How Predrag Poposki is making cloud-based supercomputing accessible to every business

• Explore how Zühlke’s cloud practice operates

• Learn about the “cloud mindset” Predrag’s team have embraced

• Discover what software engineers can achieve at Zühlke

If every business could harness the power of a supercomputer – how game-changing would that be?

It’s a question that Predrag Poposki, the Head of Cloud at Zühlke’s Global Delivery Center in Europe, is tackling head on. Because that is how Predrag sees the cloud: as a supercomputer that can allow businesses (large and small) to handle massive amounts of data and perform calculations at incredible speeds.

But only if used right.

That’s the big challenge for Predrag and his team. How to cut through the noise of ‘cloud transformation’ and help businesses use the immense power of cloud-based solutions to reach their most ambitious goals.

Want to know more about how he got started, the projects he’s worked on, and the exciting opportunities a career working with the cloud can bring? Keep reading…

The journey to Head of Cloud

Predrag started his Zühlke journey as an Advanced Software Engineer, a role that helped him sharpen his already impressive technical skills. He developed features, wrote automated tests, held Scrum meetings – you name it.

But it wasn’t long until he found a new passion: people leadership. He led “20 magnificent Java engineers”.

Then, after five years working at Zühlke, he was given an exciting new opportunity when the company’s Porto office opened. As Managing Director, he had the challenging task of shaping key processes, attracting the right talent, and building a robust ecosystem.

Now, his career has come full circle.

He’s working on technical solutions again. “Lots of people are afraid they’ll never do any technical work again when they go down the management track. I cannot get rid of it,” he jokes.

It’s one of the things he values about Zühlke – the ability to shape your career path and take on new responsibilities. Now, as Head of Cloud, Predrag manages a practice that’s focused on unlocking the opportunities of cloud. “Our job is to help businesses adopt the right cloud solutions so they can make a dent in their goals.”

Why cloud?

In short, because it’s one of the most exciting disruptive technologies on the planet. But for Predrag, it’s far more than just another tech trend. “Even industries resistant to change are adopting cloud-based solutions.”

His team serves clients in the DACH region and the U.K., so they deal with a “continuum of different realities.” Some customers are late adopters and need Zühlke’s expertise to fix the technical debt and catch up with cloud adoption to stay competitive. Others are now looking for ways to fix hasty decisions they made at the start of their cloud journey.

“Our customers are seeing a lot of value from cloud, but they need an expert to devote their time and expertise to making it actually work for them. That’s where we come in.”

Zühlke’s approach to cloud solutions

Predrag and his team don’t jump head first into a project, they stop and ask – “why?”.

This is always done from a business outcome perspective. They even challenge customers to consider whether the cloud might not be the solution to their problem.

“We’re a preferred partner to our customers because we’re strategic consultants and problem solvers. We won’t let a business waste a ton of money on something they don’t need. We get rigorous on the hypothesis and we’re even prepared to lose an opportunity if the business pushes for a solution they don’t need. 

He says this partnership approach to cloud adoption helps Zühlke’s customers swerve past costly mistakes and keeps the entire operation focused on an achievable product.

Being committed to shaping a cloud product that’s valuable to the client is also great for employee morale. Predrag says it means his team have a “cloud mindset” and are highly motivated to create solutions that are “cool for you, cool for business value, and cool for customer outcomes.” That win-win-win factor for the employee, the business, and the customer is the hallmark of a good Zühlke project.

The multi-cloud mindset

As a global innovation service provider, Zühlke serves customers across a wide range of industries. But it isn’t just agnostic to industry or discipline. Zühlke’s cloud practice is platform agnostic too.

“We don’t believe there’s a silver bullet for anything, so that’s how we approach tech solutions.” Developing a multi-cloud solution adds complexity, requiring a complex formulation of solutions and skills. It means managing different service contracts, establishing consistent security measures, and ensuring seamless communication.

But, Predrag believes it’s ultimately the most effective path forward. “We don’t do it because it’s easy. We do it because it makes sense.”

Looking forward

Over eight years, Predrag has assembled one of the youngest teams at Zühlke, created a mindset shift in how cloud solutions are developed, and established a new team of digital-transformation-hungry software engineers at Zühlke’s European Global Delivery Centers. What’s next?

“Exploring the big trends that build on the foundation of the cloud,” he says.

For Predrag, the democratisation of this supercomputing power has one significant benefit. It means businesses can access and utilise data in a way that can revolutionise what they produce and how they produce it. “That’s how we’ll help businesses not just make the most of today’s opportunities but be ready for tomorrow’s opportunities too.”