Jose L. Santamaría
Visionary technology executive with over two decades of experience driving large-scale digital transformation across the banking, telecommunications, and logistics sectors. Currently serving as Vice President of Engineering at Plain Concepts, I lead a high-performing organization of 200+ engineers across Europe and the Middle East, specializing in the delivery of cloud-native architectures and strategic market expansion. My career is defined by the ability to bridge the gap between complex business objectives and cutting-edge technical execution, consistently delivering enterprise-grade solutions that redefine industry standards.
I possess a proven track record of generating significant commercial value, including over €35M in qualified pipeline and contracted revenue. My leadership is characterized by operational excellence and fiscal discipline, demonstrated by achieving a 15% reduction in annual budgets while simultaneously securing prestigious industry recognition such as the 2019 Best Product Award. I am dedicated to client success and have maintained a perfect 10/10 NPS across high-stakes engagements with organizations like Boston Consulting Group, earning top-tier performance accolades for rapid, high-impact contributions in global technology firms like Globant.
With deep technical expertise spanning AWS, Azure, and Oracle cloud ecosystems, as well as emerging specializations in Generative AI and cybersecurity, I build resilient, scalable platforms that drive measurable business outcomes. Beyond technical architecture, I am a strategic leader focused on P&L management, PMO optimization, and the cultivation of engineering cultures rooted in mentorship and agile principles. I am committed to leveraging technology as a primary catalyst for growth, ensuring that every architectural decision aligns with long-term enterprise goals and operational sustainability.
Here are some key figures about me:
Years of Experience in Digital Transformation
Driving enterprise-scale solutions across Banking, Telecom, Logistics, Retail, and Insurance sectors.
Engineers Managed Globally
Leading international teams across 18 countries in Europe and Middle East markets.
Pipeline Generated
Building strategic partnerships and expanding markets in EMEA region.
Education & Certifications
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Universidad Europea
2016 - 2017
Engineer's degree — TFG Calification: A
Universidad Católica de Ávila
Jan 2019 - Jun 2022
Executive Leadership Accelerator Program
Universidad Europea
2015 - 2016
Bachelor's degree
Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia - U.N.E.D.
1998 - 2000
Professional Certifications:
Flexpricer & Flex
Amadeus • May 2016
ITIL v4 Foundation Level
Global Knowledge • 2019
CCNA
Cisco
Microsoft MCSE
Microsoft
NCSC
NETASQ
Checkpoint CCSE
CheckPoint Security AG
VU Security Trainning
Globant • Jul 2022
C1 Certified in English
British Council • Jun 2022
Netasq Administrator
NETASQ • Sep 2006
MOC-6451 PLnning, Deploying and Managing Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager
Microsoft • Jun 2009
Tecnico en Electronica Digital y Reparación de PC's
ARENAL INFORMATICA SA • Jul 1998
Implementing Fortigate and Content Inspection
Fortinet • Dec 2005
Fortinet Certified Network & Security Professsional (FCNSP)
Fortinet • Dec 2005
The Complete Communication Skills Master Class for life
Udemy • Dec 2023
ChatGPT Complete Guide: Learn Midjourney, ChatGPT 4 & more
Udemy • Mar 2024
I've had the privilege of working with these amazing organizations:
I am Jose L. Santamaría. Chief Technology Officer | Growth Strategy | Driving Digital Transformation | Board Member | MBA | Innovate
A journey across industries
Ink Innovation
Mar 2026 - Present 6 mos · currentDriving global engineering delivery and technology strategy at Ink Innovation, with a mandate to scale teams, accelerate product innovation, and embed AI-driven capabilities across the organization. Travels internationally to align engineering execution with business growth objectives. * Leads global engineering delivery across international markets, ensuring alignment between technology and business strategy * Spearheads the adoption of AI and emerging technologies to drive product differentiation and competitive advantage * Builds and scales high-performance engineering cultures rooted in collaboration, ownership, and continuous innovation * Partners with senior leadership to translate growth ambitions into scalable, future-proof technology platforms
Plain Concepts
Jul 2024 - Mar 2026 1 yr 8 mosLeading international expansion across Europe and Middle East, managing 200+ engineers and driving strategic account growth. Spearheading market entry into GCC region with focus on enterprise digital transformation and cloud-native solutions. Key Impact: • Opened Middle East operations with strategic partnerships (Solutions by STC, Beyon Solutions) • Generated €25M+ qualified pipeline in 8 months; secured €16M total revenue (€6M 2025, €10M 2026) • Grew IBEX 35 enterprise accounts 20% YoY • Big opportunity King Salman Park RFP presented to Saudi Minister of Culture Technologies: Cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, Oracle), Enterprise systems, Microservices architecture
Globant
May 2021 - Jul 2024 3 yrs 2 mosDirected EMEA portfolio with emphasis on emerging markets (MENA, APAC), leading 150 professionals across Delivery, P&L, Architecture, Development, and Data functions. Transformed business models into efficient digital solutions for luxury brands, airlines, retail, and telecommunications. Key Achievements: • Partnered with KSA Princess Ranee and Boston Consulting Group achieving consistent 10/10 NPS scores • Received CEO recognition within 6 months with 120% bonus for exceptional contributions • Delivered enterprise solutions for Amazon, Harrods, Heineken, Adidas, Nike, DHL, Iberia, Air Europa • Led cloud-native implementations using Oracle Cloud Suite, AWS/Azure, Mulesoft, Salesforce Technology Stack: Oracle Cloud Suite, Auth0, Cloud platforms, Mulesoft, Apigee, Shopify, Salesforce, Modern web frameworks (React/Angular/Vue.js), Java, Python, NodeJS
Solera, Inc.
Feb 2019 - Apr 2021 2 yrs 2 mosBoard member of Iberia Management Committee overseeing technology strategy for Portugal and Spain. Led hybrid team of 100+ professionals delivering insurance sector products (life, automotive, home) using Agile/Scrum methodology. Key Impact: • Won 2019 Best Product Award while achieving 15% annual budget reduction • Optimized SoleraAuto data model and microservices architecture covering 90% of Iberia market • Established 24x7 International NOC monitoring three technology stacks • Co-established Software Center of Excellence in Seville with 300+ programmers serving four continents Focus: Insurance technology, Microservices architecture, Performance optimization, International team scaling
Salvesen Logística
Jun 2014 - Feb 2019 4 yrs 8 mosLed IT strategy and operations for multinational joint venture, managing 30+ professionals and defining technology roadmap to support business growth and optimize operating margins. Ensured critical system availability across EDI, TMS, and WMS platforms. Key Achievements: • Implemented ITIL-based ITSM system generating €1M+ annual synergies across Europe • Pioneered Google Glass picking implementation (first logistics operator), featured in industry press • Achieved 15% first-year budget reduction with 12% incremental annual savings • Delivered Truck & Trace project generating €180K monthly savings and €200K+ monthly productivity gains Focus: Logistics technology, ITSM, Supply chain optimization, Innovation implementation
Iberia Express
Oct 2013 - May 2014 7 mosEstablished IT department from ground up, formulating Cloud Computing strategy and architecting complete communication infrastructure. Implemented enterprise systems including SAP for Finance and HR. Key Impact: • Architected cloud strategy (Amazon/Azure) and communication infrastructure (MPLS, VPN, Telephony, SIP) • Achieved 40% annual license savings through multi-tenant architecture with IAG Group • Successfully migrated to Office 365 Focus: IT department establishment, Cloud strategy, Infrastructure architecture, Cost optimization
Codere
May 2007 - Sep 2013 6 yrs 4 mosManaged €10M budget across four currencies, directing global network with 3,700+ IP communication assets. Established geographically distributed data centers across Europe and South America. Key Achievements: • Led SAP strategy and major company integrations in Mexico (15,000 employees, 100+ casinos, 30% revenue increase) • Managed Panama integration (15 casinos, 15% revenue boost) • Architected and operated global network infrastructure • Oversaw multi-currency budget management across international operations Focus: Global infrastructure, SAP implementation, M&A technology integration, International operations
Yacom
Sep 2002 - Apr 2007 4 yrs 7 mosManaged 480+ servers across two data centers serving 2M email accounts and e-commerce platform. Operated Autonomous System (AS 208338) with 2+ Gbps traffic, establishing position as Spain's second operator by traffic and client base. Achievement: • Recognized with Quality Award 2005-2006 • Managed large-scale infrastructure supporting millions of users • Operated autonomous network system Focus: Infrastructure management, Security architecture, High-availability systems
El Mundo
Feb 2001 - Aug 2002 1 yr 6 mosFunctions: • Admin platform web (Linux, Apache, MySQL, Postgres, PHP, Java) • Admin platform email (Qmail, Exim) • Coordinated J2EE development for elmundodeporte.com • Maintained 100% SLA platform availability for over 12 months. Goals: • Ranked website among the most viewed with optimal download time (based on OJU.ES) • Neutralized 100% of computer attacks through good administration practices.
Core Competencies & Technical Skills
Built to scale
Leadership & Strategy
75 skillsCloud & Architecture
7 skillsEnterprise Systems
8 skillsDevelopment
7 skillsEmerging Tech
3 skillsKey Achievements & Recognition
Milestones, not finish lines
Led large-scale digital transformation initiatives across EMEA and MENA regions, modernizing legacy architectures into high-performance digital ecosystems for global enterprise clients.
Engineered resilient multi-cloud architectures across AWS, Azure, and Oracle Cloud, enabling seamless global scalability and high availability for mission-critical airline and insurance platforms.
Scaled international engineering organizations to over 200 professionals across EMEA and the Middle East, establishing high-performance delivery cultures and robust technical governance frameworks.
Optimized technology budgets and operating margins through rigorous infrastructure streamlining and Agile adoption, delivering double-digit efficiency gains across multinational joint venture operations.
Hardened global security posture and compliance frameworks by integrating enterprise-grade protection and NCSC standards across distributed cloud environments to mitigate systemic risk.
Accelerated global market entry and strategic account growth within the GCC region, leveraging AI-driven capabilities and board-level governance to deliver sustainable competitive advantage.
Selected Projects & Experiments
A curated set of side projects, internal tools and AI-powered experiments — each one built end-to-end from idea to production.
FlightRadar LaRebelion
Designed and developed a Flightradar-inspired application for real-time flight tracking, enabling friends and family to monitor journeys with live visual updates. This project showcases technical expertise in interactive mapping, data visualization, and building user-centric web applications.
Terminal Raspberry
Larebelion Team developed a robustly secured Raspberry Pi system, integrating advanced hardening techniques and custom configurations. This project establishes a highly protected platform for resilient remote access and critical operational integrity.
AI RAG Larebelion
This sophisticated AI platform integrates advanced Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) capabilities, leveraging extensive global data sources, with customizable GPT agents. It is engineered to deliver highly accurate and adaptable AI solutions across a diverse range of specialized applications.
Travel Platform
Developed an AI-powered travel platform enabling small companies to streamline employee travel management, including automated expense approvals and rejections, significantly reducing administrative overhead. This solution leverages intelligent automation to optimize travel booking and approval workflows, enhancing efficiency and compliance for businesses.
Email Encryptor System
Implemented an Email Encryptor System to enable secure and confidential message transmission between users. This project leverages robust cryptographic algorithms to protect the privacy and integrity of communications, ensuring sensitive information remains secure.
La Rebelion Blog
Engineered 'La Rebelión Blog' with advanced AI-powered hyper-personalization, automating content creation, optimization, and publication. This innovative approach ensured a highly relevant and unique user experience through dynamic content delivery.
Bejo Tracker
Developed Bejo Tracker, a robust application designed to automate end-to-end delivery management, sophisticated revenue and margin analytics, and invoice generation. This system significantly optimizes operational workflows, enhancing financial visibility and overall business efficiency.
Bejo Outreach
Developed Outreach, a commercial application central to the Bejo ecosystem, engineered to streamline and secure B2B engagement. This platform facilitates the efficient establishment of commercial partnerships, significantly enhancing outreach capabilities and driving new business growth.
Bejo News
Bejo News is an internal corporate application designed to disseminate critical updates to employees. It delivers relevant information regarding market trends, strategic partnerships, and competitor insights to enhance internal awareness and support informed decision-making.
Linkeding AI Posts
This application employs a multi-agent AI system to autonomously monitor `news-google.es` for relevant news on predefined topics. It then leverages natural language generation to craft insightful posts, which are automatically published to a LinkedIn account, showcasing advanced AI orchestration and API integration.
BirthdayAI Bot
This application integrates with Google Calendar to automatically identify upcoming birthdays. Leveraging AI, it generates and dispatches hyper-personalized birthday messages via WhatsApp, streamlining greetings and enhancing recipient engagement.
Peguerinos Sport
Developed a comprehensive sports event management platform featuring advanced functionalities like dynamic mapping, real-time track control, and integrated participant access/registration. This solution streamlines event orchestration through secure payment processing, robust ranking systems, and simplified administration via Google login, enhancing efficiency and user experience.
Strava Personal
Engineered a personal activity tracking platform that automatically processes uploaded GPX tracks, programmatically analyzing geospatial data. This system generates detailed route maps and comprehensive performance statistics, enabling users to visualize their athletic journeys and share progress effectively.
Badges Vcard Generator
Engineered a Vcard Badge Generator that automates the creation of scannable contact information. This tool streamlines professional networking, enabling immediate data exchange at events and business meetings.
Jose L. Santamaria Portfolio
Developed a personal portfolio website that dynamically presents professional experience and skills. This platform integrates a custom web scraping solution for automated content updates, ensuring all CV-related information remains current and accurate.
Whatsapp AI Bot
Developed a functional WhatsApp AI bot that integrates leading large language models (Claude or Gemini) to automate intelligent responses. This solution efficiently processes user messages, providing instant, contextually relevant answers to specific inquiries or predefined events on a personal WhatsApp number.
Things I'm Following
A living shortlist of the books shaping my technical thinking and the YouTube channels I keep on rotation.
Essential Reading
30 books on software architecture, distributed systems, DevOps and AI engineering. Links go to Amazon.
Fundamentals of Software Architecture
Software Architecture: The Hard Parts
Designing Data-Intensive Applications
Clean Architecture: A Craftsman's Guide to Software Structure and Design
The Pragmatic Programmer, 20th Anniversary Edition
Modern Software Engineering
Building Microservices, 2nd Edition
Building Evolutionary Architectures, 2nd Edition
Domain-Driven Design: Tackling Complexity in the Heart of Software
Implementing Domain-Driven Design
Software Engineering at Google
Patterns of Enterprise Application Architecture
Designing Distributed Systems
The Software Architect Elevator
Site Reliability Engineering: How Google Runs Production Systems
The Site Reliability Workbook
Database Internals
Designing Event-Driven Systems
Release It!, 2nd Edition
Accelerate: The Science of Lean Software and DevOps
Team Topologies
The Phoenix Project, 5th Anniversary Edition
The DevOps Handbook, Second Edition
Continuous Delivery
Designing Machine Learning Systems
AI Engineering: Building Applications with Foundation Models
Hands-On Large Language Models
Deep Learning
Hands-On Machine Learning with Scikit-Learn, Keras, and TensorFlow, 3rd Edition
Generative Deep Learning, 2nd Edition
Channels in Rotation
25 tech voices I learn from — architecture, AI, distributed systems and developer experience.
Fireship
@Fireship Web / DXLatestWatch the most recent upload on the channel.
ThePrimeagen
@ThePrimeTimeagen SystemsLatestWatch the most recent upload on the channel.
Theo - t3.gg
@t3dotgg Web / CloudLatestWatch the most recent upload on the channel.
ArjanCodes
@ArjanCodes Python / ArchLatestWatch the most recent upload on the channel.
Web Dev Simplified
@WebDevSimplified WebLatestWatch the most recent upload on the channel.
Programming with Mosh
@programmingwithmosh FundamentalsLatestWatch the most recent upload on the channel.
Continuous Delivery
@ContinuousDelivery EngineeringLatestWatch the most recent upload on the channel.
TechWorld with Nana
@TechWorldwithNana DevOpsLatestWatch the most recent upload on the channel.
Hussein Nasser
@hnasr Backend / DBLatestWatch the most recent upload on the channel.
NetworkChuck
@NetworkChuck NetworkingLatestWatch the most recent upload on the channel.
David Bombal
@davidbombal NetworkingLatestWatch the most recent upload on the channel.
IBM Technology
@IBMTechnology EnterpriseLatestWatch the most recent upload on the channel.
Marques Brownlee
@mkbhd TechLatestWatch the most recent upload on the channel.
Computerphile
@Computerphile CS TheoryLatestWatch the most recent upload on the channel.
3Blue1Brown
@3blue1brown Math / MLLatestWatch the most recent upload on the channel.
Lex Fridman
@lexfridman AI / Long-formLatestWatch the most recent upload on the channel.
Two Minute Papers
@TwoMinutePapers AI ResearchLatestWatch the most recent upload on the channel.
Yannic Kilcher
@YannicKilcher AI ResearchLatestWatch the most recent upload on the channel.
AI Explained
@aiexplained-official AILatestWatch the most recent upload on the channel.
Matt Wolfe
@mreflow AI ToolsLatestWatch the most recent upload on the channel.
AI Coffee Break with Letitia
@AICoffeeBreak AI ResearchLatestWatch the most recent upload on the channel.
DeepLearningAI
@Deeplearningai AI EducationLatestWatch the most recent upload on the channel.
AssemblyAI
@AssemblyAI AI / SpeechLatestWatch the most recent upload on the channel.
sentdex
@sentdex Python / MLLatestWatch the most recent upload on the channel.
Traversy Media
@TraversyMedia WebLatestWatch the most recent upload on the channel.
Site Security Analytics
Live aggregates from the server's edge filter — visitor traffic, blocked threats, country mix and ban activity over the last 30 days.
Visitors by country (last 30 days)
Heat = number of requests originated from each country.
Top countries
Last 30 days, weighted by visit volume.
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Daily activity (30 days)
Blue = total visits. Amber = 4xx/5xx requests. Red = new IP bans logged.
Top offending networks
Aggregated by /24 prefix — last octet anonymised.
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