Senior Full-Stack Developer & Laravel Architect

Senior Full-Stack Developer & Laravel Architect with 10+ years of experience building scalable web applications, robust APIs, and end-to-end SaaS platforms. I specialise in solving complex technical challenges and de-risking operations for businesses by:

• Architecting Secure & Resilient Systems: My background delivering in highly regulated environments (PCI-DSS, UK Gambling Commission) means I bring a security-first, zero-downtime mindset to every project, whether it's a standard CRUD app or a complex microservice architecture.
• Modernising Legacy Systems: Orchestrating safe migrations - using techniques like the "Strangler Pattern" - to transition from rigid monoliths to scalable, testable Laravel/Vue 3 architectures without disrupting live business operations.
• Accelerating Delivery: Actively leveraging AI-augmented workflows (LLMs and coding agents like Cline/Gemini) to increase development velocity, automate boilerplate, and enhance technical precision.
• Cloud Infrastructure & Integrations: Provisioning and managing highly available services on AWS (Lambda/Fargate/Vapor) using Terraform and Docker, alongside building seamless third-party API integrations.

Legacy Modernisation & Migrations

Stabilise messy codebases, reduce bugs, and modernise incrementally without downtime.

Backend Architecture & APIs

Laravel-first systems, microservices, REST/SOAP APIs, SOLID design.

Secure System Architecture & Integrations

PCI-DSS and UK Gambling Commission delivery, payments, audits, and migrations.

Cloud Infrastructure

AWS Lambda/Fargate, Terraform, Docker, monitoring and observability.

Modern Frontends

Decoupled Vue 3 and TypeScript UIs that pair cleanly with APIs.

AI-Augmented Delivery

LLM-assisted automation to speed up workflows, docs, and migrations.

Zero-Downtime Enterprise Data Migrations

I architected and engineered a unified data import pipeline capable of normalizing and safely migrating millions of records across tenant-specific databases.

• Zero downtime: migrated legacy datasets without interrupting live betting operations.
• Accelerated growth: drastically reduced time to onboard new enterprise clients.
• Compliance secured: built to UKGC audit standards with strong data integrity.

AWS Cloud Infrastructure & Event-Driven Microservices

I engineered and deployed the new AWS-native microservice infrastructure using Infrastructure-as-Code.

• Eliminated Manual Ops: Completely removed the need for developer-led SQL imports across environments.
• Enabled GUI Updates: The new microservice API allowed admin staff to update POI data directly via a user interface, drastically reducing development overhead.
• Seamless Deployment: Successfully delivered the infrastructure into production, aligning perfectly with internal architecture conventions.

Architecting a Multi-Tenant B2B SaaS Platform

I translated the director's business vision into a complete technical roadmap and architected the full-stack solution.

• Built for Scale: Devised and documented an AWS scaling strategy (EC2 instances, dedicated DBs, and Load Balancers) to ensure the platform could grow with client acquisition.
• Lucrative Upsell Pipeline: Engineered a white-label Ionic hybrid app, enabling the agency to deploy standard web portals while successfully upselling native iOS and Android applications to clients.
• Successful Delivery: Navigated changing pandemic requirements to successfully deliver, test, and deploy a market-ready SaaS product.

Beyond the Code: Architecting Laravel for High-Regulation Compliance

How to architect Laravel systems for compliance - SOLID design, environment parity, and tests as audit evidence.

Independent Projects & R&D

Oct 2025 - Present (Remote, UK)

• Developed an AI-driven Laravel assistant leveraging Open WebUI and local LLMs to accelerate architectural planning and Laravel 12 migration workflows.
• Integrated Gemini, Cline, and OpenCode to automate code generation and system documentation, significantly reducing R&D overhead.
• Deepened systems-architecture skills to improve AWS infrastructure design, performance, and reliability for Laravel services.

CAVU

PHP Developer, Jan 2024 - Sep 2025 (Remote, UK)

• Engineered Infrastructure-as-Code (Terraform) to provision and deploy new API services onto AWS Lambda and Fargate, while managing the end-to-end release lifecycle for existing services across Dev, Test, and UAT environments using Octopus Deploy.
• Contributed core feature development and technical maintenance across a mission-critical ecosystem of 10+ microservices, including specialized integrations for IATA-certified barcode and QR logistics systems.
• Improved system observability and reliability by implementing Datadog monitoring to proactively identify bottlenecks and maintaining high code standards through SOLID principles and comprehensive PHPUnit test coverage.
• Developed scalable data solutions using Algolia and DynamoDB to ensure high-performance search and storage capabilities for microservice-driven architectures.

Sterling Lotteries

Full-Stack Developer, Dec 2021 - Sep 2023 (Barrow-in-Furness, UK)

• Navigated complex regulatory landscapes to deliver UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) and PCI-DSS compliant solutions for multi-tenant betting platforms.
• Accelerated client onboarding by engineering a unified data import system to migrate massive third-party datasets with zero downtime.
• Built custom, tenant-specific feature sets within a shared core, increasing client satisfaction while maintaining a single, maintainable codebase.
• Standardized containerized development using Docker, reducing environment-related bugs and onboarding time for new engineering hires.

EV-comply

Full Stack Developer, Sep 2021 - Dec 2021 (Remote, UK)

• Transformed deployment reliability by automating CI/CD pipelines through Bitbucket, reducing manual error and release cycles.
• Developed and containerized scalable applications using Docker and Kubernetes within AWS cloud environments.
• Enforced high code quality standards through Test-Driven Development (TDD) using PHPUnit and Codeception in an Agile/Scrum framework.

Be Creative Digital

Senior Software Developer (promoted from Web Software Developer), Feb 2016 - Aug 2021 (Barrow-in-Furness, UK)

• Led the end-to-end delivery of a greenfield SaaS platform, managing everything from MySQL schema design to a Laravel-powered white-label API and hybrid mobile apps.
• Mentored junior developers through full apprenticeships, establishing robust Git workflows and code review processes to foster team growth.
• Consulted directly with stakeholders to translate complex business needs into bespoke technical solutions, including CRMs and sports management platforms.

Backend

PHP, Laravel, OOP, MVC frameworks, REST/SOAP APIs, PHPUnit, SOLID design

Frontend

JavaScript, TypeScript, jQuery, Angular, Vue.js (Vue 3, Composition API), Bootstrap, Tailwind

Databases

MySQL, MariaDB, DynamoDB, Redis, Algolia, MySQL/MariaDB Spatial (ST_Distance_Sphere)

Tools & Platforms

Git, Docker, Linux CLI, Terraform, AWS, Ionic, Capacitor, Cordova, Gemini, Local LLMs, Cline, Jira, Confluence, Bitbucket, GitHub, Slack