About
John Seong
Hi, welcome to my blog!
Who Am I?
I'm John Seong, a Tech Lead (Software Engineer III) at BCI (British Columbia Investment Management Corporation) where I lead AI application development for private markets. I hold a Master's in Artificial Intelligence from the University of Ottawa (MIAI). My background spans cloud engineering, DevOps, and backend development, and I've dedicated my career to building robust, scalable systems that make a difference.
My journey began in 2015 at the Royal Military College of Canada, where I pursued computer engineering through a unique military-subsidized program. This opportunity allowed me to combine academic studies with hands-on IT support for military operations, laying a strong foundation for my technical career.
What sets my path apart is my commitment to service. I spent seven enriching years as a military officer in the Canadian Armed Forces, supporting critical IT infrastructure and operations. This experience taught me invaluable lessons about soft skills like leadership, resilience, and the importance of being a reliable team. Thanks to Avanade, I successfully transitioned to the private sector, where I've continued to grow and innovate in cloud technology.
As a Tech Lead at BCI, I lead the development of AI applications for private markets, focusing on building sophisticated agent ecosystems. My work centers on leveraging cutting-edge technologies like MCP (Model Context Protocol), custom skills development, and LangGraph to create intelligent systems that support investment decision-making. As a technical leader, I drive architectural decisions that shape how AI can transform private markets investment strategies, focusing on scalable and efficient solutions that deliver measurable value.
Prior to BCI, I served as a Senior Software Developer at WestJet, where I led the Integration and API Management team. During my time there, I implemented an API management layer that fronted internal APIs hosted on Kubernetes, driving architectural decisions that shaped the airline's digital transformation journey.
Beyond my professional work, I'm an active open source contributor. I contribute to OpenBB, the open-source financial data platform, where I've worked on standardizing exchange taxonomy data (ISO 10383), country membership group mappings, and CI infrastructure improvements. I also maintain an active lifestyle through competitive basketball.
My Story
My fascination with technology began in 2003 when my elementary school launched its first website. I was captivated by the ability to share content and connect with others through this new medium. That early experience sparked a belief that technology's greatest power lies in its ability to bring people together – a principle that still guides my work today.
Choosing to attend the Royal Military College of Canada was a pivotal decision shaped by both practical considerations and a desire to serve. Coming from an immigrant family, the fully subsidized education offered a path to pursue my dreams without the burden of student debt. The unique combination of military service and technical education has proven invaluable, equipping me with both technical expertise and leadership skills that inform my approach to software engineering.
What You'll Find Here
This blog showcases my professional expertise across several key areas:
Cloud Architecture & DevOps: I share insights from my experience with Azure, AWS, and modern DevOps practices, including infrastructure as code, containerization, and CI/CD pipelines.
Technical Writing: Through detailed articles and documentation, I demonstrate my ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly and effectively. All content is written in Markdown, reflecting industry best practices for technical documentation.
Web Development: This blog itself is built using NextJS and TailwindCSS, showcasing my full-stack development capabilities. The source code is available on my GitHub, demonstrating my coding practices and commitment to open source.
Enterprise Java Development: Insights about building microservices with Spring Boot, including security, API development, and performance optimization.
AI & Financial Technology: RAG systems, AI agents, MCP integrations, and open source fintech tooling.
Feel free to explore my posts and projects. I hope you'll find valuable insights that can help in your own technical journey!