Leo La Plante

Program and technology leader with proven competence delivering complex, mission-critical systems for regulated industries.

llaplant@practicableRobotics.com linkedin.com/in/llaplant
Eligible for Reliability-level Government Security Clearance

Summary

Program and technology executive with proven competence leading complex delivery at IBM for regulated banking and utility clients. Track record includes a $780 million outsourcing renewal, a program office supporting 700+ projects a year, and a 22-country infrastructure transition delivered for less than half the budgeted cost. Strengths include outage response and root cause analysis, operational readiness testing, quality management to ISO 9001, and clear technical writing for executives and clients. Now bringing that experience to the nuclear industry while completing a Bachelor of Engineering in Nuclear Engineering at Ontario Tech, backed by hands-on systems engineering and robotics work.

Education

Bachelor of Engineering, Nuclear Engineering · Ontario Tech UniversityExpected 2029
Professional Certificate in Robotics · MITx2025
Bachelor of Science, Physics · McMaster University1995
Coursework in Robotics & Fluid Power · Centennial College1995 – 1996

Experience

practicableRobotics

2023 – present

Founder & Lead Developer

  • Designed and built a working robotic prototype, covering battery and power electronics, motor control circuits, microcontroller firmware, sensors and mechanical fabrication.
  • Applied model-based systems engineering (Gaphor) and CAD (FreeCAD) from requirements through build and test.
Design decisions, build photos and code for the Meerkat prototypeView portfolio →

IBM Canada / Kyndryl

1996 – 2023

Kyndryl was formed from IBM's infrastructure services business in November 2021; I moved with it.

Consult Leader, Canada (Kyndryl)2021 – 2023
  • Led Canada's Advisory & Implementation Services business through the spin-off from IBM, reorganizing a multi-hundred-million-dollar unit of about 240 staff and contractors into Kyndryl Consult, with new practices in cloud, applications and data, security and resiliency, network and edge, and digital workplace.
  • Rebuilt the consulting bench: grew consulting architects from 0 to 13 and consultants from 10 to 21, hired 30+ practitioners, and raised utilization from the 50s to the 70s percent.
  • Exited an unprofitable OEM hardware resale portfolio of 94 client accounts and 280+ projects, replacing the lost margin with higher-margin labour services, including a re-established staff augmentation business.
  • Introduced a single deal-intake process, a deal-qualification tool that cut evaluation from 97 questions to 20, and a mandatory handover process from win to project kickoff.
Technology & Project Services Delivery Executive2018 – 2021
  • Led consulting and project services delivery across Canada.
  • Acted as client technical lead during IBM's response to significant outages, and led numerous technical root cause analyses.
Global Technology Strategy Leader2014 – 2018
  • Set technology strategy for a major bank's global operations across Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America.
  • Served as senior technical contact to the CIO of IBM Canada's largest banking client, presenting roadmaps for mainframe, middleware, distributed, cloud and systems management technologies.
  • Provided technical leadership as the bank's contact centres moved from purpose-built hardware to software-defined technology.
  • Designed a machine learning architecture for IT operations, and helped build the minimum viable product for IBM's AIOps tooling.
Business Unit Executive, International Banking2010 – 2014
  • Drove renewal and expansion of outsourcing agreements with IBM Canada's largest finance client, valued at $780 million.
  • Led the transition of core banking, executive office and branch infrastructure across 22 countries for less than half the budgeted cost, then grew the business 33% a year.
  • Delivered an ongoing infrastructure cost reduction program worth $8 million a year.
Head of Complex Program Office2008 – 2010
  • Managed solution development and project management resources supporting 700+ projects a year.
  • Re-engineered processes from service design through implementation, resolving the client's most significant pain point and supporting contract renewal.
IT Specialist, Program & Development Manager1999 – 2008
  • Created a risk-based testing and operational readiness practice that ended chronic instability in new system implementations.
  • Provided technical oversight for a multi-year move of critical banking workloads from mainframe to IBM Power5+ systems.
  • Managed development of securities filing systems in Java and SQL, and supported outage management and market deregulation systems for utility clients.
Systems Engineer, IBM Systems Group1996 – 1999
  • Designed and implemented computing platforms for IBM Canada's largest enterprise clients, and worked with product engineering on performance benchmarking and high-priority technical issues.
  • Planned physical equipment layouts, including racking, power, network and HVAC connections.

Quality & Operations

Brand Computers Inc.

1995 – 1996

Manager, Technical Sales & Operations

  • Led the company's ISO 9001 initiative for computer system assembly and test.
  • Worked with technicians to define and document verifiable assembly and test procedures.
  • Implemented a quality management system for that scope, and oversaw procedure execution and the collection of records and evidence over several months, in preparation for external audit.

Additional experience: Production Associate, Celestica (1995): assembled and tested power supplies following hazardous-materials and WHMIS protocols. Freight Associate, The Home Depot (2026); Production Associate, Niagara Fun Foods (1989–1992): followed safety, sanitation and quality-check procedures in warehouse and food manufacturing settings.

Skills

Technical writingTechnical reports, solution designs, business cases, proposals, executive presentations
Quality and processQuality management systems (ISO 9001), procedure development, records and evidence control, risk-based testing, root cause analysis
Systems engineeringModel-based systems engineering (Gaphor), requirements, operational readiness, system integration
Design and buildCAD (FreeCAD), power electronics, motor control, sensors, microcontroller programming, machining, MIG and flux-core welding
Hands-on technicalMechanical and electrical troubleshooting and repair, including vehicles; fabrication with hand, pneumatic and hydraulic tools
Software and dataJava, Kotlin, Python, SQL, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Project
Project deliveryPlanning, budgeting, team coordination, vendor and stakeholder management

Certifications & Training

  • Nondestructive Examination: ASME BPV Code Section V (ASME course), 2025
  • Confined Space Entry, CSA Z1006-16, 2025
  • Licensed Forklift Operator, CSA B335-15, 2025
  • Standard First Aid & CPR Level A, St. John Ambulance, 2026
  • WHMIS, 2025
  • Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE), 1996