Akbar Waseem
@akbarwaseem
I build global product and engineering operations that launch at scale.
United StatesWhat I'm looking for
At Avetta, I built the product and engineering operating model from zero, growing a two-person delivery function into a 16-person global organization supporting 250+ engineers and 20+ product teams.
I lead end-to-end release management, launch readiness, product operations, and engineering operations across a ~$45M R&D portfolio. I converted 16 delivery units into 36 cross-functional pods at flat headcount, cutting idea-to-production cycle time by 50% without reducing production stability.
I create the governance, playbooks, metrics, and decision systems that make ambitious launches repeatable—from go/no-go gates and portfolio reporting to DORA-aligned engineering metrics and AI-layer observability. I’ve also built responsible-AI governance and agentic workflows that reduced manual coordination overhead by 30–40%.
Previously, I directed $60M+ transformation programs at PwC and led global delivery at Emerson, IHS Markit, and Hewlett Packard Enterprise Services. I also co-founded Prodavio, an AI-native product discovery platform, where I own product strategy, front-end work, and multi-agent workflow design.
Experience
Work history, roles, and key accomplishments
Co-Founder
Prodavio
Jan 2023 - Present (3 years 8 months)
Co-founded an AI-native product discovery SaaS for senior product managers. Own product strategy, front-end, and agent prompt engineering, designing multi-agent workflows and evaluation loops.
Architected the company's end-to-end product and engineering operating model from zero, growing the function into a 16-person global organization. Led 50+ cross-functional programs annually and built launch governance infrastructure.
Recruited to stand up delivery capability in a 0-to-1 environment, growing the function into a 16-person global organization. Built the operating playbook and operationalized engineering productivity metrics.
Director, Enterprise PMO & Technical Program Leadership
Jul 2016 - Dec 2020 (4 years 5 months)
Directed $60M+ multi-year programs for Fortune 500 clients, governing 200+ cross-functional contributors. Improved forecast accuracy by 15-20% and reduced cost variance through integrated planning and analytics.
Led program execution across a 180+ person global product organization, owning cross-team dependencies and delivery coordination. Established execution frameworks that improved leadership visibility and delivery predictability.
Coordinated multi-team delivery, release planning, and dependency management across an 800+ person global product and engineering organization. Drove predictability through structured planning and agile coaching.
Delivered statewide modernization programs including real-time AAMVA integration. Drove business and system alignment using Agile Unified Process.
Education
Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework
University of Missouri
Master of Science, Electrical Engineering
Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Missouri.
DeepLearning.AI
AI Product Strategy, Artificial Intelligence
Completed the AI Product Strategy certification from DeepLearning.AI.
Tech stack
Software and tools used professionally
Availability
Location
United StatesAuthorized to work in
Salary expectations
Social media
Job categories
Skills
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