ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
American Dream
MAE alum Kotagiri now CEO of prominent mobility technology company
S
eetarama (Swamy) Kotagiri was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Magna International on Jan. 1, 2021. Kotagiri is an Oklahoma State University alumnus with a master’s degree in mechanical engineering with a specialization in materials and structural engineering. Kotagiri has more than 30 years of experience in his industry, 21 of it being with Magna International. Early in his Magna career, he also held many different engineering and operating positions at Cosma International, which is a Magna operating unit. Kotagiri came to OSU from a small village in India after receiving his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Kamataka University. He graduated from OSU in 1994. “Coming to Oklahoma State University from a small village in India was the first step in my pursuit of the American Dream,” Kotagiri said. During his time at OSU, Kotagiri learned how the opportunities given
can stretch far beyond Stillwater, Oklahoma. He also experienced how kind and welcoming the students and staff at the university are. “As I worked on my master’s degree in mechanical engineering, I got a sense of what OSU students call the ‘cowboy spirit,’ and learned that opportunities that begin in Stillwater stretch as far as the eye can see,” Kotagiri said. Kotagiri has more than 12 patents with automotive product and process design. He is also a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers and the Engineering Society in Detroit. Kotagiri has been featured in Business Insider’s 100 People Transforming Business. Before his position as CEO, Kotagiri held the position of President of Magna where he was instrumental in driving the company’s overall strategy including strengthening the alignment with customers, R&D and new mobility activities. “A key mentor was Eric Price, a former dean of mechanical engineering
STORY KAITLYN MIRES | PHOTO MAGNA PHOTOGRAPHY
at OSU,” Kotagiri said. “I was working as a young mechanical engineer in the cement industry in India at the time, and seeking advice about moving to the U.S. Price responded to my letter, and his kindness and advice prepared me for success. I still remember arriving in the U.S. with little money in my pocket, enough to cover my first semester’s tuition, and the bag on my back.” Since those times, Kotagiri has accomplished and learned many things through his time at Magna International. He hopes that, as CEO of Magna, he can help the company continue advancing mobility for everyone and everything. “Even though I’m the CEO of a $40-billion mobility technology company, I’m still an engineer at heart,” Kotagiri said. “Today, I’m working with more than 158,000 Magna employees around the world with the dream of providing mobility for all. But I will never forget that Oklahoma State University helped to lay the foundation for my future.”
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