Alex D.

About Alex D.

With over 15 years of experience in IT finance and cloud financial management, I am a leader at Publix Super Markets, where I oversee the planning, analysis, and optimization of Azure, Google, and Snowflake cloud expenditures. I am passionate about designing and developing cloud cost management and FinOps best practices and delivering cloud financial dashboards and reports to IT executives and business owners.As an AWS and Azure certified professional, I have a proven record of implementing scalable cloud management methodologies, forecasting and budgeting strategies, and cloud cost reduction initiatives. I also have in-depth knowledge of core business functions, such as IT P&L management, GAAP accounting, IT chargebacks, capital expense management, and BI and data analytics. I leverage these skills and expertise to enable Publix to achieve its cloud migration goals and drive positive impacts on its financial performance and operational efficiency.Specialties: • IT Financial Budgeting, Planning & Forecasting• IT Financial Reporting & Variance Analysis• IT P&L Management• Accruals & Month End Close Processes (Expense & Revenue)• Internal Allocations/IT Chargebacks/Rate Analysis/Showback• IT Financial Management/Governance• AWS & Azure Cloud Financial Management - Certified• Capital Expense Management• GAAP Accounting • Established the Agile Software Development Capitalization Process - Jira Story Point Methodology• Procurement - Technology• Digital Media Advertising Operations• BI & Data Analytics- Tableau, Power BI

Experience

1. Cloud Financial Management & IT Finance - Principal Sr Lead

   Publix Super Markets

   Jan 2022 — Present

   Responsible for overseeing the financial management, planning, and analysis of Azure, Google, and Snowflake Cloud during Publix Super Markets\' cloud migration journey. This involves spearheading the design and implementation of cloud cost optimization initiatives, managing cloud costs, and integrating FinOps best practices.Advocated for and executed a scalable cloud management methodology for Azure, designed and implemented Azure Cloud Financials dashboards, and provided regular reports to IT executives and business stakeholders on our Cloud expenditures\' financial health and benefit-cost ratios.Lead the development and launch of a scalable Azure Cloud Financial Management reporting model, forecast, and budgeting strategy. I closely monitor Azure spending by leveraging Azure cost management data and the Power BI tool, enabling real-time cloud cost visualization and optimization. This encompassed the design of an Azure cloud chargeback methodology and the integration of OpenCost for AKS cost allocation using Power BI, alongside Azure Databricks cost management and analysis at the Databricks workspace, job, and cluster level by leveraging Databricks system tables, as well as the design of Snowflake chargeback methodology Developed cost models for various cloud KPIs, assessed cost efficiencies, and formulated cloud optimization strategies and best practices for VMs, App Service plans, AKS right-sizing, Azure Cosmos DB, SQL databases, Azure storage accounts, Databricks cost categories, Snowflake compute and storage. These efforts contributed to a 50% reduction in Cloud costs, including a 40% decrease in the VM instance rate per hour.

Education

• The Johns Hopkins University - Carey Business School

  Master of Business Administration - MBA, Finance

• Strayer University

  Bachelor's Degree, Accounting