Craig Hoad

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

SKILLS

ABOUT CRAIG HOAD

As a Visionary Cloud Solutions Architect, Cloud Engineer, I specialize in driving large-scale cloud transformations, AI adoption, and automation solutions. With over 10 years of AWS experience and 7 years in solutions architecture, I have consistently delivered secure, scalable, and cost-optimized architectures across a range of industries, most recently in the high-impact field of global R&D at AstraZeneca. I bridge the gap between business and engineering strategy, ensuring that technology not only meets immediate needs but accelerates innovation and positions organizations for long-term success.Throughout my career, I have architected cloud-native solutions on AWS and GCP, empowering businesses to scale and transform their operations with a focus on AI/ML capabilities, DevSecOps practices, and automation. I have been fortunate to work with diverse, high-performing teams and drive significant cloud adoption and digital transformation across multiple industries, including pharmaceuticals, finance, and utilities.At AstraZeneca, I lead the Global R&D Cloud Squad, overseeing solution architecture and governance to ensure rapid, secure, and sustainable cloud adoption across AWS and GCP. I am passionate about designing cloud infrastructure that not only supports cutting-edge research but also enhances team productivity and accelerates time-to-insight for drug discovery and AI-driven research.My approach is rooted in architectural leadership, strategic cloud design, and a strong focus on security by design. I leverage industry best practices, including Infrastructure as Code (IaC), CI/CD pipelines, and multi-cloud governance, to ensure that solutions are optimized, compliant, and resilient.I believe that true success in cloud architecture is not just about building technology but about fostering a collaborative culture, empowering teams to innovate, and ensuring that solutions are future-ready and aligned with business goals.