Dr. Tahir Rabbani

Infralign is the AI Staff Architect for Azure cost. Agentic software that turns cloud cost recommendations into safe, validated Infrastructure-as-Code pull requests. Every Gen 3 FinOps tool detects the same waste. The hard part is shipping the fix. Infralign reads Azure cost, configuration, and utilisation signals, generates architecture-aware Bicep and Terraform pull requests, and routes them through a guardrail pipeline a reviewer can approve in minutes. The methodology was developed and validated over five months at an enterprise Azure customer: over €750K in annual recurring savings and a 62% reduction in SQL infrastructure. That customer continues to apply the methodology in production today. Selected for NovaUCD AI Ecosystem Accelerator, Cohort 3 (EDIH-funded, April to October 2026), Ireland's leading deep-tech accelerator at University College Dublin. First pilot outputs and live demo target the NovaUCD Investor Showcase, October 2026. Built on FOCUS billing, Azure Resource Graph, Azure Monitor, Claude Agent SDK, Azure MCP, and an OPA/Rego guardrail layer. Open to conversations with Azure Enterprise customers, pre-seed investors, and FinOps practitioners. https://infralign.ai

Continuing as external consultant to GridBeyond after three full-time years as Chief Architect. Scope covers three areas. FinOps programme continuity. Extending the cost optimisation programme delivered during the full-time tenure into ongoing governance, recommendation review, and savings realisation. Architecture governance. Architecture Decision Records, platform standards, and senior technical review across the product estate. FlexOS. Senior technical input into the platform serving GridBeyond's flexibility services across global power markets. This is the production environment where the FinOps methodology now behind Infralign was originally developed and proven. Over €750K in annual recurring Azure savings and a 62% reduction in SQL infrastructure, delivered in five months. The continuing engagement keeps that methodology applied and evolving in a real platform at scale.

I lead platform architecture and infrastructure strategy for the global business, serving power markets across Ireland, UK, US (ERCOT, CAISO, PJM), Australia, and Japan. My focus is building unified data and AI platforms that enable scale across diverse regulatory environments. 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 (𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻) Led a comprehensive Azure optimization program delivering >$750K/year in sustainable savings • Implemented FinOps discipline, security hardening, and architectural standards. • Proved that platform thinking drives financial outcomes 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲 & 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀 Designed GridBeyond’s financial backbone (D365 + Revenue Calculator) on Azure SQL Hyperscale/ADF/Power BI. • Reconciles billing across 7 markets with distinct regulations and performs double-entry bookkeeping against grid invoices. • Automates VPP revenue-share allocation and data correction, allowing finance to scale without proportional headcount. 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 & 𝗔𝗜 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 • Unified schema and platform (Azure Hyperscale + Airflow), migrating fragmented pipelines to enable cross-market analytics and 40% faster market onboarding. • MLOps: Standardized forecasting on Azure ML. Built evaluation frameworks and migrated 100s of forecasters (price/optimization) from scripts to production pipelines. 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 ▸ EV Integration: Architected MQTT platform (EMQX + ADX) integrating tens of thousands of EV charge points as flexible assets for DSR. ▸ DCFlex: Designed architecture to convert data centers into flexible assets. ▸ Utility-Scale EMS: Defined architecture for FTM/BTM battery storage management. 💡 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 I operate as a hands-on executive who bridges the gap between code and strategy. I drive technical standards through Architecture Design Reviews and prototype-led decision making, ensuring engineering alignment with commercial goals

Partnered with CIO to bootstrap GridBeyond’s data and AI capability from zero. I established the technical foundations that enabled expansion from UK/IE into US/JP markets and facilitated the acquisition of Veritone Energy. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 (𝟬→𝟭𝟱) Designed hiring frameworks, technical standards, and architecture reviews that grew the data/AI function from zero to 15 people (Product, Infra, Data Science). • Philosophy: Led organizational design, defining the platforms and standards (Architecture Design Reviews) that the teams built upon 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 & 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 • MBaaS (Battery-as-a-Service): Architected a turnkey solution on Azure (SQL, Airflow, Azure ML, Docker, microservices) for asset owners. • Market Products: Led development of the PJM 5CP (peak forecasting) and ERCOT RTPA (real-time optimization) systems, demonstrating capability in sophisticated US markets. • RCP (Renewables Control Platform): Designed the IoT control platform for FTM batteries using Azure IoT Hub and Azure Data Explorer (ADX). 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝘇𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Partnered with Evros to design Azure landing zones, networking (VNETs, firewalls), and policies supporting market participation across UK, Ireland, US (ERCOT, CAISO, PJM), Australia, and Japan. • Implemented Azure AD B2C for unified customer portal identity management (CIAM). 𝗠&𝗔 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝘂𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 (𝗩𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲) Played the lead technical role in the acquisition of Veritone Energy’s US division. ▸ Conducted infrastructure diligence and identified integration risks. ▸ Defined Transition Service Agreements (TSA) with the seller's CTO. ▸ Planned the AWS→Azure migration strategy for acquired assets. 💡 𝗥𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗼𝗽𝗵𝘆 This engagement focused on high-leverage activities—architecture, hiring standards, and M&A diligence — to drive strategic outcomes

Founded Viztronics to commercialise industrial-grade 3D computer vision. Built the full hardware and software stack from scratch: optical system design, embedded sensor hardware, 3D reconstruction algorithms, and productised machine-vision solutions for manufacturing and industrial inspection. Led the venture end to end, from R&D through to enterprise customer engagement and commercial strategy. The venture proved out the full arc of deep-tech product development, from first-principles physics to enterprise buyer.

Partnered with leadership to drive digital transformation and inorganic growth, unifying technology strategy across three business units (LPG, Gas, Electricity). 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 & 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗽 Conducted TOGAF-based assessment of 30+ applications and fragmented data to define a future state vision. • Built a multi-year roadmap including Office 365 rollout, Azure migration, and legacy system retirement. • Established the technical foundation for capital planning and modernization. 𝗨𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 (𝗨𝗠𝗔𝗫) Led high-stakes due diligence for a new billing and customer management platform. • Created evaluation matrix covering functional requirements, integration complexity, and TCO. • Managed selection process (MECOMS vs UMAX) and technical deep dives. • Recommended UMAX, which became the customer-facing backbone for the next decade. 𝗔𝘇𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘂𝗱 & 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 • Designed Azure landing zones, security baselines, and networking architecture. • Built unified data warehouse (Azure SQL + Power BI) merging siloed data from LPG, Gas, and Electricity to support strategic pricing. • Architected unified customer portal using Azure AD B2C to enable single sign-on across business units. 𝗠&𝗔 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝘂𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 Led technical assessments for two major acquisitions, directly informing deal valuation and integration planning: ▸ 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗘𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 (𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟵): Assessed legacy billing risks and data quality; developed roadmap that successfully added 60,000+ customers. ▸ 𝗕𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗘𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 (𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟬): Evaluated technical estate and regulatory compliance for Northern Ireland market entry.

Progressed through four roles over 10 years, advancing from Machine Vision engineering to Chief Architect. I built expertise in manufacturing systems and data-driven decision-making, leading multiple award-winning initiatives for HP's global Print & Graphics division. 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 & 𝗜𝗧 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Defined the technology roadmap for 80+ applications supporting the global business. • Worked with Deloitte to define the ITIL service catalog and led the cloud migration strategy assessment for the graphics portfolio. • HP Split: Led the technical architecture for the company split, documenting the "$50+ IT" landscape and designing mitigation strategies for data centers and identity management. 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 & 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 Led a 3-year data strategy to consolidate fragmented assets across manufacturing, quality, and service operations. • Predictive Press Care: Designed an early-warning system for press failures using Vertica, R, and AWS (Redshift/Lambda). • Presented at HP's Data Science conference on Operational Data Hubs and Telemetry Systems. 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗔𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 • CIO Excellence Award: Received for the most innovative IT contribution (Q2 FY17) regarding Digital Innovation. • ERP Transformation: Led the architecture for a massive migration (MFG Pro to QAD) across 7 manufacturing plants, integrating 20+ enterprise systems. 💡 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 & 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗼𝗽𝗵𝘆 • Matrix Leadership: Mastered delivering complex programs across global stakeholders, regulatory requirements, and legacy constraints. • Domain Bridge: My manufacturing expertise (MES, ERP, Telemetry) formed the foundation for my current work in Energy IoT and platform scale. • Outcome Focus: HP’s culture of continuous improvement shaped my architectural style—always connecting technical decisions to measurable business outcomes.

Transitioned from PhD research to commercial R&D, leading the optical and mechanical design for a next-generation Automated Optical Inspection (AOI) sensor. 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁-𝗚𝗲𝗻 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 • Designed an integrated sensor combining 3D and 2D imaging for the PCB and Solder Paste inspection markets. • Led the full prototyping lifecycle: from data collection and algorithm design to explaining technical trade-offs to senior leadership. 𝗔𝗹𝗴𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗺𝘀 & 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗖++) Implemented core image analysis algorithms for precision inspection, including: • Lifted Lead Detection: Developed using PCA (Principal Component Analysis) and K-Means clustering. • 3D Plane Detection: Built algorithms to process 3D laser scan data for surface topology verification.

Designed algorithms to automate 3D modeling to enable Augmented Reality solutions: - Point cloud segmentation using smoothness constraint - Detections of cylinders and planes in point clouds using Hough Transform - Various methods to fit Constructive Solid Geometry (CSG) models to point clouds - Automatic registration of multiple point clouds using constrained search - Simultaneous Bundle adjustment of 3D and 2D data to improve model accuracy Courses during Phd: - Pattern Recognition using Matlab with PRTools: http://prtools.org/prtools/ - Linear and Non-linear Mathematical optimization Implemented a Matlab toolbox for Point Cloud Processing: - Provides functions for fitting, segmentation etc. - http://viztronics.com/tahir/data/PROTO/doc/menu.html

Early career developing 3D imaging systems using Moiré interferometry for solder paste inspection and prototyping AOI systems for electronics manufacturing—formative experience in industrial vision systems that shaped career trajectory into computer vision and automation.