Rod Rivera

Experience

• 

  XING Events | FriendScout24 | BMW | Komdat | EADS | Otto Group | Infiniti Auto

  Jan 2006 - Jan 2009

  Software Engineer
• 

  Emplido (acquired by Experteer Inc.)

  Jan 2009 - Jan 2012

  CEO & Co-Founder

  Founded and led an AI-driven analytics and recruiting platform, successfully exiting to European job board leader Experteer with a 50x ROI.Key responsibilities:* Led product vision, technical architecture, and business strategy from concept to successful exit* Directed product development roadmap integrating customer feedback with technical capabilities* Successfully negotiated acquisition terms and led technical integration with acquiring companyProduct Video: https://vimeo.com/33488861 Show less

• 

  Rocket Internet SE

  Jan 2012 - Jan 2016

  Director, Advertisement Technology & Data Science

  Led technical strategy and implementation for AI-powered recommendation and search systems across multiple e-commerce platforms, serving millions of customers worldwide.Key achievements:* Built and directed engineering teams developing recommender systems using learn-to-rank, Bayesian optimization, and factorization machine techniques* Designed scalable architecture for personalized product recommendations and search results* Led technical implementation of customer relationship management AI systems to optimize sales targeting Show less

• 

  Philip Morris International

  Jan 2016 - Jan 2018

  Manager, Data Science & AI Technologies

  Built and led the data science function for a global consumer products company, focusing on optimizing distribution networks and sales strategies across millions of points of sale.Key responsibilities:* Architected multi-armed bandit reinforcement learning systems to optimize point-of-sale incentive programs* Designed technical infrastructure for gradient-boosting tree regression models handling multimodal data* Collaborated with business stakeholders to translate technical capabilities into measurable business outcomes Show less

• 

  Huawei Technologies

  Jan 2018 - Jan 2019

  Machine Learning Engineering Lead

  Directed machine learning initiatives for demand forecasting and component management for one of the world's largest electronics manufacturers.Key achievements:* Architected hierarchical demand forecasting systems using Gaussian Process models to optimize manufacturing and inventory management* Collaborated with manufacturing and supply chain teams to integrate AI predictions into operational workflows* Designed and implemented shared component demand prediction systems across multiple product lines Show less

• 

  Alibaba Cloud

  Jan 2019 - Jan 2020

  Machine Learning Engineering Lead

  Led development of machine learning systems for cloud infrastructure optimization, focusing on demand forecasting and resource allocation.Key achievements:* Architected and implemented neural temporal point process models for cloud instance demand prediction* Collaborated with product and business teams to translate technical capabilities into customer value* Designed scalable machine learning pipelines for production environments

• 

  Samsung Electronics

  Jan 2021 - Jan 2021

  Technical Director

  Led technology strategy evaluation for frontier technologies including metaverse, AI, and synthetic media for one of the world's largest electronics manufacturers.Key responsibilities:* Directed cross-functional teams evaluating emerging technologies* Provided technical leadership for AI and machine learning initiatives* Developed strategic roadmaps for technology adoption

• 

  Benu.ai

  Jan 2021 - Jan 2023

  Co-Founder & Chief Product and Technology Officer

  Led product strategy and technical architecture for an innovative AI platform aimed at empowering non-technical users to create web applications through natural language interfaces - essentially building "Airtable for the AI age."Key responsibilities:* Designed and implemented the technical architecture for our AI-powered application building platform* Secured design partnerships with early-adopter organizations to validate product-market fit* Pivoted insights from this venture into the AIProduct.Engineer community after recognizing stronger market opportunity in AI education and knowledge sharingLearning outcomes:This entrepreneurial journey deepened my expertise in full-stack development, AI integration, and product-led growth strategies, while reinforcing the importance of market timing for AI products. Show less

• 

  Chris Rod Max | Decoding AI for Enterprise Leaders

  Jan 2024 - now

  Co Host

  Co-lead an influential podcast at the intersection of AI technology, product development, and entrepreneurship, reaching thousands of AI practitioners and decision-makers.Key responsibilities:* Provide technical expertise and strategic insights on emerging AI technologies and applications* Lead technical discussions with industry innovators and AI thought leaders* Translate complex AI concepts into actionable insights for product and business audiences

• 

  Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México

  Jan 2024 - now

  Professor of Artificial Intelligence

  Lead academic instruction on applied AI with a focus on agentic workflows and building production-grade AI systems for graduate-level Data Science students.Key responsibilities:* Developed comprehensive curriculum for AI product engineering, bridging theoretical concepts with practical implementation* Guide students through the entire AI product development lifecycle, from ideation to deployment* Mentor next-generation AI engineers and product developers on best practices for production AI systems Show less

• 

  AIProduct.Engineer

  Jan 2024 - now

  Community Lead

  Leading product strategy and technical vision for the AIProduct.Engineer platform, where we've built a community of 20K+ developers focused on agentic AI applications.Key achievements:* Architected and launched our technical education platform teaching production-ready AI engineering techniques* Developed comprehensive technical curriculum for agentic AI applications* Built and led cross-functional teams across product, engineering, and content creation