Jihane Lekrari
CA
Summary
Results-driven and innovative leader with over 15 years of experience in data engineering, analytics, and applied AI. Proven track record of building and leading high-performing teams to deliver complex, real-time data solutions in the gaming, finance, and travel industries. Expertise in transitioning cutting-edge AI/ML research into production-ready applications, with a strong focus on generative AI, deep learning, and real-time analytics. My experience provides a unique combination of hands-on leadership in Gaming & Media, Applied Generative AI, and Global-Scale Engineering. I have led teams at PlayStation within the cloud gaming and streaming domain, architected and executed a 5-year Generative AI strategy at the SVP level, and managed 24/7 global teams and data center infrastructure. A collaborative leader with a passion for mentoring engineers and driving cross-functional alignment to solve challenging product problems and inform future product strategy.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
Work History
Head of Data Engineering, Analytics & Applied AI
PlayStation
01.2022 - Current
- Architected and led the "Supercharger for GenAI" program, a 5-year engineering enablement strategy developed in partnership with VP/SVP leadership and IT to accelerate GenAI adoption across the organization.
- Lead a global, around-the-clock delivery organization with teams in California, Europe, Japan, and Australia, ensuring continuous operations and project execution within an Agile and CI/CD framework.
- Lead three specialized teams in game streaming, managing the entire data pipeline from real-time data processing with Kafka, Kubernetes, and Flink to AI-driven insights, leveraging Spark, and GPU computing for performance-critical components.
- Oversee the software architecture and management of private cloud infrastructure and distributed systems across global data centers, ensuring high availability and performance for our data intelligence systems.
- Drive the transition of promising R&D projects into productized and live programs through the Applied AI team, working closely with research teams to accelerate time-to-market.
- Lead key programs including Quality of Experience (QoE) and Quality of Service (QoS) for cloud gaming with visual quality assessment, and data center capacity management for optimal resource allocation.
- Self-motivated, with a strong sense of personal responsibility.
- Worked effectively in fast-paced environments.
- Proven ability to learn quickly and adapt to new situations.
Analytics Manager
iRobot
Boston, MA
01.2021 - 01.2022
- Led a team of analysts responsible for capacity planning, R&D to launch lifecycle analytics, and finance analytics supporting strategic business decisions.
- Developed and implemented analytical frameworks to support strategic decision-making across product development, operations, and finance organizations.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to drive data-driven decision-making processes.
- Streamlined reporting processes, reducing turnaround time for key stakeholder insights.
Business Analyst, Intelligent Polling
Amadeus
Boston, MA
01.2020 - 01.2021
- Created and maintained a Machine Learning (ML) system using predictive modeling that predicted airplane seat availability and flight combinations, powering a search and reservation engine with extremely low error margins.
- Utilized PySpark, Elasticsearch, and A/B testing methodologies to optimize the predictive model and maximize customer booking conversion rates for travel routes and pricing recommendations.
Self-Employed Consultant
Publicis / Station F
Paris, France
01.2017 - 01.2019
- Provided data engineering and analytics consulting services to a major client in the advertising industry, delivering data transformation and reporting solutions.
Analytics Engineer
BNP Paribas
Paris, France
01.2011 - 01.2017
- Developed and managed end-to-end ETL data pipelines and data warehousing solutions for personal finance loan management, debt recovery, and investment banking.
- Delivered real-time insights and recommendations to support agents and financial decision-making.
- Gained deep knowledge of finance, accounting, and asset management through the development of a PnL pipeline for the finance department.
Education
Master of Business Administration (MBA) - Big Data
ESG
Paris, FranceMaster of Science - Computer Science
University of Caen Basse Normandie
Caen, FranceBachelor of Science - Computer Engineering
University of Caen Basse Normandie
Caen, FranceSkills
- AI/ML Engineering: Applied AI, Generative AI, Deep Learning, LLMs, Machine Learning, A/B Testing
- Real-time Processing: Kafka, Flink, Spark, Kubernetes, PySpark, Elasticsearch, OpenSearch, Distributed Systems
- Leadership: Team Design, Program Leadership, Talent Development, Mentorship, Growth Strategy
- Gaming Technologies: Cloud Gaming, QoE/QoS, Capacity Planning
- Infrastructure: Data Centers, Private Cloud, Hardware Management
- Collaboration: Stakeholder Management, R&D to Production, Business Acumen
- Problem-solving
- Multitasking Abilities
- Critical thinking
Websites
Languages
English
Native or Bilingual
French
Native or Bilingual
Interests
- Music
- Potterie
- Applied AI and Agentic development
Timeline
Head of Data Engineering, Analytics & Applied AI
PlayStation
01.2022 - Current
Analytics Manager
iRobot
01.2021 - 01.2022
Business Analyst, Intelligent Polling
Amadeus
01.2020 - 01.2021
Self-Employed Consultant
Publicis / Station F
01.2017 - 01.2019
Analytics Engineer
BNP Paribas
01.2011 - 01.2017
Master of Science - Computer Science
University of Caen Basse Normandie
Bachelor of Science - Computer Engineering
University of Caen Basse Normandie
Master of Business Administration (MBA) - Big Data
ESG