Shoaib Ilyas
Consultant Lead Solution Architect, Project Bluebird @DigyCorp
Signup · Get unlimited contacts
WORK HISTORY
Consultant Lead Solution Architect, Project Bluebird @DigyCorp
GB
I served as a Consultant and Lead Solution Architect on Project Bluebird, a pioneering collaboration between National Air Traffic Services (NATS), the Alan Turing Institute, and the University of Exeter. Project Bluebird is developing the digital twin of UK airspace and the world’s first AI air traffic controller agent. The platform models aircraft behaviour across UK airspace, enabling a safe simulation environment to train and validate AI-driven air traffic control. This work supports next-generation ATC systems designed to handle increasing air traffic demand while reducing fuel consumption and supporting the UK’s net-zero targets. Key contributions- Architected and delivered a secure, scalable Azure-based digital twin platform, capable of processing and storing millions of sensitive flight-data records, with high availability, disaster recovery, and cost-optimised design - Designed and implemented an end-to-end Zero Trust security architecture, including private networking, encryption, privileged access controls, and continuous compliance aligned to industry standards - Established identity and access controls using RBAC and MFA, alongside Microsoft Defender for Cloud to strengthen security posture, threat detection, and regulatory compliance - Built a secure Trusted Research Environment (TRE), enabling controlled, audited access for engineers and data scientists to work with sensitive datasets - Delivered hardened ML workspaces to support large-scale AI/ML model training and testing, with governed and auditable data egress processes - Implemented comprehensive monitoring, logging, and alerting across platform, data, and security layers to ensure operational resilience This programme is enabling the development of secure, AI-driven air traffic control systems that will transform the future of UK aviation.
EDUCATION
The University of Manchester
BSC Hons, Information Systems Engineering with Industrial Placement
National Vocational Qualification (Management)
NVQ Level 4, Management
SKILLS
ABOUT SHOAIB ILYAS
Senior Azure Cloud Solutions Architect with 20+ years of hands-on experience delivering secure, resilient, and highly scalable cloud platforms for mission-critical, data-intensive environments. Proven track record of leading the architecture of large-scale, first-of-their-kind digital twin and advanced analytics platforms, leveraging cloud, HPC, and AI/ML technologies to solve complex real-world challenges. • Currently leading a delivery of Digital Twin Platform for KAUST’s Coral Reef Restoration Programme, a multi-million-dollar initiative aligned with Saudi Vision 2030, aiming to outplant two million corals across 100 hectares of reef. • Served as Solution Architect for Project Bluebird, a multi-million-dollar collaboration between National Air Traffic Services (NATS), the Alan Turing Institute, and the University of Exeter, delivering the digital twin of UK airspace and the world’s first AI air-traffic controller agent. • Served as Lead Solution Architect for a leading financial services organisation in UK, delivering an enterprise-scale Azure data platform as a single source of truth. The platform enabled governed analytics, self-service Power BI reporting, and regional insights that drove more targeted and effective mortgage campaigns across the UK, generating millions in additional revenue. • Senior Operations Engineer at a leading European mobile games studio (later acquired by Warner Bros.), supporting high-scale platforms for globally successful titles including Village Life and Golf Clash (1M+ daily active users). Architected and delivered a scalable, resilient, and cost-optimised hybrid platform across AWS and Rackspace, enabling sustained growth and high-performance gameplay at scale. These flagship programmes build on over two decades of hands-on experience spanning enterprise networking, cloud architecture, and data platforms. My core strength lies in owning complex, end-to-end architectures and leading multidisciplinary teams to deliver highly secure, resilient, and future-ready cloud, data, and AI platforms. This approach has delivered tangible outcomes across the gaming sector, regulated financial services, environmental science, and national airspace modernisation.
This profile is compiled from publicly available professional sources. Unifers is not affiliated with or endorsed by LinkedIn. Request removal of this profile.