Hey there! 👋🏼

I’m Vaibhav Kalekar, an AI automation and technology implementation specialist based in Sydney, Australia.

From engineering systems to transforming how organisations work

My professional journey started in quality engineering and test automation. For the first ten years of my career, I worked on understanding how software systems behave, where they fail and how to build confidence in their reliability.

Over the following years, that engineering foundation expanded into data engineering, platform modernisation, governance, enterprise technology and digital transformation.

Across 18 years, I have worked with organisations in healthcare, insurance, financial services and technology, across Australia, Europe, the United States and India.

I have seen technology transformation from several perspectives: the engineering team responsible for building systems, the business teams relying on accurate processes and data, and the governance functions responsible for managing risk and accountability.

That experience shapes how I approach automation and AI today.

What I focus on

AI and workflow automation

Identifying opportunities to improve business processes through automation, intelligent workflows and AI agents. I focus on solutions that integrate with existing systems, retain appropriate human oversight and deliver practical operational value.

AI implementation and assurance

Working across AI enablement, governance and assurance. This includes AI use-case assessment, responsible AI practices, risk controls and implementing governance requirements in the systems and workflows where they matter.

Data and technology modernisation

Building and improving data pipelines, data platforms, integrations and governance capabilities. I am interested in making data more reliable, accessible and useful for business operations and decision-making.

Quality engineering and process automation

Applying an engineering mindset to operational processes: validation, reconciliation, monitoring, test automation and control automation. The objective is to reduce manual effort while improving reliability and accountability.

How I approach technology

I believe technology implementation should begin with a clear understanding of the problem, not with a preference for a particular tool.

My approach is to:

  • Understand the business process and the people who depend on it.

  • Identify friction, inefficiencies, risks and opportunities for improvement.

  • Determine where process redesign, integration or automation can help.

  • Build solutions that are observable, maintainable and fit for purpose.

  • Embed appropriate governance, assurance and human oversight.

AI is an important part of this work, but it is not the answer to every problem. Sometimes the right solution is a better workflow, a reliable data pipeline, an integration or a well-designed automation.

Professional background

My experience includes:

  • Insurance and financial services: Automation, validation, reconciliation and governance in regulated operating environments.

  • Healthcare: Data engineering, revenue-cycle workflows, interoperability and healthcare data standards.

  • Data and technology: Data platforms, engineering, quality, modernisation and cloud-based solutions.

  • AI and governance: Applied AI, agentic workflows, AI assurance and ISO/IEC 42001 implementation practices.

I hold the BSI ISO/IEC 42001 Lead Implementer qualification, bringing an AI governance and management-systems perspective to practical implementation work.

Working with Etherion Consulting

I am building Etherion Consulting with Shweta Naik, combining technology implementation and automation with digital transformation, programme leadership and operational improvement.

My focus within Etherion is AI and workflow automation, technology implementation, data and AI assurance, and identifying practical opportunities to modernise how organisations operate.

Together, we help organisations move from understanding what needs to change to implementing the improvements that make a difference.

Beyond technology

Outside my professional work, I write about technology, human identity, philosophy and modern life. I also enjoy photography, particularly street and architectural photography.

These interests are part of how I think about technology: not only as a collection of systems and tools, but as something that changes how people work, create, communicate and understand the world.

My writing and creative work can be found at KoanVai.