JANAGAN PADAYACHIE
Senior Workshop Manager
Sandton,GP
Summary
Professional Workshop Manager with extensive experience in overseeing operations and improving productivity. Skilled in team collaboration, problem-solving, and adapting to changing needs. Strong background in equipment maintenance, staff training, and workflow optimization. Dependable and results-driven with focus on achieving high standards in every task.
Overview
40
40
years of professional experience
Work History
Workshop Manager
KPL Logistics
01.2026 - Current
- Oversaw daily workshop operations, ensuring compliance with safety regulations and quality standards.
- Streamlined workflow processes, resulting in improved efficiency and reduced turnaround times.
- Coordinated maintenance schedules for equipment to minimize downtime and optimize performance.
- Developed and implemented training programs for new staff, enhancing team skills and productivity.
- Led cross-functional teams to identify areas for process improvement and implement strategic solutions.
- Fostered a culture of continuous improvement through regular feedback sessions and performance evaluations.
- Identified areas in need of improvement and developed plans to correct problems.
- Implemented cost-saving initiatives, reducing overall expenses without compromising product quality.
General Manager Workshop
Dangote Cement Nigeria
06.2022 - 10.2025
- Fleet Maintenance & Technical Mastery
- Multi-Site Workshop Operations: Directing day-to-day operations across multiple physical repair facilities simultaneously.
- Heavy Asset Lifecycle Management: Maximizing the lifespan, residual value, and total cost of ownership (TCO) of commercial vehicles and trailers.
- Alternative Powertrain Technologies: Expert knowledge of traditional Diesel, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), and alternative fuel engine systems.
- Major Unit Overhauls: Deep mechanical competency in full-scale rebuilds of engines, gearboxes, differentials, and auto-electrical architecture.
- Specialized Body Engineering: Overseeing structural maintenance and welding/fabrication for heavy tippers, dry-bulk silos, and specialized tankers.
- Ensured financial accuracy in supply chain operations to minimize costs.
- Managed workshop P&L and budget by controlling overheads, labor costs, and identifying cost-saving opportunities.
- Optimized tyre and fuel use by implementing tracking systems to manage high variable operating expenses.
- Vendor & OEM Management: Conducting complex commercial negotiations, monitoring service level agreements (SLAs), and processing warranty claims.
- Fleet Availability & Uptime Optimization: Aligning maintenance cycles with operations to keep vehicle downtime as close to zero as possible.
- Preventative Maintenance Scheduling (PMS): Developing data-driven servicing routines to prevent costly en-route breakdowns.
- Telematics & Diagnostics Integration: Using fleet tracking data and onboard computer systems diagnostics to predict mechanical failures.
- HSSE Governance: Enforcing zero-harm environments, workshop safety compliance, and hazardous waste management (oil, tyres, batteries).
- Statutory Road Traffic Compliance: Ensuring all vehicles pass strict regional roadworthy certificates, overloading laws, and cross-border permits.
- Led project teams to ensure timely completion of maintenance tasks.
- Workforce Resource Allocation: Balancing mechanics, and auto-electricians across shifts to handle fluid workload spikes.
- Technical Training & Mentorship: Designing skill development programs to apprentice junior technicians and keep senior staff updated on new truck models.
- Root-Cause Failure Analysis (RCFA): Investigating chronic breakdown patterns or accidents to re-engineer workshop processes and prevent recurrence
- Achievements:
- Established a specialized refurbishment division for parts, optimizing fleet lifecycle costs per unit.
- Improved fleet operational efficiency by reducing total breakdowns by 8%.
- Navigated macroeconomic volatility to successfully deliver the yearly budget amidst Forex-induced inflation.
General Manager
MSM Auto Sandton
07.2020 - 06.2022
- Operational Leadership: Manage daily operations across all departments (parts, service, sales) to ensure efficiency and cross-functional integration.
- Financial Performance: Drive profitability, monitor cash flow, control expenses, manage assets, and meet or exceed budget targets.
- Sales Strategy: Formulated and implemented targeted strategies to increase used car sales, contributing to overall revenue growth.
- Supplier Relationship & Compliance: Cultivated strong partnerships with suppliers to ensure compliance and optimize supply chain effectiveness.
- People Management: Recruited, mentored, and motivated staff to foster a high-performance culture, enhancing team effectiveness through performance management.
- Supplier Relationship & Compliance: Maintain a strong relationship with suppliers.
- Protected revenue growth within a declining market.
- Maintained a 90% customer service rating.
- Optimized business efficiency to cut costs 4%.
Operations Manager
TSL Transport Nigeria
10.2019 - 07.2020
- Strategic Expansion & Project Design
- Formulated long-term growth strategies and designed expansion frameworks to support dealership openings.
- Designed two new dealerships, including advanced workshops and a tire retreading plant.
- Procured specialized tooling for new workshop commissioning.
- Operations & Fleet Management
- Directed five distinct facilities, including two workshops, two assembly plants, and a municipal bus workshop.
- Oversaw fleet of 1,170 heavy commercial assets, ensuring optimal availability of 650 trucks and 520 buses.
- Managed tier-one fleet brands, including Mercedes-Benz, Scania, Howo, and Shacman
- Spearheaded commercial refurbishment programs for heavy-duty trucks and trailers.
- Optimized route management and specialized tire maintenance programs to increase uptime.
- Financial Control & Supply Chain
- Monitored Cost-Per-Kilometer (CPK) and overall Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).
- Controlled operational budgets to enhance asset efficiency and improve utilization rates across all facilities.
- Led international procurement for parts, tools, and heavy workshop equipment.
- Governed vehicle lifecycles, including strategic asset purchasing and disposal.
- Managed OEM relationships and streamlined commercial warranty claims.
- Team Leadership & Executive Reporting
- Enforced strict health, safety, and facility maintenance standards across sites.
- Reported to the Executive Committee (Exco) via detailed weekly and monthly performance analytics.
- Reason for Leaving: Covid evacuation
Franchise owner
Thshisa Nyama Restaurant
10.2017 - 10.2019
- Increased profit by 60% → Engineered targeted cost-control measures and promotional strategies that boosted net profit by 60%
- Financial Control → Managed budgets, controlled operational costs, and oversaw daily financial reporting to optimize resource allocation.
- Day to day management → Directed daily restaurant operations, ensuring smooth workflows and high-quality service delivery.
- Liaising with suppliers and relevant licensing authorities → Negotiated vendor contracts to reduce supply costs and secured all necessary operational licenses.
- Resolved customer escalations promptly → Enhanced brand loyalty and online review ratings through effective customer relations.
- Recruited, trained, and mentored staff → Built a high-performing team that significantly reduced staff turnover.
- Recruiting and supervising staff → Recruited, trained, and mentored a high-performing team, significantly reducing staff turnover.
- Achievement Upgrade
Workshop manager
Tiger Brands Nigeria
07.2012 - 10.2017
- Multi-Site Operations & Fleet Management
- Directed operations across 5 regional workshops in Ikorodu, Kano, Calabar, Ilorin and Apapa to ensure consistent service delivery.
- Oversaw a massive mixed fleet of 1,000+ assets, including 900 trucks, 100 cars, forklifts, bulldozers, graders, and industrial generators.
- Spearheaded asset lifecycle restoration, leading successful reactivation programs for heavy trucks and trailers to maximize fleet utility.
- Governed technical operations, implementing tire maintenance, fuel efficiency programs, and plant equipment upkeep to enhance operational reliability.
- Financial Control & Compliance
- Controlled Capex and procurement, strategically sourcing parts, tools, and workshop machinery.
- Managed operational budgets and inventory controls to eliminate waste and optimize parts availability.
- Enforced rigid quality and safety standards, ensuring multi-site compliance with strict occupational health and safety regulations.
- Managed client relationships, ensuring workshop output met established service-level agreements (SLAs) to maintain customer satisfaction.
- Key Achievements
- Fleet Availability: Drastically optimized maintenance workflows to increase truck availability from 46% to 82%.
- Cost Optimization: Slashed vehicle operational costs by 30% through strategic procurement, fuel controls, and improved maintenance efficiency.
Dealer Principal
Le Roux Motors
06.2009 - 07.2012
- P&L Ownership & Financial Leadership
- Optimized financial performance by closely monitoring cash flow, controlling operational expenses, and managing high-value capital assets.
- Engineered budgeting and forecasting frameworks, achieving target margins through strategic financial oversight.
- Analyzed departmental financial statements to identify cost-saving opportunities and plug revenue leaks across sales, parts, and service lines.
- Operational Scale & Strategic Direction
- Exercised operational control over a massive footprint, including the primary dealership and 14 external workshop business units.
- Formulated commercial strategies that captured market share and drove profitable growth in new and used truck segments.
- Cultivated OEM relationships, securing franchise agreements that enhanced operational compliance and strengthened market positioning.
- Built high-performance teams by tying recruitment, mentorship, and performance management to financial and operational KPIs.
- Protected revenue retention by championing customer excellence initiatives that minimized client churn.
- Key Achievements
- Metro Market Leadership: Directed financial and operational strategy to secure a Top 10 Metro Dealership ranking for three consecutive years.
Dealer Principal
Premier Auto
05.2005 - 06.2009
- Financial Performance: Drive profitability, monitor cash flow, control expenses, manage assets, and meet or exceed budget targets.
- Sales Strategy: Develop and execute strategies to grow new and used truck market share.
- Sales Strategy: Developed and executed strategies that increased market share for new and used trucks.
- OEM Relationship & Compliance: Maintain a strong relationship with manufacturer partners, ensuring compliance with franchise standards and operational requirements.
- People Management: Recruited, mentored, and motivated staff to foster a high-performance culture and enhance team effectiveness.
- Customer Excellence: Drove initiatives that improved customer satisfaction and retention rates.
- Achievements:
- Top Performance Award: Recognized as the Top Medium Truck Dealership (2006/2007) for Isuzu Trucks SA.
- Sustained Excellence: Secured Top 3 Truck Dealership awards for three consecutive years.
Sales Manager
Delta Connection/Barloworld Delta
04.1990 - 04.2005
- 1990 – 2005 (Promoted through 4 progressively senior roles)
- Career Progression Overview
- New Vehicle / Fleet Sales Manager (2001 – 2005)
- Sales Manager (1998 – 2001 | Promoted)
- Sales Executive (1991 – 1998 | Promoted)
- Stock Controller (1990 – 1991)
- Sales & Operations Management
- Directed daily operations and departmental structures for the new vehicle and fleet divisions.
- Controlled financial performance by managing departmental budgets and optimizing operational profit margins.
- Governed vehicle inventory levels, managing stock rotation, allocation, and asset turnover.
- Oversaw vehicle finance functions while coordinating dealership advertising and public relations campaigns to enhance brand visibility.
- Team Leadership & Client Retention
- Led talent management functions, including recruitment, training, and strategic human resource planning.
- Designed structured processes that streamlined operations and aligned staff efforts with sales targets.
- Built robust B2B and retail relationships, driving customer satisfaction and long-term client retention.
- Key Achievements
- Management Excellence: Secured the Sales Manager Award for 6 consecutive years across General Motors and Barloworld Group.
- Elite Sales Track Record: Awarded Top Sales Executive for 6 years and maintained a Top 10 ranking for 11 years nationally with General Motors SA.
Stock Controller
Transvaal Motors
03.1989 - 04.1990
Stock administrator/Stock Controller
Suzuki Distributors
05.1986 - 02.1989
Education
Matric / Grade 12 -
Northmead Secondary
Durban, South Africa01-1986
Skills
Management Competencies: Technical & Operational Expertise Leadership & People Management Financial & Resource Management Risk & Compliance Management Fleet & Operational Scheduling Project Management
Inventory coordination
Workshop organization
Supply management
Workshop operations
Systems & Software: SAP Navision Kerridge SPL Automate MS Office Suite
Timeline
Workshop Manager
KPL Logistics
01.2026 - Current
General Manager Workshop
Dangote Cement Nigeria
06.2022 - 10.2025
General Manager
MSM Auto Sandton
07.2020 - 06.2022
Operations Manager
TSL Transport Nigeria
10.2019 - 07.2020
Franchise owner
Thshisa Nyama Restaurant
10.2017 - 10.2019
Workshop manager
Tiger Brands Nigeria
07.2012 - 10.2017
Dealer Principal
Le Roux Motors
06.2009 - 07.2012
Dealer Principal
Premier Auto
05.2005 - 06.2009
Sales Manager
Delta Connection/Barloworld Delta
04.1990 - 04.2005
Stock Controller
Transvaal Motors
03.1989 - 04.1990
Stock administrator/Stock Controller
Suzuki Distributors
05.1986 - 02.1989
Matric / Grade 12 -
Northmead Secondary