Pedro Afonso

Tech-Lead (< 2022)

Head of Frontend and Design (< 2024)

VP of Engineering (Present)

• First hire alongside the founders. Built the initial product and engineering team from scratch.

• Bootstrapped the first version of the data visualization platform with a backend-for-frontend architecture using React, GraphQL, Node.js, and Postgres.

• Architected the core platform to enable dynamic app and dashboard creation through a declarative React UI and modular GraphQL API layer.

• Initiated and influenced the design of the Python SDK, enabling internal enterprise teams to programmatically build and publish dashboards via an abstraction over the GraphQL API. Currently being prepared for external release.

• Led the platform’s transition from a vertical fintech tool to a low/no-code data visualization platform architecture supporting wide enterprise use cases.

• Acted as the bridge between design and frontend engineering, steering the strategy on building a modular, reusable, performant, and accessible UI system, ensuring consistency and scalability across the platform.

• Scaled the engineering org to 25+ across multiple squads, defining technical culture, architecture standards, and delivery practices.

• Established and continuously improved product development processes, from ideation to QA and delivery, driving strong collaboration between engineering, design, and product.

• Actively shaped and influenced the product roadmap, aligning the platform architecture with AI-first development workflows, enabling rapid prototyping, iterative delivery, and integration of generative AI features into the builder experience.

Core technologies: React/Node.js/Typescript • Redux • Apollo GraphQL • TypeORM • Postgres • Python • AWS • GitHub 

• Implementation of a reusable component library (react / storybook)
• Implementation of different applications using MaterialUI based components
• Promote and define project standards for Javascript development
• Enhance continuous deployment and integration pipelines
• Contribute to user experience discussions with a technical and pragmatic perspective

Technologies: React/Node.js • Recompose • Redux • ReduxForms • Gitlab Pipelines

Increase product features momentum at Omnia online casino. At the same time, help building an internal front-end team.

• Front-end team tech lead of an early stage and fast paced online casino startup.
• Coach the Java back-end team on GraphQL adoption, schema definition and validation.
• Advocate on effective and functional React.js patterns.
• Support on recruitment and interviewing processes.
• Advice on effort vs business value.
• Recommend approaches for UI / UX taking into account time to market.

Technologies: Preact/Node.js • Recompose • Apollo GraphQL • AWS S3 • Websockets

Build and launch Lightbox (New Zeland) from the ground up across multiple platforms (web, ios, android, tv) using Brightcove Video Cloud platform.

• Main contributor and responsible by the architecture and implementation of Lightbox 2.0 single page application from the ground up. A fully user-driven experience and customizable through CMS.
  
• Mentor of developers with no experience in React.
• Establish a productive development process and guidelines.
• Front-end team tech lead. Team size grew from 2 to 6 developers (2 x 3 developers).
• Advise the project management with insights on effort and risk.
  
• Support in recruitment and interviewing processes.
• Team motivation and momentum through a 1.5 year greenfield project.
• Establish a continuous integration environment for automated build and deployment process in AWS S3.

Technologies: React • Redux • React Apollo • Apollo GraphQL • AWS S3 • Node.js • Javascript • Webpack

Build and launch HBO Go Asia from the ground up across multiple platforms  (web, ios, android, tv) using Brightcove Video Cloud platform.

• Implementation of the middle-ware / API layer for the HBO Go Asia platform.

Technologies: AWS Lambda • Serverless Framework • Node.js • Javascript • Redis

Continuous delivery and support of e-commerce platform for US and Canada market.

• Implementation of a 4-tier Micro-services Architecture replacing existing monolithic implementation.
• Implementation of a product and inventory management solution based in React.js.
• Go-to expert in payment system integration (Paypal, Paypal Credit, Visa Checkout and Apple Pay for Web) and React.

Technologies: React.js • Reflux • Node.js • Javascript • Docker • SQL (SQLServer, PostgresSQL) • NoSQL (MongoDB) • ElasticSearch • Kafka • AngularJS • Knockout.js • Grunt • Gulp • LESS • Docker • Kubernetes • gRPC

Launch of a new product/startup backed by Google's DNI innovation fund.

• Initial scaffolding of SPA.
• Leading and mentoring the front-end team on React.js adoption.

Major portuguese online newspaper revamp of the comments section leveraging a micro-service architecture and a React based real-time system.

• Initial scaffolding of SPA.
• Leading and mentoring the front-end team on React.js adoption.

Technologies: React.js • Redux • Webpack • PostCSS • Node.js • Javascript • CSS

Build a product for data visualization focused on improving the learning experience in UK.

• Technical architect and lead of the product.
• Front-end implementation in AngularJS.

Technologies: AngularJS • d3.js • JavaScript • HTML5 • CSS3 • Grunt • SASS

Developed distributed and parallel computing applications using CrowdProcess in different domains of science, such as:

• Genetic algorithms for job scheduling optimization.
• FASTA algorithm for genome sequence alignment.
• OpenCV and computer vision solutions for animal behavior analysis.

Technologies: Node.js│JavaScript│HTML5│CSS3│Grunt│LESS│Twitter Bootstrap│d3.js

More information
CrowdProcess was an opportunity to work in a friendly and young team, with a high responsibility of building up an idea and proving how useful it can be.
It was also an opportunity for dealing with very specific and different domains of science introducing JavaScript as a modern solution for intensive computing solutions.

Industrial business process optimization and implementation.

• Training of the Business Staff for BPM and BPMN.
• Lead business analysis and discovery sessions with process stakeholders.
  
• Design and implementation of selected business process.
  
• Implementation of a Reusable UI Toolkit using Twitter Bootstrap and jQuery.
  

Technologies: Javascript • HTML5 • CSS3 • IBM BPM v8.0.1 • Twitter Bootstrap • jQuery

LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL and PHP) systems administrator. IT support. Responsible for the testing environment and maintenance of high availability systems (load balancing, drbd, heartbeat). Word- press administration, MySQL and Apache optimization.

Specialty: Parallel and Distributed Computer Systems

Thesis: Parallelization using MapReduce over the Cell/BE processor

Pedro led the architecture and development of the www.lightbox.nz frontend website. Over the year long implementation and post delivery support, Pedro maintained a consistently excellent level of communication, efficiency and quality.

He did an excellent job of ensuring his team grew in skill and ability to deliver, personally providing them vital feedback and training where necessary.

I personally learned many things from Pedro, including how to use a few modern React libraries, and some excellent tips about how one might manage a Pull-Request heavy workflow with a larger team.

Working with Pedro was enjoyable, and the outcome was excellent. I would heartily recommend him for any project, and look forward to the opportunity to work with him again.

I had the distinct pleasure to work with Pedro for two years while consulting for Under Armour. Pedro is the quintessential definition of a team player. He’s always willing to jump into new issues and solve difficult problems. Pedro is able to grasp complex systems and find ways to make them more efficient.
A number of times I was gone, Pedro stepped in as Team Lead for our team and successfully kept the team performing and productive. Even though he doesn’t live in a similar time zone, Pedro was always available throughout the day, working on issues. He does an excellent job working remote and communicating effectively both verbal and written.
I have no doubt Pedro will excel in any organization he finds himself and will be a great asset to any team.

Diligent, thoughtful, careful and creative are some of the words I would use to describe Pedro’s approach to working on a range of complex problems we tackled working for Under Armour which included front-end applications written in React and Angular to back-end services running in Node.js. His proven proficiency throughout the stack allowed him to deliver quality results on time. This coupled with his super positive attitude made him a trusted resource I knew I could always depend on. I would highly recommend Pedro to make a positive impact in any engineering effort.

Pedro is a very hard worker and a doer. He worked directly with me both in the creation of CrowdProcess technical tutorial videos and assisted me with his front-end skills. I enjoyed working with Pedro both personally and in a purely professional point of view. I can even say it is the best representative of animation and team spirit.
The best: have a fantastic team spirit and manages to keep the whole team excited.
The worst: nothing to point.

Pedro is a very qualified person, with excellent communication skills. He always works team oriented.
It was a great pleasure for me to work with him.