Senior Cloud & AI Platform Architect Lead

RAFAŁ CHMIELECKI

Lead Cloud Solution Architect AI & Cloud Transformation Architect

Aspiring to Director/Head-level roles shaping enterprise tech strategy. Frankfurt am Main/Germany +49-176-****-****

***********@*****.***, https://www.linkedin.com/in/rafalch PROFILE

Cloud & AI Platform Architect with 17+ years of experience in designing large-scale cloud platforms, enterprise architecture and modern AI/ML systems. Experienced in leading global cloud & AI transformation programs, defining operating models, and partnering with C-level stakeholders to drive organizational change. Expert in OpenShift, Kubernetes, Azure, hybrid clouds, GitOps, DevOps automation, LLM deployment & optimization, and enterprise-grade MLOps.

Worked with major global organizations including AXA Group Operations, Red Hat, Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank, Bosch, Fujitsu, BBC Worldwide. Known for building scalable PaaS/SaaS platforms, leading platform modernization, and introducing cloud-native standards in heavily regulated environments (finance, logistics, industry). Demonstrated expertise in industrializing AI and machine learning models, ensuring scalable deployment, robust governance, and seamless integration into enterprise workflows. LATEST KEY ACHIEVEMENTS

• Served as a trusted strategic advisor to CTO-level and executive leadership, providing thought leadership and actionable insights to define, shape, and execute forward-thinking cloud adoption and modernization strategies. Played a pivotal role in aligning enterprise technology roadmaps with overarching business objectives, identifying key opportunities for innovation.

• Permanently transformed AXA’s technological landscape by architecting and deploying the global OpenShift 4.x platform supporting 120+ mission-critical apps and enterprise AI workloads.

• Led FinOps initiatives that delivered over €20 million in annual savings, reduced time-to-market by 50%, and enabled rapid business launches by optimizing costs and streamlining technology processes. These improvements significantly increased the organization's agility and its ability to respond to evolving market needs.

• Pioneered the strategic adoption of Azure Red Hat OpenShift (ARO) at PostNord, orchestrating the full-scale deployment of this transformative cloud platform. By designing and implementing end-to-end architecture, infrastructure-as-code (IaC), EFK stack integration, and CI/CD pipelines, developed a comprehensive application onboarding methodology.

• Accelerated time-to-market by over 60%. This initiative not only positioned PostNord as an early leader in cloud-native modernization but also tightly aligned technology capabilities with core business objectives, resulting in enhanced operational agility and innovation standards within the logistics sector. TECHNICAL DEPTH

CORE SKILLS (EXECUTIVE):

Cloud & AI Platform Strategy, Enterprise Architecture & Governance, C-level Advisory & Roadmap Ownership, Large-scale Cloud Transformation, AI & MLOps Strategy, AI Governance, AI Operating Model, AI Platform Standardization.

TECHNICAL EXPERTISE (SELECTED):

OpenShift 3.x/4.x, Kubernetes, Azure, AWS, OVH (Storage, networking and Managed Kubernetes Service), GitOps (ArgoCD/Flux), Terraform, Ansible, Docker, hybrid cloud, platform governance, IaC, AI & MLOps - LLM hosting, model evaluation, RAG pipelines, Kubeflow, Azure ML, experiment tracking, vector databases, automated retraining, cost-optimized AI infrastructure. DevOps & CI/CD - GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Azure DevOps, Tekton, Jenkins, monitoring (Prometheus, Grafana), EFK/ELK stacks, container security. Enterprise Architecture - TOGAF, Zachman, BPMN, integration patterns, microservices architecture, SOA, event-driven systems, Kafka, AMQ Streams. Software Engineering - Java/J2EE, Spring, C#, Python. SELECTED CLOUD & AI TRANSFORMATION PROJECTS

CURRENT PROJECT: CLOUD SOLUTIONS/DEVOPS/MLOPS ARCHITECTURE – CLIENT: AXA GROUP OPERATIONS (2023 – PRESENT)

Role: Cloud Solution Architect (Azure, OVH, DevOps, MLOps), Open Shift Expert (full-time, freelance position)

• Led, architected and delivered the OpenShift 4.x platform for AXA Group Operations, enabling global support for mission-critical applications with enhanced scalability, resilience, and operational simplicity.

• Directed end-to-end cloud-native architecture initiatives, aligning platform delivery with AXA’s strategic modernization objectives and fostering innovation across international teams.

• Developed robust governance models and standardized best practices for seamless onboarding of cloud-native applications, ensuring consistent operational standards and regulatory compliance worldwide.

• Designed and implemented automated CI/CD pipelines and integration platforms, accelerating application delivery and simplifying operational workflows.

• Enabled advanced AI/ML and MLOps capabilities, empowering data-driven decision-making and supporting next-generation digital solutions for AXA Group Operations.

• Established DevOps and SecOps transformation, applying modern security frameworks to safeguard data and enforce regulatory standards throughout the organization. PAST PROJECT: OPEN SHIFT 4.X ARCHITECT – CLIENT: POST NORD (2020-2023) Role: Open Shift Expert (full-time, freelance position)

• Pioneered the adoption of Azure Red Hat OpenShift (ARO) at PostNord, serving as the organization’s inaugural architect and technical lead for cloud-native transformation.

• Led the end-to-end design and delivery of robust Azure-based architecture, implementing infrastructure-as-code principles to ensure scalable and repeatable deployments. Spearheaded the integration of the EFK logging stack and architected advanced CI/CD pipelines, establishing modern DevOps practices. Developed a comprehensive application onboarding methodology to accelerate cloud-native adoption, aligning technology initiatives with strategic business goals.

• This initiative positioned PostNord as an early leader in cloud-native modernization within the logistics sector, setting new benchmarks for operational agility and innovation. PAST PROJECT: OPEN SHIFT 3.X, 4.X CONSULTANCY – CLIENTS: RED HAT & BOSCH (2018 – 2020) Role: Open Shift Consultant (full-time, freelance position)

• Delivered freelance consultancy services for a joint Red Hat and BOSCH project, focusing on end-to-end cloud transformation initiatives.

• Architected and implemented Infrastructure as Code (IaC) strategies to achieve repeatable, scalable, and automated deployments across multiple environments.

• Drove the development of cloud-native applications, leveraging modern technologies and best practices to enhance agility and performance. Collaborated closely with client teams to ensure knowledge transfer, adoption of DevOps practices, and alignment with organizational goals. PAST PROJECT: PAAS EAI SOLUTION – CLIENT: REDHAT & DEUTSCHE BANK (2017 – 2018) Role: EAI and PaaS Cloud Solution Architect (lead role) (hands-on Java & CI/CD Developer).

• Freelance project for Deutsche Bank via RedHat: Designed and developed a modern cloud-based PaaS/SaaS architecture to deliver a managed EAI platform (Java, Microservices, Docker) in line with global policies. Leveraged technologies such as Karaf, Fuse, Spring Boot, JMS, and implemented Agile SDLC with CI/CD automation (Jenkins).

MORE INFORMATION:

This is just a part of Rafal’s professional experience, for full experience timeline, selected publications, endorsements and references, please visit profile on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rafalch

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