Ahmad al-As’ad

**** **. ***** ***** ******, TX **210 972-***-**** abnnw2@r.postjobfree.com

TECHNOLOGY SERVICES / SHARED SERVICES ORGANIZATIONS /

BUSINESS STRATEGY / SOA & SOFTWARE AS A SERVICE /

PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKING

EXECUTIVE SUMM ARY

Impressive, results-producing management career spanning a growing thirteen-plus years, in

technology services for industry-leading corporations, with consistent contributions to increased

productivity, quality, performance, and profitability. A fair, but strong and decisive, technology leader

with excellent analytical, organizational, team-building and planning skills; with a very team-focused,

and customer-driven, approach to executive management. Maintain an uncompromising, but flexible,

focus on high quality standards and bottom-line improvement. It is simply all about delivering.

Challenge-driven, value-focused executive with an unrelenting passion for delivering measurable

results in revenue/margin targets, productivity/service levels, operational efficiencies, customer

satisfaction, and economies of scale.

Trusted technology leader and business partner recognized for innovation in technology,

consistently delivering integrated, scalable solutions that inform business strategy and transform

the business and marketplace.

Unrivaled ability to marshal organizations through change. Gain buy-in from all stakeholders for

transformation and mobilize all aspects of business and technology-services around business-

enabling, best-practice processes and technologies.

Charismatic leader, communicator, and presenter inspiring confidence, credibility, and peak levels

of performance. Define and rally individuals, teams, and businesses around a clear, compelling

vision to achieve superlative results.

Core Skills and Competencies (no particular order):

SQA Setup & Management ITSM-Based Service Management New Product Development/Launch

Process Simplification & Redesign Planning Systems Development Change Management Strategies

Technology & Business Strategy Global Technology Operations Shared Services Organizations

Release & Deployment Management Full Enterprise SDLC’s Cost Control Strategies

Architecture Design & Integration Large-Scale Solution Deployments Business & IT Governance

Project / Practice Management Technology Implementation Customer Relationship Management

Technology Planning & Solutions P&L / Financial Management Innovation & Business Development

Performance Benchmarking Diverse Vertical Expertise Account Retention Strategies

Information Strategy & Architecture Portal & Enterprise Content Management (ECM)

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

imc , Dallas, TX 2007 – 2009

Group Director of Technology Services

A thought leader and pioneer in the interactive digital space. I created interactive/technology solutions

that enhance how consumer-brands connect and engage with their consumers. I oversaw the Quality

Assurance group, technical operations and off-shore technology teams. My office was responsible for

providing insights and analysis of emerging technology trends for imc 's global clients --Key clients

included Pfizer, Mars / M&M's, Johnson & Johnson, Procter & Gamble and Casio.

Selected Accomplishments:

Lead a growing technology and production team in the planning, strategy, production and expansion

of cutting-edge interactive programs for consumer-facing applications.

Responsible for choosing the right technological platform to deliver interactive marketing messages

via online, mobile and video channels.

Improved and restructured the entire QA department as a services organization; once it reported to

my structure.

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Created a technology road map that lead to the development of a data model, mapping of critical data

sources, hardware recommendations, data flow and connectivity architecture for contact point

alignment and synchronization, Business Intelligence tools evaluation and development of an

implementation plan and budget.

Provided business development/sales team support, including writing responses to RFPs, SOWs,

and presenting technology solutions to the team and directly to the clients.

In addition to preparing implementation estimates, I provided forward planning recommendations on

the future state of infrastructure, communications, process controls, flexibility and growth potential.

Directly responsible for technology execution management & resource allocation.

Executed consultative projects and services such as leading needs assessments and requirements

gathering sessions. Liaison within client company to other departments for purposes of

communicating solution plans and expectations.

Started and managed an offshore (“nearshore”) partner relationship with transparency and hands-on

effectiveness ensuring flexibility and scalability across the technology services organization for

multiple locations.

Created, planned and promoted a collaboration model/approach with other competencies to provide

technology thought leadership that leads to enhanced cross-competency relationships, technology

adoption, and the creation of innovative client solutions.

COSERV ELECTRIC & GAS, Corinth, TX 2006 – 2007

Application Development Manager

Hit the ground running –Planning, coordinating and managing all activities related to the design,

development, and implementation / deployment of mission-critical information and software applications &

systems. Focused on quality assurance standards (CMM & PMI) by implementing tools and processes,

which challenged the team members and fostered a “flow;” ultimately leading to tracking and

measurement of a new Enterprise Release Life Cycle (ERLC).

Selected Accomplishments:

Took the lead to establish company-wide standards for data conversion, secure data handling,

systems interfaces & implementations, and programming, development, business intelligence and

change control best practices.

Managed 3rd party applications, in addition to “home-made” ones, and vendor relationships including

research, evaluation, selection, contract negotiations and delivery.

Implemented a “request” system (Bugzilla) to handle inter-intra-departmental requests, issues and

project bugs. While this implementation contained many benefits, the goal was to instill openness in

communication, work, statuses, attitude, etc. Everyone knows where one or all things are at any

given time. This ultimately, enhanced accountability & dependability in a culture where “walk-by’s”

were common, and visibility was low. This also helped focus the team around a delivery and Quality

Assurance vision.

Liaised with the different departments to ensure that development projects meet business

requirements and goals, fulfilled end-user requirements, and identified and resolved systems issues.

In essence, acted as the technical subject matter expert to project managers and programmers

working on development project teams.

Within my own cost center and budget (7 figures), as previously forecasted, I research and made

recommendations on software products and services in support of procurement and development

efforts. I also ensured that any new software integration (especially SOA) into company systems

met functional requirements, system compliance, and interface specifications. Software like Business

Objects XI, Oracle, Oracle e-Business Suite (BPEL) and some Fusion Middleware (BAM).

TRAVELOCITY / SABRE, Southlake, TX 2001 – 2006

Release Manager

Distinguished record of fast-track achievements with this multi-million dollar industry leader in the online

travel market. A demonstrated ability to fulfill corporate profit and organizational-development goals, train

& lead workforce to continual performance gains, and direct change to ensure work efficiency and

improvement in all configuration management (SCM), quality assurance (SQA), release & deployment and

operational functions. Note: Travelocity had well over 1000 Linux / Solaris boxes load-balanced and split into farms.

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Selected Accomplishments:

Developed and instituted a post-production/release life cycle process starting with identification

leading back to production again, and feeding right back into itself with check points along the way.

Directed high-priority projects addressing production bugs turning around an average of $100k/day

loss into profits.

Formulated and delivered strategies used to increase quality prior to reaching production.

Transitioned bug-tracking tools from TrackRecord to PVCS to Bugzilla while maintaining continuous

availability to an 1100+ developer / internal-customer base.

Helped build the Quality Assurance organization from the grounds up with emphasis on process,

value to the rest of the organization, tools and automation.

Played key role on a Release Train, which is planning software releases on regular or cyclic time

periods. This made releases far more predictable, and helped manage our development, test, QA,

support and release staff resources more efficiently.

Oversaw all hiring, cross-training and management of Junior Developers, QA Engineers & BA’s, both

offshore (India & Australia) and in multiple sites here in the US, leading team members to accurate

performance in pre-release testing, verification, analysis, troubleshooting, and tracking milestones.

e2i (formerly known as Entercon), Addison, TX 1999 – 2001

Managing Technical Consultant

Designated with special international assignment, with Level8 in London, to assist management in

planning, designing, and implementing Telco solutions across global sites; focusing on EMEA markets.

As a consultancy, e2i’s a multi-environment / OS shop.

Selected Accomplishments:

Worked and maintained direct contact with C-class executives to achieve proof of concepts, design

and overall user interface. This continued throughout the Software Release Life Cycle (SRLC).

Teamed with marketing specialists, line of business owners and Product Managers to conceptualize,

develop, and introduce new product lines while reducing the number of bugs within new lines by 82%.

Lead an organizational culture assessment to improve over-all effectiveness and morale (360

reviews, polls, etc.)

Built momentum, to maximize the value of our investment of time and effort, ultimately to help align

our strategy with implementation.

Directed effective resource alignment and resource allocation across projects and cross-functional

teams (some of whom were “matrixed” to me), leading to optimal creation of next-generation

technologies.

EDUCATION & TRAINING

B.S., CIS

University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan (1996)

Professional Development Courses:

Empowerment/Team Building Training

Quality Management Training

Executive Management Training

PMI Member (PMBOK/PMP Familiarity)

360 Feedback: Center for Creative Leadership

Leadership for Extraordinary Performance (The Darden School, University of Virginia)

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Some Skills & Proficiencies

Operating Environments Unix, Xenix, Linux, Solaris and Windows (3x – XP)

Data Oracle & MS-SQL, mostly Transact SQL (T-SQL)

XHTML/DHTML, CSS, JavaScript (with or without libraries), Korn

Shell Scripting, Cron, Ant, TCL, JSP, SSI, SSL, IIS 5x, CGI / Perl5,

Programming & Scripting some Cold Fusion, and XML. Also, some high level Tomcat, Java

and Struts.

SiteBuilder, SiteCore, Vignette 4 (and some 7), DotNetNuke,

Content Management SharePoint

e-commerce solutions from conception to implementation and post-

launch support. Oracle e-Business Suite (BPEL, BAM, etc.), Level8,

Vantive, GroupWise, Compuware and Clarify.

e-Business & B2B/B2C Relationship Marketing (RM) with Engage, ExactTarget, Epsilon

offered solutions, Return Path, as well as SEO techniques and

tracking (Site Catalyst, Omniture, HitBox, Google Analytics, etc.)

Development Environments Ultradev/Dreamweaver, Visual Café, Visio, JBuilder and MS Interdev

Bugzilla, PVCS, Return Path (email campaigns), TrackRecord,

Quality Assurance (QA) &

ClearQuest, TestDirector, WinRunner, and some Remedy; and

Version Control Clearcase, CVS, VSS and Surround.

Software as a Service (SaaS), Service Oriented Architecture (SOA)

e-Concepts and Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL), ITSM and

some JAD/Meeting facilitation.

Development Methodologies Waterfall, Agile, XP, Spiral and Iterative.

LAN/WAN & client-server technologies. Basic networking

Infrastructure knowledge, Ethernet, Wireless,Token Ring, TCP/IP, bridges, routers,

hubs, BigIP and WebTrends Pro

Scene7, Paintshop Pro, Fireworks, Photoshop, Flash and sound

Graphics & Media editing/ manipulation (.ra, .ram, .wav, .mp3, .ogg, .ac3)

Call Center Solutions TCS, Aspect and Reflections

Offshore (India, Australia and Costa Rica), Matrixed and non-

matrixed employees, Multi-tiered architecture, Fast paced 24/7

support, Technical staff size of 40+ individuals, Business case

Management Experience development, Cost-benefit analysis, Budgeting, P&L responsibility,

Class-C Executive & Board interaction, Empowerment and morale

building, just to name a few.

Fluent in Classical Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and

Languages Colloquial Arabic; and some conversational Spanish.

Extreme Interviewing, Full Software & Enterprise Development Cycle

Other(s) (SDLC & EDLC), 360 Feedback, some Software Capability Maturity

Model (SW-CMM).

Free alternatives to commercial software, Mobile (WoMo in

particular), Security (Firewalls, TCP/IP communication, ports, etc.),

Recent Areas of Interest dB administration (triggers, cursors, stored procedures, etc.), PHP &

MySQL

Contact this candidate