STELLAR Alliance Group, LLC.
Sanjeev Varma, Managing Partner
……with more than 25 years experience with major U.S. and Indian OEMs,
suppliers, and consulting firms, Mr. Varma is well known and connected in
the industry, especially as it relates to India. He has degrees in Mechanical
Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, and Syracuse University,
as well as completing advanced programs at MIT and the Wharton Business
School. He holds six U.S. patents and has several publications to his credit.
His previous corporate experience included key positions within Magna
International, Chrysler, and also technical advisor to Mahindra India. For the
past seven years Mr. Varma has focused his attention on consulting and
business development opportunities representing successful Indian and U.S.
entities. He has established several businesses within India, and represented
a group of 40 Indian suppliers to the Industrial Investment Council of the
German Government. In recent years, Mr. Varma was a project leader and
advisor on cross border engagements that Stellar-LLC successfully
completed. He is a frequent visitor to India has excellent relationships with
the automotive OEMs and suppliers.
E:mail: varma@stellar-llc.com
Phone: +1.248.990.0670
……with more than 25 years experience with major U.S. and Indian OEMs,
suppliers, and consulting firms, Mr. Varma is well known and connected in
the industry, especially as it relates to India. He has degrees in Mechanical
Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, and Syracuse University,
as well as completing advanced programs at MIT and the Wharton Business
School. He holds six U.S. patents and has several publications to his credit.
His previous corporate experience included key positions within Magna
International, Chrysler, and also technical advisor to Mahindra India. For the
past seven years Mr. Varma has focused his attention on consulting and
business development opportunities representing successful Indian and U.S.
entities. He has established several businesses within India, and represented
a group of 40 Indian suppliers to the Industrial Investment Council of the
German Government. In recent years, Mr. Varma was a project leader and
advisor on cross border engagements that Stellar-LLC successfully
completed. He is a frequent visitor to India has excellent relationships with
the automotive OEMs and suppliers.
E:mail: varma@stellar-llc.com
Phone: +1.248.990.0670
Philip Cunningham, Managing Partner
……has over 25 years in the automotive industry at European and US
suppliers, and consulting firms. Mr. Cunningham has advised and managed
strategic planning initiatives which have included developing growth strategies
for entry into the emerging markets, M&A transactions, divestitures, joint
ventures, strategic alliances, and technology licensing. He has worked
extensively in the US, Europe, India, South America and Asia. He has an MBA
from the University of Wales, Cardiff Business School and holds and HNC in
Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wales Institute. Mr. Cunningham
was the Vice President of Business Development at TRW Automotive in
Livonia, Michigan, where he led M&A activities across TRW’s global businesses.
The role included establishing joint venture and strategic alliances with
partners in Japan, Korea, China, Russia and India. Mr. Cunningham was a
member of the Board of Directors for several TRW joint venture companies in
Europe, US, China and India. Today he sits on the advisory board of The
Townsend Company.
E:mail: cunningham@stellar-llc.com
Phone: +1.248.736.7601
……has over 25 years in the automotive industry at European and US
suppliers, and consulting firms. Mr. Cunningham has advised and managed
strategic planning initiatives which have included developing growth strategies
for entry into the emerging markets, M&A transactions, divestitures, joint
ventures, strategic alliances, and technology licensing. He has worked
extensively in the US, Europe, India, South America and Asia. He has an MBA
from the University of Wales, Cardiff Business School and holds and HNC in
Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wales Institute. Mr. Cunningham
was the Vice President of Business Development at TRW Automotive in
Livonia, Michigan, where he led M&A activities across TRW’s global businesses.
The role included establishing joint venture and strategic alliances with
partners in Japan, Korea, China, Russia and India. Mr. Cunningham was a
member of the Board of Directors for several TRW joint venture companies in
Europe, US, China and India. Today he sits on the advisory board of The
Townsend Company.
E:mail: cunningham@stellar-llc.com
Phone: +1.248.736.7601
Dario Verdugo, Affiliate Partner
….. has extensive automotive experience and success in representing entities
in Brazil and throughout the Mercosur region (Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay,
Uruguay and associate member Chile) where they share special cross border
relationships to limit import tariffs and duties. He has a degree University of
Chile and an MBA from University of California at Berkley and was a visiting
fellow at the University of Cambridge, England. He has co-authored and
published a book on Knowledge Management for Banking. His experience
includes serving as Treasurer of Ford Venezuela; establishing manufacturing
and distribution operations in Brazil and Argentina for Chrysler; and launched
in Brazil a digital marketing support network for a U.S. based automotive
supplier. Mr. Verdugo headed up the successful cross border projects for
Stellar-LLC that resulted in the sale and export of rail car components from
China to South America. He has over 20 years of corporate strategy and M &
A experience within the global automotive industry.
Phone: +1.248.931.3504
Daron Gifford - Managing Partner
...... has over 35 years of experience in the automotive and manufacturing
industries in both operating management and management consulting. Over
25 years have been spent in leadership roles with large, global consulting
practices including A.T. Kearney, KPMG, Deloitte Consulting, and ABeam
Consulting (formerly Deloitte Tohmatsu Consulting), where he was responsible
for building industry and regional practices from small localized businesses into
large consulting services organizations.
Daron holds an M.B.A. – General Management, University of Virginia, Darden
Graduate School of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Industrial
Administration – Production Management, General Motors Institute.
Daron has worked extensively throughout the automotive and manufacturing
industry with OEMs, suppliers, and retailer and service channels in roles
ranging from executive management to consultant to investors. Over the
past 2+ years, he has worked primarily as a senior advisor to the U.S.
Department of Energy assessing the commercial capabilities of advanced
technologies to support alternative energy creation, storage, distribution and
mobility (especially in vehicles).
E:mail: gifford@stellar-llc.com
Phone: +1.248.535.9878
...... has over 35 years of experience in the automotive and manufacturing
industries in both operating management and management consulting. Over
25 years have been spent in leadership roles with large, global consulting
practices including A.T. Kearney, KPMG, Deloitte Consulting, and ABeam
Consulting (formerly Deloitte Tohmatsu Consulting), where he was responsible
for building industry and regional practices from small localized businesses into
large consulting services organizations.
Daron holds an M.B.A. – General Management, University of Virginia, Darden
Graduate School of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Industrial
Administration – Production Management, General Motors Institute.
Daron has worked extensively throughout the automotive and manufacturing
industry with OEMs, suppliers, and retailer and service channels in roles
ranging from executive management to consultant to investors. Over the
past 2+ years, he has worked primarily as a senior advisor to the U.S.
Department of Energy assessing the commercial capabilities of advanced
technologies to support alternative energy creation, storage, distribution and
mobility (especially in vehicles).
E:mail: gifford@stellar-llc.com
Phone: +1.248.535.9878
Our Team...
John Stellman, Chairman
………. founded STELLAR Alliance in 2007 after he retired from
DaimlerChrysler as Corporate Vice President for Mergers and Acquisitions after
the sale of the company to Cerberus. During his corporate career he led the
company’s effort in structuring numerous acquisitions, joint ventures,
restructuring programs and sell-side transactions related to vehicles,
automotive components, commercial trucks, financial services and aerospace
and defense operations in the Nafta region as well as successfully completing
projects in Europe, Asia, Russia, and South America. He has personally
worked with and has extensive relationships with global automotive OEMs and
automotive suppliers throughout the world. He holds a degree in Industrial
Management and MBA from Wayne State University and has completed post
graduate management programs at University of Michigan. He was a director
of Daimler’s Venture Capital Investment fund and has served on Corporate
and Advisory boards in the U.S.and Europe.
E:mail: stellman@stellar-llc.com
Phone: +1.248.760.8962
John Stellman, Chairman
………. founded STELLAR Alliance in 2007 after he retired from
DaimlerChrysler as Corporate Vice President for Mergers and Acquisitions after
the sale of the company to Cerberus. During his corporate career he led the
company’s effort in structuring numerous acquisitions, joint ventures,
restructuring programs and sell-side transactions related to vehicles,
automotive components, commercial trucks, financial services and aerospace
and defense operations in the Nafta region as well as successfully completing
projects in Europe, Asia, Russia, and South America. He has personally
worked with and has extensive relationships with global automotive OEMs and
automotive suppliers throughout the world. He holds a degree in Industrial
Management and MBA from Wayne State University and has completed post
graduate management programs at University of Michigan. He was a director
of Daimler’s Venture Capital Investment fund and has served on Corporate
and Advisory boards in the U.S.and Europe.
E:mail: stellman@stellar-llc.com
Phone: +1.248.760.8962
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