Ruhul Chowdhury

Ruhul is a distinguished and accomplished technology executive with a significant career history at Microsoft and other industries, demonstrating expertise in software development, data architecture, and team leadership. He has a proven ability to lead complex, large-scale projects and drive technological transformation within major corporations.

Key Experience & Achievements at Microsoft

• Senior Software Development Manager (May 2006 - Sep 2012): Managed software development for the Windows Azure Commerce Platform DW and BI, a critical system for the company. They were responsible for all aspects of data architecture, design, and end-to-end enterprise data warehouse development.
• Global Leadership: Managed two engineering teams located in Redmond, Washington and Shanghai, China, showcasing experience in leading geographically diverse teams.
• Large-Scale Data Platforms: Oversaw the distributed data platform that supported various Microsoft products, including Azure, Office 365, and Xbox Live. This included building a data ingestion system for acquiring data from internal and third-party sources.
• Data-Driven Initiatives: Served as a key member of the data science research consortium, focusing on critical areas such as digital marketing, campaign effectiveness, and risk analysis.
• Windows Live (2006-2008): Shipped multiple major releases for the client telemetry data collection, ETL (Extract, Transform, Load), and data warehouse of Windows Live/Hotmail. They also played a key role in the design of cloud directory synchronization.

Career Trajectory & Broader Expertise

This professional's time at Microsoft was a pivotal part of a broader career focused on data and software architecture leadership. Their experience extends to senior roles at other major companies, including:

• Director, Software Development at Intelsat: Current role, where they continue to      lead software development initiatives.
• Director/Distinguished Engineer at Capital One: Drove the architecture and design for data management products to facilitate the company’s transition to the public cloud.
• Director, Software Development at Inovalon: Led the architecture and development of a next-generation data lake and key healthcare-related systems.

Earlier Career: Began their career in roles such as Data Warehouse Architect at Mayo Foundation and Software Architect at Benchmark Electronics, gaining extensive experience in business intelligence, data management, and enterprise data integration. This foundation in diverse environments—from healthcare to manufacturing. 

Leadership Philosophy:

Ruhul’s leadership philosophy centers on 

Empowerment - He likes to empower team members by providing them with the necessary resources and autonomy to make decisions and take ownership of their work. Instead of micromanaging, he sets clear goals and expectations, then trust his team to find the best path to achieve them.

Clear communication - Effective communication is the cornerstone of a successful team. He prioritizes transparency, ensuring everyone understands the "why" behind decisions and how their work contributes to the bigger picture.

Continuous learning - The technology landscape is constantly evolving, and so must we. Ruhul is a strong advocate for continuous learning, both for himself and his team. He encourages a growth mindset, where mistakes are viewed as learning opportunities rather than failures.

He believes in building high-performing teams by fostering an environment of trust and psychological safety.

Connect with Ruhul Chowdhury on LinkedIn