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About Me

 

                                                             ARUN RAJ RAJENDRAN

Chief Information Officer | IOT, Data and Data security , AI, Cybersecurity & Retail Technology Strategist

📍 Singapore | 🌐 www.arunraj.org | 🔗 LinkedIn

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🧭 Target Role

Chief Information Officer / VP – IT & Digital / Head of Global IT Operations

Targeting assignments in Global IT Operations | Infrastructure Management | Project Management | Application Management | Data Management within leading Retail, Omni-channel, or Enterprise Tech organizations. 

🧠 Executive Summary

Transformational and Award-Winning Technology Leader with over 15 years of global experience spearheading digital innovation, enterprise modernization, and operational excellence across 40+ countries. A visionary strategist with a proven ability to align technology with business priorities, deliver large-scale transformation programs, and architect scalable platforms across AI/ML, Cybersecurity, IoT, Cloud Infrastructure, and Retail Technology.

Demonstrated success in:

  • Orchestrating enterprise-wide digital transformation for retail, F&B, logistics, and smart infrastructure verticals
  • Building high-performing, cross-functional teams across Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and North America
  • Implementing data-driven operating models, AI-powered analytics, and cloud-native architectures
  • Leading mission-critical projects across SAP, AWS, Retail POS, BI/DW, and Smart IoT Surveillance

Trusted advisor to CXOs, Board Members, and Government-linked enterprises, with a reputation for innovation, resilience, and outcome-based leadership.

Chief Information Officer  (technology advisory and transformation partner) and the  founder of Arun Raj Foundation (focused on education, welfare, and sustainability), Strategic advisor and Chief Information Officer  for GQ Apparel (GQ Apparel) – LinkedIn

🧩 Core Competencies

  • Strategic IT Planning & Governance
  • Global Infrastructure & Operations
  • AI/ML, RPA & IoT Implementation
  • Business Analysis
  • IT Vision /Roadmaps
  • Audit/Compliance /Regulations/Budgeting
  • Project/Program Management
  • IT Vision /Roadmaps
  • Generative AI (OpenAI, Anthropic, Claude, Gemini Pro)
  • Disaster Recovery & Cybersecurity (Spambrella, Proofpoint, Sophos, FortiGate)
  • ERP/CRM/POS/WMS (SAP, Dynamics, Salesforce, Capillary, Seeburger)
  • Data Warehousing & BI (AWS Glue, Lambda, Redshift, QlikView, Power BI)
  • Cloud Architecture (AWS, Azure) & CDN (Cloudflare, Cato VPN)
  • IOT, DevOps, Data ops,  Automation, SEO & Campaign AI Models
  • eCommerce Platform Delivery (50+ Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento stores)
  • Stakeholder & Board Management
  • Agile/Scrum & Cross-functional Leadership

🎓 Education

  • MBA, University of Wales, Cardiff
  • B.E. (Electronics & Communication Engineering), Anna University  2008

 

📜 Certifications

  • Amazon AWS Architect
  • Ankit Fadia Certified Ethical Hacker
  • Seeburger Mapping Designer
  • QlikView/Sense Certified Developer
  • NIIT Certified Core Competence in Computing
  • HCL Certified Professional
  • Completed SAP SD/MM Couse
  • PMI Member
  • Pursuing: PMP
  • Pursuing: Doctorate in Business Administration (Data Science – Walsh College (DBA)

 

🧩 CORE COMPETENCIES

  • AI/ML & Generative AI: NLP, GPT-4/Claude, SEO automation, YOLO vision models
  • Cybersecurity: WAF, FortiGate, Sophos, Proofpoint, DR strategy, Cyber Awareness
  • Retail Technology: POS, CRM, ERP, OMS, WMS, Campaign Intelligence, Shopify+
  • IoT: Smart Infra, LPR, Virtual Patrol, Sensor Data Integration (Changi, LTA, Liv Fresh)
  • Data Platforms: Redshift, Glue, Lambda, EMR, S3, Power BI, QlikView
  • Cloud & Data /Dev/Sec Ops: AWS Architecting, Disaster Recovery, GDPR/PDPA compliance
  • Leadership & Governance: Agile/Scrum, Stakeholder Mgmt, Multi-country Deployment

📘 Profile Summary

  • Led multi-million dollar programs in AI-led Retail Innovation, Cybersecurity, IoT Smart Building, and Cloud Optimization
  • Designed AI models for SEO automation, product performance using customer reviews (via RPA), and smart patrol using YOLO + LPR + IOT
  • Built foundational tech for Changi Airport, GQ Apparel, JCDecaux, and Charles & Keith, including POS integrations, DW migrations, and mobile platforms
  • Set up AWS disaster recovery, cloud architecture (EMR, Redshift, Glue), and cross-country VPN/data line deployments
  • First in Singapore to deploy Alipay/WeChat Pay integration with POS
  • Executive board advisor to GQ Apparel (GQ Apparel) for Asia & US operations
  • Founder of Arun Raj Foundation – supporting underprivileged education and digital literacy programs (Website)

 

🧩 PROJECT PORTFOLIO SNAPSHOT

🚀 AI, ML & Automation Use Cases

  • Developed enterprise-grade AI/ML models trained on millions of customer reviews collected using Power Automate, RPA, and web scraping, enabling sentiment analysis and product performance evaluation.
  • Created a Generative AI-powered SEO Optimization Engine to auto-generate high-ranking content, keywords, and metadata at scale.
  • Delivered an end-to-end AI-powered Building Management System using:
    • LPR (License Plate Recognition) for automated vehicle entry
    • IoT sensors for energy, motion, and temperature monitoring
    • YOLO object detection and virtual patrol automation
    • OpenAI + Claude Sonnet for checkpoint summarization and reporting
  • Built AI models for campaign effectiveness tracking, customer segmentation, and productivity enhancement through virtual automation bots.

🛍️ Retail & Enterprise Platforms Delivered

  • Deployed 50+ Shopify & Shopify Plus stores and WooCommerce platforms across global brands, integrated with payment gateways, logistics, CRM, and AI personalization.
  • Executed full-scale deployments for ERP, CRM, WMS, OMS, and POS systems using SAP, Microsoft Dynamics, Salesforce, Capillary, Primo.
  • Delivered robust e-commerce ecosystems with Magento, Joomla, and headless mobile app backends (iOS/Android/Windows).
  • Implemented business-critical modules: HR/Payroll, Helpdesk/NMS, mobile management apps, and intranet portals.

📊 Business Intelligence, Data & Cloud Infrastructure

  • Deployed QlikView, Qlik Sense, MicroStrategy, and Power BI dashboards across Retail, F&B, and Supply Chain use cases.
  • Built scalable data warehouse ecosystems on AWS using:
    • Lambda, Glue, EMR, Redshift, ECR, S3
    • End-to-end pipeline automation with real-time and batch processing
  • Designed and implemented Disaster Recovery (DR) and backup infrastructure ensuring high availability and compliance.

🛡️ Cybersecurity & Governance

  • Designed and enforced enterprise-grade cybersecurity architecture using:
    • Spam & endpoint protection: Spambrella, Proofpoint, Sophos Endpoint, Bitdefender Total Security
    • Firewall/VPN: Sophos XG, FortiGate, Tata Communications MPLS, Cato VPN
    • Web security: Cloudflare WAF, CDN, caching, DNS security
  • Led cybersecurity awareness programs, including internal staff quizzes, security policies, and risk assessments.

 

 

🌐 IoT & Smart Infrastructure

  • Spearheaded IoT-driven deployments for:
    • Changi Airport: Smart signage, predictive footfall, and energy savings
    • LTA Singapore: Transport system monitoring and IOT-based analytics
    • Liv Fresh Agrotech: Precision farming via IoT sensor telemetry
  • Developed custom dashboards for real-time IoT analytics, device orchestration, and system health monitoring.

 

 

 

💼 Professional Experience

🏢 Chief Information Officer – Solstium Pte Ltd, Singapore (Nov 2019 – Present)

  • Lead enterprise IT & digital transformation for 20+ client ecosystems across APAC and North America
  • Delivered AI-based SEO models, smart patrol surveillance (YOLO + OpenAI), and retail analytics engines
  • Deployed 50+ ecommerce platforms (Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento) integrated with POS, OMS, and CRM
  • Architected full AWS cloud stack (Lambda, Glue, Redshift, ECR, EMR) for data warehousing
  • Directed security implementation: FortiGate, Proofpoint, Sophos, Cloudflare WAF/CDN
  • Built and led AI/ML systems across customer review analysis, SEO modeling, campaign automation, LPR-based virtual patrols.
  • Built Chatbot with multiple use case with Whatsapp, Line , Eko, Facebook messenger and Microsoft Teams.
  • Spearheaded cybersecurity strategy: endpoint (Sophos, Bitdefender), email (Proofpoint, Spambrella), WAF (Cloudflare), VPN (Cato, FortiGate).
  • Delivered 50+ Shopify/WooCommerce sites with ERP/CRM (SAP, Dynamics, Capillary).
  • Built retail analytics stack with AWS (Redshift, Glue, EMR, Lambda), integrated Power BI & Qlik dashboards.
  • Designed IoT platforms at Changi Airport, LTA Singapore, and Liv Fresh (agriculture & HVAC automation).

 

 

🏢Founder

          Arun Raj Foundation | 2025 – Present

  • Drives social impact through food donation , education, healthcare, elderly support & animal welfare.
  • Executed campaigns for animal surgery ,  CCTVs in schools, breakfast meals for 100+ seniors, donation drives.
    🔗 Arun Raj Foundation Activities

 

🏢 Head – IT & Digital Operations – JCDecaux Singapore (Jun 2018 – Oct 2019)

  • Managed large-scale deployment of digital billboards, CMS, and IoT traffic counters across Changi Airport, Jewel, and LTA
  • Built DW in AWS & integrated BlueZoo for audience behaviour tracking
  • Led Cinema Advertising Management System and advertising ERP
  • Key Recognition:

🏢 Senior IT Manager – Charles & Keith Group (Jun 2011 – Jun 2018)

  • Directed IT ops across 40+ countries including SAP (SD/MM), CRM, WMS, POS, ecommerce, QlikView, HRMS
  • First to launch WeChat Pay + Alipay POS integration in Singapore
  • Built NMS, BI/DW, mobile apps, and retail analytics platforms
  • Reference:

 

🏢 IT Manager – Digital Alarm Technology, Singapore (Jul 2009 – Jun 2011)

  • Delivered CCTV/Alarm/Biometrics systems to clients including KFC, Starbucks, Pizza Hut, Watsons, Challenger, The Face Shop
  • 24x7 Central Monitoring Station implementation and DDNS server maintenance
  • Integrated POS + CCTV + alarm triggers for major retail brands

 

🧠 Knowledge Purview

  • Cloud & Infra: AWS (Glue, Redshift, EMR, Lambda), VMware, Fortinet, Proofpoint, Cloudflare, Sophos
  • ERP/CRM/POS: SAP (SD/MM), Salesforce, Capillary, Dynamics 365, SeeBurger
  • Retail/Ecom: Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, Omnichannel Integrations
  • BI/DW: QlikView/Sense, Power BI, MicroStrategy, N-Printing
  • Security: Cato VPN, Spambrella, Bitdefender, Cloudflare CDN, Firewall & Endpoint
  • IoT/AI: YOLO, LPR Systems, Smart Sensors, OpenAI/Claude for automation
  • RPA: Power Automate, Selenium for customer feedback loop automation
  • Networking: MPLS, DNS, CDN, VPN tunnels, Cato data lines (global setup)
  • Others: HRMS, Intranet, CMS, MSSQL, Mongo DB, MYSQL, CPanel, PHP, Node JS, React, GitHub, CI/CD Pipeline, React

 

🏆 AWARDS & NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

  • First to Implement Alipay & WeChat Pay POS Integration in Singapore
    Pioneered digital wallet acceptance at Charles & Keith to target mainland Chinese customers through seamless POS + FomoPay integration.
    🔗 FomoPay News
  • Led the AWS Region Launch Migration for GQ Apparel (Thailand)
    Migrated POS and back-office systems for GQ to the new AWS Asia Pacific (Thailand) Region in collaboration with SoftwareOne.
    📰 Featured across 22+ news sites including:
    TechHub, SoftwareOne PR
    📄 See coverage summary (PDF available upon request)
  • AI-Enabled Customer Support Transformation for Supara Group
    As CIO of Supara Group, deployed Freshdesk Omnichannel on AWS to streamline support across Shopify, WooCommerce, and Line.
    • Reduced email tickets from thousands to 320/day
    • Achieved 2,000+ sales/month via live chat
    • Integrated Freshchat bot, Freshcaller, and multilingual ticket tagging
      📄 Embedded Case Study:
      “Arun quickly buckled up his workforce to adapt to live chat support... converting 2,000+ monthly sales just through the chat widget.”
      — Freshworks Case Study (2022)
      🔗 ADPT Article
  • 🤝 Founder – Arun Raj Foundation (Launched 2024) – arunraj.org
  • Built JCDecaux’s First AWS Data Warehouse in Singapore
    Implemented a scalable analytics stack integrating IoT data, BlueZoo traffic sensors, and media assets across Changi Airport.
    🔗 JCDecaux x BlueZoo Case Study
  • 🛰️ First AWS DW deployment at JCDecaux Singapore
  • 🏅 Academic Recognition
    • 1st Prize – Odaiyappa College National Symposium
    • 3rd Prize – Adhiyaman Engineering College
    • Paper presented: “Quantum Cryptography” – KLN College of Info & Tech

🔗 CASE STUDIES & MEDIA FEATURES

  • 📄 Freshworks x Supara Group (GQ)
    Case Study PDF Available |
    🔗 Read the article
  • 📄 GQ Apparel AWS Migration via SoftwareOne
    22+ publications covered the launch
    🔗 Full Coverage
  • 📄 JCDecaux + BlueZoo at Changi Airport
    🔗 Case Study
  • 📄 Charles & Keith – WeChat/Alipay Integration
    🔗 FomoPay Coverage

 

 

 

 

🧾 CLIENTS SERVED

Retail, Hospitality, Food & Beverage, Fashion, Technology, and Healthcare clients across 40+ countries, including:

🛍️ Retail, Apparel & Consumer Goods

Charles & Keith, Pedro, Giordano, GQ Apparel Thailand, Limited Edition (Nike, Adidas), Playdress, Weston Corp, Royal Furniture, Liv Fresh, Smart Gas, The Face Shop, Liv Fresh, Seatech, Emway

🍽️ F&B & Hospitality

Starbucks, KFC, Pizza Hut, McDonald's, Ajisen Ramen, Tunglok, Sakae Sushi, Café Cartel, Long John Silver, Fish & Co., Cristofori, NTUC Unity, TCC, Swiss Bake, The Gentle Food

💼 Technology & Corporates

Apple, Google, Cisco, Dyson, Maersk, Challenger, PUB Singapore, Jewel Changi Airport, LTA, Capitaland, Lighthouse Canton

🏥 Healthcare & Wellness

Apollo Hospitals, Iyurved, Natural Project

⚽ Sports, Lifestyle & Luxury

Liverpool FC (LFC), Swarovski

 

 

 

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