Info
AlphaPipe (Acquired by Stout)
Managing Director, European Operations
2017-2021
Building International Operations from Zero
AlphaPipe needed European operations to serve clients better and reduce costs, but they'd never operated internationally. I was brought in to figure it out from scratch—no playbook, limited understanding of how their US model would translate. Over four years, I built the entire European operation: hired and trained teams, set up development capabilities, established compliance, and created systems that worked across time zones. I built something that worked.
What You'll Learn About My Approach
- Strategic product thinking in action
- How I navigate ambiguity and drive outcomes
- My approach to cross-functional leadership
Key Results
International operations: 0 → 30+ person European team in 4 years
Operational costs: US baseline → 60%+ reduction with improved service quality
Team development: 0 tech experience → 100% retention in IT careers post-training
Compliance: No SOC 2 → Full SOC 2 compliance across international operations
The Challenge
Understanding the problem and stakeholder needs
AlphaPipe had a successful US-based fintech operation serving investment banks and educational institutions, but they needed European capabilities to stay competitive and control costs. The challenge was enormous: how do you replicate complex financial due diligence operations internationally without a blueprint? They needed development teams, operations, customer success, and QA—all while maintaining strict SLA agreements and SOC 2 compliance that their financial services clients required. There was no room for error, and they needed results quickly.
My Approach
How I led the team through discovery to execution
I took a systematic approach to building something completely new:
Spent two months in New York deeply understanding the product, processes, client relationships, and team dynamics. I needed to grasp every detail before I could replicate or improve it in Europe.
Made strategic hiring decisions: instead of recruiting expensive experienced professionals, I hired young talent with different backgrounds and skills, then invested in training them. For most, this was their first introduction to IT. I believed in building capabilities, not just buying them.
Set up development teams in Eastern Europe working with agencies, structured so our time zones became an advantage—I'd receive guidelines from the US team in the evening, translate them for European teams in the morning. Work was happening around the clock.
Established manual QA operations, customer success capabilities, and led the company-wide SOC 2 compliance process while maintaining all SLA agreements.
What We Built
Cross-functional delivery and team coordination
The European operations became a fully functioning mirror of the US business, but more efficient. We dramatically reduced costs while actually improving service quality. The young team I'd hired and trained became highly capable professionals—all of them stayed in IT, which I'm particularly proud of. The time zone strategy meant we were essentially operating 24 hours a day. We maintained full SOC 2 compliance and all client SLAs while building a sustainable operation that could scale.
Results & Team Impact
Measurable outcomes and what the team learned
I built a fully functioning European operation that reduced costs by 60%+ while improving service quality and response times. We maintained full SOC 2 compliance and all client SLAs. But what I'm most proud of is the team—every person I hired and trained stayed in the tech industry, building careers from that foundation. I dedicated four years to building something good: an operation that worked, a team that grew, and systems that delivered. That's what I built, and that's what matters.
Like what you see?
I'm open to product leadership roles in AI, robotics, and emerging tech. Let's discuss how I can help scale your product.