Introduction
Hi, I’m Alex Aitken. I’m an engineering leader with experience building and scaling product and machine learning teams across Asia, Europe, and New Zealand. I have led engineering orgs across marketplace platforms, fintech, identity systems, and AI product development.
I am currently based in Singapore, and previously lived and worked in Jakarta, Berlin, Bangkok, Munich, and Auckland. Over more than a decade in software engineering leadership, I’ve helped teams ship products end-to-end, modernise platforms, and build high-impact, data-driven engineering cultures.
Outside of work, I enjoy writing — both technical pieces like this series and fiction. I’ve even written two novels that may one day see the light of day.
If you’d like to connect, feel free to reach out.
Why trust me?
This blog is grounded in hands-on experience. I’ve spent my career building software and leading engineering teams at fast-moving technology companies in multiple markets and cultures. My work spans full-stack product development, fintech platforms, large-scale identity systems, and most recently applied machine learning.
I believe in sharing practical lessons — what worked, what didn’t, and the thinking behind technical and leadership decisions. If you see something you disagree with, I welcome healthy discussion and feedback. I’m always learning.
Technologies
Over the years, I’ve led teams working with:
- Backend: Go, Kotlin, Ruby, Python, Node
- Frontend & Apps: React, Vue, Flutter, Android, iOS
- Data & ML: Python, scikit-learn, MLflow, Databricks, Spark
- Platform: Kubernetes, GCP, AWS, Azure
- Architecture: event-driven systems, distributed services, identity & payments platforms
My work has included building:
- Marketplace and e-commerce systems
- Global payments and rewards platforms
- Identity and OAuth2/OpenID Connect systems
- ML-powered products and analytics platforms
I’ve worked in environments ranging from startup greenfield to hyperscale engineering organisations and enjoy helping teams grow capability, clarity, and velocity.