With a career spanning engineering, business development, and sales leadership across Sub-Saharan Africa, Vivashan Muthan brings a wealth of expertise to his new role as Head of Export Sales and Operations at RS South Africa. Known for building systems that drive growth and resilience in real-world markets, Muthan is set to lead the company’s export strategy into a new era of scale and impact.
Muthan’s professional journey has seen him hold senior roles at leading multinationals such as Fluke Corporation, SICK Sensor Intelligence, Siemens and Timken, where he managed multi-country sales teams, distribution channels, and large-scale business operations. His diverse experience spans technology management, channel optimisation, and digital integration, with a strong track record of delivering measurable growth across industries including rail, automotive, off-highway, and industrial automation.
Complementing his field expertise, Muthan holds a BSc (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, an MSc in Industrial Engineering from the University of the Witwatersrand and is currently pursuing a PhD in Industrial Engineering focused on intelligent industrial ecosystems. He has also completed executive education through Harvard Business School, specialising in strategy execution, and is a registered Professional Engineer (Pr Eng). In addition, he is an ontological coach certified by The SOAR Institute. This credential strengthens his ability to lead with empathy, develop people, and foster high-performing teams.
At RS South Africa, Muthan takes full commercial ownership of the export business across Sub-Saharan Africa, overseeing revenue, profit, distributor development, and customer experience. His approach is rooted in building insight-led, scalable systems that align operational excellence with customer relevance. He has cultivated strong networks with corporates, distributors, Engineering, Procurement, and Construction companies and industrial stakeholders across the region, which will enable RS to strengthen partnerships and deliver value-driven solutions.
Muthan’s vision for RS South Africa’s export operations is to transform them into a growth platform that not only delivers Maintenance, Repair and Operations (MRO) solutions but also drives innovation, efficiency, and long-term partnerships. His ability to integrate academic rigour with practical execution ensures that RS remains a trusted partner in enabling industrial growth and resilience across African markets.
With his blend of technical expertise, leadership experience, and strategic foresight, Muthan is poised to position RS South Africa as the partner of choice for businesses navigating the continent’s evolving industrial landscape.
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