Solution Architect

Other

Areas of Expertise - Offering 13 years of diversified management experience in the areas of Digital transformation, IT Projects, Data centers, Global IT shared services & Enterprise IT infrastructure management
Good understanding on IT technologies - Cloud architecture, Hyper converged infrastructure, Virtualization, Contact center, Data center, Antivirus suite, Data privacy, Cisco & Microsoft products, & Storage networks
Standards, Process and Policy Management - Experience in industry quality standards like ITIL, PMI, ISO, Data privacy, Information security. Engage in end user awareness program
Project Management - Delivered multiple IT infrastructure & application enhancement projects in time & budget.
IT Service Management - provide onsite & offsite support to global clients under Managed & Shared Services. Supported global clients under "Follow the Sun" model.
Information Security Skills - Broad understanding on Information assurance and data privacy.
Customer Relationship Management - convert business requirements to IT solutions, service delivery reviews, customer satisfaction survey and continual service improvements
People Management - Recruit, develop and manage team to support projects and operations. Do a career ladder program and performance success factor to mitigate resource risks. Identify the gap's and conduct training programs. Acquire and release resources on project completions. Reward teams
Global IT service delivery model - provide onsite and offsite support to global clients under the "Shared services" & "Follow the Sun" model
Communicate effectively - with all levels within and outside the organization


Applications and Software skills

Digital Transformation / Cloud Solutioning / DR and BCP / Microsoft Technologies / Datacenter Components / Hyperconverged Infrastructure / NetApp products / Antivirus Suite / Information Security / Cisco components / VmWare Virtualization / Cloud Services /  Contact Center / Service Remedy /  WebEx / Remote Management tools / Dashboard Reporting tools / SAP-Success Factor Performance Management system / Workforce Management system - Kronos /Altiris / SIEM tools

Data Center (DC) Transformation and Migration solutions on Infrastructure
comprising Converge, Hyper converge, Traditional Compute, Storage, Virtualization,
Consolidation and applications etc.
•   IT Disaster Recovery Solution and understanding recovery objectives & Business continuity
•   Define backup, archival and object-based storage solution.
•   Respond to RFP and tenders.
•   Work closely with OEM Partners to qualify right-fit products
•   Present high-level ROI and TCO figures to customer.

Company Profile: A product based MNC that provides traditional and online travel distribution products to travel agencies on a global platform
Functional Area: IT Hardware and Software
Industry: Airlines, Travel and Hospitality
Team handled: 40+

• Lead a team of trainers and IT engineers for inhouse and customer support
• Assist PMO-global & technical team to refresh servers. Networks, communication links, email services and ERP IT during acquisition.
• Perform Risk Management, Capacity Planning, Disaster Recovery, Business Continuity planning, Security and Compliance, Service Desk, release management, incident management and Operation areas.
• Provide IT shared services at a global enterprise level
• Support internal audits to ensure compliance and governance
• Responsible for maintaining the IT infrastructure - Call Center, Servers, Networks, telecom equipment's and applications.
• Provide technical assistance to OTA's for B2B integration and corporates for SBT
• Cascade organization KPI's as functional objectives to team and do performance review
• Recruit, train, do CLP & success factors to build a highly skilled and motivated team
• Perform contractual analysis & negotiations
• Collect customer feedback through surveys and inputs to CSIP

Significant Accomplishments
• Ensure business continuity at 98% during acquisition of Abacus Distributions Pvt Ltd.
• Transition from distributed service model to a centralized shared - "Follow the Sun Model" to external customers resulting in a 30% annual savings
• 100% retention despite the discomfort and instability within team to relocate Bangalore.
• Quantified the business risk to 8% and delayed the implementation of Toll Free Number
• Initiated WebEx trainings and increased class room occupancy resulted in optimizing resource utilization and reducing Opex cost by 7%
• Arranging English speaking and accent neutralization training sessions increased the customer satisfaction surveys to 80%.
• Drive high visibility projects - Balmer Lawrie, Flight Center, SOTC, Abacus acquisition, setting up a 150 seater Contact Center etc.

Technical Manager

Company Profile: Saudi's leading system integrator company supporting wide range of clients in Banking, Oil & Gas, Ministry and other domains with employee strength of 1000+
Functional Area: IT Hardware and Software
Industry: Government
Client: Ministry of Transport

• Undertake VMware Virtualization project to reduce number of servers to 1:10
• Understand the project vision and requirements and contribute to scoping discussions and creation of business opportunities
• Plan and develop policies for Business continuity and Disaster Recovery.
• Ensure critical ITIL & PMP process - risk management, change management, configuration management etc. are in place
• Worked on Project Server, PWA, SharePoint to deliver high visibility projects.
• Effective communication with ISP's, contractors, vendors and internal stake holders.
• Provide high level reports & presentations to project sponsor and dept heads.
• Do a complete Risk Management.
• Complete project sign-off and document lessons learnt.

IT Project Manager

Company Profile: A product based MNC that provides traditional and online travel distribution products to travel agencies on a global platform
Functional Area: IT Hardware and Software
Industry: Airlines, Travel and Hospitality
Team handled: 45+

• Led a team to support a client database of 2500+ locations in KSA and Bahrain
• Effectively planned and executed Change management to ensure successful migration of customers from Saudi Airlines to Travelport.
• Ensure security policies are implemented and users are trained
• Assisted Product Development/Strategy team in testing and implementing new products
• Enforced technical support policies, processes, and escalation paths in country.
• Establish vendor selection criteria and create RFP's

Significant Accomplishments
• Service transition from Saudi Airlines to Travelport in Saudi Arabia
• Increased IMAC success rate from 40% to 85%
• Evaluate and outsourced support to increase the market reach and improve performance
• Developed effective strategies and achieved savings of $141,300 in 2009
• RCA on service calls reduced operation costs to 20% in 2010. Achieved savings of $69,213
• Changing the business model with vendors in year 2011 resulted in savings of $140,428.
• Implemented a B2B model with the business partner to integrate RightNow application
• Service transition from NDC to Travelport in Bahrain

IT Manager - Projects & Operations

Company Profile: Dnata is a part of Emirates group and largest supplier of ground handling, cargo & travel services in the Middle East
Functional Area: IT Hardware and Software
Industry: Travel and Tourism
Team Handled: 40+

• Responsible for building and supporting the IT Data Center Infrastructure.
• Built and managed a 75-seater call center.
• Define and implement IT security policies and processes.
• Design & Manage Infrastructure connectivity between offices using MPLS technology.
• Integrate in-house developed software with the third-party accounting & finance software
• Identify business requirement and translate to scoping document for business applications

IT Manager

Find out detailed information about Irfan Shaikh, Solution Architect in Mumbai

Irfan Shaikh: Solution Architect in Mumbai

Irfan Shaikh