About Ashok
I help companies turn AI from an idea into working software - applications, agents, and automations that run in production, not in a slide deck.
I'm Co-Founder & Head of Technology at HashTag Technologies, an AI-first engineering consultancy. Behind that is 16+ years in software - from building telecom platform subsystems at Nokia Siemens Networks to architecting and delivering AI systems for clients across India, Europe, North America, and the UK.
Three ways I work with clients:
🛠️ AI-Powered Application Development - Full-cycle delivery of custom software with AI at the core: requirements, architecture, AI-accelerated development (Claude Code, agentic workflows), QA, and deployment. We routinely ship in weeks what traditional teams quote in months.
🤖 AI Agent Development - Design and deployment of single agents and multi-agent systems: LLM orchestration, RAG pipelines, tool/API integration, governance, and monitoring. I run a production multi-agent platform on Google Cloud with 15+ agents handling research, content, operations, and delivery workflows for our own agency and our clients.
🧭 AI Consulting & Strategy - Use-case discovery and prioritization, feasibility and effort estimation, build-vs-buy decisions, AI adoption roadmaps, and fractional CTO support for teams that need senior technical judgement without a full-time hire.
Typical engagements: An enterprise that needs an AI-powered platform scoped and built end-to-end; a startup that needs a working agent or MVP fast; a leadership team that needs an honest assessment of where AI will actually pay off.
What you get: Clear communication, realistic estimates, architecture that scales, and a partner who has managed distributed teams through the full lifecycle for over a decade.
Stack & keywords: Claude Code, AI Agents, Workflow Automation, Python, Node.js, React, GCP, API Design, CI/CD, Solution Architecture, Fractional CTO
English
Native or bilingual
Remote only
Primarily works remotely
Experience
- HashTag TechnologiesCo-Founder & Head of AI Consulting & EngineeringTECHJanuary 2013 - Today (13 years and 5 months)Coonoor, TN, India
- Lead technology strategy and delivery for an AI-first consultancy serving clients in media & entertainment, financial services, insurance, manufacturing, and the public sector across India, Europe, North America, and the UK.
- Design AI agents and LLM systems: orchestration, RAG pipelines, tool integration, evaluation, and governance
- Advise leadership teams on AI strategy — use-case identification, feasibility, effort estimation, and adoption roadmaps; serve as fractional CTO for international delivery partners
- Delivered recent engagements including an interactive engagement platform for a major media network, accessibility-compliance scoping for a regulated financial-services firm, an enterprise employee portal, and document-processing automation pipelines
- Manage distributed teams through the full SDLC with Agile/Scrum and CI/CD
- Built and operate a multi-agent AI platform on Google Cloud (15+ production agents) covering research, content generation, operations, and client delivery workflows
- Architect and deliver AI-powered applications end-to-end: discovery, solution architecture, AI-accelerated development, QA, and production deployment
- Nokia Siemens NetworksSenior R&D Engineer & Security LeadTELECOMMUNICATIONSJanuary 2011 - January 2013 (2 years)Bengaluru Science & Technology cluster, Bangalore, KA, IndiaI held the role of Senior R&D Engineer in Flexiplatform project - Nokia Siemens Networks' proprietary telecommunication platform. My responsibilities were:• Handling Scrum Master responsibilities of a team size of 10• Conduct Scrum ceremonies such as Daily Standup, Sprint Planning 1, Sprint Planning 2, Restrospectives, Sprint Demo, etc.,• Lead Developer for License Management and Certificate Management sub systems of the Flexiplatform product• Quality Gate Keeper – Master of the Root Cause Analysis team• Inter-team Code Reviewer• Subject Matter Expert and Single Point of Contact to Customer Documentation and System Testing Teams• Train new team members on the Platform as well as the sub systems• Co-ordinate with extended development and testing teams located in Espoo/Tampere-Finland, Szczecin/Krakow-Poland, Berlin/Munich-Germany
- Nokia Siemens NetworksR&D EngineerTELECOMMUNICATIONSJanuary 2009 - January 2011 (2 years)Bengaluru, Karnataka, IndiaInvolved in development of a proprietary Linux-based Telecommunication Platform Key development and testing member in an Agile Scrum team, advancing to Lead Developer. Improved code quality metrics by actively contributing to Scrum ceremonies and quality gatekeeping Coordinated with international development and testing teams situated in China, Philippines, Germany and Finland.
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Education
- Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.)PSG College of Technology2009Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.)
- Higher Secondary (ClassSt. Joseph's Anglo Indian Boys' Higher Secondary School2004Higher Secondary (Class