Born in southern India, he moved to Pune in 1993, where he earned a degree in mechatronics, a field that blends mechanical and electrical engineering. With family always at the center of his life, he naturally brings the same loyalty and care into his professional world.
His career began, fittingly, in another family-owned business: an Italian company in the automotive industry specializing in car chassis. There, he served as a bridge between technology and the employees, not only installing complex, high-value machinery but also training operators to program and run it effectively.
From 1993 to 2006, he remained in this company, not only out of obligation, but out of belief. “If you grow, the company grows,” Prasanna Hegde would say. For him, work was never just about tasks or paychecks but about investing the effort, exploring your potentials, and shaping a future where both he and the company could grow together.
His last on-site assignment was in Vietnam in 2019, after which he returned to India during a period of management changes. As GB began manufacturing locally, he stepped into the role of managing director of GB India.
His work brought him into contact with many different cultures, each leaving a lasting impression. Thinking about his time in Germany, Prasanna Hegde smiles and says, “In India, you’d always take work calls, even after hours, but not in Germany”, he considers that a valuable lesson, one he has deliberately carried forward. He prefers to keep his professional and personal life separate, making sure he has the space and energy to fully engage in both.
“For me, Grenzebach has always been like a family. I like to stay with a company for a long time.”
Driving off the beaten path
The conversation soon turned to something he was clearly excited to talk about: his life outside work; to be exact: his passion for off-roading.
It all began in his 20s, when he was riding his motorcycle from the office to his home. Inspired by stunt movies, Prasanna Hegde soon started exploring beyond the everyday commute, touring and off-roading and taking longer trips. Over time, he covered an impressive 150,000 miles, traveling through all the states of India as well as Bhutan and Nepal. Later on, he exchanged two wheels for four.
Now, he proudly holds an International Four-Wheel Drive Training certification from the I4WDTA, the global authority for four-wheel drive instruction standards and trainer certification, which requires passing a formal exam. Driving in India, he explains, is far from easy. The traffic can be wild and unpredictable at times, demanding his constant focus and attention. As a certified trainer with the World Organization, Prasanna Hegde not only goes on off-roading adventures but also helps anyone who gets stuck along the way. For the past five years, he has spent his weekends exploring new trails off-road, camping somewhere out in the open, and pushing his skills – often together with his daughter, his family – before returning to work on Monday ready for the week ahead.
When asked about a memorable moment from his many visits to the German headquarters in Hamlar over the year, one came to his mind right away. When he first visited Hamlar, Rudolf Grenzebach arrived with his bike and his dog, personally meeting the employees. That impressed Prasanna Hegde. On Fridays, after the work was done, they would all sit together having a beer, talking, laughing; not as a boss and employees, but like friends, a family. Even retired employees would drop by the canteen to chat. On one occasion, Maria Grenzebach came looking for him because he was still there late on a Friday. She joked that he was “making Rudolf drunk”, Prasanna Hegde laughs.
Navigating new roads
For him, this is what truly makes the difference when working for a company and what keeps him motivated. Prasanna Hegde currently holds the role as Managing Director of Grenzebach India, overseeing a relatively small production area. His current goal is to establish a manufacturing facility and expand the Indian customer base to be able to further expand the facility. And he is certain it can succeed if everyone works together toward the same goal. Sometimes, if necessary, off the beaten path.
