Sendil Velan

Senior Typesetting Specialist and Acting Team Lead and with 19+ years of STM journal and book publishing experience. Skilled in LaTeX and XML/Non-XML workflows, end-to-end production lifecycle, and quality assurance. Known for mentoring junior compositors, coordinating workflow operations, and consistently delivering error-free output on time for global publishers including Cambridge University Press and Taylor & Francis.

LaTeX Senior Executive - Straive (formerly SPi Global) - Puducherry, India

(2013-12)

• Lead daily workflow allocation, productivity tracking, and output quality oversight for a team of typesetting professionals.
• Mentor and train junior and mid-level compositors through regular knowledge-sharing sessions, reducing error rates and improving turnaround time.
• Coordinate with project managers and client teams to plan production schedules and ensure consistent on-time delivery.
• Handle full acting team lead responsibilities during senior management absences, ensuring uninterrupted operations.
• Manage end-to-end STM journal and book production — Castoff, Alt Text Conversion, Accessibility Conversion, First Proofs, Author Corrections, Revises, Final Files, and E-delivery.
• Execute LaTeX-based typesetting (PDFLaTeX, XeLaTeX, LuaLaTeX, TeXLive) across both XML and Non-XML publishing pipelines.
• Handle complex pagination, template management, and client-specific formatting for Cambridge University Press and Taylor & Francis.
• Identify and resolve typesetting issues including style conflicts, template errors, and layout inconsistencies.
• Coordinate with Tools & Templates (T&T) teams to test, update, and maintain production templates and style files.
• Support basic workflow automation and server backup processes to maintain smooth production continuity.
• Suggest and implement workflow improvements to reduce manual steps and improve team efficiency.
• Conduct Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and implement Corrective and Preventive Actions (CAPA) in response to client feedback and production errors.
• Ensure all deliverables meet client specification requirements and on-time delivery standards across all projects.

LaTeX Senior Executive - Cbigs Publishing Pvt. Ltd. - Puducherry, India

(2013-02 - 2013-09)

• Performed high-quality STM journal typesetting and pagination using LaTeX workflows, consistently meeting tight project deadlines.
• Maintained formatting accuracy and consistency across all publishing outputs per client specifications.

Senior Composer - Integra Software Services Pvt. Ltd. - Puducherry, India

(2006-12 - 2012-10)

• Executed journal composition and proofreading for multiple publishing clients over a 6-year tenure.
• Supported team quality benchmarks and contributed to onboarding and guidance of junior team members.

B.Sc. - Computer Science - Sri Aravindar Arts and Science College, Affiliated to University of Madras (2003 - 2005)