Edgar Omar Alvarez Leza
IT Director / CIO
Monterrey, Nuevo León
Summary
Highly qualified senior IT Professional with 27+ years of experience in IT Operations, IT Infrastructure Management, infrastructure and software-development Projects, Program & Portfolio Management, Digital Transformation, Consulting, Service Delivery, Managed Services, Data Centers, and Cloud Services. 20+ years of experience in management positions. Worked for 2 telecommunications and IT managed-services providers, a global technology-services company, a protection & insurance services company, a housing-builder company, and an aviation-services company. MBA and certified as PMP and ITIL. Awarded twice in the Digital Transformation category of “The 100 Best CIOs in Mexico” (CIO100 2022 and 2023).
Overview
28
28
years of professional experience
15
15
years of post-secondary education
5
5
Certifications
Work History
IT Director
Grupo LOMEX
1 2019 - Current
- Leadership: Lead a team of 22 onsite and remote resources, driving the strategy, planning, implementation, and day-to-day support of IT services, software development, and digital transformation initiatives aligning the Information Technologies with the company’s business-units processes and goals.
- Strategic Advisor: Provide technology and innovation guidance to business leaders, enhancing process efficiency, service quality, and alignment with business/IT goals.
- Technology Strategy: Direct efforts to continuously develop and execute technology strategies and digital transformation projects, ensuring business value, operational excellence, and exceptional customer experiences.
- Infrastructure Management: Oversee the evaluation, deployment, management, and operation of current and future business applications, infrastructure, security solutions, and IT services across the organization.
- Policy and Process Development: Develop, implement, and enforce IT and security policies, processes, and procedures, including employee training and awareness.
- Team Leadership: Recruit, train, performance review, coach, manage, motivate, and lead three managers and their technical teams (developers, business analysts, project managers, system and network administrators, and 3rd parties), prioritizing IT initiatives to achieve business/IT objectives.
- Budget Oversight: Develop, monitor, and control annual IT operating and capital budgets, optimizing cost and expenditure management. Payables process management, and vendor/contract management and evaluation.
IT Director
GP Vivienda
06.2015 - 12.2018
- Led a team of 23 onsite and remote resources, overseeing the strategy, planning, implementation, application development, support, and alignment of Information Technologies with company business processes
- Strategic role: Provided technology and innovation guidance to leaders in sales, marketing, finance, construction, and operations, driving improvements in business process efficiency, service quality, and the achievement of business/IT goals
- Team Management: Managed technical teams, including developers, business analysts, project managers, system and network administrators, and third-party partners, ensuring successful project delivery and alignment with business objectives
- Implemented and enforced IT policies, processes, and procedures
- Enterprise IT Responsibility: Responsible for the definition, planning, implementation, and support of current and future enterprise infrastructure, business applications, Business Intelligence, and IT services (Help Desk and support)
- Infrastructure and Budget Management: Developed, tracked, and controlled annual IT operating and capital budgets
- Evaluated and managed vendors and contracts
- IT Governance: Oversaw the governance of the company's IT project portfolio and IT Operations, following PMI and ITIL principles
- Contribution Highlights:
- IT Governance: Implemented the IT Project Management practice and PMO, and our ITIL Help Desk
- Infrastructure Enhancement: Directed the consolidation of enterprise infrastructure and Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) implementation using virtualization technologies and migrating the infrastructure to a Service Provider's Data Center, achieving zero outages in business applications within a 2-year timeframe
- Processes Digitalization and Improvement: Directed the development of tablet applications for home building progress reporting, contractor payroll, materials requisition, and Quality Assurance in the field using an outdoor Wi-Fi network
- Also directed developments for Customer Service processes and corporate performance and salary reviews
- New revenue support: Directed the implementation of a Contact Center platform for lead follow-up
- Communication and Collaboration Improvement: Successfully led the company's migration to Google Suite
- CRM and ERP: Led the evaluation and achieved 50% implementation of a Salesforce CRM and Boomi middleware for marketing and sales-operations processes, and a 40% implementation of a new ERP system for production processes before leaving the company.
IT Director
Grupo DECO Nacional
04.2014 - 06.2015
- Led a team of 10 onsite and remote resources, overseeing the strategy, planning, implementation, application development, support, and alignment of Information Technologies with company business processes
- Enterprise Responsibility: Responsible for the definition, planning, implementation, and support of business applications (ERP, CRM, and in-house software developments), enterprise infrastructure (Data Center, servers, storage, databases, PCs, telephony, networks, and security), and IT services (Help Desk and support)
- Project Management: Managed resource planning, scope control, change management, risk mitigation, and issue resolution for the company's IT projects
- IT Governance: Defined, implemented, and enforced IT governance, standards, and best practices based on PMI and ITIL frameworks
- Contribution Highlights:
- IT Governance: Successfully initiated the IT Project Management practice and established the PMO, enhancing project delivery and governance
- Additionally, led the implementation of the ITIL Help Desk, improving IT service management and customer support
- Technology Migration: Directed the strategy and application development to migrate a core protection-and-insurance management process from Oracle Forms/Reports to web-based technology, enhancing efficiency and accessibility.
Sr. Manager
AXTEL, San
04.2011 - 04.2014
- Leadership: Led a team of 7 subject matter experts and oversaw all phases of technology strategy, innovation, and the lifecycle of Cloud and Managed Services development, including concept design, technology evaluation, business case analysis, service capabilities design, technology alliances, implementation, and industry best practices certification
- As-a-Service Responsibilities: Responsible and accountable for the development and implementation of Infrastructure and Software as-a-Service offerings
- Budget Management: Developed and managed the budget for the implementation of new services, encompassing CAPEX and OPEX
- Sales Support: Provided sales support for Cloud and Managed Services pre-sales and service delivery
- Vendor and Contract Management: Evaluated vendors and contracts to enhance service delivery
- Contribution Highlights:
- Data Center Expansion: As Project Leader, successfully expanded AXTEL's Data Center facilities from 1,200 to 2,000 m2, overseeing a 5-year budget of USD$21.6M and a cross-functional team of 40 resources
- As-a-Service Delivery Projects: Directed Infrastructure and Software as a Service projects, including Cloud Computing (5-year budget of USD$43.4M, deployed in partnership with HP) and Endpoint, Email, and Web Cloud Security (5-year budget of USD$21.8M deployed in partnership with McAfee)
- As-a-Service Offering Definitions: Led the definition of new IaaS and SaaS offerings such as Cloud Storage, Virtual Desktop Infrastructure, Cloud ERP for SMBs, and the evaluation and business planning of a new Data Center
- Certifications: Achieved ICREA Level 3 S-WCQA Certification and Uptime Institute Tier III Certification of Design for the Data Center
- Led the 2013 re-certification audit for Cisco Gold and CMSP (former MSCP) and the certification audit for 2 Cisco Powered Services (Internet and MPLS VPN).
Sr. Manager
AXTEL, San Pedro
05.2008 - 04.2011
- Leadership: Led a team of 20 software architects, system administrators, and developer resources, overseeing technology architecture, IT Operations, and business enablement of Managed Services using new technologies
- Strategic Direction: Defined technical and business roadmaps, developed RFI, RFQ, and RFP documents, and conducted sizing, analysis, and implementation of strategic and tactical plans
- Operations: Responsible for 24/7 support, administration, and maintenance of servers, tools, systems, databases, and networking
- Managed internal and external user support for service requests and incidents
- Business Continuity: Ensured Business Continuity by implementing and continuously improving a Disaster Recovery Plan
- Best Practices: Implemented industry best practices and related processes and tools to enhance service delivery
- Project Management: Managed resource planning, scope control, change management, risk mitigation, and issue resolution for complex and large-scale Managed Services projects
- Budget and Vendor Management: Developed and managed budgets (CAPEX and OPEX) and evaluated vendors and contracts
- Contribution Highlights:
- Helpdesk System Enablement: Directed the enablement of the Helpdesk system based on HP Service Manager for AXTEL's 300+ largest accounts, enhancing customer support
- Large-Scale Service Delivery Projects: Led large-scale projects in Helpdesk and Infrastructure Management for large and federal government accounts
- Strategic Partnership: Successfully managed a project with a USD$14.8M budget, establishing a 5-year partnership with CA Technologies products and an HP virtualized hardware platform
- Certifications: Directed the process enablement on tools and systems to achieve Cisco Managed Service Provider, ISO 20000, and 27001 certifications, demonstrating a commitment to industry standards and security.
Solution Architect
Hewlett Packard
10.2006 - 05.2008
Manager/Sr. Manager
AVANTEL
03.2002 - 10.2006
Sr. Engineer
San Pedro Garza
03.1999 - 03.2002
Surveillance Engineer
Pedro
01.1997 - 03.1999
Education
MBA - Finance
Universidad TecMilenio
05.2001 - 05.2016
Bachelor of Science - Electrical, Electronics And Communications Engineering
Tecnologico De Monterrey (ITESM)
Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico 05.2001 -
Skills
Excellent communication (business and technical)
Mentoring, customer facing and leadership
Proven ability to excel in management positions (analytical thinking, deadline/goals-driven, business/results/customer service/team-oriented, proactive, resilient and problem/conflict solving)
Expert at strategic planning and analysis of technology and innovation
Overseeing of onsite and offsite cross-functional technical and business teams
Large-scale project management and budget development, evaluation, planning, and management; cost control and financial forecasting of technology and personnel resources
Certification
PMP
Accomplishments
Contribution Highlights:
· Remote Work Initiative: Transformed the collaborative processes and skills within the organization implementing Google Workspace (former GSuite), enabling a successful work-from-home transition during the COVID-19 crisis.
· Information Security Enhancement: Raised information security posture within the company by cutting security risks, implementing, and enforcing Information Security policies and protecting 100% of employees with new security solutions (network security, endpoint security, email security, identity and access management, vulnerability management, among others.
· Infrastructure Consolidation: Achieved a cost-effective infrastructure consolidation with a 20% cost improvement.
· Digital Transformation: Successfully achieved our Digital Transformation and Cloud adoption, that included the implementation of an ERP system in AWS cloud, a Business Intelligence cloud platform (MS Power BI), outdoor Wi-Fi networks deployment, 160+ iPads configuration and delivery using a cloud MDM, and digital processes change management. Also implemented our Digital Transformation Center of Excellence achieving the continuity of the Digital Transformation and Cloud Journey of the organization. Leading the evaluation and implementation of SaaS platforms for a new HRMS and a middleware from Boomi.
· Project Management: Led the startup of the IT Project Management practice and PMO. Enforcing the SCRUM framework for agile project implementations and software development.
· Cybersecurity and Compliance: Leading the implementation of the NIST cybersecurity framework toward ISO27001 certification.
Timeline
IT Director
GP Vivienda
06.2015 - 12.2018
IT Director
Grupo DECO Nacional
04.2014 - 06.2015
Sr. Manager
AXTEL, San
04.2011 - 04.2014
Sr. Manager
AXTEL, San Pedro
05.2008 - 04.2011
Solution Architect
Hewlett Packard
10.2006 - 05.2008
Manager/Sr. Manager
AVANTEL
03.2002 - 10.2006
MBA - Finance
Universidad TecMilenio
05.2001 - 05.2016
Bachelor of Science - Electrical, Electronics And Communications Engineering
Tecnologico De Monterrey (ITESM)
05.2001 -
Sr. Engineer
San Pedro Garza
03.1999 - 03.2002
Surveillance Engineer
Pedro
01.1997 - 03.1999
IT Director
Grupo LOMEX
1 2019 - Current
Similar Profiles
Franco García RebonatoFranco García Rebonato
Corporate Procurement Manager at Grupo KastoCorporate Procurement Manager at Grupo Kasto
Gabriela VillafuerteGabriela Villafuerte
Interprete Medico at Grupo LevanterInterprete Medico at Grupo Levanter
LUIS MARIO CASTRO CERDALUIS MARIO CASTRO CERDA
Supervisor De Producción at Grupo BachocoSupervisor De Producción at Grupo Bachoco