Pavel Popov
IT, AI & Cybersecurity Transformation Leader & Advisor
AI · IT · InfoSec · Cybersecurity · FinTech · Enterprise Architecture
I lead digital, AI and cybersecurity transformations for banks, telecom and government — from strategy and architecture to working product with knowledge transfer. 25 years in IT · 150+ projects · 6 countries in CA & CIS
Experience
25+
years in IT
Projects
150+
Services
I work at the intersection of business and technology. Every service is backed by real projects, not theory.
AI Implementation
Speech analytics, ML scoring, fraud monitoring, AI agents — implementation with deep technical expertise. From architecture to production.
IT & Digital Strategy
IT strategy and roadmap development, current state audit, transformation preparation.
FinTech Team Assembly
Building and managing teams for projects of any scale. Own network of FinTech and AI experts.
Turnkey Delivery
End-to-end project delivery: DWH, RegTech, Digital Banking, integrations — with knowledge base creation and team handover.
RegTech & DWH
Design and implementation of regulatory reporting systems for the Central Bank — from CBS data inventory to data delivery to regulator.
CTO-as-a-Service
Interim CTO for a bank or fintech startup. I make decisions — I take responsibility for results.
Selected Cases
Anonymised real-world projects — challenges, solutions, measurable results.
Digital Transformation of a State Bank of Uzbekistan
Challenge
Transformation of IT and IS departments, building an AI practice from scratch in one of the country's largest state banks.
Results
- +30% to SLA metrics
- 25 key specialists hired and trained
- $25M+ transformation budget
- 4 AI projects launched in production in one year
Speech Technologies Market Leader in 6 Months
Challenge
A leading CA IT integrator wanted to enter the speech technology market from scratch. Strategy, team and product localisation needed.
Results
- Market leader in speech tech in 6 months
- +$3M revenue (10x year-over-year)
- Team of 15 experts
- 5 major bank clients
IT Company from Zero to Bank Stake Sale
Challenge
Build an IT company (subsidiary of a top-5 bank) from scratch: team, products, sales. Fill the niche for banking software in Russia amid vendor exodus.
Results
- Team of 120 people from scratch in 18 months
- Projects worth 3B+ RUB
- Stake sold to strategic investor
- Russian Ministry of Digital Development registry
Flexible engagement model
I work independently or bring in the right people — depending on what the project needs. If you lack internal resources, I can recommend trusted partners. If your team is in place, I work alongside them.
Consulting Team
A pool of independent experts: architects, analysts, project managers and domain specialists in banking, telecom and public sector. We bring in the right people for each task.
Technology Partners
Vendors and integrators in AI, AI agents, speech technologies, DWH, RegTech and FinTech. Partnerships allow us to offer proven solutions without unnecessary intermediaries.
Outstaffing
Access to qualified development and implementation teams for your project. Fast start without in-house hiring: from individual specialists to cross-functional teams.
Corporate & Personal Psychologist
Partnership with a practising psychologist to support top management and teams during periods of change, high workload and transformation. Works individually and with teams.
toselfness.com →
25 years building the digital future of organisations
25 years in IT across Russia and Central Asia. CIO of major banks, founder of AI practices — 150+ projects delivered in banking, telecom and public sector.
AI expert with hands-on experience: from problem definition to production deployment. Machine Learning, Speech Analytics, LLM integrations, AI agents — real projects, not theory.
I work as an independent advisor and team leader. I understand the CA market from the inside: industry-specific regulation, culture and technology landscape.
What clients say
“Pavel demonstrated a rare combination of strategic thinking and the ability to deliver results fast. In 4 months we covered ground that was planned for 2 years.”
Head of IT Department
Major state bank, Uzbekistan
“Pavel's value is that he understands both business and technology equally deeply. His recommendations are always realistic and already contain an implementation plan.”
CEO
FinTech company, Kazakhstan
“Thanks to Pavel, we became market leaders in speech technologies in just 6 months. It seemed impossible until we saw the specific strategy and started executing it.”
Business Development Director
IT integrator, Central Asia
Let's Play!
Take an IT maturity diagnostic or step into the shoes of a major bank CIO. 5 minutes — and you'll know where your IT stands and where to go.
- Quiz: 7 questions → IT profile
- Simulator: 5 real-world CIO scenarios
- CIO Survival: 17 situations, 8 endings
Have a challenge? Let's discuss in 30 minutes
Free initial consultation — we'll analyse your situation and define how I can help