Open to opportunities

Kirill Merkulov

@kirillmerkulov

COO and executive operator scaling telecom and infrastructure businesses through strategy, delivery, and transformation.

Russian Federation

Message

What I'm looking for

I’m looking for an executive operations role (COO/CTO) where I can own strategy + delivery—scaling telecom/infrastructure projects, building teams, improving governance and P&L, and implementing automation and strong OHS.

I’m a Chief Operating Officer with a long track record of building and scaling engineering and telecom-related ventures—combining strategic BD direction with day-to-day operational execution. I’ve led multimillion-ruble launches and reorganizations, including taking an engineering division out of Gradus and building Gradus Tech into an independent company.

I develop practical business models and delivery systems that reduce payback time and improve efficiency. I created a market offering combining specialist outsourcing with international-level expertise, then launched an MVP in 4 months and scaled “turnkey” services with a strong pipeline of key clients.

Most recently, I’ve led electric vehicle charging infrastructure growth from launch—covering site selection, engineering, procurement, construction, operations, and digital monitoring. Earlier, as an executive leader, I headed large multi-location teams (750+), implemented governance and OHS standards, and improved operational control, dispatch automation, and financial discipline.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Current

Gradus Tech

May 2025 - Present (1 year 1 month)

Launched Gradus Tech from a telecom engineering spin-off and implemented a T&M-based business model to enable flexible pricing and faster construction delivery. Delivered early wins including an MVP in 4 months and scaled a turnkey services portfolio to 7 key clients within 8 months.

Operations Leadership T&M Pricing Service Delivery Management Risk Analysis Team Leadership

Executive Director (CEO)

Voltstation

Jan 2024 - May 2025 (1 year 4 months)

Launched and developed an EV charging infrastructure company, performing market analysis and regulatory risk assessment for station placement across two federal districts. Built the end-to-end launch cycle (grid specs, procurement, construction, operations) and implemented a hybrid CAPEX/OPEX model reducing asset payback from 42 to 35 months.

Market Entry Strategy Construction Management EV Charging Infrastructure Grid Integration Vendor Management Load Balancing

Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

ANCOR

Jan 2023 - Nov 2023 (10 months)

Launched ANCOR GOCT for GOCT (Gas & Oil, Civil Engineering, Telecom) EPCM services, defining the business model and product strategy with target breakeven within 11 months. Secured core permits (SRO, ISO 9001) and established delivery foundations with KPIs, leading to contracts totaling ~RUB 210M and a 71% tender success rate.

EPCM Services Launch Business Modeling Tender Management KPI Management Financial Forecasting Regulatory Compliance OHS Implementation Agile Planning

Head of Field Services

Ericsson

Jan 2018 - Dec 2022 (4 years 11 months)

Led a 750+ employee organization across Russia, delivering network rollout and field services including site design engineering, installation, field maintenance, integration, and troubleshooting. Improved operational efficiency by upsizing the org by 300% without quality impact, decreased project budgets up to 20%, and raised dispatch workload automation from 40% (Q1 2018) to 96% (Q1 20121).

Field Services Operations Network Rollout Process Automation Budget control Performance Monitoring Troubleshooting

Education

Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework

Moscow Technological University (MIREA)

Master’s degree, Information Systems Architecture

2009 - 2011

Earned a Master’s degree at Moscow Technological University (MIREA) focusing on information systems architecture. Completed studies in the Department of Information Systems and Technologies.

Moscow Technological University (MIREA)

Master’s degree, Technical and Information Tools of Control Systems

2003 - 2008

Earned a Master’s degree at Moscow Technological University (MIREA) in Technical and Information Tools of Control Systems. Completed studies in the Department of Information Technology.