Alexey Zolotarev

C-Suite Technology Executive & Board Advisor

I bridge the gap between complex technology and the boardroom.

AI as an EBITDA lever, not a toy. Technology decisions translated into capital allocation outcomes.

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Available for board, fractional CTO, M&A advisory, and NED engagements. Operating delivery engagements via aipivt.com.

$800M Exits
5.6x Scaling
53% TCO Reduction
20+ Years Software

Technical Partner to CEOs and Boards

Alexey Zolotarev is a C-Suite technology executive and board advisor with over 20 years in enterprise software and 15 years specializing in high-risk FinTech. Currently serving as General Manager of Software Engineering at Pepperstone in Limassol, Cyprus, he has led technology organizations across three successful exits totaling $800M and scaled engineering teams from 80 to 450 people. His advisory practice focuses on AI governance, M&A technical due diligence, and EBITDA optimization through infrastructure modernization, where he has delivered 35–53% cost reductions. Whether as a fractional board director, interim CTO, or strategic advisor, he brings the technical depth to evaluate complex systems and the business acumen to guide capital allocation, M&A due diligence, and organizational scaling. He is available for board, advisory, and strategic engagements.

Technology Leadership

  • Enterprise AI strategy and implementation
  • Platform architecture at scale
  • Engineering org design and culture

Governance & Risk

  • AI governance and compliance frameworks
  • Technical due diligence for M&A
  • Regulatory-critical system oversight

Value Creation

  • EBITDA improvement through technology
  • Infrastructure TCO optimization (35–53%)
  • P&L growth and capital allocation

Advisory Services

Four areas where Alexey Zolotarev delivers measurable outcomes for boards, PE funds, and technology-driven organizations.

AI Governance

Enterprise AI governance frameworks, board-level AI oversight, and measurable ROI. Certified in AI Security & Governance and DSPM Fundamentals.

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M&A Due Diligence

Pre-acquisition technical evaluation and post-merger integration for PE funds and strategic acquirers. 4 acquisitions, $800M in exits, zero business disruption.

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Hyper-Growth Scaling

Technology organization scaling for high-growth companies. 5.6x engineering org growth (80 to 450 people), $3.8T monthly trading volume.

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EBITDA Optimization

Infrastructure TCO reduction of 35–53%, P&L growth through technology efficiency. $35M investment plan delivering 27% quarterly revenue growth.

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Operating Vehicle

Beyond advisory engagements, I lead Pivot Applied AI (aipivt.com) — an operator-led applied AI practice focused on EBITDA-driven AI transformation for regulated industries and growth-stage companies.

The practice extends my advisory work into hands-on delivery for organizations that need execution alongside oversight. Engagements are limited per quarter to preserve direct founder involvement.

Visit Pivot Applied AI →

Core Expertise

AI as an EBITDA Lever, Not a Toy

Boards don't need another AI strategy deck. They need AI investments that show up on the P&L within two quarters. I help CEOs and boards translate AI from innovation theatre into capital allocation decisions with measurable EBITDA impact and defensible governance.

  • Designed AI-core platform for personalization, risk modeling, and operational automation at an iGaming startup
  • Defined enterprise AI strategy with measurable ROI targets at Pepperstone
  • Certified in AI Security & Governance and DSPM Fundamentals

Key result: Built AI-driven platform from zero to Product-Market Fit, Seed to Round A

Explore AI Governance advisory →

Track Record

$800M

Exits & Value Creation

  • Led tech strategy for 3 exits totaling $800M
  • 5x business growth at 2 mid-sized FinTechs
  • 4x P&L growth in portfolio companies
5.6x

Scale & Growth

  • Tech org scaled from 80 to 450 people
  • $3.8T monthly trading volume supported
  • 27% compounding revenue growth per quarter
53%

Efficiency & Integration

  • Infrastructure TCO reduced by 35–53%
  • 4 M&A integrations led with zero disruption
  • 99.9997% platform stability maintained

All figures verifiable through prior roles documented on LinkedIn.

Executive Experience

Current

Pepperstone

GM Software Engineering

2024 – Present • Limassol, Cyprus

  • Leading technology transformation of a Top-10 global FX broker
  • Full technology P&L responsibility
  • AI strategy and engineering execution across two continents
Scaling AI Strategy P&L Ownership

iGaming Startup

CTO & Chief AI Officer

2023 – 2024 • Limassol, Cyprus

  • Built startup from zero to Product-Market Fit
  • Seed to Round A fundraising
  • Designed AI-core platform for personalization and risk modeling
Startup AI/ML Zero-to-One

Exness

Interim CTO / Head of Software Engineering

2020 – 2023 • Limassol, Cyprus

  • Scaled platform to $3.8T monthly trading volume
  • Drove 5.6x tech org growth (80 to 450 people)
  • Authored $35M tech investment plan, 27% quarterly revenue growth
Hyper-Growth Interim CTO FinTech

ESW Capital Fund

VP Software Engineering

2016 – 2020 • Houston, TX

  • Technology operating partner for a $4B PE fund across 3 portfolio companies
  • 53% TCO reduction, 4x P&L growth
  • Delivered DevSpaces (acquired by GitHub)
PE/VC M&A Due Diligence

Deutsche Bank

Senior Software Engineering Manager

2011 – 2016 • London, UK

  • 99.9997% platform stability for mission-critical systems
  • Regulatory-critical risk engine processing 5TB daily across 2,000 nodes
  • 35% TCO improvement through platform consolidation
Enterprise Regulatory Risk Systems

Earlier Career

Swisscom • Exigen Services • Scientific Research Center

2005 – 2011 • Switzerland & Russia

  • Telco platform engineering at Swisscom
  • Enterprise service platforms for Sun Microsystems and AIG
  • Foundational software engineering in C++ and Java
Telco Enterprise

Credentials

Education

  • The Open University Business School — MCA, Management
  • Saint Petersburg State Electrotechnical University “LETI” — MCA, Information Systems

Certifications

  • DSPM Fundamentals
  • AI Security & Governance
  • Scrum Alliance Certified Scrum Professional

Languages

  • English — Native
  • Russian — Native

What Colleagues Say

He has a unique combination of entrepreneurial thinking and outstanding implementation, which always ensured him delivering outstanding results. I am especially thankful for his contribution and huge business impact in technological solutions for new and established markets.
Artem Seledtsov
Chief Partnership Officer & Chief Business Development Officer, Exness
As my manager, Alexey was understanding, helpful and was able to remove any pressure off me, while ensuring that work is done as per the schedule. He always removed blockers and consistently empowered the whole team.
Alaa Nassef
Lead Software Engineer, 5X AWS Certified
One of the great guys from Technology that business owners enjoy working with because he takes the time to understand your issues and find ways to provide solutions. Highly skilled at communications and translating the needs of our business outcomes to Technology requirements.
Daniel McChane
Customer Operations
Alexey is a genius of strategy and operations. While being responsible for Engineering in 3 companies within the Group of ESW, Alexey rebuilt these companies into efficient delivery machines. I can strongly recommend Alexey as a great leader for company transformation and pushing it to the next level.
Lev Boyarskiy
Engineering Leader, 20 Years of Experience
Alexey is a competent senior technical manager who can deep dive into technical details and lead by example. It is a pleasure to have him being hands on with the detail, while keeping the bigger picture in mind. I can recommend Alexey as a role model of a very senior mature technology manager.
Danut Clapa
Application Architect / IT Manager
Alexey has a very strong Strategic Product Vision and a natural hunt for finding new sources of revenue. He deeply understands customer needs and finds efficient ways to satisfy them. In ESW, Alexey managed to rebuild a massive Telco into an efficient delivery-driven customer-focused organization.
Gowtham Sen Potnuru
Product Leader

Frequently Asked Questions

What industries does Alexey Zolotarev specialize in?

Alexey specializes in high-risk, high-growth FinTech environments, with 15 years of experience in FX trading platforms, iGaming, and financial services. He has also worked across telco (Swisscom), enterprise software (Deutsche Bank), and PE-backed portfolio companies (ESW Capital). His advisory practice focuses on technology-driven businesses where platform reliability, regulatory compliance, and rapid scaling are critical.

What is Alexey Zolotarev's approach to AI governance?

Alexey moves beyond AI hype to implement enterprise frameworks that deliver measurable ROI while mitigating compliance and security risks. His approach aligns AI initiatives with governance, risk management, and board-level oversight requirements. He holds certifications in AI Security & Governance and DSPM Fundamentals, and has designed AI-core platforms for personalization, risk modeling, and operational automation.

What M&A experience does Alexey Zolotarev have?

Alexey has led the technical due diligence and post-merger integration of 4 acquisitions with zero business disruption. As VP of Engineering at ESW Capital (a $4B PE fund), he served as technology operating partner across 3 portfolio companies, delivering 4x P&L growth and a product (DevSpaces) that was later acquired by GitHub. He has led tech strategy for 3 exits totaling $800M.

What results has Alexey Zolotarev delivered as a technology executive?

Key results include: $800M in exit value across 3 transactions, 5.6x technology organization scaling (80 to 450 people), $3.8T monthly trading volume platform support, 35–53% infrastructure TCO reduction, 5x business growth at 2 mid-sized FinTechs, 27% compounding quarterly revenue growth, and 99.9997% platform stability for mission-critical financial systems.

How does Alexey Zolotarev help boards evaluate technology investments?

Alexey balances fiduciary responsibility with execution excellence, ensuring technology investments translate into EBITDA improvement and sustainable competitive advantage. He brings the technical depth to evaluate complex systems and the business acumen to guide capital allocation. His $35M tech investment plan at Exness delivered 27% quarterly revenue growth, demonstrating his ability to connect technology spend to measurable business outcomes.

Is Alexey Zolotarev available for board advisory roles?

Yes. Alexey is available for fractional board director positions, non-executive director (NED) roles, interim CTO engagements, and strategic advisory. He is based in Limassol, Cyprus, and works with organizations globally. Contact him at alex@nospam.azolotarev.com or connect via LinkedIn.

What is the relationship between Alexey's advisory work and Pivot Applied AI?

Pivot Applied AI (aipivt.com) is the operating vehicle through which Alexey delivers hands-on AI transformation engagements. Advisory roles (board, NED, fractional CTO) are conducted personally. Delivery engagements run through AIPIVT. The two are deliberately separated to avoid conflict of interest and to give clients clarity on what they're contracting for.

Is Alexey currently accepting new engagements?

Alexey is currently in a full-time executive role and accepts a limited number of advisory and board engagements per year. AIPIVT operates on a constrained-capacity model — typically a small number of clients per quarter — to ensure direct founder involvement.

What does "AI as an EBITDA lever" mean in practice?

Most AI projects are treated as innovation experiments and funded as discretionary spend. Alexey's approach treats AI as a capital allocation decision: every initiative must show measurable EBITDA impact within two quarters, with funding sourced from infrastructure savings rather than new budget. This framing shifts AI from "cost center experiment" to "shareholder value driver" — and is the basis of board conversations Alexey leads.

Let's Connect

Available for board, fractional CTO, M&A advisory, and NED engagements. Operating delivery engagements via aipivt.com.