Developing Experts and Careers: Timken Offers Diverse Perspectives and Shared Experiences

Edgar San Jose and Sudesh Kumar are separated by more than 7,000 miles and nine time zones. They lead teams made up of experts from varied cultures and backgrounds. Their regions have specific growth goals and they use different strategies to achieve them.

Yet both agree—their teams’ diverse perspectives contribute to The Timken Company’s collective intelligence and create a global work environment with endless career opportunities. Here, they share their own experiences and how the company’s collaborative culture creates career opportunities for career growth on a global scale.

Sudesh Kumar
Managing director for the Middle East, Africa and Turkey

Sudesh joined Timken in 1991 as a human resources administrator in India. Prior to leading Timken’s current expansion into the Middle East, Turkey and Africa, he grew the company’s presence in South East Asia, Japan and Korea.

“I tell people if they like to dream big, come to Timken. We invest in people and share our collective intelligence to build up the next generation of Timken experts everywhere we do business.” 

Edgar San Jose
Vice president of Latin America and Americas Rail and U.S. Automotive Aftermarket

Edgar began his career 25 years ago as a U.S.-based sales engineer for a Timken acquisition. He later held various U.S. sales management positions. Today he leads a regional team responsible for Timken growth in Latin America as well as sales in several U.S. markets.

“Timken is as diverse in its employees as its vast customer base. It is this diversity that helps us grow both personally and professionally and gives us the confidence to tackle the most difficult problems in the industry.”

How did you both come to pursue a career with Timken?

San Jose: It started with an interest in how things work. I interviewed for my first job after college with a bearing company that would eventually become part of Timken, and I discovered how instrumental bearings are in all equipment. I was hooked. Bearings were an opportunity to understand how a diverse range of mechanical systems work. Because Timken solutions were in these applications and I represented them, I have helped move a space shuttle to its launch pad, seen satellites built from the ground up, and visited other confidential places I can’t talk about. They were big moments for the engineer in me.

Kumar: For me, I joined Timken as an entry-level HR professional and was quickly impressed by the breadth of opportunities here. I became interested in sales and had the chance to work with automotive customers, so I made the switch. I was eager to take on new responsibilities and got involved with the company’s growth efforts throughout Asia. Entering new white spaces – geographies and markets – has become my specialty, and it is because of my work at Timken that I have developed that expertise.

How does Timken invest in its people to ultimately grow the business in your region?

San Jose: We are a company of lifelong learners and we invest in ongoing training. Employees in Argentina and Brazil speak different languages and come from different cultures, but have access to the same learning resources to help them better serve customers, solve technical problems, manage others and conduct business.

Kumar: We also invest in relationships. Learning happens naturally when new employees are paired with someone who has been there before. In the Middle East, Turkey and Africa, we pair new sales engineers with seasoned service engineering managers who have troubleshooted thousands of customer problems already. This mentorship and collaboration helps us pass on what we know to a new generation of engineers, who add to that body of knowledge during their own careers.

What do you say to a professional considering a career at Timken?

San Jose: People here are open to different viewpoints that help us reach the right decisions for our customers and company. It is a very collaborative environment. There are so many opportunities to serve in a variety of functions, gain a deep understanding of diverse international markets, manage others or become the leading expert in a specialized field. Whatever you do here, you are part of something bigger and that sense of purpose is highly motivating.

Kumar: I agree. This is a place where you can work globally, stay challenged and create your own path. The possibilities are limited only by the goals you set for yourself. Edgar and I both started in entry level positions and grew into leaders that help drive Timken strategy. Not many multinational corporations offer that opportunity, but we definitely do here.

For more information on moving your career forward with Timken, and current global opportunities, visit the Timken Careers Website.

Last Updated: 2021/08/19

Published: 2021/05/7