Dhanasekaran Chenniappan
Plano,TX
Summary
Strategic Data Leader with over 22 years of experience in software and data engineering, including 10 years in leadership roles. Proven track record in data governance, AI/ML adoption, and cloud-native data engineering, enabling organizations to leverage data as a strategic asset for growth, operational efficiency, and compliance. Adept at building modern data architectures, fostering data-driven cultures, and aligning data strategy with enterprise goals. Executive presence, with experience influencing senior stakeholders, managing vendors, and driving innovation across complex organizations.
Overview
23
23
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Director of Data Engineering
LeadPoint / Harmony, Avenu
Plano, USA
01.2021 - Current
- Defined and executed enterprise data strategy, aligning governance, architecture, and analytics with business priorities.
- Architected a hybrid AWS-Azure data lakehouse (Kafka → S3 → Databricks), enabling real-time analytics, lead scoring, and compliance reporting.
- Directed BI modernization (DOMO → Power BI), building curated datasets and training business users in self-service analytics, reducing BI developer dependency by 40%.
- Established and enforced data governance frameworks and security policies, ensuring compliance with data protection regulations and internal controls.
- Implemented GenAI-powered LLM pipelines for loan processing and compliance document data extraction, reducing manual review times and improving accuracy.
- Partnered with executive leadership on AI/ML adoption, building practical roadmaps and measurable KPIs for advanced analytics initiatives.
- Managed vendor relationships, negotiated technology contracts, and evaluated emerging data technologies to enhance capabilities.
Data Engineering Manager
LeadPoint
Los Angeles, USA
01.2015 - 01.2021
- Managed a team of data engineers, delivering 100+ production pipelines with focus on scalability, performance, and compliance.
- Directed migration of on-prem databases to AWS, modernizing data infrastructure.
- Implemented and administered self-hosted Apache Airflow, orchestrating ETL and ML pipelines for improved reliability and monitoring.
- Built and maintained Kafka streaming infrastructure and Debezium CDC connectors for real-time data ingestion.
- Developed event-driven reporting systems, reducing reporting latency from hours to seconds.
- Operationalized machine learning pipelines with MLflow to enable predictive lead scoring.
- Established data quality management processes, improving downstream analytics accuracy.
Senior Software Engineer / Data Engineer
LeadPoint
Los Angeles, USA
01.2011 - 01.2015
- Designed and optimized ETL workflows with Pentaho Data Integration (PDI).
- Improved MySQL performance via partitioning, indexing, and schema redesign.
- Modeled and enhanced star schemas to support accurate financial and performance reporting.
- Maintained and supported a homegrown reporting platform, ensuring availability and reliability.
Software Engineer & Data Engineer
Sony, McGraw-Hill, AC Nielsen Europe, Telecom Firms
01.2003 - 01.2011
- Sony (2008-2011): Built enterprise ETL processes and dimensional models for finance, sales, and supply chain; centralized reporting on SQL Server.
- McGraw-Hill & AC Nielsen Europe (2003-2008): Engineered distributed telecom systems in Erlang; optimized AC Nielsen's validation pipelines; improved NY Education Department reporting.
Education
Master of Computer Applications -
Bharathiar University
01.2002
Bachelor of Science - Computer Science
Madras University
01.1999
Skills
- Data strategy and governance – expertise in building enterprise-wide data strategies, governance frameworks, stewardship models, and compliance programs to treat data as a strategic asset
- AI/ML and GenAI leadership – visionary in adopting AI/ML and GenAI solutions, embedding advanced analytics responsibly into business processes, and delivering measurable outcomes
- Data security and compliance – strong knowledge of SOX, GDPR, HIPAA, and CIP requirements; skilled in designing policies for data protection, encryption, access control, and regulatory adherence
- Cloud platforms – advanced experience with AWS (S3, Glue, Athena, DynamoDB) and Azure (Data Lake, Databricks) for modern data lakehouse design, governance, and optimization
- Streaming and integration – proven track record with Apache Kafka, Confluent, and Debezium CDC integration for real-time data ingestion and event-driven architecture
- Data pipeline orchestration – expert in Apache Airflow (self-hosted) and Spark (locally hosted staging) for workflow automation, monitoring, and scalable data processing
- Data warehousing and modeling – skilled in dimensional modeling techniques, trained in person by Ralph Kimball; experienced with Snowflake, Redshift, and SQL Server
- Analytics and BI modernization – led migrations from DOMO to Power BI, enabling enterprise reporting, curated datasets, and self-service analytics adoption
- User training and enablement – designed and delivered enterprise-wide BI self-service training programs, reducing dependency on centralized BI teams, and fostering data literacy
- MLOps implementation – deployed MLflow and supporting frameworks to operationalize predictive models, ensuring reproducibility and governance of machine learning assets
- Predictive and advanced modeling – expertise in predictive modeling, experimentation, and A/B testing to drive insights and improve decision-making
- GenAI in compliance – delivered GenAI-powered document extraction for loan processing and compliance reviews, automating manual workflows with improved accuracy
- Leadership and collaboration – 13 years managing cross-functional teams, aligning engineering, analytics, and operations to strategic goals
- Vendor and contract management – skilled in vendor selection, contract negotiation, and partnership alignment to enhance data capabilities and reduce costs
- Strategic planning – experienced in multi-year budget and roadmap development, balancing ambition with cultural readiness
- Continuous improvement – proven ability to drive transformation programs, implement best practices, and embed continuous improvement in data operations
- Talent development – passionate about mentoring, succession planning, and building organizational readiness for advanced analytics adoption
Certification
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate
- Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO)
- Oracle PL/SQL Developer Certified Associate
- Machine Learning - Stanford University (Coursera)
Languages
English
Full Professional
Tamil
Native/ Bilingual
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Director of Data Engineering
LeadPoint / Harmony, Avenu
01.2021 - Current
Data Engineering Manager
LeadPoint
01.2015 - 01.2021
Senior Software Engineer / Data Engineer
LeadPoint
01.2011 - 01.2015
Software Engineer & Data Engineer
Sony, McGraw-Hill, AC Nielsen Europe, Telecom Firms
01.2003 - 01.2011
Master of Computer Applications -
Bharathiar University
Bachelor of Science - Computer Science
Madras University
Similar Profiles
Ryan EschenbachRyan Eschenbach
Cybersecurity Analyst at Avenu Insights & AnalyticsCybersecurity Analyst at Avenu Insights & Analytics
LAUREN SullivanLAUREN Sullivan
Senior Creative Marketing Designer at Avenu Insights & AnalyticsSenior Creative Marketing Designer at Avenu Insights & Analytics
Holly CheletteHolly Chelette
Sorter / screen cleaner at Leadpoint Business ServicesSorter / screen cleaner at Leadpoint Business Services
Joud AshourJoud Ashour
Barista at Haraz Coffee HouseBarista at Haraz Coffee House
Leslie DaileyLeslie Dailey
Senior Analyst at DaVitaSenior Analyst at DaVita