Akhil Kakar
Head of Engineering | Technology | Cloud & AI Leader
About Me
Trusted by Executives to Align Strategy with Innovation
My mission is building scalable platforms, championing AI-assisted engineering, and fostering high-performing teams that deliver exceptional results. I bridge the gap between technical excellence and business outcomes.
With a focus on security, scale, and innovation, I help organisations transform their technology landscape while maintaining operational excellence and achieving measurable business impact.
Innovation
Driving cutting-edge solutions
Continuous Learning
Staying ahead of technology
Technical Excellence
Delivering quality results
Key Achievements
Key Skills
Cloud & Infrastructure
- AWS (EC2, S3, Lambda, CDK, Route53, Amplify)
- Docker, Kubernetes, ECS/EKS
- Terraform, CloudFormation
DevOps & Automation
- GitHub Actions, Jenkins
- CI/CD Pipelines
- Infrastructure as Code
Programming & Development
- Python, Java, Go
- Node.js, C#
- REST APIs, Microservices
Integration & Tools
- MuleSoft, JFrog Artifactory
- Git, Version Control
- API Gateway, Service Mesh
Observability & Monitoring
- Datadog, AWS X-Ray
- CloudWatch, Metrics
- Logging, Tracing
Security & Compliance
- IAM, WAF
- ISO 27001, IRAP
- Security Best Practices
AI & Machine Learning
- Amazon Bedrock, GPT-5
- Amazon Q, GitHub Copilot
- AI Integration Strategies
Leadership & Strategy
- Technical Leadership
- Architecture Design
- Team Management
Work Experience
Led 50+ engineers in $25M modernisation programme. Implemented DevSecOps adoption, FinOps practices achieving $200K savings and 40% faster deployments.
Spearheaded AWS migration delivering ~$1M cost savings. Built cloud Data Lake generating $1M annual revenue. Achieved ISO 2701/IRAP compliance.
Systems Architect
DELWP
2017–2018
Modernised Titles Online System and delivered GovMap solutions for government services.
Solution Architect
Dialog IT
2011–2017
Managed 50+ engineers and delivered scalable enterprise solutions across multiple domains.
Early Career - Software Engineering & Consulting
Various Organisations
2006–2011
Built foundation in software engineering and consulting across diverse technology stacks.
Work in Progress
Current projects and innovations in development
Passwordless SSO Authentication
Next-generation authentication that combines WebAuthn passkeys with intelligent risk assessment for seamless yet secure user experiences.
Key Highlights:
- Seamless UX with biometric authentication
- Cryptographic keys & hardware-backed security
- AI-driven adaptive MFA risk assessment
- AWS Native with built-in compliance
AI YouTube Video Summarizer
An intelligent tool that automatically generates concise summaries of YouTube videos using advanced natural language processing and AI technologies.
Key Highlights:
- AI-powered summarization
- YouTube API integration
- Natural language processing
Recognition
AWS Case Study Feature
Large-scale Cloud Migration Success
Featured by AWS for successfully leading a comprehensive cloud transformation, modernizing legacy systems and achieving significant cost savings through innovative platform engineering approaches.
Consultancy
I advise organisations on technical strategy, cloud migration, FinOps/DevSecOps, AI integration, and create fully functional e-commerce solutions to achieve measurable business outcomes.
Strategy & Roadmaps
Technology strategy shaped to align with business objectives, risk and compliance priorities, and long-term growth. Comprehensive roadmaps covering cloud adoption, DevSecOps, AI integration, and platform modernisation ensure measurable outcomes and executive alignment.
Cloud and App Modernisation
AWS migration, architecture design, cloud-native transformation strategies, legacy code to modern code transformation, best practices & standards implementation, CI/CD automation, comprehensive test strategy, and modern tooling adoption.
Cost Optimisation
Cloud cost reduction strategies, ongoing cost maintenance frameworks, software license consolidation with alternative solutions, OSS adoption strategies, and detailed cost-benefit analysis with pros/cons for each approach. Proven FinOps implementation delivering $200K+ savings.
Secure SDLC
DevSecOps with shift-left security, secure coding best practices, and a culture of security across the SDLC. Code quality (SonarQube, AWS X-Ray), artifact management (JFrog), and observability (Datadog, AWS CloudWatch), compliance frameworks, reduction in security related incidents, penetration test findings.
AI Adoption
AI adoption through integration of developer tools (GitHub Copilot, Amazon Q) to boost productivity and accelerate delivery. AWS ecosystem services (Amazon Bedrock, Lex, Polly, Transcribe, Translate, Comprehend, SageMaker) enable intelligent applications, automation, and enhanced customer experiences.
Platform Engineering
Scalable cloud-native platform design guided by AWS Well-Architected Framework, leveraging Control Tower, Landing Zone, Service Catalog, and CDK for secure, cost-optimised foundations. Engineering team performance uplift through DORA metrics, DevSecOps automation, AI-assisted developer tools, and streamlined CI/CD pipelines.
Engineering Excellence & Team Transformation
Lean team structure design, engineering competency frameworks, and optimised reporting aligned with organisational goals. Architecture governance boards and best-practice frameworks, waterfall-to-agile transformation strategies, developer productivity programs, and engagement score improvement initiatives ensure high-performing, future-ready teams.
Data & Analytics Solutions
Data lake and data warehouse solutions with best practices, modern technology suite, high-level architecture design, data governance, fine-grained security, BI, and advanced analytics capabilities.
E-commerce Solutions
Fully functional e-commerce websites with domain creation, product listing, shopping cart, payment integration, social logins, military grade security features, AI chatbot integration, site analytics, and ongoing maintenance.
Request Consultation
Let's discuss how I can help transform your technology landscape and achieve your business goals.
Passions & Interests
Beyond technology, I believe in maintaining balance through running, continuous learning, and fostering a philosophy that combines career excellence with personal wellbeing.
Running & Marathons
Completed Melbourne Marathon and Run Melbourne events. Built workplace running culture and organised charity events, promoting health and team building.
Continuous Learning
Avid reader of technical and health magazines, staying current with industry trends and personal wellness practices.
Work-Life Balance
Committed to maintaining balance between career excellence and personal wellbeing, fostering sustainable success and leadership.
Personal Philosophy
I believe that true leadership comes from maintaining balance between professional excellence and personal wellbeing. By staying physically active, continuously learning, and fostering meaningful relationships, we can achieve sustainable success that benefits both ourselves and the teams we lead.
Education & Certifications
Education
Master of Information Technology
Monash University
Melbourne, Australia
2003–2005
Specialised in advanced software engineering, systems architecture, and emerging technologies.
Bachelor of Electronics
Delhi University
Delhi, India
1998–2001
Foundation in electronics engineering with focus on digital systems and computer architecture.
Certifications
AWS Solutions Architect – Associate
Amazon Web Services
Comprehensive certification covering AWS cloud architecture, security, and best practices for scalable solutions.
Project Management
Australian Institute of Management
Advanced training in project management methodologies and financial management for technical leaders.
AI & Business Strategy
LinkedIn Learning
Strategic implementation of AI technologies in business environments and organizational transformation.
Continuous Professional Development
I maintain active involvement in professional development through industry conferences, AWS training programs, and leadership development initiatives. My commitment to learning ensures I stay at the forefront of technology trends and best practices.
Contact
Ready to discuss your next project or explore collaboration opportunities? Let's connect and create something exceptional together.
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