A few words about me

With over 20 years of experience as a senior full-stack software engineer, I have a strong track record of problem solving and innovation. While often referred to as an IT expert, I see myself as a self-motivated developer who proactively seeks opportunities for growth, both in my own skills and in the products I work on, without being pushed. I am very detail-oriented and enjoy designing system architectures that are pragmatic rather than overly theoretical. I take a user-centered approach, thinking critically about products as if I were the end user, continuously refining and improving the UX. Passionate about technology and my work, I'm dedicated to delivering results efficiently - while I don't mind putting in extra hours when necessary, I usually complete tasks within standard working hours. Although I have management experience, my true passion lies in hands-on product development, where I explore and implement innovative, out-of-the-box solutions. I don't just code to specifications - I dive deep to understand processes, identify opportunities for optimization, and build systems that deliver real business value.

Professional skills highlights

As a full-stack developer with slightly more of a back-end focus, I prefer to build APIs or "modern monolith" full-stack applications on top of Laravel framework using progressive technologies like Inertia.js and Livewire to reduce the overhead of front-end routing and state management until it is really needed. This helps to significantly reduce time to market and maintenance while still providing great performance and extensibility. I have extensive experience building and scaling high-load systems with millions of active users and background jobs, from system design to fine tuning.

Project Portfolio Highlights:

Throughout my career, I've had the great experience of designing and implementing a wide range of critical business systems:

Professional background

Independent contractor | Since November, 2013
Software engineer, Consultant

With over 12 years of freelancing experience, I've completed nearly 20 different projects totaling over 6,100 hours on Upwork in addition to direct assignments, while maintaining a perfect 100% Job Success Score. My commitment to excellence has earned me both Expert Vetted (top 1% of talent, pre-screened by Upwork specialists) and Top Rated Plus status.

Clients feedback | some screenshots from my Upwork page

Laravel Payment App — Client feedback Laravel command to process data — Client feedback Laravel Multi Tenancy Web Project — Client feedback Laravel Expert — Client feedback

Find more details, client feedback and project history on my Upwork profile page — all highly positive!

Previous employment history

"Azaroff" LLP – An internet startup specializing in web development, IT consulting, and outsourcing services.

Tech lead, Consultant | February 2013 – November 2013

Provided consulting services to clients and staff, managed the development team, administered web servers, and wrote and reviewed web application code.

"Premier Auto" & "Trident motors" LLPs, BENTLEY & Maserati official dealers in Kazakhstan

IT-Manager | April 2012 – May 2013

Designed and implemented the company's IT infrastructure from the ground up, administered multiple servers and company websites, and provided user support and workstation maintenance.

Private Development Projects & IT Consulting

March 2011 – February 2012

Managed the implementation of a high-speed fiber optic data network across multiple districts (covering over 150 buildings) in Kostanay, Kazakhstan, as a local representative of a private contractor for VympelCom Ltd (Beeline).

Assisted and consulted on several small & medium Internet projects.

"Etrade.kz" LLP, Kazakhstan Stock Exchange JSC (KASE) subsidiary

Acting Chief Executive Officer | May 2010 – December 2010

Managed the company, reported to the Board of Directors, developed the company's growth strategy, negotiated with customers, participated in meetings with stock exchange members, and prepared press releases.

Chief Technology Officer | April 2010 – May 2010

Managed the dev team, planned the deployment of company's software products. Designed IT infrastructure, from researching software and hardware solutions to full deployment.

Kazakhstan Stock Exchange JSC (KASE)

Lead Specialist, Web Development Division | December 2006 – April 2010

Developed external and internal KASE web projects, including the official website and online trade statistics. Administered web servers, supported the project management platform, and planned the implementation of the document management system.

"Liter-Media" LLP, "Liter" & "Aikyn" largest daily newspapers in Kazakhstan

Head of IT Department | February 2004 – December 2006 IT department consultant | December 2006 – August 2009

Managed the IT department and user support services, designed and deployed the company's entire IT infrastructure. Administered servers and active network equipment. Developed websites for two newspapers.

"ACTIS Systems Asia" LLP, digital agency

System Administrator | May 2003 – December 2003

Administered servers and active network equipment, advised staff on technical issues, and negotiated with company customers.

"Glotur" JSC, distribution company

Sales manager of Microsoft products | January 2003 – May 2003

Managed sales of Microsoft products, organized and conducted workshops focused on licensing policies and product promotion in the Kazakhstan market.

Universal Business Systems LLP, HP & Compaq authorized service centre

System engineer | April 2002 – October 2002

Provided post-sales support to customers, managed servers and network equipment, advised sales managers on technical issues, and actively participated in the development of new projects.

Education, Training, Certification

University of International Business
International Economics, 1999-2002

Participated in the development of university web projects, actively participated in student activities and various conferences for which was awarded the diplomas and certificates. Participated in web projects of various youth and community organizations, received a dozen certificates in information technology.

"Reginal Financial Center Almaty" Academy
"Securities Market Fundamentals" course, 2007

As one of the core developers of the Kazakhstan Stock Exchange JSC (KASE) website and several internal IT systems, bringing blend of technical expertise and economic insight, in addition to my formal education in economics, I have successfully completed an RFCA course on the securities market not only to have a proven understanding of the required fundamentals but also to be able to better understand the needs of end users.

BrainBench (2000—2001)

"Internet Security", "Network Technical Support", "Information Technology Industry Knowledge", "Computer Configuration & Maintenance", "MS Windows NT Administration" and a few others.

Specialized Economic Lyceum School #24

During my senior year, I won a national computer science competition.

Additional info

For the past 7+ years, I've been based in South East Asia, primarily in Bali, Indonesia and Phuket, Thailand. This unique living experience has been some transformative both personally and professionally. The mild climate and welcoming community have been instrumental in maintaining a healthy work-life balance; immersing myself in new cultures and learning new languages has been an incredible opportunity that has helped me to expand my cognitive flexibility and enhance my professional adaptability. Prior to my international move, I was actively involved in the Kazakhstan market with several notable professional achievements. I organized product and service promotion workshops, wrote articles for local magazines, and served as an information technology consultant. I also participated in the development of over twenty web applications for both public and intranet systems, which were successfully marketed and sold. Between 2007 and 2009, I attended key industry conferences, including the "Kazakhstan Stock Exchange Financial Markets" conference, and technology-focused events such as "Russian Internet Technologies" and "High Load". As an active member of the youth automotive community, I pursued my hobby by helping to organize city and national drag racing competitions from 2002 to 2007. However, after my first visit to Europe in 2007, traveling became my new passion.

I am an open-minded, solution-oriented professional who discusses challenges to find effective compromises.
My goal is to leverage my expertise helping you build successful, sustainable products.