Alain Graf

Senior Software Architect

I design and evolve mission-critical systems and support companies in building scalable, reliable platforms with long-term stability and real business impact.

Operating through Graf Technologies GmbH.

25+ years across insurance, banking, transport and industry.

What I do

Three focused areas, typically delivered in long-term engagements.

  • Software Architecture for complex and distributed systems Architecture, design and technical leadership that de-risks decisions on platforms where reliability, scalability and long-term maintainability matter.
  • Modernization of mission-critical platforms Step-by-step modernization of core systems — from target architecture through delivery and operational stability — over multi-year engagements, without disrupting the business.
  • Pragmatic AI integration into enterprise systems Integration of LLMs, RAG and document-processing solutions into existing enterprise landscapes, with a focus on real business value.

Graf Technologies GmbH is led by Alain Graf. Through the company, I support organizations that need senior architectural judgment combined with the ability to deliver in production.

Engagements are typically long-term and focused on systems where downtime, data integrity and architectural decisions have material business impact.

Areas of expertise

High-level focus first, detailed stack further down.

Distributed Systems & Microservices

Architecture and delivery of resilient, horizontally scalable systems with clear service boundaries.

Cloud-native Architectures

Container-based platforms on Kubernetes / OpenShift, designed for portability and operational maturity.

Event-driven Systems

Asynchronous, message-based designs using Kafka and enterprise messaging for decoupled, auditable flows.

AI Integration

LLM, RAG and agent-based components integrated into enterprise systems, including document processing and knowledge-based solutions.

Mission-critical Platforms

Core systems in regulated and high-availability environments, with attention to security, traceability and long-term evolution.

Architecture & Modernization

Reviews, target architectures and step-by-step modernization of legacy landscapes without disrupting the business.

About Alain Graf

Senior software architect operating through his own company.

25+ years of experience designing, building and evolving complex software systems for leading Swiss and international companies.

Long-term work on mission-critical platforms across insurance, banking, transport and industry — combining architectural depth with hands-on delivery.

Strong combination of architecture, distributed systems engineering and modern topics including cloud-native platforms and AI integration.

Alongside Graf Technologies GmbH, Alain is co-founder of Kaimu, a venture building practical AI solutions for businesses.

Alain Graf

Graf Technologies GmbH is the structure through which Alain Graf provides his services. The company is intentionally kept small and senior, focused on engagements where deep experience makes a measurable difference.

Currently engaged, open to selected long-term opportunities.

Selected technologies

A focused view of tools used in recent and ongoing engagements.

Languages & Platforms

Java (Spring, Quarkus, JEE), Python, TypeScript / Node.js, Angular, WebLogic, WebSphere, Tomcat

Distributed & Messaging

Kafka, JMS, REST / JAX-RS, Avro, Oracle, MongoDB

Cloud & Delivery

Kubernetes, OpenShift, containerization, CI/CD, Git, Maven

AI & Data

LLM integration, RAG, AI agents, vector databases, PyTorch, vLLM, LoRA fine-tuning

Security

TLS/SSL, SSO, OIDC, Keycloak, Spring Security, JAAS

Selected experience

Evidence of senior, long-term work in demanding environments.

Experience with leading companies such as Helvetia, SBB, PostFinance, Swiss Re and Credit Suisse, together with further engagements at Ascom, Panalpina, Alstom, Novartis, GFT and E3 — across insurance, banking, transport and industry.

  • Helvetia
  • SBB
  • PostFinance
  • Swiss Re
  • Credit Suisse
  • Novartis
  • Ascom
  • Panalpina
  • Alstom
  • GFT
  • E3

Contact

For long-term consulting and architecture engagements.

Address

Graf Technologies GmbH
Blumenstrasse 23d
CH-4102 Binningen

Direct contact

Phone +41 79 578 79 01

Email info@graf-tec.ch

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