Randolph Hernandez
Event Delivery • AI & Innovation • Intrapreneurship
20+ years at the intersection of hospitality operations, event delivery, and technical innovation. Building systems that connect people, technology, and outcomes in ways others miss.
Who I Am
I find growth in unexpected places by connecting systems, people, and technology in ways others miss. Over 20 years, I've built a career at the intersection of hospitality operations, event delivery, and technical innovation, proving that the most powerful solutions emerge when you understand both the human experience and the systems that enable it.
I work backwards from the goal. Whether designing a water system that eliminates 50,000 plastic bottles per event, engineering a 78-screen AV network for a sports bar, deploying the first AI agents in a Fortune 500 hospitality company, or delivering Formula 1 for 100,000+ attendees, I start with the outcome and build the path to get there.
My background spans CTO of a $3M-funded media startup, Group GM across three countries, Operations Manager for Expo2020 Closing Ceremony, consultant to Abu Dhabi government entities, and innovation lead for venues serving millions. This isn't a scattered resume; it's a consistent pattern of seeing problems as system-design challenges and solving them with technology, creativity, and operational discipline.
What I Bring
Event Delivery at Scale
- • Formula 1 Abu Dhabi GP (2015-2025)
- • Expo2020 Dubai Closing Ceremony
- • Ferrari Racing Days & premium hospitality
- • 100+ high-stakes events delivered
- • Real-time problem-solving under pressure
AI & Automation Leadership
- • First AI agent deployment company-wide
- • Local LLM training & implementation
- • Automation frameworks (n8n, PowerApps)
- • Predictive analytics for operations
- • AI strategy & ROI modeling
Innovation That Ships
- • Product manager for custom POS & IoT
- • 2 filed patents (US Patent Office)
- • 36% revenue growth through tech
- • Venues as R&D labs
- • Quantifiable outcomes every time
Systems Architecture
- • End-to-end technical ecosystems
- • AV+L control systems
- • Hands-on coder (Python, C++, Swift, JS)
- • Cloud infrastructure & APIs
- • Bridge IT and operations seamlessly
Cross-Cultural Leadership
- • Teams across NYC, UAE, Sri Lanka
- • F1, Expo2020, stadium events
- • Real-time crisis management
- • $3M funding secured as CTO
- • Government & enterprise consulting
Intrapreneurial Solutions
- • Founded 4 consultancies
- • Venue transformation specialist
- • Full-spectrum innovation delivery
- • Rapid prototyping & iteration
- • Living R&D lab methodology
Event & Hospitality Operations
Event Delivery & Production
- • 100+ large-scale events delivered annually
- • Formula 1 ADGP, Retail F&B & Hospitality
- • Expo2020 pavilion management
- • Multi-venue configuration & setup
- • VIP hospitality coordination
- • Real-time crisis management & troubleshooting
- • Post-event analysis & optimization
Food & Beverage Operations
- • Multi-outlet F&B management
- • Food truck & mobile vendor coordination
- • Menu development & pricing strategy
- • Vendor sourcing & relationship management
- • Mobile vendor permitting & logistics
- • Inventory control & waste reduction
- • Staff training & service standards
- • Health & safety compliance
Venue & Outlet Management
- • Pre-opening planning & execution
- • Daily operations oversight
- • P&L management & cost control
- • Staff scheduling & resource allocation
- • Guest experience optimization
- • Compliance & quality assurance
- • Cross-functional team leadership
Technical Foundation
Programming & Systems
AI & Machine Learning
Platforms & Tools
Infrastructure
Creative Production
Methodologies
Career Evolution
Hospitality & Events Manager
Oct 2021 - PresentEthara / Yas Marina Circuit
Leading innovation and operations for flagship UAE venues including Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (100,000+ attendees annually), Etihad Park concerts and festivals, Ferrari Racing Days, and Louvre Abu Dhabi cultural events. First to deploy AI agents company-wide for event planning automation and sustainability tracking. Achieved 36% revenue growth through tech-enabled guest experience optimization.
Head of Integration & Innovation
Apr 2024 - PresentFreelance Consultant
R&D leadership and technical innovation consulting for AV+L and hospitality technology sectors. Design automation frameworks, train/deploy local LLMs, manage product development for proprietary monitoring platforms, and provide hospitality/retail operations expertise to clients.
Founder & Managing Partner
2019 - 2023Project Hospitality Solutions
Boutique consultancy serving government and private clients across UAE. Led full-lifecycle venue launches, event production, and digital transformation initiatives for Abu Dhabi Department of Culture & Tourism, Miral, and Yas Marina Circuit. Delivered Expo2020 Dubai Closing Ceremony as Operations Manager.
Group General Manager
2015 - 2019Stars 'N' Bars
Launched and scaled award-winning sports bar brand across Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sri Lanka. Designed 78-screen AV system with custom content management platform. Built gamified sales system integrating real-time POS data with on-screen guest activations.
Director of Marketing and Events
Jun 2011 - Jun 2013Tonic Times Square
Transformed events and marketing department, achieving record-breaking results. Generated $129K in NYE ticket sales (45% increase), boosted weekly food sales from $25K to $40K (60% growth). Produced high-profile athlete meet-and-greet events in partnership with CBS, NFL, and NBA. Featured in CBS News, Fox Business, DNAinfo, and The Tasting Panel Magazine.
Integration Consultant
Oct 2005 - Oct 2007Extensis
Deployed digital asset management (DAM) systems for enterprise clients including NASA, Disney, Ogilvy, WordPress, and City of Chicago. Developed custom plugins, network infrastructures, and automated creative workflows. Traveled extensively (10-15 days/month) for training, on-site integrations, and client engagement.
Founder & Lead Consultant
Jan 2003 - Oct 2015RandomSynergy
NYC-based consultancy redefining hospitality-tech integration. Delivered venue concepts, digital tools, marketing strategy, and operational transformation. Built event programming strategies that increased venue revenue by 40-60% through targeted audience development and technology-enabled guest engagement.
CTO/CIO
Feb 2001 - Sep 2005Urban Box Office
Led technical strategy for digital media startup during first dotcom boom. Secured $3M in funding, filed 2 patent applications, built content management system powering 17 websites, and presented to investors including MIT Media Lab founder Nicholas Negroponte. Escalated from systems engineer in server room to CIO/CTO in board room.
Helpdesk Engineer
1990s - Early 2000sViacom/MTV Networks
First professional tech role providing phone-based support for 3,000+ staff members at MTV/Nickelodeon/Viacom. Developed foundational skills in technical problem-solving, customer service, and cross-stakeholder communication. Earned internal nickname "The Golden Child" for ability to rapidly resolve critical issues that stumped senior engineers.
Impact & Recognition
Years Building Events, Hospitality & Tech Solutions
High-Stakes Events Delivered
Revenue Growth Through Event Strategy & Tech
Trees Worth of Carbon Offset Annually
Revenue Growth Through Tech
Startup Funding Raised
F1 GP Attendees Managed
US Patents Filed
Press & Recognition
Featured in CBS News for national sports partnerships and athlete engagement programming. Read more
CBS News
Quoted in Fox Business on NYC policy and hospitality operations. Read more
Fox Business
Cover story in Pro Audio MEA on venue AV system design and implementation. Read more
Pro Audio MEA
Featured in The Tasting Panel Magazine for beverage marketing and brand partnerships. Read more
The Tasting Panel Magazine
Featured in DNAinfo on best places to watch Euro 2012 matches in East Village. Read more
DNAinfo
Featured in The Big Race Weekender for Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix coverage. Read more
The Big Race Weekender
What People Say
"Randolph doesn't just understand technology or hospitality; he uses hospitality as a proving ground for technology, and technology as an enabler for hospitality. That combination is rare."
Daniel Ball, Co-Owner/CTO, Levels AV
"He has the Midas touch, everything he does turns to gold. He's exceptionally gifted, efficient, swift, highly motivated, ingenious, and delightful to work with."
Debra Ateshian, MTV Networks
"Randolph not only has great ideas but is great at execution, a unique talent. I was always impressed with our conversations."
Libby Tucker, Founder/CEO, FullStackRemote
"From concept to execution, Randolph's tech expertise and exceptional customer service skills kept us as loyal clients for all of our marketing and event needs."
Ana Sadighi, Marketer | Community Builder
"He is friendly, technically savvy, and confident in his knowledge. I would jump at the chance to hire him."
Kelly Guimont, Mac Admin, Podcaster
"Randolph is one of the only bona fide geniuses I know. I've enthusiastically recommended him to others and they've emailed me back telling me he literally saved their businesses."
Al Berrios, Founder, Outerthere.com
Randolph's Digital Twin
Ask questions about my experience, technical skills, past projects, or how I can help your organization. Coded by me, Powered by Claude Haiku 4.5.
Chat with Randolph
Hey! I'm Randolph. I've spent 20+ years at the intersection of hospitality operations, event delivery, and technical innovation. Ask me about my work: from deploying AI agents, to engineering water systems that eliminate 50,000 plastic bottles per event, to delivering ten Formula 1 ADGPs in different roles. What would you like to know?
Let's Connect
Currently based in Abu Dhabi with self-sponsored UAE residency visa. US Citizen. Available for consulting, advisory roles, speaking engagements, and leadership opportunities that value cross-disciplinary innovation.