced rework rate by 25 % through process discipline and workforce upskilling.
- Shortened lead time by 18 days, improving delivery reliability and customer satisfaction.
Director of After Sales & Service Agriculture
Hisarlar
06.2014 - 12.2016
- Led the establishment and development of a nationwide after-sales network for the agricultural machinery division, focusing on service performance, spare parts management, and customer satisfaction improvement.
- Planned and managed the €1.5M after-sales budget, ensuring steady service growth.
- Established 37 Service Centres across Turkey, improving customer service.
- Launched a 24/7 Call Centre to centralise service, improve service traceability, and enhance customer focus.
- Introduced a digital warranty and service-tracking system, reducing claim-resolution time by 35%.
- Developed technical training programmes for field engineers and dealers, improving first-time fix rate and satisfaction scores.
Product Development Manager
Hisarlar
01.2012 - 01.2014
Engineering and Method Manager
Hisarlar
01.2011 - 01.2012
Production Manager
Hisarlar
01.2005 - 01.2011
Education
Master of Business Administration (MBA) - Executive Program
Bilkent University
Ankara, TürkiyeMaster of Science (M.Sc.) - Mechanical Engineering
Afyon Kocatepe University
TürkiyeBachelor’s Degree - Automotive Engineering
Gazi University
Ankara, TürkiyeSkills
- Analytical problem-solving
- Managing projects in a multi-site environment
- Prioritization and scheduling
- Comprehensive project coordination
- Quality oversight and risk evaluation
- Financial oversight of CapEx and OpEx
- Project coordination
- Operational management
Accomplishments
- Orchestrated a large-scale production and delivery program — achieving 100% on-time performance across high-value industrial systems under extreme time pressure.
- Led the company’s digital transformation — deploying SAP (PM, PP, MM, QM) and CRM (C4C) systems to enhance traceability, efficiency, and strategic control.
- Delivered €49.8M annual revenue (+8% vs target) and improved productivity by 23% per employee — while reducing personnel costs and boosting inventory turnover.
- Supervised team of +500 staff members.
Software
MS Project, Ansys, Catia
MS Office: Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook
Virtual Components: for factory layout design and optimization, traceability, process automation
Certification
Deloitte – Financial Education for Non-Financiers
Timeline
General Manager
Polat Makina
01.2023 - 11.2025
Director of Operations & Plant
Hisarlar (Mahindra Group)
07.2016 - 12.2022
Director of After Sales & Service Agriculture
Hisarlar
06.2014 - 12.2016
Product Development Manager
Hisarlar
01.2012 - 01.2014
Engineering and Method Manager
Hisarlar
01.2011 - 01.2012
Production Manager
Hisarlar
01.2005 - 01.2011
Master of Science (M.Sc.) - Mechanical Engineering
Afyon Kocatepe University
Master of Business Administration (MBA) - Executive Program
Bilkent University
Bachelor’s Degree - Automotive Engineering
Gazi University