Xabier Muruaga
Global Head of AI & Data @ Iberdrola · Adjunct AI Professor @ IE University
I architect and lead enterprise AI/GenAI platforms that survive Day-2 operations, and define standards that turn use cases into reliable, auditable production systems. Over 15+ years, I’ve worked at the intersection of platform architecture, technical governance, and risk controls in regulated environments.
At Iberdrola, I lead the Global AI & Data Center, shaping multi-cloud foundations (Azure/AWS) and reusable building blocks adopted across teams and geographies. My focus is evidence-by-design, ensuring teams can move fast without accumulating fragile complexity. I also teach ML Systems & MLOps at IE University, with a strong emphasis on AI architecture and production operations.
Experience
Adjunct Professor – Artificial Intelligence
Design and teach the ML Systems / MLOps course in the Master in Business Analytics and Data Science, integrating automated lifecycle practices with the architectural principles required to run production-grade AI systems at scale.
Technologies & Skills
Global Head of AI & Data
Leading Iberdrola’s Global AI & Data Center with full responsibility for enterprise AI & data capabilities worldwide. My mandate is to move the organization from scattered AI pilots to an AI-Native operating model, through opinionated architectures, shared platforms and robust governance for both classical ML and Generative AI.
Key Achievements
- Delivered a secure enterprise GenAI platform across Azure and AWS, enabling production deployment of RAG and agentic systems with guardrails, evaluation gates, and observability.
- Industrialized reusable building blocks (LLM gateway, retrieval, telemetry, policy-as-code) to reduce time-to-production and improve consistency across teams.
- Operationalized Responsible AI technical controls to support audit readiness, including traceability and evidence-by-design across the lifecycle.
Technologies & Skills
Guest Lecturer – Artificial Intelligence
Deliver guest lectures on Artificial Intelligence for the Master’s in Entrepreneurship & Open Innovation, focusing on how AI, data and experimentation enable new business models.
Technologies & Skills
Global Cloud & AI Architect
Specialized in global cloud and AI architecture, leveraging AWS and Azure to design highly scalable, enterprise-wide platforms. Drove the integration of Generative AI as a first-class capability, laying the technical foundations for the current AI & GenAI platform.
Key Achievements
- Established enterprise reference architectures across AWS and Azure, strengthening security, reliability, and platform standards.
- Shipped early GenAI foundations (access patterns, shared services, governance gates) adopted across multiple teams.
- Defined practical Responsible AI implementation guidance and controls for production delivery.
Technologies & Skills
Global Head of Technology – Smart Solutions
Directed the technology strategy and systems architecture for Iberdrola's Retail Smart Solutions (smart home, solar, EV charging), building platforms that scaled to millions of users and demonstrated how well-architected systems translate into tangible business outcomes.
Key Achievements
- Scaled smart solution products to millions of users across multiple countries.
- Delivered automation that materially reduced sales-to-installation time.
- Increased customer acquisition by significantly improving digital experiences.
Technologies & Skills
Head of Technology – Metering & Industry Processes
Directed digital transformation for millions of UK customers, consolidating complex legacy systems into SAP IS-U/CRM and deploying Smart Metering solutions that materially improved billing quality and operational visibility.
Key Achievements
- Delivered large-scale consolidation of legacy systems into a unified SAP IS-U/CRM platform.
- Successfully deployed Smart Metering solutions for millions of UK customers.
- Significantly reduced billing errors through improved data processing and system integration.
Technologies & Skills
Technology Strategy Consultant
Advised IBEX-35 clients on technology strategy and transformation programs, with a focus on aligning complex delivery portfolios with evolving business priorities and financial constraints.
Key Achievements
- Designed and delivered an inter-company reconciliation system for an IBEX-35 client.
- Materially reduced month-end financial processing time.
- Consulted with C-level stakeholders to align technology delivery with strategic business objectives.
Technologies & Skills
Software Engineer
Developed enterprise applications for clients in the energy and insurance sectors, including a real-time wind-farm monitoring platform for a major Spanish utility, gaining hands-on experience across the full software development lifecycle.
Key Achievements
- Engineered a real-time monitoring platform for wind farms from the ground up.
- Implemented a Java EE solution with robust, high-performance data processing capabilities.
- Delivered the system successfully for a major Spanish utility company.
Technologies & Skills
Technical Skills
Languages
ML Frameworks
Data & MLOps
Cloud & Orchestration
Methodologies & Leadership
Certifications
Professional Certifications
Data Engineering Professional Certificate
DeepLearning.AI • 2025
MLOps Zoomcamp
DataTalksClub • 2025
Machine Learning in Production
DeepLearning.AI • 2025
AI Agents
Hugging Face • 2025
Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Engineer Associate
Microsoft • 2024
NVIDIA AI Infrastructure and Operations
NVIDIA • 2024
Responsible AI
Google Cloud • 2024
Generative AI for Executives and Business Leaders
IBM • 2024
Computer Vision
Kaggle • 2024
AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate
Amazon Web Services • 2023
Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert
Microsoft • 2023
HashiCorp Certified: Terraform Associate
HashiCorp • 2023
Generative AI with Large Language Models
DeepLearning.AI • 2023
Machine Learning Certificate
Stanford Online • 2016
Education
Universidad Internacional de La Rioja
2023 - 2024MSc, Artificial Intelligence
GPA: 4.0/4.0. Thesis: ML/DL classification of hazardous asteroids (European ADELA project). Focus on applied ML and model evaluation across end-to-end AI pipelines.
EOI Business School
2011 - 2013Executive MSc, Business
Executive MSc focused on business strategy, operating models, and tech-driven transformation.
Tilburg University
2010 - 2011MSc, Computer Science & Industrial Engineering (Exchange)
International exchange. Computer science, systems engineering, and applied optimization.
University of Deusto
2004 - 2011MSc, Computer Science & Industrial Engineering
Dual degree. Final thesis: Scalable peer-to-peer platform in Python (top distinction 10/10). Strong base in distributed systems and software architecture.