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Senior Software Engineering Manager
Konstantinos Botonakis
I lead AI and platform engineering where strategy, teams, and production systems meet.
Leading AI at WP Engine · Founder, OpenCart London & Greece
- 20+ years shipping production systems
- AI strategy across engineering and product
- Founder-operator experience in eCommerce
Latest writing
All writing AI Strategy
The Model Is Only Half the Agent: What an Agentic Harness Actually Does
AI Leadership
AI Is Changing the Shape of Work
Selected leadership work
Three contexts where my work connects technical judgment, delivery, and business outcomes.
June 2022 - Present
Senior Software Engineering Manager
WP Engine
Current role since April 2026
- Context
- AI strategy needs to become practical product and platform execution, not a disconnected research track.
- Decision
- Align engineering, product, and team practices around production-ready AI capabilities for the WordPress ecosystem.
- Result
- A leadership mandate that connects roadmap, delivery culture, platform intelligence, and measurable customer value.
July 2019 - June 2022
Senior Software Engineer
Hub-Box
- Context
- Retailers needed reliable Click & Collect and Ship to access point services across the UK, Europe, and the US.
- Decision
- Build and maintain SaaS platform capabilities across API, cloud, and eCommerce integrations.
- Result
- Supported a platform used by large retail brands while deepening SaaS, logistics, and integration experience.
2012 - Present
Founder
OpenCart London & Greece
- Context
- Merchants needed custom eCommerce services, hosting, and integrations beyond off-the-shelf OpenCart installs.
- Decision
- Operate service businesses delivering custom addons, extensions, and bank/ERP-connected commerce workflows.
- Result
- Built long-running founder-operator experience at the intersection of commerce, infrastructure, and client delivery.
How I lead
A quiet operating model: set direction, create ownership, and keep systems practical.
Set technical direction
Translate ambiguous AI and platform opportunities into roadmaps teams can execute.
Build ownership
Create delivery cultures where engineers understand the why, not only the ticket.
Keep systems practical
Favor production-ready architecture, maintainability, and measurable value over novelty.
Work cross-functionally
Partner with product, design, and business leaders so technical choices land in the market.
Beyond the highlights
If you want the details, start with my CV. If you're curious about how I think, have a look at the blog.
Start a conversation
If you're evaluating AI, eCommerce, SaaS, or platform engineering leadership, reach out directly.