TROOP

Software Engineer

NextRetreat

- Conducted regular customer and audience discovery calls to gather and synthesise information to build opportunities and test assumptions to craft the roadmap.
- Increased monthly active users by 400% after changing the approach.
- Major shift in approach: customer obsession and product-led-growth (PLG).
- Implemented multiple recommendation algorithms, machine learning models into the platform
- Shipped multiple products from idea to productiom
- Utilised geospatial knowledge to build a robust recommendations based on geography data.
- Designed and executed a new, container-based architecture utilizing Terraform, migrated from render.com to AWS and built on ECR and ECS, ensuring seamless operation and scalability.
- Established a robust CI/CD pipeline that supported testing and deployment of interdependent projects with GitHub Actions, streamlining development and release processes.
- Developed a serverless URL shortener using AWS API Gateway and DynamoDB, delivering an efficient and cost-effective solution.
- Managed multiple background jobs processing data from external sources, ensuring the integrity and reliability of the data.
- Created a framework to efficiently deploy long-running tasks to ECS using Terraform, optimizing system performance and scalability.
- Implemented optimization measures on the architecture and database, resulting in a significant reduction of costs by 35% and stable utilization of CPU/RAM resources.

Chief Technological Officer

Softygon

* Acquired by HUGLO Europe *
- Developed a universal platform for seamless software integration, leveraging cutting-edge technologies to facilitate interoperability and data exchange.
- Designed and deployed a serverless architecture utilizing AWS Lambda (Node.js), AWS RDS PostgreSQL, AWS SQS, AWS API Gateway, and AWS S3, creating a scalable solution for connecting APIs.
- Achieved seamless integration with hundreds of APIs, enhancing the platform's functionality and performance.
- Delivered a highly scalable and resilient architecture capable of processing large volumes of API requests, ensuring the platform's stability and reliability.

Chief Executive Officer

Chatbotech

- Designed and built a next-generation platform for constructing chatbots with integrated artificial intelligence, delivering advanced capabilities and enhanced user experience.
- Executed the implementation of new features in the Node.js back-end and Angular 2+ front-end, optimizing system performance and scalability.
- Facilitated seamless integration with external APIs, streamlining data exchange and augmenting the platform's capabilities.
- Demonstrated expertise in Kubernetes, providing hands-on experience in managing large-scale, highly available and resilient applications.

Full-stack Developer

Profit365

- Administered the MS SQL Server database on an on-demand EC2 instance, ensuring seamless operation and data security.
- Expertly maintained and optimized the infrastructure on EC2 instances, leveraging cloud computing technologies to deliver high availability and scalability.
- Implemented strategic optimization measures on the database, resulting in a significant reduction of costs by 40%, enhancing overall efficiency and productivity.

Lead Developer

- Designed and executed complex software solutions, integrating new functionalities into the back-end using .NET and enhancing the front-end user experience through AngularJS and web forms.
- Led the development and maintenance of a robust subscription system, ensuring its stability and scalability.
- Developed a cutting-edge Windows desktop application to streamline point-of-sale operations.
- Designed and deployed a cross-platform mobile application, leveraging cutting-edge technology to deliver a seamless user experience.
- Created a cutting-edge Apple Watch application utilizing Swift programming language to provide enhanced functionality and an intuitive user interface.

CPTO @ NextRetreat | Specializing in SaaS Growth and Promoting Sustainable Travel

I am a highly motivated individual with a background in Artificial Intelligence. Throughout my career, I have worked on multiple SaaS projects, including my most recent role as CPTO at NextRetreat, a retreat planning tool.

At NextRetreat, I have focused on driving growth and user activation through the implementation of various frameworks. In addition to my technical expertise, I am also passionate about promoting sustainable travel and have made it a focus of our company.

With a strong background in applied informatics and a track record of success in the SaaS industry, I am excited to continue growing and learning in my career.

Peter Kulcsár Szabó

LogiNet Systems Kft.

Leading the UK market expansion for LogiNet Systems, specialising in delivering scalable software solutions tailored for startups and SMEs. I am dedicated to aligning innovative technology with business needs to drive productivity and profitability.

 - 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀: Proven track record in driving revenue growth through targeted outreach and securing deals ranging from £50k to £250k. Consistently meet and exceed KPIs by understanding client needs and delivering impactful solutions.

 - 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁-𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵: Specialise in translating client requirements into actionable strategies, emphasising the 'why' behind every solution. Known for fostering long-term client relationships built on trust and mutual success.

 - 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗜 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀: Spearhead strategic initiatives in AI and consulting, collaborating closely with SMEs to implement cutting-edge technologies that optimise operations and enhance competitive advantage

I help clients understand what they 'need' as much as what they 'want'. 

I take pride in understanding the 'why' just as much as the 'how'.

Client Services Director

Borne Agency

Borne is an award -winning boutique digital product studio that specialises in creating high-quality, custom digital products for small to medium-sized businesses.

With our talented team of designers, developers, and strategists, we work closely with our clients to create tailored solutions that meet their unique needs and help them achieve their business goals.

With clients across the UK and USA we focus on user-centred design coupled with agile development methodologies that ensure our client's products are not only visually appealing but also effective in driving engagement, retention, and growth.

If you're looking for a boutique digital product studio that can deliver customized solutions that meet your specific needs, Borne is the right choice for you. Let's work together to bring your digital vision to life.

Senior Client Partner

Streats Media Limited

With our team at Borne, I've founded London's first and only street food directory which has launched as an iOS app. Having gone through the Borne branding and start up process I am proud to have launched such an exciting app and company, with monetisation strategies coming soon. 
Our mission is to be the global leaders in street food and create a community and eco-system centred around the joy and passion of street food.

Founder

Pocket App Ltd

Selling and delivering engaging mobile products across a spectrum of industries.

Product Definition, define scope of works, assignment to team, time line, Gant charts, Milestones and schedule of delivery.
Support for the sales and application engineering teams as the product expert as well as by providing suitable product training to sell effectively.

Senior Product Manager

Rare Breed Digital

Pre and Post Sales consultancy
Managing the product lifecycle starting with product definition through approvals, development, release and maintenance.
Support for the sales and application engineering teams as the product expert as well as by providing suitable product training to sell effectively.
Gather and document requirements from a range of stakeholders internally and externally
Ensure that projects are delivered on time and on budget and in-line with the roadmap
Product manage the full lifecycle from concept to delivery using Agile Project Management Principals
Lead and motivate design and development staff to ensure project deadlines are met and quality is first rate.  Conduct rigorous testing to ensure project is signed off. Basecamp, Active Collab and JIRA used.
Work with clients and developers.  Always ensure timely delivery across multi platform projects. 
Service delivery, managing a team of in house and outsourced offshore development teams.
Development and final sign off of all Product Documentation.
Product Definition, define scope of works, assignment to team, time line, Gant charts, Milestones and schedule of delivery.
Create Road Maps & strategies utilising Proto & Eclipse
Feasibility and Business case production; advise of feature sets, staggered development phases.
Product Service – Management of Junior project managers, testing and quality control before shipping. 
Act as Functional Authority for all product development across mobile and web
Work with Finance to scope out costs, manage budgets, staff and overall P+L
Engage, pitch, own and deliver projects. Create product proposals, business cases, roadmaps, wireframes across mobile, web and desktop.  Strategically lead and grow the business. 
Full P & L, HR and Revenue accountability. 
Thorough understanding of web and mobile technologies and how best to apply them in.  iOS, Android, Windos Mobile, HTML5, JQuery Mobile, Titanium, Phonegap, Javascript, AJAX, HTML, CSS, XML.

Founder & Senior Product Director of Rare Breed Digital

arvato mobile GmbH

•	Manage and run games storefront for tier 1 Opcos
•	Storefront optimization
•	Ongoing schedule of activities and promotional content events
•	Monitor performance, consumer needs, deliver best practices
•	Develop and manage new and effective digital retail strategies

Head of Content & Digital Retailing

Playphone EMEA

•	Acquire new content and update and optimize exciting content for the D2C subscription service
•	Licence content from music and media owners
•	Negotiate contracts to completion
•	Source new licensees of content.  
•	Maintain and update the wapsites across all 17 territories
•	Global contacts within music and entertainments sectors
•	Create addendums for existing contacts
•	Effectively minimize content costs by tracking deals after signing.

Content and Licensing Manager

Qpass

•	Update and mainting of T-Zones portal. 
•	Storefront optimisation.  
•	Revenue Optimisation, Trend Analysis,
•	Sales support and client consultancy.  
•	Marketing trends and ideas, with regular promotional campaigns

Storefront manager

Pocket Group

•	In charge of content production and management
•	Weekly calls and proposals of new content to clients
•	New business development
•	Manage team in UK and Asia to ensure delivery of all media types to the operators
•	Complete reports detailing deliveries, forecasts and updates

Production manager

Hi, I’m John, a seasoned expert in advanced software development, digital transformation and AI-driven product consulting. With over 15 years of experience, I help mid-market enterprises and SaaS scaleups modernise their technology stacks, scale their product ecosystems, and optimise operational performance.

At Loginet Systems, we deliver end-to-end digital solutions, specialising in building Dedicated Teams and offering Staff Augmentation services. We focus on leveraging AI to modernise your product offerings and optimise performance, supporting businesses through scalable, high-impact technology integrations.

𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀:

🔷 Bespoke Software Solutions: Architecting scalable, high-performance digital ecosystems built for agility and long-term success.

🔷 AI & Advanced Analytics Consulting: Unlocking the full potential of AI to drive innovation, improve operational efficiency, and provide a competitive edge.

🔷 Dedicated Teams & Staff Augmentation: Seamlessly integrate our expert developers into your team, accelerating delivery without compromising quality.

🔷 Comprehensive Digital Transformation: Future-proof your systems by migrating legacy infrastructure to cloud-native, scalable solutions.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗨𝘀?

Experience delivering high-impact solutions for enterprise-level clients across industries.
A global talent pool of 90+ expert developers, ready to tackle complex challenges.
A proven track record of driving measurable, sustainable ROI.

Let’s connect and discuss how we can elevate your digital transformation journey.

John Radford

AI turned me into an 80s yuppie. 

It also reminded me how far fintech has come.

Back then it was pinstripes, pagers and paper cheques. 

Transfers took days. Card rails were the only rails. And “innovation” meant a new fax machine.

Today the whole industry moves on a different level.

Instant payments. Open banking. Embedded finance. Stablecoin rails. 

Products built around real user problems instead of glossy branding.

Real problems being solved. Real user value. Real scale.

And I’m lucky to be right in the middle of it.

At The Codest we deliver senior product-minded engineers who add value from day 1 for fintech teams.

People who understand the outcomes behind the build.

#fintech #80s #scaling #engineering #seriesA #seriesB #finance

UK Business Growth & Partnership Lead | Helping Fintech & Digital Banking Companies Build High-Performance Engineering Teams

🎉 I’m excited to share that I’ll be hosting a new webinar series on AI and automation in FinTech and high-growth SaaS.  🚨

The first session is on 16 December at 10:00 AM and it's going to be a big one! 
 
We’ll have Series A and B CTOs, founders, and senior engineers discussing how teams are using AI to scale faster, operate more efficiently, and stay compliant while doing it.

We’ll also be running a live demo of AI coding in action so people can see what this looks like in the real world.

Our panel includes:

 Gustaf Strauss, Co Founder at Bright
 Armenak Mayalian, CTO at Reflexivity
 Senior Developer at The Codest, currently implementing AI best practices for fintech clients

We will cover the practical side of AI adoption, from integration with legacy systems to hiring the right talent, all the way through to the risks, compliance considerations and emerging trends shaping FinTech and SaaS.

If you’re a CTO, Head of Engineering or working on AI initiatives, this one is worth joining.

If you want the link to register, just comment or message me. I’ll send it across.

We’re launching a brand-new webinar series: Scaling Sessions by The Codest 🔥

And we're kicking it off with a strong first episode:

AI & Automation in FinTech & Rapid Scaling SaaS: Risk, Opportunity, and Execution 🚀

This session looks at how AI is changing the way FinTech and SaaS teams build, scale, and operate - from delivery speed to compliance and daily workflow.

Hosted by John Radford, with guest experts:
- Armenak Mayalian, CTO of Reflexivity
- Gustaf Strauss, Co-Founder at Bright

What to expect:
-  Practical insights from real scaling challenges
-  A live demo of AI coding in action
-  Fireside chat + live audience Q&A

🗓 16th December, 10:00 – 11:00 AM UK Time

Save your seat → https://shorturl.at/mbONG

#TheCodest #ScalingSessions #FinTech #SaaS #AI #Automation #Webinar #Scaling #TechLeadership

Armenak Mayalian, John Radford and 1 other connection attending

View event: AI & Automation in FinTech & Rapid Scaling SaaS

AI & Automation in FinTech & Rapid Scaling SaaS

🚨 Big shift in open banking which could reshape how fintechs build and scale 


JPMorgan Chase has struck new deals with major data aggregators (Plaid, Yodlee, Morningstar, Akoya) to charge for access to customer bank data. 

Previously, that data was freely available via APIs. 

JPMorgan argues its systems are under heavy strain: 1.89 billion monthly API calls, and only ~13% are tied to customer-initiated activity. 

Why this matters for fintech teams:

 - The economics of “free” data are no longer guaranteed:  engineering teams need to plan for higher infrastructure costs.
 - Dependence on aggregators just got riskier. Fintechs may need alternate strategies or partnerships.
 - It’s a wake-up call to embed financial resilience, not just product growth, into your roadmap.

👉 If you're scaling a fintech, this is very much a potential business shift.

Open article: JPMorgan secures deals with fintech aggregators over fees to access data, CNBC reports by uk.finance.yahoo.com

JPMorgan secures deals with fintech aggregators over fees to access data, CNBC reports

Most teams assume scaling engineering is about adding more people. 

However,  biggest gains come from something else...

𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱.

A fintech client came to us with a roadmap covering 18 months of features. We worked with them to:

↠ Bring in senior engineers with domain and regulatory experience.
↠ Assess each feature against business outcomes, market need, and technical complexity.
↠ Remove initiatives that did not deliver clear value.

The result was a roadmap reduced by half, lower development costs, faster time-to-market, and features that delivered impact immediately.

This approach is about applying product thinking, practical experience, and pattern recognition from day one.

Adding engineers increases capacity, but prioritisation drives results.

The key question for any product team should be: are we building what matters or just following a list of planned features?

Most engineering teams focus on building new features. 

But that’s rarely where the biggest revenue gains come from.

I’ve seen it time and again: 

Teams pouring months of effort into shiny new features that barely move the needle. 

Meanwhile, small improvements to existing flows such as 𝗼𝗻𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 deliver far higher ROI.

Here’s a simple framework I use to identify what really matters:

1️⃣ Track the bottlenecks: Which steps in your user journey slow adoption or frustrate customers?

2️⃣ Measure impact: Estimate the revenue, retention, or engagement uplift fixing that bottleneck could create.

3️⃣ Prioritise ruthlessly: Solve the problems that drive the biggest return before building the next feature.

Result: engineers spend less time on work that doesn’t matter, product impact rises, and revenue gains follow naturally.


If your team is buried in feature requests, try this out! 

Incremental improvements can deliver more than “new and shiny” ever will.

'Developers aren't just coders'. 

Inspired by Amay Tavanandi’s awesome post on what really matters in software development, I wanted to expand on one point: 

"Developers aren’t just coders". 

At The Codest, our engineers think in terms of products, outcomes, and the bigger picture.  

It's why we term them 'product minded engineers'.

They don’t just write code. 

They understand problems, weigh trade-offs, and decide what’s actually worth building.

Sure. AI helps make them faster. 

But it doesn’t replace the critical thinking, design sense, and product judgement that make software truly reliable and impactful.

This mindset shows in everything they do. 

From architecture to delivery to product decisions. 

That’s why the solutions we build are meaningful and add instant value to the companies we work with. 


#productengineering #softwaredevelopment #AI #TheCodest #engineeringexcellence

A few thoughts that have stuck with me over the years.

If you’re new to software or still finding your footing, a few things I’ve learned might help. It’s hard to drown out the noise sometimes. There’s so much being said about AI, "Vibe-Coding", frameworks, and new “must-dos” that it can feel like everything has changed. But in my experience, most companies are still dealing with the same problems they always have: battling with how to deliver faster, awkward and disconnected systems, complex data sets, and teams trying to work better together.

Be careful who you let shape your opinions.
Align with people who build things similar to what you want to build or that have solved similar problems. A lot of what you hear online is marketing dressed up as advice. Not all of it applies, and some of it will send you off course.

Build things people actually use.
It’s the quickest way to learn what matters. Whether it’s something at work or on the side, seeing real people use what you’ve made changes everything. It also puts some of the “vibe-coding” talk into perspective. When you have to build software that’s reliable and meaningful, that people rely on, you start to understand what building real software means.

Developers aren’t just coders.
The job isn’t only to write code; it’s to understand the problem, the trade-offs, and what’s worth building in the first place.

Make your code easy to follow.
Keep it as close to plain English as you can. The aim is for anyone on the team to read and debug it without thinking too hard. Avoid clever abstractions or extra layers that hide what’s really going on. In my experience, simple, easy-to-read code nearly always wins.

Be aware of the dogma.
I’ve sat through so many debates in the past about architecture or the “right” way to do DDD that didn’t move the product forward. Principles are useful, but they should serve the team, not the other way round.

Don’t get trapped by process.
Scrum and Kanban can help, but they can also get in the way. I’ve seen teams spend more time managing the process than solving problems. The best ones automate the boring parts early, talk often, trust each other, and just get on with it.

Be open-minded.
Hold opinions loosely. Listen to others, especially when they see things differently. The best engineers I’ve worked with can defend their view and still change it when it makes sense to.

AI will likely be part of your work now.
Learn how to use it well, but don’t skip the hard parts. Understanding systems, debugging, and design still matter.

Work with people who give you energy.
It sounds simple, but it changes how you work and what you produce.

If you ever get the chance, be part of a real 0 -> 1 build.
You’ll be involved in everything, from architecture to delivery to decisions that actually shape the outcome. It teaches you how systems fit together, what really matters, and how hard it is to make an impact. It’s humbling, and it might change how you build forever.

taplio

The Battle

Peter Kulcsár Szabó

John Radford

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreJohn Radford's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Peter Kulcsár Szabó

John Radford

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}John Radford's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreJohn Radford's LinkedIn Performance