Experiences

From Code to Architecture - Professional Milestones
I started my career as a Java developer, building backend services and simple user interfaces. Then I moved into DevOps/SRE, where I automated infrastructure with CI/CD pipelines and IaC, containerized and orchestrated apps, embedded security controls throughout the CI/CD pipeline and cloud infrastructure, implemented proactive monitoring, and integrated MLOps workflows. Now, as a DevOps & Cloud Architect, I design and deliver secure, scalable, and cost-effective cloud platforms with built-in DevSecOps and MLOps pipelines for continuous delivery and data-driven insights.
Work Experiences
Standardbank logo

Standardbank

DevOps & Cloud Architect

March 2023 - Present

  • Design and implement secure, scalable, and cost-effective infrastructures across AWS, GCP, and Azure that ensure high availability, disaster recovery, and optimal performance..
  • Automate infrastructure provisioning and configuration management using Terraform and Ansible to reduce manual errors and accelerate deployments.
  • Containerize applications with Docker and orchestrate microservices using Kubernetes, ensuring seamless scaling across AWS, GCP, and Azure.
  • Develop, manage, and optimize CI/CD pipelines with tools like Jenkins and ArgoCD, driving continuous integration, deployment, and automated testing for faster release cycles.
  • Implement IAM policies and role-based access controls across cloud environments to safeguard resources and enforce best practices.
  • Conduct regular security audits, and vulnerability assessments, while implementing proactive threat intelligence strategies and secure coding practices.
  • Integrate robust security controls into cloud architectures by embedding industry-specific compliance standards such as HIPAA, GDPR, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, NIST, and CIS to mitigate vulnerabilities and protect critical data.
  • Continuously identify vulnerabilities and implement proactive measures—developing advanced cyber threat intelligence strategies—to mitigate potential security risks and enhance overall cloud security posture.
  • Oversee comprehensive cloud monitoring and logging using native tools including CloudWatch, Azure Monitor, and Stackdriver to ensure rapid incident response and continuous performance improvement.
  • Implement centralized log management using tools like Loki, Promtail, Prometheus, and Grafana and design real-time dashboards and alarms for effective system performance tracking.
  • Developed and managed Ansible playbooks, streamlining environment configurations and role-based access, improving deployment consistency.
  • Collaborate cross-functionally with development, operations, and security teams to align cloud strategies with business objectives and mentor team members on best practices.
  • Conduct thorough code reviews and utilize dynamic/static code analysis tools to ensure high-quality, secure cod
General Electric (GE) logo

General Electric (GE)

DevSecOps Engineer

Jan 2019 - Feb 2021

  • Design and implement scalable, secure, and cost-effective Azure cloud infrastructures using services such as VM’s, AKS, VNet and Azure Functions etc. to ensure high availability and performance.
  • Utilized Spinnaker for automated deployments and builds across various environments, leveraging Drone as the continuous integration tool.
  • Collaborated with the team to develop a tool that automates pipeline creation on Spinnaker for deploying applications to AKS clusters.
  • Developed APIs in Go to customize AKS clusters, enabling namespace and pod-level billing reports.
  • Implemented monitoring of Docker containers using the Prometheus tool, integrating it with Grafana for alert management.
Nyletech Solutions Pvt Ltd logo

Nyletech Solutions Pvt Ltd

Java Developer

Mar 2015 - Jan 2017

  • Developed and maintained backend services using Java and Spring Boot.
  • Implemented automation testing for both services and UI to maintain deployment quality.
  • Utilized JPA for database interactions and managed SQL/PLSQL and PostgreSQL databases.
  • Managed version control and code collaboration using Git and SVN.
  • Configured and maintained CI/CD pipelines with Jenkins for automated builds and deployments
Mastercard logo

Mastercard

DevSecOps|SRE Engineer

March 2021 - March 2023

  • Implemented platform infrastructure tailored to project requirements, improving system scalability
  • Dockerized and orchestrated microservices on Kubernetes clusters, streamlining application deployments and achieving high system reliability and efficiency.
  • Deployed a self-hosted GitLab server with FastAPI-driven orchestration and database-backed state management.
  • Developed and maintained CI/CD pipelines using GitLab and Jenkins, integrating automated security scanning (SAST/DAST) with tools like OWASP ZAP and SpotBugs to ensure early detection and mitigation of vulnerabilities.
  • Enforced robust IAM policies and role-based access controls across cloud environments to safeguard resources and adhere to best practices.
  • Automated cloud infrastructure provisioning with Terraform and managed configuration using Ansible, significantly reducing manual errors and accelerating deployments.
  • Conducted regular security audits, vulnerability assessments, and continuous risk assessments through proactive threat modeling, ensuring robust cloud security posture and compliance with industry standards.
  • Integrate automated security scanning (SAST, DAST) and vulnerability assessments within CI/CD pipelines to ensure early detection of issues.
  • Managed Linux administration tasks with Ansible, ensuring seamless deployment and configuration management and maintained Linux deb and rpm packages, facilitating smooth software updates.
  • Led end-to-end development, deployment, and log monitoring initiatives for containerized applications, ensuring maximum uptime and rapid incident response while collaborating closely with development, operations, and security teams.
IBM logo

IBM

DevOps|SRE Engineer

Feb 2017 - Nov 2017

  • Implement scalable, secure, and cost-effective GCP cloud infrastructures using Terraform to build dev, staging and prod environment, ensuring consistency and scalability and high availability.
  • Containerized applications with Docker for efficient deployment across environments GKE.
  • Designed and implemented scalable services on GKE, enhancing performance and security.
  • Configured and managed Kubernetes networking for optimal performance and security.
  • Utilized shell scripts and Ansible within Terraform to automate software provisioning
  • Utilized Maven for build automation, producing deployable artifacts from source code
  • Implement robust security controls and compliance best practices by leveraging Cloud IAM, Security Command Center, and VPC Service Controls, while continuously monitoring system health with Cloud Monitoring and Cloud Logging for proactive threat detection and incident response.

What My Clients Say

Feedback from professionals I've collaborated with
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V

Shadab's cloud architecture expertise helped us optimize our infrastructure costs while improving performance. His technical knowledge and communication skills are exceptional.

Vikram Kumar Pundir

Sr. DevOps & SRE Engineer, Standard Bank

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A

Akram brings to work a sense of energy and zest that would be invaluable to any team he is a member of. I worked with him and impressed by his time management skills, innate ability to work hard and his commitment to the task at hand. His sharpness of mind, organisational experience and strong problem-solving skills lend him a versatility at the workplace that is rare to find and hard to replace. Combined with his ever-cheerful disposition, these assets of personality make him a great colleague to have.

Arjun MA

Senior Consultant, IBM

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S

Shadab's DevSecOps implementation transformed our deployment process. His attention to detail and proactive approach to security made him an invaluable asset to our team.

Samuel Stevens

Solutions Architect, Mastercard

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A

Akram brings to work a sense of energy and zest that would be invaluable to any team he is a member of. I worked with him and impressed by his time management skills, innate ability to work hard and his commitment to the task at hand. His sharpness of mind, organisational experience and strong problem-solving skills lend him a versatility at the workplace that is rare to find and hard to replace. Combined with his ever-cheerful disposition, these assets of personality make him a great colleague to have. Shadab possesses a rare blend of skills, excelling in Java API development, DevOps, DevSecOps, and cloud security. His ability to design, develop, and optimize APIs while ensuring robust security measures is truly commendable. He has consistently delivered high-quality solutions that not only meet business needs but also adhere to industry-leading security and compliance standards. One of his standout qualities is his ability to seamlessly integrate security into DevOps workflows (DevSecOps), ensuring that security is not an afterthought but an inherent part of the development lifecycle. His expertise in automation, CI/CD pipelines, infrastructure as code (IaC), and cloud security frameworks enables teams to deploy secure, scalable, and efficient solutions with confidence. Beyond his technical capabilities, Shadab is a collaborative team player and a proactive problem solver. I strongly recommend Shadab Akram for any organization looking to enhance its cloud security, DevOps, DevSecOps capabilities.

Abhijit Nayak

Solutions Architect, Standard Bank