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Jakub Mikus

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CTO at VML

Cracow, Poland

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About

As a CTO with over a decade of cross-industry experience, I embody the characteristics of both a Business Strategist and Scale-Up CTO. I combine technological expertise, business acumen, and legal knowledge to drive innovation and strategic growth. My current role focuses on technological supervision and business support, overseeing a diverse team of 80+ specialists across frontend, backend, mobile, QA, DevOps, creative technology, and content management.

I align technology strategy with business goals, scale engineering teams to meet company needs, and collaborate with other executives to make data-driven decisions. My focus has shifted from hands-on coding to delivery and operations, ensuring that the engineering team can keep up with the demands of a growing business by establishing processes and best practices for scalability and communicating effectively with stakeholders.

I am passionate about cinematography, street photography, new technologies, and Formula 1.

Experience

Chief Technology Officer

VML (Cracow, Poland)

May 2023 - now

As Chief Technology Officer, I drive our company's tech strategy and lead our development team. I focus on enhancing solutions, launching innovative platforms, and optimizing infrastructure. My role involves aligning technology with business goals, mentoring talent, and ensuring quality delivery. I blend strategic planning with hands-on leadership to keep us technologically competitive and support our company's growth.

Engineering Manger

VMLY&R (Cracow, Poland)

Apr 2021 - Apr 2023

I led a front-end team delivering top-tier software solutions. I bridged communication between technical and non-technical stakeholders, ensuring project success. My role involved mentoring team members, fostering a growth-oriented culture, and promoting workplace diversity. I managed multiple projects simultaneously, meeting deadlines and achieving objectives while maintaining high-quality standards.

Main achievements:

  • Revolutionized talent management by implementing a comprehensive skills matrix, technology radar, and career paths, resulting in improved employee engagement and retention
  • Elevated company profile as a keynote speaker at major tech conferences, including Warsaw IT Days 2022 and PJTAK Job Days 2021, sharing insights on IT management and leadership
  • Spearheaded cross-functional collaboration initiatives, significantly enhancing internal processes and developer experience, leading to increased productivity and job satisfaction

Frontend Developer

VMLY&R (Cracow, Poland)

Jan 2019 - Mar 2021

I crafted and maintained web applications for global industry leaders. My expertise spanned HTML, CSS (including SCSS and BEM), JavaScript (ES6), Angular, Magnolia, and RestAPI. I focused on creating robust, scalable solutions that met high standards of performance and user experience.

Main achievements:

  • Led a major technical upgrade, migrating a complex project from Angular 5 to 9, implementing generic components, and modernizing the state management system from Redux to NgRx, resulting in improved performance and maintainability
  • Mentored and guided webmasters in their transition to frontend development, fostering skill growth and expanding the team's capabilities
  • Initiated and authored a regular frontend team newsletter, enhancing knowledge sharing and team cohesion, which led to improved collaboration and faster problem-solving
  • Spearheaded the frontend development of the Raffaello brand website, earning prestigious Awwwards Honours and Mobile Excellence recognition, showcasing exceptional design and user experience skills
  • Demonstrated rapid professional growth by successfully leading frontend development on a major project as a junior developer, highlighting strong technical skills and leadership potential

Transport Section Executive Assistant

ESTA Europe (Leiden, The Netherlands)

Jan 2016 - Dec 2017

As Regional Development Manager, I organized the Transport Section and expanded the Association across Central and Eastern Europe. I cultivated business relationships in over a dozen countries, resulting in record attendance at international meetings in major European cities. My role focused on strategic growth and fostering cross-border collaborations.

Main achievements:

  • Accelerated Transport Section growth, significantly increasing membership within the first few months through strategic outreach and value proposition enhancement
  • Orchestrated the Association's largest-ever event, attracting over 400 international participants from 10+ countries, showcasing exceptional event management and networking skills
  • Expanded the Section's geographic diversity by successfully integrating companies from underrepresented regions, particularly Central and Eastern Europe, enhancing the Association's pan-European influence

Consultant

QAgile (Warsaw, Poland)

Jan 2016 - Jun 2016

I advised on and implemented strategies to refresh the company's image, boost sales, and enhance its market proposition. My role focused on driving growth through targeted improvements in branding and sales approaches.

Main achievements:

  • Conducted a comprehensive audit of the company website and implemented strategic optimizations, resulting in a significant boost in conversion rates and user engagement.
  • Developed a compelling and differentiated sales proposition that effectively communicated the company's unique value, strengthening its competitive position in the market.

Freelance Web Developer

Freelance (Cracow, Poland)

Jan 2014 - Dec 2018

I created customized websites for diverse clients including companies, institutions, and individuals. My role involved designing complex web solutions, managing content, and implementing ongoing improvements to meet client needs and enhance user experience.

Main achievements:

  • Demonstrated mastery of popular Content Management Systems (CMS) including WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla, leveraging their capabilities to build dynamic and user-friendly websites.
  • Designed and developed a diverse portfolio of websites serving various industries such as sports, building services, automotive, and legal services, showcasing adaptability and proficiency in understanding and meeting the unique needs of each sector.

Business Development Manager

Polish Heavy Transport Association (Cracow, Poland)

Jan 2014 - Dec 2018

I managed the organization's growth, maintaining relationships with partners, sponsors, and members. I handled documentation, communications, and event planning, including trainings and conferences. Additionally, I represented the association at various meetings across Poland and Europe, promoting our interests and expanding our network.

Main achievements:

  • Spearheaded the exponential growth of the association, implementing innovative strategies and initiatives that propelled membership from 10 to 140, representing an impressive 1300% increase.
  • Pioneered the digital transformation of the association's processes and operations, including the successful automation of debit note distribution and association certificate issuance, streamlining workflows and enhancing efficiency.

Lawyer & Business Development Manager

Law Firm IURIDICA (Cracow, Poland)

Oct 2013 - Dec 2018

As Business Development Manager at a top Polish transport law firm, I drove growth strategies and client relationships. Collaborating with IURIDICA, I specialized in representing European transport companies in legal proceedings against English and French customs authorities. My efforts since 2014 resulted in over PLN 6 million in penalty reductions for our clients, showcasing my expertise in international transport law and effective legal advocacy.

Main achievements:

  • Developed innovative and proprietary methods and procedures to support Polish transport companies facing substantial penalties imposed by UK border authorities, providing effective solutions to mitigate financial risks and ensure compliance.
  • Spearheaded the digitization initiative within the organization, including the successful digitization of calendars and daily work tasks, enhancing productivity, collaboration, and overall operational efficiency.
  • Revolutionized the processes for preparing offers, drafting contracts, and monitoring stages of cooperation in class actions by implementing automation and digitization, resulting in a significant reduction of time required for process monitoring and enabling more efficient resource allocation.

Manager & Trainer

Polish Academy of NLP (Warsaw, Poland)

Jan 2010 - Dec 2011

I oversaw operations, organized soft skills workshops, and set company objectives. I focused on employee development, motivation, and internal communication. My role included coordinating marketing and sales campaigns, supervising customer service and social media teams. As a certified trainer, I also conducted sessions on soft skills and interpersonal development, combining management duties with hands-on training expertise.

Main achievements:

  • Earned the prestigious ITA NLP trainer certification at a remarkably young age, demonstrating exceptional aptitude and dedication in the field of Neuro-Linguistic Programming.
  • Delivered high-impact coaching and mental training to renowned Polish athletes, garnering national recognition and media coverage in prominent publications such as NaTemat.pl and Gol24, showcasing expertise in performance optimization and mental resilience.

Editor-in-Chief

NLP Life e-magazine (Warsaw, Poland)

Jan 2010 - Dec 2011

I managed the entire publication process from content selection to final production. I recruited and edited articles, coordinated with graphic designers, photo editors, and DTP specialists. Additionally, I spearheaded promotional and marketing initiatives to boost magazine visibility and readership.

Main achievements:

  • Founded and launched the pioneering Polish e-magazine dedicated to personal development, establishing a groundbreaking platform for readers to access valuable insights, strategies, and resources for self-improvement and growth.

Business Courses

Building and Managing Resilient Teams

2023 at University of Chicago (United States)

Leadership

2022 - 2023 at Esade, Leadership and People Management (Barcelona, Spain)

MBA Essentials

2022 - 2023 at The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) (Great Britain)

ICAN Business Advisor Manager Development Programme

2021 at ICAN Institute (Warsaw, Poland)

Education

Attorney's application

2013 - 2016 at Cracow's Bar Council (Poland)

Masters of Laws (LLM)

2007 to 2013 at Jagiellonian University (Poland)

Certifications

Agile

Soft-skills

Languages

Native

C1

Personality

Personality type

CliftonStrengths