Dubai · UAE  |  COO · AI Operations  |  Imperial College London MBA

Kannan Rajaratnam

AI-Powered Operations Leader & Builder

I architect operations that scale through intelligence — not headcount. Across fintech, e-commerce, and digital platforms, I have deployed AI not as a pilot but as production infrastructure: automating compliance, eliminating manual review, and compressing cost while expanding outcome.

My conviction is absolute: AI-driven automation must always preserve the human in the loop. Systems that lock out human judgment degrade the very capacity we need most when complexity peaks.

€13M+
Value Created
60%
Cost Reduction
87
Peak NPS Score
5K+
B2B Clients Onboarded
See What I've Built Work Together
Operating Philosophy

How I Think About Operations

"AI should make humans more capable, not less necessary. The moment your automation locks out human judgment, you have traded resilience for efficiency — and you will pay that debt at the worst possible time."

— Kannan Rajaratnam

01
Infrastructure Over Process
Build operations that handle 10× volume without 10× headcount. Process is a patch; infrastructure is a lever. Every system I design is architected to scale by default.
02
AI as Multiplier, Not Replacement
LLMs in production are a force multiplier for operators — not a replacement for them. I deploy Claude AI and other models as infrastructure that amplifies expert human decision-making, keeps humans in the loop, and escalates complex edge cases to the right person.
03
Human-in-the-Loop by Design
Fully automated systems that exclude human oversight create fragility. When a novel scenario emerges — regulatory, fraud, customer — a locked system degrades the very human capacity needed to resolve it. I design for graceful human handoff, always.
04
Commercial Operational Alignment
Operations must be in direct service of revenue. Every cost I reduce, every SLA I compress, every compliance risk I mitigate translates to a measurable commercial outcome. I measure operations in euros and percentages.

The Case for Augmented Operations

Modern operations sit at a crossroads. On one side: total automation, where machines handle every routine signal and humans are progressively removed from the loop. On the other: the old world of manual review, bloated teams, and process debt.

Neither is the answer. I build the third path — AI systems that handle the 80% with precision, surface the 20% that requires judgment, and keep the human operator sharp, capable, and authoritative. Systems that train human expertise rather than erode it.

Because the complex issue always comes. And when it does, you need humans who can still think.

Verified Impact

15 Years. Measured in Results.

Across fintech, fashion e-commerce, and digital platforms — spanning Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and beyond.

€13M+
Value Created
Across automated refund recovery, co-marketing revenue, market entry incremental NMV, and cost optimisation programmes.
60%
Operational Cost Reduction
At a high-growth B2B fintech — achieved through AI automation ecosystem: Claude AI + MAKE + RETOOL + Zapier, eliminating manual overhead at scale.
70%
Manual Review Time Reduction
KYB/KYC document review automated via Claude AI deployment at a UAE-based fintech platform. 5,000+ B2B clients onboarded without compliance compromise.
87
Peak NPS Score
117% improvement from NPS 40 — Zalora Group. Driven by omnichannel unification, proactive support systems, and payment reliability.
1M+
Customers Acquired
Zalora payments expansion across SEA, HK, Taiwan — integrating 32 payment methods including BNPL, e-wallets, cards.
0.015%
Chargeback Rate
80% improvement at a UAE B2B fintech through real-time transaction monitoring platform (ML-driven flagging via Supabase + Railway + React).
100%
Regulatory Compliance
Across 4 jurisdictions (UAE, KSA, Philippines, Egypt). Zero compliance failures across all monitored regulatory frameworks.
€6M
Annual Refund Recovery
Automated refund recovery engine built at Zalora — 2-hour SLA, end-to-end automation, €6M annual recovery at scale.
€300M+
Revenue Under P&L
Full P&L ownership at Zalora across SEA, HK, and Taiwan markets — 10 years building digital commerce payment infrastructure.
Geographic Reach

Operated Across
Three Sub-Regions

Built and led operations in 10 markets — spanning Southeast Asia, East Asia, and the Middle East & North Africa.

Southeast Asia
Zalora Group · 2013–2024
🇸🇬
Singapore
Regional HQ · Payment strategy & operations hub
🇲🇾
Malaysia
Market operations · Payment localisation
🇮🇩
Indonesia
High-volume market · BNPL & e-wallet integration
🇵🇭
Philippines
Market operations · Customer expansion
East Asia
Zalora Group · 2013–2024
🇹🇼
Taiwan
Full market entry lead · €8M incremental NMV
🇭🇰
Hong Kong
Payment infrastructure · Cross-border commerce
Middle East & North Africa
B2B Fintech Platform · 2024–Present
🇦🇪
UAE
Current base · Compliance & operations HQ · Regulatory anchor
🇸🇦
Saudi Arabia
B2B client operations · KSA compliance framework
🇪🇬
Egypt
Market expansion · North Africa regulatory oversight
🇵🇭
Philippines
APAC operations node · Cross-jurisdictional compliance
10
Markets Operated
3
Sub-Regions
4
Regulatory Jurisdictions
15+
Years Active
Platforms & Products

Enterprise Platforms,
Built from First Principles

Full-stack systems engineered with Claude AI as co-builder — production-grade, deployed, and delivering measurable outcomes.

Compliance & AML
Vanguard
Real-Time Sanctions Screening & Adverse Media Detection
Enterprise-grade compliance platform for real-time transaction and person screening against global sanctions lists: OFAC, UN, EU, HMT, MAS, Interpol. Built with adverse media detection, multi-jurisdiction regulatory logic, and Firebase-backed infrastructure. Designed for fintech operations requiring zero-tolerance compliance coverage.
OFAC · UN · EU · HMT · MAS · Interpol · Adverse Media
React TypeScript Firebase Vite Claude AI
Fraud Analytics
CardShield
Transaction Fraud Detection & Intelligence Platform
Full-stack fraud analytics platform with real-time transaction monitoring, multi-signal risk scoring (BIN lookup, IP intelligence, device fingerprinting, email & phone intelligence), and merchant rule engines. Python backend with FastAPI; React frontend with dynamic risk gauges and fraud dashboards.
Real-time scoring across 5 intelligence vectors
Python FastAPI React Tailwind CSS Docker
Fintech Operations
Pulse
Internal Executive Performance Analytics Dashboard
Real-time operational performance tracking dashboard for an internal B2B fintech productivity suite. Monthly and quarterly reporting aggregation with live data feeds, executive KPI visualisation, and multi-market metrics. Built on TanStack React Query and Zustand state management for high-frequency data reliability.
5,000+ B2B clients · 18,000+ users · 4 jurisdictions
React TypeScript TanStack Query Zustand Recharts
Live Monitoring
Ops Command
Internal Operations Oversight & Live Monitoring Dashboard
Live operations monitoring command centre for an internal compliance and ops productivity suite. Real-time data feeds, transaction alert management, SLA tracking, and operational health metrics. Firebase-integrated with advanced charting. Designed to keep human operators informed and empowered — not bypassed.
Human-in-the-loop by design
React Firebase Recharts Tailwind CSS
Algorithmic Trading · AI Signals
BursaKinetic
Malaysian KLSE Stock Intelligence Platform — 129 Stocks, AI-Powered Signals
Full-stack algorithmic trading intelligence platform for the Malaysian Bursa (KLSE). Covers ~129 stocks with real-time AI signal generation (BUY/SELL/HOLD/TRADE), multi-model conflict resolution, and advanced portfolio optimisation via Mean-Variance Optimisation. Technical analysis stack: Ichimoku Clouds, RSI, EMA, VWAP, Momentum indicators. Sentiment analysis with forum integration. Built with glassmorphism dark theme and institutional-grade UX.
Multi-model AI signal generation with conflict resolution
React TypeScript Python FastAPI Ichimoku RSI · EMA · VWAP MVO Sentiment AI D3.js
Multi-Platform
Buku555
Multi-Component Admin & Customer Platform
Dual-interface platform with separate admin and customer frontends sharing a common Supabase PostgreSQL backend. Rich multi-role access control, data management layers, and operational workflows. Full-stack TypeScript with an extensive design system.
React TypeScript Supabase PostgreSQL
Production · Fintech
Transaction Monitor
Real-Time ML-Driven Transaction Flagging System
Production-deployed transaction monitoring platform for an internal fintech productivity suite — live in operations handling 5,000+ B2B clients. ML-driven flagging, real-time alerts, and human review queues. Delivered 80% chargeback improvement (0.015% rate). Built on Supabase + Railway + React/Vercel.
Production · Chargeback rate 0.015% · 80% improvement
Supabase Railway React Vercel ML Flagging
Domain Expertise

Where I Add
Transformative Value

Fifteen years compressed into six domains where I deliver results that move numbers — not just needle metrics.

Operations Automation
Designing and deploying automation ecosystems that eliminate manual overhead without eliminating human judgment. Claude AI + MAKE + RETOOL + Zapier — production-grade, not pilot-grade.
Claude AI MAKE RETOOL Zapier n8n
Fintech & Payments
P&L ownership for €300M+ revenue. 32 payment methods integrated. BNPL, e-wallets, cards, bank transfers. Payment processing costs driven below 1.6%. Fraud losses held under €20K/year.
Adyen BNPL Fraud Control Multi-market
Compliance & Risk
100% regulatory compliance across UAE, KSA, Philippines, Egypt. KYB/KYC automation. Sanctions screening (OFAC, UN, EU, HMT, MAS, Interpol). AML, adverse media, chargeback control.
KYB/KYC AML Sanctions 4 Jurisdictions
AI System Design
Deploying LLMs as production infrastructure. Claude AI for document review, policy bots, SLA alerts, and operational reports. Function calling, agent design, and API integration. AI that amplifies, never replaces, expert humans.
Claude AI OpenAI LLM API Agent Design
Team & Scale Leadership
Cross-functional teams of 15–40 across operations, compliance, and customer experience. Multi-market expansion: SEA, HK, Taiwan, UAE, KSA, Egypt, Philippines. Built operational infrastructure across 7+ markets.
7+ Markets 40-Person Teams Multi-Jurisdiction
E-Commerce & Digital Retail
10 years scaling Zalora across Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, and Taiwan — one of Asia's largest fashion e-commerce platforms. End-to-end ownership of payments, customer experience, NPS, refund operations, and P&L across 6 markets. €300M+ revenue under direct management.
Zalora Group SEA · HK · Taiwan NPS 87 €300M+ P&L
Full-Stack Platform Building
Operator who builds. React, TypeScript, Python, FastAPI, Supabase, Firebase, Railway, Vercel — I design and build the platforms that power my operational decisions. Not a consumer of tools; an architect of systems.
React TypeScript Python Supabase Firebase
Career

The Track Record

15 years across high-growth operations — always building, always delivering, always accountable to a number.

2024 — Present
B2B Fintech Platform · UAE
Senior Compliance & Operations Director · Fintech B2B Payments
AI-first operations across 4 jurisdictions. Built internal productivity platforms for transaction monitoring, KYB/KYC automation, and proactive support — from the ground up.
2013 — 2024
Zalora Group
Senior Director, E-Payment & Customer Expansion · Southeast Asia
P&L leadership for a major regional e-commerce platform. Scaled payments across 6 markets, drove NPS from 40 to 87, and built automation systems that recovered millions annually.
2013
Groupon Malaysia
Head of Operations
Led a 40-person cross-functional team across 9 verticals. Drove significant contact volume reduction and efficiency gains against global benchmarks.
2010 — 2012
Shell Malaysia
Team Manager · Technical Operations
Technical operations management with a focus on service level delivery and cost efficiency across a 13-person team.
Detailed career record & verified metrics
Full track record with verified outcomes, employer references, and performance data available upon request.
Request Details
Thought Leadership

Ideas Worth Sharing

Perspectives on AI-driven operations, payments, and the architecture of scalable digital organisations.

Core Thesis
Why Fully Automated Operations Are a Liability, Not an Asset
The edge case always comes. Systems designed to exclude human judgment create operational brittleness — a fragility that manifests exactly when your organisation is under most pressure.
AI in Production
Deploying LLMs as Infrastructure, Not as Experiments
Most organisations treat AI as a pilot. I have deployed it as production infrastructure — handling KYB/KYC review, compliance alerts, and operational reporting at scale, reliably, in a regulated environment.
Operations Design
Building Operations for 10× Without 10× Headcount
The inflection point in operational scaling is infrastructure design. When you build for scale from the first line of code, growth becomes additive to margin — not dilutive to it.
Fintech & Payments
Payment Infrastructure as Competitive Moat
Payment reliability, conversion optimisation, and fraud control are not back-office functions. At Zalora, making payments work across 32 methods in 6 markets unlocked a million customers and €300M+ in revenue.
Regulatory
Compliance as Operational Intelligence
Compliance done right is not a constraint — it is a dataset. Real-time KYB/KYC signals, transaction anomaly detection, and sanctions screening feed back into operational intelligence that improves customer outcomes.
Speaking
Available for Panels, Keynotes & Advisory
FinTech LIVE Singapore · Digital Marketing Asia · Customer Experience Conferences. Topics: AI in operations, payments strategy, digital transformation, compliance automation, and the future of human-AI collaboration in operations.
Technical Stack

The Operator
Who Also Builds

I do not just commission platforms. I architect, build, and deploy them — using the same tools as my engineering teams.

AI & LLM
Claude AI OpenAI API LLM API Integration AI Agent Design Function Calling Generative AI
Automation
MAKE (Integromat) RETOOL Zapier n8n Webhooks REST APIs
Frontend
React 18/19 TypeScript Tailwind CSS Vite TanStack Query Zustand
Backend & Infrastructure
Python FastAPI Supabase Firebase PostgreSQL Railway Vercel Docker
Operations Platforms
Zendesk Freshworks Salesforce Intercom WhatsApp Business API KYB/KYC Systems
Data & Analytics
Looker Tableau SQL Python Analytics Executive Dashboards

Let's Build
What's Next

Whether you are scaling a fintech operation, building AI-automation infrastructure, seeking a COO-level operator, or exploring advisory engagements — I'd like to talk.

Dubai, UAE  ·  Available globally.

linkedin.com/in/kannanrajaratnam
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