Maher Hanafi
SVP of Engineering at Betterworks
San Francisco, California, United States
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A passionate and results-oriented engineering leader, possesses a proven track record of transforming and empowering high-performing teams across diverse industries, from video games and mobile to cloud computing and AI. As Senior Vice President of Engineering at Betterworks, he leverages his expertise in cloud migrations, SaaS solutions, and building impactful products to cultivate environments where engineers thrive.
Maher's vision extends beyond technology itself, aiming to revolutionize tech workplaces by fostering human potential alongside cutting-edge solutions. He achieves this through his people-centric leadership style, building collaborative environments that empower teams to excel and consistently deliver outstanding results. This commitment to empowerment also extends beyond his team, as he actively mentors fellow engineering leaders and shares his knowledge through mentorship and public speaking.
Area of Expertise
Topics
Passion-Driven Engineering: A Journey of Continuous Growth and Impact
This keynote explores the power of following my passions to drive a successful and impactful engineering career, using a "Passion-Driven Growth Development" model.
We will be exploring my journey from Tunisia to Canada and then to the Silicon Valley. A journey fueled by a deep love for technology, showcasing how embracing new passions can lead to unexpected opportunities and continuous growth.
● My fascination and passion for video games as a kid took me to work for major gaming companies like Ubisoft and Electronic Arts.
● Then the first iPhone was released, and my curiosity took me placed where I ended up creating hundreds of apps, building a mobile development business, and leadership roles in mobile engineering.
● My move to Silicon Valley marked a transition into management coupled with a new passion for distributed cloud solutions and AI.
This session will demonstrate how a passion-driven approach, coupled with continuous learning, can propel engineers through diverse roles and industries.
This will showcase a unique career path where a passion for innovation and technology has been the driving force behind each new stage, providing inspiration and motivation for engineers looking to create their own impactful journey.
AI Realized 2024 - GenAI in HR Tech: From PoC to Production - Enterprise AI Summit
Vice President of Engineering at Betterworks, outlines a framework for implementing generative AI in HR technology, moving from proof-of-concept to full production. The presentation details a four-stage "flywheel" process encompassing planning, building, running, and optimizing AI solutions, emphasizing incremental implementation to mitigate risk. Key themes include the importance of data quality, collaboration, and responsible AI governance, alongside practical considerations such as cost management and technical architecture. The ultimate goal is to leverage Gen AI to maximize organizational talent, utilizing it for various HR functions like performance reviews and employee development.
AI Realized 2024 Enterprise AI Deployment Summit was organized in San Francisco, CA
From Monolith to Microservices: The Art of the Strategic Migration
Cloud-native architectures like microservices offer the enticing promise of scalability, agility, and resilience, tempting many engineering teams to make the switch. However, migrating away from a monolithic codebase is no easy feat.
This talk dives deep into the realities of transitioning to microservices, dismantling the myth of a simple "lift-and-shift" approach. We'll explore the hidden complexities of monoliths that extend beyond a single code repository. Additionally, we'll tackle the strategic considerations and real technical challenges engineering teams face when strangling the monolith – gradually replacing parts with microservices – all while keeping existing solutions running smoothly for end users in production.
Through real-world examples and practical guidance, this session equips you with the knowledge to navigate the complexities of a monolith to microservices journey, ensuring a smooth transition without disrupting your user base.
Beyond the Expected: Unconventional Paths to Engineering Leadership
Contrary to the conventional narrative, the path to engineering leadership is far from linear. Successful leaders often emerge from diverse backgrounds and life experiences. In this session, I'll share my personal journey, which began with building leadership skills through online gaming and unexpectedly stumbled into entrepreneurship.
Discover how these unconventional experiences equipped me with the skills and perspectives needed to excel in leadership roles. We'll explore how diverse experiences, from hobbies and passions to unexpected challenges, can provide valuable insights and transferable skills that are essential for effective leadership.
Learn how to recognize and leverage your unique strengths, regardless of your traditional career path. We'll discuss how overcoming challenges, whether personal or professional, can build resilience, adaptability, and problem-solving skills. By understanding the unconventional paths of successful engineering leaders, you'll be inspired to embrace your own unique journey and discover your potential for leadership.
Panel: How To Deploy More Scalable, Safe & Robust Generative AI Products
In this session, our panelists will share their experiences, challenges, and success stories in swiftly moving from concept validation to the creation of robust and safe AI products, with talking points including:
➝ Safety measures
➝ Collaboration and interdisciplinary approaches
➝ Scaling from initial production
Maher Hanafi - VP of Engineering at Betterworks
Mitesh Mangaonkar - Tech Lead, Software Engineering, Data at Airbnb
Dr. Astha Purohit - Director, Product/Tech Ops at Walmart
Pratibha Rathore - Tech Lead, AI at Meta
DeveloperWeek 2025 Sessionize Event
BlablaConf 2025 🇲🇦 Sessionize Event
CloudX 2024 Sessionize Event
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