Sainsbury Management Fellows have been mentoring talented young engineers for over 30 years and we are delighted to announce that Chetan Kotur, who has been mentored by SMF Adam Bazire for many years, is one of five engineers to win a RAEng Engineers Trust Young Engineer of the Year prize. Awarded by the Royal Academy of Engineering, with support from the Worshipful Company of Engineers, the winners are awarded £3,000 each for making an outstanding impact in their field early in their career.
Adam Bazire met Chetan in 2009 when he became his mentor for the RAEng’s Engineering Leadership Scholarship (formerly the Engineering Leadership Awards). Adam said: “From my first meeting with Chetan it was clear that he was destined to be a significant individual within the world of automotive engineering, and an outstanding advocate for engineering generally. My observations over the subsequent nine years have reinforced this opinion. It’s wonderful news that he has been recognised as a Young Engineer of the Year.”
Chetan is currently working at the forefront of the automotive industry as the CEO’s Assistant at Polestar, a Volvo electric car startup that he helped launch at the end of 2017 in Shanghai. Following his passion for cars, Chetan uniquely combines creative flair, design skills and deep engineering understanding. He is rapidly emerging as a bright, dynamic and driven future leader in the automotive industry.
At age 16, Chetan faced a career dilemma, between following his family’s tradition of studying medicine or pursuing his interest in designing cars. After being selected for the Channel 4 documentary Vocation, Vocation, Vocation, he chose to follow his passion for cars. He excelled academically, achieving a first-class degree in Automotive Engineering from Loughborough University.
Having secured a place on the Volvo Cars Global Graduate Programme, Chetan progressed quickly as a Studio Engineer designing new cars. He has led the design of autonomous vehicle projects for Volvo and worked on the development of the company’s first autonomous steering and braking safety system. He also presented Volvo’s future technology strategy to Swedish Governmental Authorities – ensuring funding for cross-industry technology development.
Chetan promotes STEM activities in the North East to help inspire the next generation of engineers. He founded the Future Engineers Scheme at Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, which over the last five years has given over 200 students a head start in engineering. He was also awarded an Engineering Leadership Advanced Award from the Royal Academy of Engineering, allowing him to travel the world developing leadership skills. Five years on, Chetan continues to support and mentor a boy he met in a Rio de Janeiro, Favela who dreams of becoming a car designer.
To read the full story on all the RAEng Engineers Trust Young Engineer of the Year winners, visit the Royal Academy of Engineering’s website.
