Amarendra Kolukula

Technology, Data & Transformation Leader — Engineering · Analytics & Data Science · AI/ML · Enterprise Automation · Builder-Operator

Halifax, NS, Canada linkedin.com/in/amarendra-v-kolukula

Profile

20+ Years Turning Ambiguity Into Measurable Results

Technology and transformation leader with 20+ years delivering enterprise-scale outcomes across engineering, analytics, AI/ML, cloud, SRE, and automation at Fortune 500 and Global 2000 consulting and technology enterprises. Pairs executive partnership and P&L ownership with hands-on technical depth — Python, SQL, statistical analysis, applied machine learning, and production system design. Postgraduate-trained in Data Science, AI & ML (UT Austin). Currently owns a $2M+ portfolio contributing to $100M+ in annual client revenue, operating at Director level across cross-functional teams of 20+. A genuine builder-operator: designs and scales organizations while still shipping software himself — including a quantitative investment-analytics platform and a 20K-line multi-tenant AI application. Known for turning ambiguous business problems into measurable, data-backed results, and for a process-first discipline (Standardization → Optimization → Automation) that avoids scaling broken workflows.

Core Competencies

Where Strategy Meets Hands-On Execution

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Leadership & Org

Engineering Strategy & North Star, Org Design, Team Scaling, Hiring/Coaching & Career Ladders (teams to 180), Cross-functional Leadership, P&L / ROI / Investment Planning, Executive Partnership (CTO / Product / ML / Sales / VP / CXO), RFP / Solutioning / Demos

Analytics & Data Science

Statistical Analysis, Risk/Return Modeling (Sharpe, Volatility, Drawdown), Metric & KPI Design, Recommendation Systems, Experimentation Mindset, Data Modeling, Dashboards & Data Products

AI / Machine Learning

Applied ML (PGP), GenAI / Agentic AI, LLM Applications, Intent Classification, Document Generation, Responsible AI / AI Governance, Claude / GPT-4o, OpenAI / Anthropic

Automation & Process

RPA — UiPath (Process Mining, Maestro, Agentic AI) & Blue Prism, Lean Transformation (Lean Certified), Design Thinking, Standardization → Optimization → Automation

Engineering & Reliability

SDLC, QA & Security (DAST, SAST, Penetration Testing, Vulnerability Remediation), SRE / SLA / SLO / Reliability, Observability & CI/CD, Engineering Metrics & Delivery Health, Microservices, Multi-tenant Architecture

Languages & Tools

Python, SQL, Pandas / NumPy, FastAPI, REST APIs

Cloud & Platforms

AWS, Azure, Cloud Architecture, SAP HANA Environments

Governance & Compliance

Engineering Governance, Security & Compliance, SOC Audit Readiness, Business Continuity / Disaster Recovery

Professional Experience

Career Journey

Enterprise AI & Automation Lead (Director-level)

Global Professional Services & Consulting Firm, CanadaMay 2023 – Present

  • Own P&L for a $2M+ AI & automation portfolio contributing to $100M+ in annual client revenue; operate at Director level with investment planning, ROI accountability, and executive stakeholder alignment; translate business goals into data-backed decisions and investment cases.
  • Proactively identified AWS infrastructure waste beyond formal KRA through data-driven cloud-consumption analysis — reduced consumption 50%, saving $360K CAD — then replaced inefficient seat-based tools with purpose-built systems.
  • Architected and shipped GenAI / agentic systems on Claude and GPT-4o (intent classification, document generation, decision support, internal tooling) aligned to client workflows and measurable outcomes.
  • Established governance, security, and Responsible AI practices across enterprise AI deployments — DAST, SAST, penetration testing, vulnerability remediation, AI ethics guardrails — and set analytical, modeling, and documentation standards.
  • Led cross-functional teams of 20+ across data, AI, automation, and cloud; supported RFPs, solution positioning, and client demos that influenced deal outcomes and executive confidence.
  • Applied Standardization → Optimization → Automation discipline across engagements to avoid the technical debt of automating sub-optimal processes.

Associate Director — Transformation SRE

Global IT Infrastructure Services Company, CanadaOct 2021 – Apr 2023

  • Led delivery of $45M+ managed cloud infrastructure contracts supporting mission-critical SAP HANA environments with high-availability architecture and executive-level client accountability.
  • Directed near-zero downtime (NZDT) SAP upgrade and patching programs; established SLA/SLO metrics, reliability analytics, and structured risk-reduction initiatives.
  • Improved reliability and operational maturity through automation and SRE practices across complex enterprise environments.
  • Facilitated Design Thinking workshops with technical and business stakeholders, converting ambiguity into actionable, measurable roadmaps.

Senior Delivery Manager — Cloud Infrastructure

Global IT Services & Consulting Firm, CanadaSep 2018 – Oct 2021

  • Managed a $15M+ services portfolio across 14 enterprise accounts; partnered with VP/CXO stakeholders on reliability, disaster-recovery readiness, SLA/SLO governance, and service-performance analytics.
  • Led automation and process-improvement initiatives using delivery and incident data to reduce friction and strengthen security and compliance posture.
  • Owned incident escalation, SOC audit readiness, compliance, and business-continuity practices across multiple distributed client teams.

IT Manager — Infrastructure & Transformation

Global Technology & Consulting Company, IndiaFeb 2009 – Apr 2018

  • Led enterprise remote data-centre operations, automation, and transformation across large-scale infrastructure environments over a nine-year tenure.
  • Lean Certified — led data-driven Lean transformation, stabilization, and maturity assessments for 3+ years across ~1,500 people (observe, map, standardize, optimize, automate).
  • Managed recruitment and development for teams of 180 — org design, hiring, and coaching at scale; built a practical Lean mindset that continuously surfaces optimization opportunities in process, tooling, cost, and team flow.
  • Delivered RPA solutions (Blue Prism) and data-driven optimization models supporting global transformation programs.
  • Contributed to ~$1M in software license optimization across Japan, Europe, and North America through usage analytics.

Prior Experience

Selected Projects

Self-Built, Shipped, and Running

FundDash — Investment Analytics Platform (Python)

thekolukulafamily.com/funddash
  • Quantitative analytics across 80+ funds: annualized return, volatility, Sharpe ratio, and max-drawdown modeling; risk-tier classification (conservative / moderate / growth) and multi-criteria ranking.
  • Recommendation engine (momentum / value / best-in-class), portfolio risk calculator, and PDF export; LLM-powered natural-language insights layer over the dataset.

Demonstrates: statistical analysis, data modeling, recommendation / decision-support systems, and analytics-product design.

VoiceAgent — Multi-Tenant AI CRM & Booking Platform (Python)

20,000+ lines · 100+ modules · 13 FastAPI microservices
  • Multi-tenant architecture, vendor-agnostic LLM layer (OpenAI / Anthropic), intent classification, NL time parsing, and scheduling / slot-ranking algorithms.
  • Voice (Twilio) and chat engine, booking and invoicing engines, email/SMS notifications, and CalDAV calendar integration.
  • 44 test files / 8,391 lines; HMAC session auth, security middleware, and disciplined config/secret handling.

Demonstrates: production Python, system and data architecture, applied AI, and engineering rigor.

PrivacyVault — PII Detection & Anonymization Tool

Privacy & Data · Prototype
  • Detects and pseudonymizes personally identifiable information so sensitive data can be shared, analyzed, and demoed without exposing the people behind it.
  • Treats privacy as a first-class feature rather than a bolt-on compliance step, supporting safer data sharing across teams and environments.

Demonstrates: PII detection, data anonymization, and privacy/compliance-by-design engineering.

Generator Studio — Enterprise Knowledge Portal Generator (SAP)

Enterprise & SAP · Shipping
  • Converts raw SAP configuration and custom code (Dynamic Actions, User Exits, BAdIs, custom routines, CDS views) into a fully static, interactive documentation site — no server, database, or licence required.
  • Explains business rules in plain English, maps dependencies as a live interactive graph, and runs impact / where-used analysis with a built-in custom-code inventory.
  • Flags S/4HANA readiness and ships a built-in AI assistant that answers questions about the module — cutting reliance on scarce ABAP and functional consultants for handover, audit, and change-impact work.

Demonstrates: static site generation, dependency/impact analysis tooling, SAP domain expertise, and applied LLM assistance for enterprise documentation.

Education

Academic Background

Post Graduate Program — Data Science, AI & Machine Learning

University of Texas at Austin · Jan – Sep 2024 · GPA 4.22

Bachelor of Engineering — Electrical, Electronics & Communications

VVIET, Mysore · 1998 – 2002 · Distinction

Certifications

Credentials

PMP PMI-ACP SAFe ITIL V4 Foundation AWS Cloud Practitioner Lean Certified Lean & Design Thinking PGP AI/ML — UT Austin LLQP Insurance Agent, Nova Scotia (valid to 2027)