Alexander Merkushev

Head of AI Delivery / Lead AI Consultant

AI consultant, cloud expert, leader and architect with 8+ years of experience in B2B. Empowered with unique AI projects background, Agile-certified practitioner, cloud professional certified by AWS, GCP, Microsoft and Linux Foundation. Launched 10+ worldwide projects in AI & Cloud governance, Public sector, MedTech and eCommerce. Experienced in B2B Enterprise, B2G products and processes, highly interested in growing businesses and State-of-the-Art projects

📍Dubai, UAE, open to relocation

📧 [email protected]

💬 t.me/the_endeavour

📞+7 981 77 95 495

🔗 LinkedIn


👨🏼‍💻 Work experience

Head of AI Adoption ∙ Yango Tech

Dubai – since mid 2024

Joined newly established team in the world-leading AI provider Yango (ranked 19th by contribution to AI) to lead AI Delivery team. As a seasoned Lead, I successfully spearheaded multiple projects with key clients in Public, Healthcare, Finance sectors with proven effects on client’s businesses. I designed, sold and delivered AI solutions from PoC to Production, closing business targets of $10 mln+ revenue and years-lasting strategic partnerships, received unique Tier S certification of Dubai AI Seal. Played a key role in shaping AI sales, complex AI offerings, managing cross-functional teams and stakeholders.

FinOps Consultant ∙ EPAM Systems

Belgrade – mid 2022 - mid 2024

Started building FinOps practice in EPAM by conducting projects onsite and remotely by team augmentation. Established internal competency centres, strategy and operating model, guardrails for the cloud landscape of 2000+ accounts. Created accounting models, increased cost allocation via tagging strategy and systems integration in greenfield and brownfield landing zones of all major CSPs. Participated in FinOps data management to shorten decision time by x10. Specialist in AWS & GCP cloud platforms, a visionary leader, known for breaking organisational silos, automating and streamlining processes over enterprise rigidity, resulting in millions of cost savings, standardisation, and business agility.

Sr Product Owner ∙ EPAM Systems

St Petersburg – late 2021 - mid 2022

Digital eCom consulting for wholesale B2B partners of industry-leading company. My duties laid in constructing from scratch ETL processes of content delivery to retailers (DAM/PIM) in a team of 2 Jr POs from the customers’ side. I was overcoming a challenge with managing 10+ teams of stakeholders worldwide, and processing data for 10,000+ products. In a couple of months, my team decreased content delivery time from weeks to 5 hours, produced AI-based content, and unified delivery approach around the globe.

Proxy Product Owner ∙ EPAM Systems

St Petersburg – late 2020 - late 2021

Playing a role of a Business Analyst / Proxy PO, I was performing delivery excellence for the Agile development team. I conducted elicitation of customers’ needs and change management through brainstorming, interviews, and evaluation of ideas on all SDLC stages, and ran SCRUM ceremonies myself. Recognized as the best delivery team with a backlog well-groomed for 3 sprints in advance.

Co-founder ∙ Cloudtech

Skolkovo – early 2019 - late 2020

Started cloud analytics startup in Russian innovation cluster Skolkovo. Idea received the highest score from the expert collegium, and I led the business pitching to investors and clients in both marketing and tech talks. Pivoted to find the market fit, managed the project with one of the largest Russian banks from the first touch until strategic partnership, making the company beneficial and widely known in the domain.