Sumeet Sekhar Patel is an operations and supply chain professional from India with more than nine years of experience in large-scale manufacturing and industrial operations, particularly within the steel industry. He has extensive expertise in raw material management, inventory optimization, production support and team leadership, having managed teams of over 120 employees.
In 2022, he moved to Germany to pursue an MBA in Logistics Management at Dresden International University, broadening his international perspective and strengthening his understanding of global supply chains, sustainability and data-driven decision-making.
Following his international academic journey, he is now preparing to take on a new leadership role in the Indian steel industry, bringing together his operational experience, global exposure and a strong focus on continuous improvement and future-ready industrial practices.
His professional interests include sustainable supply chains, procurement intelligence, digital transformation and building stronger connections between industry experience and research-driven approaches.
Interview of DIU Alumni Sumeet Sekhar Patel:
What did you study at DIU and when did you graduate? What motivated you to study at that time?
I studied MBA Logistics Management at Dresden International University from 2022 to 2025.
After building over nine years of industrial experience in India, I wanted to gain an international perspective on supply chains and prepare myself for the next phase of my professional journey. Germany, being one of the world's leading industrial nations, was a natural choice.
I chose DIU because of its strong connection with TU Dresden, its flexibility for working professionals, its specialization in logistics and supply chain management and the opportunity to interact with students from diverse international backgrounds. Living in Dresden also gave me the opportunity to grow personally, adapt to challenging situations and experience German culture and society firsthand.
What (three) wishes or expectations did you have of your studies - and in retrospect, what perhaps even positively surprised you?
I had three major expectations when I joined DIU:
1. To gain an international understanding of logistics and supply chain management.
2. To connect my industry experience with academic and research-based approaches.
3. To build an international network and learn from people with diverse backgrounds.
What positively surprised me was how much personal growth happened outside the classroom. Meeting people from different countries, interacting with professors and experiencing German culture taught me resilience, openness and adaptability. The learning environment encouraged critical thinking rather than simply memorizing concepts.
Is there an experience or a topic from your studies that still shapes you today? Something that you use again and again or that has particularly influenced your career path?
One of the biggest lessons that still shapes me today is systems thinking,
understanding how every decision influences the entire supply chain ecosystem.
DIU reinforced the importance of sustainability, data-driven decision-making and cross-functional collaboration. These principles continue to guide my professional approach when working on operations, procurement, process optimization and long-term strategic decisions.
To what extent do the contacts from your student days still play a role today - professionally or personally? Is there an encounter or a network that was particularly valuable for you?
The international environment at DIU created valuable connections that continue to inspire me both professionally and personally.
Beyond networking itself, interacting with classmates from different countries and meeting German people, who I found to be genuinely kind and supportive, expanded my worldview.
These experiences taught me to appreciate different perspectives, cultures and ways of solving problems. Those relationships remain one of the most valuable outcomes of my time at DIU.
What skills, attitudes or competencies - so-called “future skills” - would you pass on to today's students? What has proven to be particularly helpful for you in practice?
I would encourage today's students to develop future skills that go beyond technical knowledge.
The competencies that have helped me the most are:
• Adaptability and resilience
• Lifelong learning
• Data literacy and analytical thinking
• Cross-cultural communication
• Systems thinking
• Sustainability awareness
• Collaboration and leadership
The ability to continuously learn, embrace uncertainty and work effectively with people from different backgrounds will become increasingly important in the future.
Learn more about our full-time degree program “Logistics Management (MBA)” – starting in October 2026.
