People Behind the Scenes: Scott Dunkley – Building Better Processes, Together

At Sulzer, we believe that our people are our greatest strength, and we’re proud to highlight the individuals driving excellence behind the scenes. Today, we’re shining the spotlight on Scott Dunkley, Vice President of Planning and Scheduling at Sulzer Pumps India. With nearly two decades at Sulzer and a wealth of global experience, Scott shares insights into his career journey, the challenges of standardising processes across borders, and how he’s helping to shape the future.

I’m Scott Dunkley, Vice President of Planning and Scheduling for Sulzer’s Indian team. I’ve been with Sulzer for almost 19 years now, which is a bit surprising when I think about how it all began!

I originally joined the company on a two-week temporary contract at our UK site back in 2006. I'd just left a role in manufacturing and wanted to keep earning while I looked for something permanent, but from the very beginning I felt like I was in the right place.

I had a supportive manager, enjoyed the work, and saw real opportunities for personal development. After nearly a year as a contractor, I became a full-time employee and haven’t looked back since.

From Local to Global

Over the years, I’ve held a variety of roles in Sulzer’s UK operations, from warehouse logistics to dispatch and shipping. The turning point came when I joined the SAP implementation project in 2008, and it sparked a deeper interest for me in how systems and processes shape the way we work.

That interest led me to a global role in 2018, where I led the rollout of our paperless manufacturing system. The aim was to replace manual processes with a standardised, digital SAP Fiori-based application across all our Flow Division sites. I spent time at Sulzer offices across the world, assessing infrastructure and working with local teams to ensure a consistent global solution. This experience showed me how powerful collaboration can be when it’s supported by clear communication and shared goals.

The differences between countries are fascinating. While legal or operational constraints explained some variation, we were often dealing with habit or preference. Helping each site realign and improve not only boosted efficiency but created a sense of cohesion and shared purpose across our international network.

A New Challenge in India

In 2023, I was offered a new challenge: spending two years in India supporting operational improvements and helping the team get more aligned with Sulzer’s global standards. My official title is Vice President of Planning and Scheduling, but in reality, I’ve worked across planning, project management, quality, warehouse, and procurement – seeing where processes could be improved and helping to put the right systems in place.

What made this easier was that many members of the leadership team here were relatively new to their roles. That meant we had a real opportunity to shape the culture and bring everyone into alignment around shared goals. It’s been incredibly rewarding to see how much progress we’ve made in a relatively short time.

And of course, being based in India has been a rewarding experience for me personally. The climate, the food, the culture and general pace of life; it’s all very different from back home in the UK.

Learning from Each Other

One of the most enjoyable parts of working at Sulzer is the opportunity to see how different teams operate. Every site has its strengths, and I’ve always made a point of listening and learning wherever I go. Sometimes you see an idea that’s brilliant in one location and think, "We could adapt that and use it elsewhere." It’s not always about copying and pasting solutions, but about drawing inspiration and sharing what works.

I still think the UK site stands out in terms of process discipline, but what’s exciting is how those practices are now reflected here in India. If you walked through both factories, you’d notice the similarities. That’s not just a coincidence; it’s the result of collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and a willingness to learn from one another.

For me, that’s what excellence really looks like. It’s not about rigidly enforcing a single way of working, but about building a culture where teams are open to new ideas, learn from each other, and use that insight to improve what we do. Every site has something valuable to offer, and by staying curious and collaborative, we’re constantly refining our processes.

Looking to the Future

It’s a great time to be part of Sulzer, with our 2028 strategy providing clear direction and purpose. A big part of that strategy is process excellence, which aligns perfectly with the work we’re doing here in India. We’re making improvements that aren’t just about hitting KPIs, they’re about building a stronger foundation for the future.

Throughout my career, Sulzer has given me opportunities to take on new challenges and stretch beyond my comfort zone. That’s one of the things I value most. If you’re the kind of person who enjoys solving problems, working with others, and making a real difference, there’s always room to grow here.

Thanks to Scott for sharing his incredible journey with us. If that’s inspired you to see where your career at Sulzer could take you – or if you know someone who might fit into our team – then we encourage you to look at our current openings from around the globe: Careers | Sulzer