Bhaskar R.

Accountable for the smooth operations, strategic direction, and future readiness of the organization’s IT infrastructure & Operations. • Lead enterprise infrastructure, cloud platforms, and technology operations, delivering scalable and resilient platforms that support digital commerce, retail operations, and supply chain growth. • Driving the organization’s cloud transformation by establishing a secure enterprise cloud foundation and migrating applications and data platforms to modern cloud infrastructure to enable agility and innovation. • Leading enterprise connectivity and infrastructure modernization initiatives including SD-WAN, DIA, 5G, Starlink, and AWS Cloud WAN to support hybrid cloud and edge environments across retail locations and distribution centers. • Delivered multi-year infrastructure upgrades including enterprise Wi-Fi modernization, enabling improved employee productivity and enhanced in-store customer experiences. • Established enterprise service operations and disaster recovery programs, strengthening operational resilience, service reliability, and application health across the organization.

Oversaw Infrastructure Architecture, Enterprise Monitoring, Job Scheduling, and Disaster Recovery, in conjunction with Cloud Ops & Engineering. • Spearheaded the deployment of Opsramp, establishing a unified monitoring interface for infrastructure health, cloud, and application services, while seamlessly integrating tools like New Relic and SolarWinds. • Championed the phasing out of IBM Tivoli • Led the initiative to retire AIX, paired with the refactoring of applications based on the AIX platform. • Enhanced disaster recovery solutions by adding a second data center and integrating AWS’s second region. • Maintained momentum on cloud migrations, establishing CI/CD pipelines, and advancing the adoption of Cloud-Native & Microservice frameworks.

Accountable for cloud adoption, engineering, and operations for BJs, driving a transformative shift towards agile delivery methodologies. Managed cloud budgeting, expenditure, security, and governance frameworks. Led teams dedicated to Linux systems, databases, and applications hosted both in Data Centers and the Cloud. • Developed a ‘Cloud-first’ approach and founded a dedicated Cloud Center of Excellence. • Executed migration of numerous workloads to AWS and GCP, emphasizing cloud-native architectural paradigms. o Transitioned Digital Assets. o Relocated Data warehouse, SAP CAR systems. o Introduced a Personalization and AI/ML Platform. o Revitalized Legacy applications. • Positioned AWS as Disaster Recovery counterpart for Data Center with Zerto technology. • Upheld cloud security standards using the NIST Cloud Security Framework. • Undertook a comprehensive overhaul, enhancing stability in both Linux and Database Operations.

Directed teams in managing operations for Linux, AIX, and AS400 systems while also overseeing Storage, Backup, Monitoring and Scheduling technologies. • Formulated and led a successful data center migration to a colocation facility, yielding an annual savings of $600K. • Championed the development and execution of an AS400 retirement plan, generating $1.1 million in yearly savings. • Integrated system automation leveraging tools like Puppet, IPAM, Ansible, Centrify, and GitLab. • Upgraded from EMC VNX storage to Pure, which not only achieved cost savings but also elevated system performance.

Oversaw the delivery of novel features for the Pharmacy application, collaborating closely with vendor partners and leveraging innovative technologies. • Pioneered the integration of electronic prescription of controlled substances (EPCS). Collaborated with Verizon Business Services and TCS to craft a system for provider ID verification, seamlessly embedding electronic prescription processing into the CVS pharmacy application. • Augmented the Pharmacy application to intercept and assimilate FAX and Voice Mails, streamlining the pharmacist’s workflow. Engaged with partners such as AT&T, Open Text, Vertical, and TCS to conceive, architect, and execute the solution. • The aforementioned initiatives were multi-year, multi-million-dollar projects. They culminated in significant cost savings and enhanced customer experience. My role encompassed managing contract negotiations, legal due diligence, vendor delivery oversight, craft & review statements of work, leading regular project meetings, and ensuring effective stakeholder communication and management.

Steered the system administration team to facilitate the re-platforming of a decentralized pharmacy application to a unified system, under the project banner ‘Rx Connect’. With CVS transitioning support internally from Dell Perot, my mandate involved re-establishing a round-the-clock system administration team. • Facilitated the rollout of the new Pharmacy application, employing the AIX Platform, Oracle Database, and harnessing InfiniBand Technology. • Orchestrating the insourcing process and revitalized the system administration team’s structure. • Strategically segmented teams into specialized ‘Build’ and ‘Run’ units for optimized operations.

Managed unix administrators and software engineers to support the Unix infrastructure consists of AIX, Solaris, HP-UX and Linux systems and applications and provide stable, secure, scalable environment for business. Other responsibilities include Vendor Management for HW and SW maintenance renewals, Setting technology direction and procurement of new HW and SW, Hiring technical staff, Disaster Recovery and Compliance to security policies.

Supported infrastructure hosting seven New York Stock Exchange trading floor appications.