Dr. Ankur Garg

OPTIVARA (www.optivarasolutions.com) offers Advanced Optimization and AI Solutions in the area of Network Optimization, Resource Scheduling, and Dynamic Pricing & Revenue Management. Our present solutions for airlines include (i) Clean-sheet Network Designer & Schedule Optimizer, (ii) Multi-Criteria Integrated Disruption-Recovery Manager, and (iii) Maintenance & Tail-Assignment Planner In addition, we offer Operations Research and Machine-Learning based consulting services in the area of Dynamic Pricing & Revenue Management, Routing Optimization & Resource Scheduling, and Predictive Analytics in Operations.

Course taught - Dynamic Pricing and Revenue Management

(Post merger of AirAsia India into Air India Express) Responsible for Network Planning, Revenue Management, Ancillary & Cargo, Sales & Distribution, Marketing & Corp Comm, and Customer Experience. As member of the organization Executive Committee, contribute in the strategic planning and corporate development.

Responsible for managing the Passenger (88%) and Ancillary Revenue (6%) of IndiGo’s US$ 5bn annual turnover. Also responsible for distribution of IndiGo’s content (tickets, ancillary products and payments) through Online Travel Agents, GDS and Direct Channels. Led a successful transformation of IndiGo’s Revenue Management and Ancillary Revenue Departments through development of in-house RM System and analytical models, pricing strategy, organization restructuring and quality talent induction, and re-engineering of business processes. Both Passenger and Ancillary Revenue have registered double-digit improvement in Revenue Per Unit Capacity despite a 50% growth in capacity over 2 years.

Led the Planning & Analytics Team in President's Office. The responsibilities encompassed Integrated Commercial & Operations Planning which involved the long-term fleet planning, crew resource planning, ground operations resource planning and infrastructure planning. As part of Analytics responsibility, led the team of Statistics & Operations Research professionals responsible for process improvement, cost optimization and productivity improvement projects.

Responsibilities included strategy formulation and business planning, market opportunity assessment, profitability levers analysis and inorganic growth for multiple Strategic Business Units (IT Services, Distribution, Learning, Hardware Solutions) of the organization. Led the Program Management Office for Transformation & Corporate Restructuring in 2013 for carve-out of different businesses in individual subsidiaries - HCL Services Ltd, HCL Learning Ltd and HCL InfoTech Ltd. Other responsibilities included Indirect Cost Optimization, Annual Operating Plan and Quarterly Reviews for the Board.

Responsibilities included project management, project delivery and new business development of Strategy, Operations and M&A Consulting engagements. Advised private and public sector organizations across infrastructure, telecom, media, technology and automotive industry verticals. Project experience spanned across entry strategy, business planning, turn-around planning, cost optimization, M&A due deligence, demerger and post merger integration.

Dissertation Title: Integrated Model on Schedule Design, Aircraft Rotation and Crew Scheduling in Airlines